The next thing I know I’m standing out in the hall and the nurses are gone and shutting the door behind them. I feel Éclair grab onto my arm, “He’s going to be fine. He’s going to be fine.” She says over and over again, but it does very little to reassure me.
I’m shaking as I locate a bench out in the hall. I probably would have fallen over if it was not for locating that bench so quickly. Éclair sits next to me. I just stare at the floor, unable to speak. How could this be happening? Surely this is just all a bad dream?
33
I feel Éclair grip my hand. It’s somewhat reassuring as she sits next to me on the bench. I’ve been waiting for word from Eddie’s doctor for what feels like an eternity. Eddie had looked so pathetic on that hospital bed seizing up the way he did, and I can’t shake the image of it from my mind. It keeps replaying over and over again like a monster horror scene in a movie that spooks you so bad that you feel like the creature is lurking over your shoulder because it’s permanently imprinted on your brain. I’m afraid to close my eyes –afraid the memory of it will pop back into my head.
Éclair keeps checking her phone, and after the fourth or fifth time, I realize her phone is going off but she had put it on silent. I sigh and pull my hand away. “If you have to go somewhere, go,” I say.
She frowns, “James, I’m not going anywhere.”
I shake my head, “No. I know how it is, Éclair. Your company can’t go a day without you, am I right?” I force a smile on my face, “I appreciate you coming and sitting here with me for as long as you have. Sylvia will be here soon. I’ll be okay.”
Éclair looks anxious. She does not want to leave me, and it feels good to know she cares. She puts her hands on mine and squeezes them both tight, “James, you call me, and I mean it. Call me if you need anything. If anything happens, please, don’t let me find out on the news. I will be here.”
I nod, “I promise I will.”
She leans towards me and gently presses her lips against mine. It’s so light and gentle –not at all like what I am used to receiving from her. She stands and nervously stares at the hospital door that has kept us closed off from Eddie for a considerable amount of time now. Éclair bites at her fingernails for a moment before turning to look down at me, “I am just a phone call away.” She reminds me before leaving.
I have to admit I am somewhat surprised. I did not expect her to be so concerned for me. I mean, I have always considered her to be a friend, but not this close of a friend. Not one who would show up unannounced at a hospital, bring flowers, and be just as concerned as I was for my brother. She leaves, and I feel annoyed with myself for granting her permission to leave. I now realize how I definitely do not want to be alone in this damn hallway. Finally, a doctor exits out into the hallway. I jump up, almost tripping over my feet when I do so.
The doctor acts almost as a distraction for me as nurses quickly wheel Eddie out on a bed and down the hall; my stare goes from the moving bed to the doctor, back to the bed, and then finally stop to look the doctor in the eye. “He’s all right for now.” The doctor says, “We’re going to attempt a second operation, this time in his heart to prevent it from failing. I will be able to give you a full description of what we are going to do.”
I nod, and I walk with the doctor down the hall back into the waiting room. He walks alongside me, explaining in detail why they need to go back into surgery. He explains the risks, and none of them sound good, but it does not sound like he has much of a chance if they don’t cut him back open again. It makes me feel half dead to sign the paperwork granting him permission to operate on him again after just having operated on him once already not but a few hours ago. I sign, and the doctor assures me that I will get regular updates on the progress from a nurse during this second surgery.
I sink down into a seat in the waiting room, and I try not to completely lose my mind. I’m only there for about thirty minutes before Sylvia comes walking in, looking flustered. She had been trying to find me, apparently, but they had moved me back into the waiting room. She has a to-go bag and two sodas in her hands; I had almost forgotten that she had gone to get us some lunch.
She sits down beside me and puts the bag and drinks down on a small table in the waiting room. “What’s happening?” she asks, looking quite concerned.
“He-” I pause to clear my throat, realizing a lump had formed, “He went into cardiac arrest, and they have him back in surgery again.”
“James, I’m so sorry.” Sylvia says and puts a hand on my knee, “He’s going to be okay.” She says and firmly squeezed my knee. “Listen, you need to eat. I know you probably don’t feel like it, but you’re going to make yourself sick if you don’t.”
My stomach growls. She’s right. I willingly take the sandwich and drink she had run out and gotten for me and start eating. She does the same. “So…” she says somewhat awkwardly, “I ran into Éclair in the hall.”
I almost choke. “Oh?”
“Yeah.” Sylvia says, “I mean; I did do that modeling gig for her. I asked her what she was doing here, and she said she was coming to visit your brother. I know you said you knew her, but I didn’t think you two were close like that.”
“Well…” I struggle to speak. I like Sylvia. I don’t really want to lie to her, but I don’t want her to freak out either.
She makes it easy for me, “You two are screwing around, right?”
“Um…” I don’t know what to say.
She just laughs, “Relax, James. It’s not like you and I are exclusive. I just wanted to know exactly what was going on between you two. So I’m asking.”
I guess I can’t really lie now. “Éclair and I have slept together.” I say, “We’re not dating or in a relationship or anything, but we have had sex… a lot…just to have sex, really.”
“Oh my God, you’re fuck buddies!” she laughs at me, “Okay, okay, I get it. Damn!”
I suddenly find myself smiling. Sylvia is way cooler than I thought. Then I realize she’s just trying to distract me. I smile. “You’re pretty crazy and just awesome, you know that?” I say.
“Look, James, I like –I like you a lot. You just tell me when you’re ready to go from whatever we have now to something more… exclusive. I’m not in a hurry. I like what we have now. I’m not saying I would not want something more; I’m just saying I get it if you’re not ready. I don’t care about the whole Éclair thing.” She says, and I can hardly believe what I am hearing.
“Are you serious?” I ask. I grin, “Well, if that’s the case-”
She puts her fingers to my lips before I can say anything too stupid, “Don’t’ get any ideas. I may be okay with the Éclair thing, but that does not mean I am going to invite her into bed with me, big guy. Do that shit on your own time.” She laughs again. “I will say this, though: I am looking forward to the day you tell me you’re ready for something more.”
I put my food and drink down and just smile. I’m not sure what to say to that. I lean over and give her a kiss on the cheek. If anything, she has definitely provided me with a distraction. And it was a well-needed distraction.
34
The doctor exits out into the waiting room, and I immediately rise from my seat when he makes eye contact with me from across the way. He approaches me and asks me to step out into the hall and out of the waiting room. I cringe. That’s not good. Everyone else in the waiting room had informed of their loved one’s surgical updates without having to get up and move, so my mind jumps to a thousand different conclusions. Sylvia stands with me, and the doctor leads us both out into the hall.
There are some police out in the hall, so I feel somewhat relieved. My assumption is that they are here to take a statement from me and Sylvia, so I assume that’s why I was asked to leave the waiting room. However, neither of the two officers come near me. They keep their distance, and the doctor begins to talk. His eyes look tired; he has been in surgery with Eddie for hours now, and this is Eddie’s second major surgery si
nce we first arrived. I’m not sure, but I am fairly certain this is the same doctor who performed the first surgery. I’m too distracted and distraught to keep track of who is who, so I’m not really sure.
The doctor does not look pleased to be talking to me. His eyes are heavy, his head lowered, and his hands a bit shaky. “We did everything we could.” He says, “But your brother is currently on life support and is still under. He might wake up, but even if he does, it’s not looking very good for him.”
I feel Sylvia grip my hand. I feel my jaw quiver. “What do you mean?” my voice is shaky. “Are you telling me he’s going to die? Is that what you’re telling me?”
“I’m telling you there is a good chance of him not recovering.” The doctor says, “Right now he is fairly stable, but I honestly do not foresee that happening. I can’t tell you if he is even going to wake up at all, but there is always that chance.”
I wonder how many other people he’s talked to today like this? How many other men have heard this man tell them that their brother is going to die? I can see in the doctor’s eyes that having had done this before does not necessarily make it easier. “I don’t know what to say,” I say after a few minutes of silence.
“Would you like to see him?” the doctor asks. He seems quite eager to get out of my presence. I don’t blame him. I’m seconds from becoming neurotic and falling out on the floor.
“Yes,” I say, still gripping Sylvia’s hand. I think it’s the only thing keeping me upright.
We walk down the hall, and the doctor takes us to a back area. We enter into one of the rooms, and my stomach drops. Eddie looks worse than before. His skin is so pale, and he is hooked up to more machines than I would bother learning to know what they are for. The doctor steps out to give me some time.
I wait until the doctor is gone before I pull up a chair beside Eddie, and I break down. I certainly did not expect to ever show Sylvia this side of me –especially not so early on in our relationship. I also did not expect someone to attack my older brother at our factory. I feel Sylvia put her hand on my shoulder, and she remains standing beside me. I bring my hands together and hold my face, wiping away any evidence of tears as fast as they fall.
Eddie remains perfectly still. He looks like a shadow of his former self. He does not even look real. The pale skin, the machinery surrounding him, and the simple fact that he’s in a room with me and is not yelling at me about something makes me feel uncomfortable. Sylvia keeps touching my shoulder as her own little way of showing me she cares. She does not say anything, and neither do I.
We sit in silence for a considerable amount of time before the two cops who had been staring at me in the hallway entered inside. They have come to get a statement from us both about what had happened. They had been giving us some time with all of the commotion and stress from Eddies’ surgeries. I still don’t feel like talking to them, but it’s not like I have much of a choice at this point. We both tell them everything we know about how we had found Eddie at the factory. They are short and to the point; I guess they can tell I’m pretty distraught. After getting our statements, they each hand us a business card and tell us to call if we think of anything else. I put the card in my back pocket and forget all about it. Honestly, by the time they’re gone, I can only vaguely remember the conversation at all. I can recall that one cop had a big red burly beard, but that’s is about all I can remember.
I sit with Sylvia for several more hours next to Eddie. Visiting hours are long over, but they let me stay anyways. Eventually, the doctor who had performed Eddie’s surgery enters the room with a sympathetic gaze. “Mr. Mont, I would advise that you go home and get some rest. We can call you if anything changes.” He says, but I am very hesitant. I could never forgive if Eddie were to take a turn for the worst while I am gone.
Sylvia looks exhausted, but I can tell she is not going to be leaving my side anytime soon. I sigh. “Yeah, maybe you’re right.” I say. I am doing everything I can to keep from falling asleep. I can hardly remember what my own bed looks like.
We don’t wind up leaving for another hour. I get as much information from the doctor as possible, and I want to hear him reassure me that I will get a phone call several times before I feel even remotely comfortable leaving. Sylvia offers to drive me home, and I willingly accept her offer.
The drive home is completely silent. I’m just glad I did not have to call my personal driver; he would have been awkward and tried to talk to me to make me feel better. He’s an awkward guy. We head up to my penthouse, and I just slump down into my couch.
I realize now that we have not spoken a single word to one another since leaving the hospital. I am not really sure what to say to her. I’m worried. A little scared too.
Sylvia sits down beside me and holds my hand. She does not say anything, but she puts her head on my shoulder. It’s reassuring, but it’s not exactly making everything better. She leans over and gives me a kiss on the cheek, and I turn to look at her. Something about having her here makes me a little better. So many things are running through my mind right now. Will Eddie be okay? Will we find out who did this? Is this related to the poisonings?
The last conversation I had had with Eddie had been harsh. It makes me sick to my stomach knowing that the last thing I said to him was something so cruel; we had gotten into a serious fight in my office. He needs to wake up so I can tell him I am sorry.
Sylvia kisses my lips and says, “It’s going to be okay, James.”
I’m not so sure.
35
I was just about to head inside the hospital when I was stopped out front by two uniformed officers. The younger of the two men was obviously a rookie because he seemed nervous in his skin. The older gentlemen had a serious look on his face. “Mr. Mont,” he said in a kind voice to grab my attention, “a word?”
“Can we do this later?” I say and continue my walk towards the building, “I already gave you all my statement. I’m visiting with my brother right now.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but you’re going to have to come with us.” The officer says and suddenly makes a grab at my wrist.
“Excuse me?” I yank my hand back. “You want to tell me what this is all about first?” I could punch this guy in the face.
“Mr. Mont, you need to come with us.” The older guy says.
I snap at the guy, “For what?” I wave a hand at them just to show them that I don’t give a shit what they’re saying to me, “Fuck off. I’m not in the mood for this bullshit. I’m going to visit Eddie.”
“No, you’re not.” The man says and blocks my path, “James Mont; you are suspected of the attempted murder of Eddie Mont.”
“Excuse me?” My eyes widen. I’m confused, hurt, and angry as fuck. I point a finger in the guy’s face, “You fucking idiots think I hurt Eddie?”
“Mr. Mont, please put your hands behind your back and-”
“Fuck you!” I shout at the cop, “You assholes are out of your mind! I swear, if you think for one second-”
The next thing I know I’m getting my face slammed onto the hot hood of a patrol car while the two cops force me into cuffs. The young guy recites my Miranda rights and they both throw me into the back of the cop car. I can’t believe what is happening. My blood is boiling, and I wind up cussing the two guys out the entire ride to the precinct. They ignore me and hold their own conversation the entire way there; they’re talking about some stupid Daddy-daughter dance the older guy is being drug to. Seriously –that’s what they’re talking about while I’m stuck back here losing my damn mind.
Once at the station I get my picture taken and I’m fingerprinted. I’m close to losing my mind at this point, and they place me in a holding cell. Me –in jail! I’m in fucking jail! I wind up walking around in a circle in the cell for several minutes trying to figure out what the hell is happening. What judge put a warrant out for my arrest? What the hell could they possibly have found that would make them think I hurt Eddie?
I take
a few calming breaths and then shout towards one of the cops who arrested me. The older guy is near my cell. He looks at me, “Relax,” he says, “you’re only going to be in there for a few more minute. Stops acting like a damn caged tiger. You’re making the crack heads nervous.” He waved a thumb at the cell across the room behind him were some obvious druggies are shaking like crazy.
“What the fuck, man?” I snap at the cop, “This is bullshit, and you know it!”
After a few minutes of the cop ignoring me, two other officers’ show up to take me to an interrogation room. I’m about ready to snap. They have me sit in a chair, and they cuff me to the table and leave. My head is spinning at this point. I kick the chair across from me, and it falls over just as a man in a suit is entering the room. The man frowns, picks up the chair, and then just stares down at me. “Why are you in cuffs?” he asks.
“Hell if I fucking know!” I snap at the guy. “Am I being charged with something? If so, I want to talk to my fucking lawyer, you fucking pig.”
The man rolls his eyes, “Fine. You can stay in cuffs if you’re going to act like that, dumbass.” He sits down across from me and opens up a file. “For the record, could you please state your name?”
I frown and lean back in my seat, “James Mont.” I then sit upright, “Am I being charged for something? If so, I want my fucking lawyer before I say a damn thing to you.”
The man frowns and closes the folder. “That was quick.” He gripes and stands up to leave the room. I can hear him say, “He’s already lawyering up,” just as the door closes.
My heart is pounding. They leave me in the room for another hour before anyone comes inside to clue me in on what is going on. Lillian Lioness, my lawyer, comes walking in wearing that same auburn colored suit of hers and plops down in the seat in front of me. “All right, you can relax,” she says in a reassuring tone. “The cops jumped the gun on this one. I already talked to the judge. He has set bail at $2,500, and I’m guessing a man like you can afford that, right?”
Filthy Desires: A Romantic Suspense Collection Page 62