I have been alerted to the fact that the last chapter was (and I quote) 'blah and without spice'.
The exact same thing could be said for my cooking - but I heeded the warning and attempted to fix it with this chapter.
Unfortunately, my cooking still sucks.
Chapter 10 The Ray of Hope
Michael did not recognize the woman who answered the door but she did seem vaguely familiar. She led him into the dining room. His sadness was palpable and it didn't take long for Gloria to size up that Helena had been right – he was blaming himself for what happened.
"Mr. Dumont, you don't know me but I am the nurse who was with you the first day you were in the hospital. I was there at Ms. Wells' request because she was very concerned about you," Gloria said as they sat together at the table. She didn't offer to get Helena and he worried that HG didn't even want to see him. But he had come to profess how sorry he was and had to tell someone - so he told Gloria.
Gloria listened with that huge heart of hers as he told her that he hired Karen Carson and believed every lie she told him. "I delivered Helena to her," he said. When he finally ran out of ways to retell his wrong doings, Gloria spoke.
"Mr. Dumont, I don't know you very well so it would be hard for me to say if you're a good Christian or not. But this much I know – Helena picked you to run this foundation for her. She is a really good judge of character, Mr. Dumont and so I trust that what she saw in you is really your true character. It seems to me you have a very kind nature and that crazy woman took advantage of that fact. She was hell bent at getting at Ms. Wells and she would have found a way no matter what any of us did," Gloria said.
"When you think about it, Mr. Dumont, you saved Helena," she said and he looked at her incredulously.
"If it wasn't for the fact that you told me that she was in danger, Agent Bering would never have known and they never would have found her in time," Gloria said and just hearing her own words made her heart ache. "No sir, what Helena needs is to get better and she won't be able to do that if she's worried about everyone feeling guilty about what they could have done," Gloria said sounding every bit the nurse she was. "Now you can ask Helena for her forgiveness but she's gonna say there ain't nothing to forgive – except she'll say it a whole lot better with that accent of hers," Gloria laughed and it was the first sign of a smile on Michael's face that she saw.
Gloria asked Michael if he would like to stay but he did not want to impose. She might have insisted that he wait until HG got up but thought it better if she just knew things were okay. She had a rough day and needed her rest. She assured Michael that she would tell Helena about their little talk but asked him to go back to taking care of things so Helena could get better. Michael couldn't explain it but he left there feeling as if this stranger had lifted the burden off his shoulders.
Myka was home before HG started to wake up and she was right there when the Brit opened her eyes. HG's could not have asked for a better sight to wake up to.
"Are you home already?" HG asked unaware that she has slept the afternoon away.
"Yes, how are you feeling?" Myka asked gently pushing her fingers through her hair. If Myka's presence pleased Helena, her touch was bonus points. Helena turned her head to lean into her hand. "Much better now that you are here," HG said truthfully.
"Gloria said that Michael Dumont was here," Myka said to HG who kept her eyes closed.
"Did she take care of that?" HG asked not at all surprised that the man was only out of the hospital a short time and had flown or driven from Detroit.
"I think so," Myka replied because Gloria had told her what had transpired between them.
"Good because she possesses no mechanical skills what so ever and I'd hate to have to fire her," HG said smiling.
"You know she works for Dr. Calder, right?" Myka teased.
"The bloody hell she does," HG said amused but meant it.
"Can I get you something?" Myka asked and HG shook her head yes. "Anything," Myka said and Helena pulled her to lie next to her. "Sweetie, I don't want to hurt …," Myka said concerned being so close would pain HG.
"Darling, having you so near and not touching me is causing me great pain," HG said as her eyes opened slowly and locked on Myka.
She leaned in and kissed Helena and HG grabbed her hand - needing Myka to make her feel something besides the hurt that riddled her body. Myka gently opened Helena's top and each button that opened assured Helena that Myka was going to give her the healing she really needed.
Myka's mouth softly kissed HG as she released her of her clothes aware that the burns across her abdomen would erupt in pain at the slightest movement. It wasn't just the path that Myka's hands followed but having the touch of someone who knew her so well that made it feel so good. Helena wanted her to erase the memory of having her body abused with anger. She wanted Myka's touch to replace any memory of that. Helena craved the feeling that her lover could give her and swallowed whatever pain woke up with her because she knew the slightest flinch would make Myka stop.
The sensation of Myka's touch was bliss as HG's body surrendered to her hand's pushing and stroking until the explosion of pleasure escaped Helen's mouth in cries for her deity.
Gloria prepared Helena's medicine and was bringing it to her. She had been asleep for hours, resting after the painful changing of the bandage. Gloria was concerned that she had missed giving HG the pain pill because she had not woken her up. When she heard Helen's voice yelling from the bedroom, she imagined it to be her awaking in terrible pain. She didn't bother to check where Myka was – she pushed open the door expecting to see the Brit writhing in agony. She was next to the bed before she realized the she was looking down at the two of them and Helena's expression was the furthest thing from pain. The nurse's eyebrows raised as she took in Helena covered in only the sheet. She looked at Myka who could not make eye contact and then back at her patient.
"What? You told me it was important to build up my immune system to ward off infection and help in my healing and Agent Bering was obliging me," Helena said not able to contain the wicked smile from punctuating her statement.
"Mm, mmm, mmm," was all Gloria said as she handed HG the pills. Her hands on her hips were the loudest lecture and Myka smiled uncomfortably as she got up and excused herself.
"Now don't make her feel bad about this," HG instructed the nurse.
"She has nothing to feel bad about. I know who the real culprit here is. What did I tell you about no afternoon activities?" Gloria said looking down at the accused.
"It's almost evening," HG said smiling at her own joke. "Did you do anything productive today as I slept?" HG asked deliberately changing the subject.
"I got your Mr. Dumont to go back to Detroit with a little less guilt I hope," Gloria said unsure of what good her talk had done.
"Good – keep an eye on him for me," HG said as if Gloria's full time job was to handle her affairs.
"Oh yes, I will add that to my list," Gloria said chuckling at the relationship these two possessed. She had spent enough time with Helena to know exactly what she was doing.
The other agents had shared with Gloria that Helena was insufferable for days after she left. Rather than deal with the fact that she missed the woman, Helena pushed her feelings aside and got mad at the world for her absence. Gloria always made it her business to invite Myka and Helena to her tiny apartment shortly after she left each time. It helped Helena deal with the period of time they were not together.
"Now come downstairs and have dinner. You'll need your strength if you're gonna do any more healing, Helena. Lord, you have to be watched every minute, " Gloria said as she helped HG redress.
"Do you know why you're here, Ms. Carson?" Mrs. Frederic asked the blonde woman.
"Because I survived the attempt on my life by you bastards," Karen spat from the chair across the table. The cuffs around her wrists clanked against the metal chair she sat in. The burly armed guard didn't even move. He knew he would get there sooner than lightning if he had to.
"We're here to help you, Ms. Carson," Mrs. Frederic said slowly.
"And who the hell are you?" the woman asked angrily.
"I am a friend of Helena Wells," Mrs. Frederic replied and lost the calm edge to her voice.
"And where is Helena? I want to see her," Karen demanded and tried again to pull at the cuffs that bound her to the chair.
"It's time, Mrs. Frederic," the armed man said and went over to release the prisoner. Karen let him unlock the cuffs and attempted to move but he simply put his hands on her forearms and held her in place. In the meantime, Mrs. Frederic moved over to the large picture window in the room and drew open the white blinds. Karen had no idea where they had taken her after she was released from the hospital but she was brought to this room from there hours before. She looked out at the vast plain in front of her as she gazed out the window.
"Is Helena coming?" she asked in a calmer voice.
"Look out there for her," Mrs. Frederic said and Karen placed her hands on the window and stared at the sight of the sun sinking below the trees far off in the distance. It looked like a large orange ball slowly falling down. Mrs. Frederic and the guard reached for their glasses as they stood behind the prisoner mesmerized by the image and looking intently for the object of her obsession. Maybe Helena had come to save her.
She looked harder through the glass, eyes widened and locked on the setting sun. And that was the ideal condition for the green ray to take its full effect. The phenomenon that Jules Verne had written about was real but rare. But when it occurred at sunset with the ideal conditions and a window treated specifically for the event, the subject was momentarily hypnotized by the flash of green and any suggestion made to them was permanently imbedded in their minds. "How ironic,' Mrs. Frederic mused, "that her cure would come from the same book she took her alias."
The guard set Karen back in the chair after the phenomenon took place, as Mrs. Frederic began her instructions. Karen was told she would not remember the events that took place with HG. Helena Wells meant nothing to her; she had no fascination with Helena and no desire to seek her out. She would make no attempt to see Helena and even the mention of her name would cause Karen great discomfort. The script had been written to cover any possible angle of a connection with Helena.
By the end of the monologue, Karen Carson was convinced that she was an accountant at H&R Block who assisted people with their tax returns. She worked in Tampa, Florida and had a cat. The chip implanted in her neck was untraceable and done only after great debate among the Regents. But Mrs. Frederic had insisted that it be done. "We take care of our own," she told them.
Gloria spent the week with Helena and the other agents as HG made her full recovery. She had finally given in to Gloria's gentle prodding and followed the doctor's orders - but only because of her deep abiding affection for the messenger.
Helena followed everything the nurse said – except her restriction on any midday enjoyments. HG drew the line there.
If I've covered it all and tied up the loose ends - I believe we have reached the last chapter.
As always - your comments of any kind - are appreciated and help me write the next time.
Thank you to those who have come along with me - again. I am honored to have you do so.