Chapter 8. Another Call
He'd said all he was going to say to Wilson, and this time he did close his phone and turned his attention to Linda. "So, what've you got?"
"Apple pie, brownies a la mode, and I think there's a piece of pecan pie left," she said, removing his empty lunch plate.
"Pecan pie? Really?"
"Coming right up!" she said with a grin and a wink, then turned to Cameron.
"Oh, nothing for me," she said, shaking her head.
"Oh, c'mon. Live a little," House urged.
Cameron looked from him to Linda and then back again. "Well. OK, I'll go with the brownie. I can always eat ice cream." But while Linda went to get their desserts, she stared at House. "Why don't you want Wilson to know where you are?" she asked.
House worked his mouth, then admitted. "I...I don't want him to spoil things."
Cameron nodded in understanding.
Linda placed the pie in front of House and said, "I thought you might like some whipped cream on that."
"You thought right!" he said, taking a big spoonful and putting it into his mouth.
Cameron ate a little of her ice cream, then started to gesticulate with her spoon. "It's so different here, isn't it? The atmosphere is so much more...uncomplicated than at PPTH." She nodded again. "I guess neither of us needs any reminders of that place."
He just nodded and continued to eat his pie.
"I mean, I didn't realize how stifling it was there until I left. And, believe me, Chicago wasn't much better," she went on, then paused and ate a bite of brownie, a smile of pleasure crossing her face.
"I don't think Wilson would get what it's like here," House allowed.
"But he's still your friend."
"Yeah, yeah," House said with a shrug. "But there are things you don't share, even with friends."
Cameron nodded, then noticed the time on the clock over the door to the diner. "Time to get back to the clinic. Um, you can stay and finish your dessert. I'll see you later."
But he shoveled the rest of his pie into his mouth and stood before she left, calling to Linda, "Put it on my tab." He dropped a few dollars on the table as a tip and followed Cameron back out.
Everything seemed to be back to normal in Shelby. The parking lot in front of the clinic and the other stores in the strip was more than half full, and people were going in and coming out of the nail salon and the other places. A woman waved to Cameron just before she entered the salon, and House realized it was one of their patients, Vivian Marshall. She was actually waving at them both.
House shook his head as Cameron unlocked the door to the clinic, but it was part of what was different about the town. People were friendly, appreciative, accepting. And none of them were tainted by preconceptions about him. Unfortunately, that wouldn't extend to the medical community in the area. He had too well-known a reputation. Well, it couldn't be helped.
Before he sat down again, the phone began to ring. Considering the calls he'd gotten that morning, he expected it was another patient. He was running out of cute rejoinders, so he just said, "Shelby Clinic."
"Hi, what happened to Carol?" a male voice asked.
"I had a sex-change operation," House replied in a high-pitched voice.
"Oh," the man said, as if he believed him. "Is Dr. Cameron there?"
House didn't know who the guy was, and for some reason he really didn't want him talking to Cameron. "She's busy, but I can take a message. Who should I say called her?"
"This is Chet Kirkwood. Dr. Charles Kirkwood," the man said. "This isn't Carol, is it?"
"I'll give Dr. Cameron your message," House said and hung up. Who was this Charles Kirkwood, he wondered.
"Who was on the phone?" Cameron poked her head out and asked.
"A Fuller Brush salesman," he said.
Cameron rolled her eyes. "I don't think those exist anymore, House."
"OK. You caught me. It was the hooker I hired for tonight. You won't mind a threesome, will you?"
"House!" She could see he was reluctant to say, so she softened her voice. "House, you can tell me."
"Do you know a Dr. Kirkwood?" he finally asked, his face as impassive as he could manage.
"Is that who it was?" The only way to describe the look on her face was puzzled.
"No, I just pulled the name out of thin air!"
"What...what did he want?"
"He wanted to know if he could speak with you." House stared at her, daring her to explain.
Cameron sighed. "Remember I told you that I had dinner a couple of times with a doctor from the Mercy Hospital in Snow Hill? It was Chet Kirkwood."
House processed the information before asking, "If it wasn't going anywhere, what does he want with you now?"
She shook her head. "I have no idea." She slowly let out a breath. "I suppose I can call him back and ask him."
"But somehow you're reluctant to do that," House guessed.
"Do you think he'll take it to mean that I'm interested in him?"
"Do you want him too?"
"No!" She hesitated before going on. "Chet Kirkwood is an egotistical jerk."
"Some people think I am, too."
"No! Really?" She spoiled her pretend surprise at that by laughing.
"Call him," House said, handing her the phone. "I'll hold your hand while you talk to him."
Cameron looked down. She didn't want him to see her eyes while she thought about it. "OK." She took the phone and the piece of paper where House had written the number, then dialed.
