CHAPTER SIX
A relatively short plane ride seemed to last forever when her love was at the other end. Please let him live, so I can make this up to him. He has to remember me. Clarence Butler seemed nice. She had talked briefly on the phone to him to let him know when she was arriving. She was a nervous wreck and found she wringing her hands. Rachel had offered to come with her but she had said no. She was glad she had. She didn't want her mother to see her like this. Clarence had said that Chuck would meet her at the airport, and take her directly to the hospital. The pilot's voice came over the speaker and said they would be landing at O'Hare in fifteen minutes. After landing and finding her bags she waited by the phones. She placed a call to her mother and let her know she was all right and would keep her informed. Hanging up she turned around just as a blond haired blue-eyed man was going to touch her shoulder.
"Amanda Cory?"
"Yes, are you Chuck?"
"Yes, and if I may say so, you are even more beautiful than your picture." And Chuck blushed at seeming so forward.
"Thank you, I forgot that Cameron had a picture of me. How is he?"
"He still isn't doing well. The doctors are hoping for any kind of recovery. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. We were lucky he had that picture with your writing on it." He picked up her cases and walked her in the direction of the parking lot.
"I am too. He could have been so hurt that he might not have brought anything with him." She took Chucks offered arm to get into his truck. He apologized that he didn't have a car.
"That's okay. It will get me to the hospital and that is all I care about." She hadn't even noticed she was busy thinking of Cameron.
Chuck made idle conversation and said that she could stay with Clara in Frank's room. She didn't want to put her out but it would keep her close to him, let her sleep where he slept and dream where he dreamed.
He let her off at the entrance and told her, which room he was in and that they were expecting her. He left to go park.
She took the elevator up to the fourth floor. Praying as she went not to break down when she saw him. Chuck had told her he was still unconscious and he had tubes coming from everywhere, but it had not prepared her for what she saw. Her hand went immediately to her mouth, 'Oh my God, Cameron.' she dropped her jacket and purse and went to his side. There was no place to hold his hand. He had IV's going into both arms and was on oxygen and a heart monitor. The tears washed over her cheeks and down onto the pillow. He was so swollen. They had shaved his head. And he had bandages all over. His beautiful eyes were taped shut and he was on a respirator. She just couldn't believe this was her Cameron. He had been so vital and full of life. If only. no he hated that. She wiped the tears from her face as Chuck came in with a woman and he introduced them. "Amanda Cory, this is my sister Clara Butler."
"How do you do." They both said in unison. Amanda smiled at Chuck.
She said, "I can't believe this is Cameron, please fill me in on what happened."
Chuck helped Clara to a chair near Cameron's bed, and proceeded to tell the tale, as he knew it. The accident and the recovery the first time, and now this. About how they hated going through his things, but the doctors felt someone who knew him might aid in his recovery. Clara filled her in on the rest. She told of how he loved the room and the view of the stars. She told her that even though he never spoke of her before the accident, she knew there was someone. He spent a lot of time alone and paced the floor. And after the accident he stared at your picture. She had overheard him, talking to you and wondering who this Princess was.
"What.. what did you say, Princess? He always called me that. Could it be he was remembering? Do they think he'll regain his memory?"
"You'll really have to talk to the doctors. They thought so before this last incident. I don't know now. They haven't been too forthcoming with any news. Maybe now that his family is here, they will talk to you."
"I'm not really family. We had been engaged but I called off the wedding. It's a story I would rather not talk about. He hurt me. I didn't think I would ever recover. But over the last few weeks, he's all I can think about. I must have sensed something was in the." the breeze that night on the hill, he must have been just settling in to his room. And the breeze I sensed yesterday morning must have been when he was lapsing into a coma. We ARE connected. I always felt we were.
"Amanda, what is it?" Clara asked.
"Just something about the air, I've been on his mind since he left, and I knew that. More than knowing, I felt it. It's confusing." Amanda was feeling weary.
Yes, it's obvious you love him, no matter what your reasons for breaking the engagement. You had to come here when you knew he was hurt. Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Clara exclaimed.
Amanda shivered at those words, weren't they the same ones, he had used the night he proposed. Who were these people, our guardian angels? After all they were the one's who found my picture. Thank God he took it with him. The day in Key West when they had had that picture taken, they didn't seem to have a care in the world. They had been happy there. We'll go back again when you are better. Closing her eyes, she prayed, 'Please God, save this man, he doesn't deserve this, he is a good man. He always tries to do the best by everyone except himself. Please help him come back to me.
"Amanda, why don't you go to Clara's and rest? You'll be called should anything change here. You look exhausted. Sleep will help. I'll come back and sit with Frank, if you want me too."
"Frank, gosh I had forgotten he used that alias. I should have remembered. He didn't want to be found." Quietly to herself she said, 'Oh my, what am I going to do? I hate to leave now that I have found him again. Are you sure you want to put me up, Clara? Won't it be too much trouble?"
"No, Frank, er, Cameron, paid for the month and you can stay in his room, you'll feel better there. Come let's go home and they will call us, they have my number.
Amanda leaned over the bed and kissed the one spot on his forehead that wasn't covered. He was so frail looking; she couldn't believe he was here. Whispering to him she said, 'I'll return real soon, my love, hang in there. I love you'. To Chuck and Clara, she said, "lets go."
As they pulled up to Clara's house, Amanda almost dreaded going into his room. She would handle it when she had to. Clara went to the kitchen and Amanda followed. She made tea and offered cookies. Chuck took her bags up to Cameron's room. After a nice conversation, Clara offered to show her upstairs, "You really need some sleep, and you sound very tired Amanda. Please, I will call you the minute I hear anything. Right this way." Clara opened the door to a sparsely furnished room. It looked like his apartment back home. She immediately noticed the picture of herself on his nightstand.
The bed had been made and the window was opened. "Frank really loved the view from the window, said it reminded him of back home. Maybe it will do the same for you. The bathroom is in there." Pointing to the door on the far right. "I hope you can sleep. My room is just down the hall to your left. If you need anything, call me. Goodnight Amanda."
"Goodnight Clara and Clara, thank you for everything you have done for me and for Cameron. You are very nice." closing the door, she burst into tears. She sat on the bed and picked up his pillow and inhaled his scent. She couldn't believe how bad Cameron looked. She sat there for many moments just thinking of him and hugging his pillow. It smelled of him, his cologne and his sweat. It was a good smell that she had missed. She remembered watching him sleep in Key West, how much younger he had looked. Now she realized the burden he had been carrying. She so wanted him to wake up and talk to her. . She would forgive him everything if only.
Standing up she went in to the bathroom and there was his shaving stuff and brush, and comb. He wouldn't need that now; she hoped that his hair would grow back soon. It was so soft, she loved running her hands through it. She finished putting her stuff next to his (they way it should be) she thought. And went back to the bedroom. She avoided the window. She knew the tears would come again when she looked where he looked. 'Now Amanda, he would say, it's there in the stars. There are so many, she would say, how will I know ours?' 'It will always be the one you can see.' he'd say, kissing her, with the softness of a breeze.
Getting up she pushed the window open and looked up to see a view more beautiful than the hill. The stars were shining bright. 'Which one is ours Cameron', she said aloud. As one went shooting across the sky. I'm here she felt him saying as a breeze floated through. Hugging herself she said, 'and now, so am I, Dear one.'
A relatively short plane ride seemed to last forever when her love was at the other end. Please let him live, so I can make this up to him. He has to remember me. Clarence Butler seemed nice. She had talked briefly on the phone to him to let him know when she was arriving. She was a nervous wreck and found she wringing her hands. Rachel had offered to come with her but she had said no. She was glad she had. She didn't want her mother to see her like this. Clarence had said that Chuck would meet her at the airport, and take her directly to the hospital. The pilot's voice came over the speaker and said they would be landing at O'Hare in fifteen minutes. After landing and finding her bags she waited by the phones. She placed a call to her mother and let her know she was all right and would keep her informed. Hanging up she turned around just as a blond haired blue-eyed man was going to touch her shoulder.
"Amanda Cory?"
"Yes, are you Chuck?"
"Yes, and if I may say so, you are even more beautiful than your picture." And Chuck blushed at seeming so forward.
"Thank you, I forgot that Cameron had a picture of me. How is he?"
"He still isn't doing well. The doctors are hoping for any kind of recovery. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. We were lucky he had that picture with your writing on it." He picked up her cases and walked her in the direction of the parking lot.
"I am too. He could have been so hurt that he might not have brought anything with him." She took Chucks offered arm to get into his truck. He apologized that he didn't have a car.
"That's okay. It will get me to the hospital and that is all I care about." She hadn't even noticed she was busy thinking of Cameron.
Chuck made idle conversation and said that she could stay with Clara in Frank's room. She didn't want to put her out but it would keep her close to him, let her sleep where he slept and dream where he dreamed.
He let her off at the entrance and told her, which room he was in and that they were expecting her. He left to go park.
She took the elevator up to the fourth floor. Praying as she went not to break down when she saw him. Chuck had told her he was still unconscious and he had tubes coming from everywhere, but it had not prepared her for what she saw. Her hand went immediately to her mouth, 'Oh my God, Cameron.' she dropped her jacket and purse and went to his side. There was no place to hold his hand. He had IV's going into both arms and was on oxygen and a heart monitor. The tears washed over her cheeks and down onto the pillow. He was so swollen. They had shaved his head. And he had bandages all over. His beautiful eyes were taped shut and he was on a respirator. She just couldn't believe this was her Cameron. He had been so vital and full of life. If only. no he hated that. She wiped the tears from her face as Chuck came in with a woman and he introduced them. "Amanda Cory, this is my sister Clara Butler."
"How do you do." They both said in unison. Amanda smiled at Chuck.
She said, "I can't believe this is Cameron, please fill me in on what happened."
Chuck helped Clara to a chair near Cameron's bed, and proceeded to tell the tale, as he knew it. The accident and the recovery the first time, and now this. About how they hated going through his things, but the doctors felt someone who knew him might aid in his recovery. Clara filled her in on the rest. She told of how he loved the room and the view of the stars. She told her that even though he never spoke of her before the accident, she knew there was someone. He spent a lot of time alone and paced the floor. And after the accident he stared at your picture. She had overheard him, talking to you and wondering who this Princess was.
"What.. what did you say, Princess? He always called me that. Could it be he was remembering? Do they think he'll regain his memory?"
"You'll really have to talk to the doctors. They thought so before this last incident. I don't know now. They haven't been too forthcoming with any news. Maybe now that his family is here, they will talk to you."
"I'm not really family. We had been engaged but I called off the wedding. It's a story I would rather not talk about. He hurt me. I didn't think I would ever recover. But over the last few weeks, he's all I can think about. I must have sensed something was in the." the breeze that night on the hill, he must have been just settling in to his room. And the breeze I sensed yesterday morning must have been when he was lapsing into a coma. We ARE connected. I always felt we were.
"Amanda, what is it?" Clara asked.
"Just something about the air, I've been on his mind since he left, and I knew that. More than knowing, I felt it. It's confusing." Amanda was feeling weary.
Yes, it's obvious you love him, no matter what your reasons for breaking the engagement. You had to come here when you knew he was hurt. Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Clara exclaimed.
Amanda shivered at those words, weren't they the same ones, he had used the night he proposed. Who were these people, our guardian angels? After all they were the one's who found my picture. Thank God he took it with him. The day in Key West when they had had that picture taken, they didn't seem to have a care in the world. They had been happy there. We'll go back again when you are better. Closing her eyes, she prayed, 'Please God, save this man, he doesn't deserve this, he is a good man. He always tries to do the best by everyone except himself. Please help him come back to me.
"Amanda, why don't you go to Clara's and rest? You'll be called should anything change here. You look exhausted. Sleep will help. I'll come back and sit with Frank, if you want me too."
"Frank, gosh I had forgotten he used that alias. I should have remembered. He didn't want to be found." Quietly to herself she said, 'Oh my, what am I going to do? I hate to leave now that I have found him again. Are you sure you want to put me up, Clara? Won't it be too much trouble?"
"No, Frank, er, Cameron, paid for the month and you can stay in his room, you'll feel better there. Come let's go home and they will call us, they have my number.
Amanda leaned over the bed and kissed the one spot on his forehead that wasn't covered. He was so frail looking; she couldn't believe he was here. Whispering to him she said, 'I'll return real soon, my love, hang in there. I love you'. To Chuck and Clara, she said, "lets go."
As they pulled up to Clara's house, Amanda almost dreaded going into his room. She would handle it when she had to. Clara went to the kitchen and Amanda followed. She made tea and offered cookies. Chuck took her bags up to Cameron's room. After a nice conversation, Clara offered to show her upstairs, "You really need some sleep, and you sound very tired Amanda. Please, I will call you the minute I hear anything. Right this way." Clara opened the door to a sparsely furnished room. It looked like his apartment back home. She immediately noticed the picture of herself on his nightstand.
The bed had been made and the window was opened. "Frank really loved the view from the window, said it reminded him of back home. Maybe it will do the same for you. The bathroom is in there." Pointing to the door on the far right. "I hope you can sleep. My room is just down the hall to your left. If you need anything, call me. Goodnight Amanda."
"Goodnight Clara and Clara, thank you for everything you have done for me and for Cameron. You are very nice." closing the door, she burst into tears. She sat on the bed and picked up his pillow and inhaled his scent. She couldn't believe how bad Cameron looked. She sat there for many moments just thinking of him and hugging his pillow. It smelled of him, his cologne and his sweat. It was a good smell that she had missed. She remembered watching him sleep in Key West, how much younger he had looked. Now she realized the burden he had been carrying. She so wanted him to wake up and talk to her. . She would forgive him everything if only.
Standing up she went in to the bathroom and there was his shaving stuff and brush, and comb. He wouldn't need that now; she hoped that his hair would grow back soon. It was so soft, she loved running her hands through it. She finished putting her stuff next to his (they way it should be) she thought. And went back to the bedroom. She avoided the window. She knew the tears would come again when she looked where he looked. 'Now Amanda, he would say, it's there in the stars. There are so many, she would say, how will I know ours?' 'It will always be the one you can see.' he'd say, kissing her, with the softness of a breeze.
Getting up she pushed the window open and looked up to see a view more beautiful than the hill. The stars were shining bright. 'Which one is ours Cameron', she said aloud. As one went shooting across the sky. I'm here she felt him saying as a breeze floated through. Hugging herself she said, 'and now, so am I, Dear one.'