Havana Sunrise

by Kymberly Hunt

  “Amanda!” His almost primal yell pierced the walls, echoing and tearing at the core of his being as he plunged into the deep end.

  Working on sheer anguish and adrenaline, he raised her limp body to the surface and stretched her out on the floor, where he started CPR, alternating between that and mouth-to-mouth, willing life back into the child. He didn’t even notice Elena rush into the room.

  Elena’s face instantly transformed into an unearthly pale. “No!” she screamed, falling on her knees beside the stricken child.

  “Call 911!” Julian yelled, still working furiously on Amanda.

  Elena became hysterical. “My baby! My baby!” she shrieked, trying to shield the child’s body with her own, blocking Julian’s efforts.

  Julian’s reaction was instant. He raised his hand and slapped her, hard, in the face. “I said call 911. Now!”

  The force of the slap snapped Elena back to her senses. She rushed out and somehow managed to make the call. It all happened in seconds, but it seemed like an eternity to Julian who was not going to give up.

  When Elena raced back into the room, she was elated to see that Amanda was breathing on her own and starting to regain consciousness. Shaking, Julian stepped back as she covered her daughter with a blanket and the paramedics arrived to take over.

  * * *

  “Oh, he’s so cute. I love him,” Amanda declared, hugging the large, stuffed polar bear Julian had given her “How did you know polar bears are my favorite?”

  “Because I know lots of things about you,” Julian said. “You are my favorite girl and don’t you ever forget it.”

  “I won’t,” Amanda said, suppressing a giggle.

  Julian lightly touched the tip of her button-nose with his finger, and then left her bedside to glance out the window of the hospital room. Reporters armed with cameras were there, lined up like vultures, waiting for a statement from him concerning the incident—lined up with no respect for his or his family’s privacy.

  He was beyond ecstatic that Amanda was going to be fine, but the doctors wanted to keep her in the hospital overnight for observation. Luis and Elena were down the hall having a discussion with her doctor, and he had deliberately seized this moment as an opportunity to come visit Amanda without having to deal with them.

  Elena had told him not to come to the hospital at all, but there was no way he was going to just sit home and accept telephoned progress reports from them. He had to see his niece for himself.

  “I saw Trey’s mother,” Amanda said suddenly. “She said she would come down and see me later.”

  “You saw Nicole?” The mere mention of her gave him a physical reaction. “When?”

  “Before you came. Mommy and Daddy were outside. She came in and talked to me and said she’d come back. She’s a nurse,” Amanda added, seeming impressed by that fact.

  News sure travels fast among the hospital staff, Julian thought. He turned his attention back to Amanda. “I never told you she was a nurse before?”

  “Nope. Never. She’s a real nice lady, Uncle J. You should marry her. I mean she’s not like a model or anything, but she’s a lot nicer and she’s smart.”

  From the mouths of babes, Julian thought. “Tell me, chica. How’d you get to be so smart?”

  Amanda folded her arms over her chest. “ ’Cause I’m a girl. All girls are smart, much smarter than boys.” An impish smile suddenly lit up her face as she had a revelation. “Guess what? ’Cause I almost drownded and I have to be in the hospital, I don’t have to go to Megan’s party anymore.” She started to giggle.

  Julian looked at her incredulously. “Amanda, don’t you ever say…” He stopped in mid-sentence as she continued to laugh deliriously. “You are the wackiest kid I’ve ever met in my life.”

  “No, I’m not.”

  “Yes, you are.” The whole trauma of the day had taken its toll and now he needed a release. He found himself laughing with her, just as Elena and Luis entered.

  “What are you doing here? I thought I asked you not to come,” Elena said.

  Amanda squeezed her eyes shut. “Mommy, don’t be mad.”

  “Yes, don’t be,” Luis agreed, putting his hand on Julian’s shoulder.

  Julian stepped back. “I’ll be out in the hall.”

  “Daddy, look what Uncle Julian gave me,” Amanda said, holding the stuffed animal in the air.

  “That’s real nice, honey,” Luis said.

  Julian stood in the hallway for a moment. There was really nothing to do but leave at this point. It was obvious that Elena resented his presence there and some of her reasons were valid. Where he went, the press followed.

  “Julian, I need a word with you before you go.”

  Elena had joined him in the hall. “When you go outside, make sure you say nothing to the reporters. Just tell them you have no comment and keep walking.”

  “What did you think I was going to do, invite them over for dinner?”

  “There is no need to be snide. Haven’t you caused enough trouble today?”

  He flinched. “Aside from the vultures outside, what’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You know exactly what I mean. Amanda would not be here if you had remembered to lock that door.”

  Her accusation stung as if she had suddenly pulled out a knife and stabbed him right through the heart. “I…” he started, but there were no words to say. He turned away, but she caught him by the arm.

  “One more thing.” Her eyes scanned the hall, noting that no people were present. “Don’t you ever,” her voice lowered into a seething, vehement hiss, “don’t you ever hit me again. Do you understand?”

  Julian yanked his arm away. “What the hell are you talking about now?”

  “This!” She stabbed a finger at a spot on her cheek where her facial makeup was even heavier than usual because it concealed a red welt.

  He took a deep breath and remembered. “I’m sorry about that, but I had no choice. You were getting hysterical and someone had to make the call.” He glared at her and added sardonically, “Just in case you forgot, I was kind of busy.”

  She spun around on her spiked heels and clopped back into Amanda’s room.

  There was no way he could face the press now. His exchange with Elena had left him feeling vulnerable. He could easily imagine himself slugging the reporters and breaking their cameras. He needed time out. He needed to talk to someone who could be objective—someone like Nicole.

  Compelled by an inner force, he moved toward the elevator that would take him away from the pediatrics floor. He pushed the button, eager to get away from the garish clowns, balloons, and other circus figures painted on the pale blue walls. The door slid open and he was face to face with a pair of angelic green eyes.

  Nicole was just as startled to see him, although she had admittedly come down to pediatrics in hopes that their paths would cross; still the instant confrontation was disarming. She hesitated for a fraction of a second, then stepped out of the elevator as he moved back. “Julian…hi. Are you going up?”

  “Not anymore. I was going up to see you.”

  “Oh.” She breathed a sigh of relief. He had broken the ice and made it easier for her. “That’s funny. I was coming down here hoping I’d see you.”

  “Amanda told me she saw you.”

  She noted his tired eyes, and the darkened stubble on his unshaven jaw. She reached out and instinctively took his hand. “Don’t look so worried. Amanda is going to be just fine.”

  “Yes, I know. Thank God.”

  Nicole’s eyes searched his. “What exactly happened?”

  “She fell in the pool and almost drowned, because the idiot in front of you forgot to lock the door.”

  She winced at his words. “We definitely have to talk about this and other things. There’s a conference room right down the hall and it’s empty.” Still holding his hand, she led him to the room.

  He sank down on one of the couches and she sat beside him. “What are you sayin
g?” she asked. “Even if you did leave the door unlocked, Amanda knew how to swim.”

  Julian took a deep breath and studied the linoleum on the floor. “It was an accident. She was running to get away from her mother. She ran into the room and she slipped and hit her head on the edge of the pool. She was unconscious. That’s why she almost…almost…”

  Nicole put her hand on his shoulder. “Almost didn’t happen. The doctors and the paramedics said that you saved her life. You did all the right things.”

  “Except lock the damn door.”

  “Enough about that door! It was an accident!” she shouted. “Why was her mother chasing her anyway?”

  Julian looked disgusted. “Who cares. It was over something stupid. You know how kids are. They don’t always want to mind.”

  “Well, there’s no valid reason to blame yourself. I think you’re a hero, and so would anyone else in their right mind. Amanda could very well have had the accident in the outdoor pool, which doesn’t even have a locked door. What would have happened then if you weren’t around? Would her mother have had the presence of mind to do what you did?”

  He listened to her, allowing the calming words to sink in. How could his life go on without her in it? She was kinder to him than he was to himself. He turned slowly and kissed her on the cheek. “It doesn’t change the fact that I was irresponsible, but thanks. I really needed to hear that.”

  Her eyes searched his, with compassion and concern. “Are you going to be okay?”

  “Yeah, but there’s something else I have to say. I…I’ve missed you.” She had reduced him to stammering and averting eye contact, because he was afraid of what her response would be.

  Nicole inhaled and exhaled slowly. “I’ve missed you too.”

  “I think we should do something about that,” he said.

  A lingering silence ensued. Finally she spoke. “I want to do something about it, but I don’t know what. We tried to be friends but other things just kept getting in the way. Oh, I’m not blaming you for what happened that Saturday, because it was just as much my fault. I know I’m not making a lot of sense, but what I said then still goes. I’m not ready.” Nervously, she fingered her watch, twisting and untwisting the gold band. “There are things about you that I just don’t understand. It’s as if you don’t really want me to know any more about the private you than the public does, and when I do find out things it’s because I have to pry them out, and that makes me feel awkward and more involved than I should be.” She took a deep breath. “I may not be as chic and sophisticated as some women you’ve known, but I’m not stupid and I’m not a masochist. I don’t want to get hurt.”

  “I would never intentionally hurt you,” Julian said. “And I’m not deliberately trying to hide things. Please try to understand that really trusting someone is all new to me. For the past ten or so years, my life has been nothing but a big, phony circus. My family thinks I’m a brainless source of income. Most of my friends tell me everything they think I want to hear, but never the truth and they’re always hitting me up for favors.” He stared up at the ceiling and then back at the floor. “The women you keep mentioning are really only like pacifiers, physical compensation for the fact that I’ve learned to keep a tight rein on my heart, because if I didn’t, I’d never have been able to survive in this business. What I’m really trying to say is that even though our lives and circumstances are different, I understand your feelings. I’m afraid too.”

  “I kind of sensed that, but it’s the first time you’ve ever said it.” Her eyes shifted to the floor. “Considering everything you just told me, your fears and mine, why should we keep seeing each other?”

  He reached up and placed his thumb under her chin, lifting her face to his level. “Because I think we’re like the evening tide meeting the shore and when I look in your eyes and hear the music of your voice, I know the sun will still rise every morning, even if I’m not there to see it.”

  “You have such a way with words,” Nicole murmured, scanning the liquid depths of his eyes and finding unbridled sincerity and vulnerability. He was not just quoting lines from some imagined book of quotes and come-ons. She took his hand and clasped it tightly. “I guess we’re just going to have to take things one day at a time.”

  There was so much more that needed to be said, but Nicole realized her break had been over five minutes ago, and it was not like her to be so irresponsible. She had to get back to her floor now. There was no time to even mention the stalker. It would have to wait until later when she could be more convincing about getting him to take the threats seriously. Julian sensed her urgency and released her hand.

  “We’ll talk later,” he said.

  “Yes, and no more worrying about Amanda. They’re only keeping her overnight as standard procedure. She’s fine.”

  She felt rather than saw his slow-burning smile as she hurried to catch the elevator before the door slid shut.

  Julian left the hospital and stepped outside into the waiting barrage of flashing cameras. He walked swiftly toward the parking lot, with the whole team in hot pursuit.

  “Could you tell us what happened to your niece, Mr. Marquez?” a reporter asked. “One of the paramedics said you saved her life. Is that true?”

  “How about giving us a statement on her condition?” another asked.

  “My niece is doing fine. Thanks for asking,” Julian said, getting into the car.

  “What’s it feel like being a hero?”

  “Sorry, guys. I have no comment.”

  He started the car and carefully pulled out as they continued to snap pictures. This life is just too crazy, he thought, switching on the radio. He instantly turned the volume up higher to catch the tail end of the weather report. “Hurricane Ivan is expected to hit Miami over the weekend,” it said.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  “I’m not sure what to do,” Allyson said. “Lynette wants Trey and me to come over to her house, but that would mean leaving Shane here alone. She doesn’t like dogs.”

  Trey responded negatively by pouting and wrapping his arms around Shane’s neck. He did not approve of abandoning his furry friend.

  “You might have a mutiny on your hands,” Nicole said. “But whatever you decide, you’d better hurry and make up your mind. The wind’s starting to pick up and I have to be at the hospital in an hour. I need to know where you are going to be.”

  The skies were already darkening even though it was only afternoon. The storm was rapidly approaching, and knowing that she absolutely had to work was making Nicole nervous. There was no way any of the scheduled nurses could get off. They would be needed more than ever. Possibly she might even have to work in the ER.

  Miami General was bracing itself for more than its usual share of human mishaps, illnesses and all sorts of injuries, many of which could be avoided if only people listened to the radio reports, followed instructions and stayed indoors.

  Allyson had closed her shop early and had originally said that she and Trey would just stay home, but as the skies became more threatening, she suddenly wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of being the only adult at home. Nicole couldn’t blame her, but according to the weather reports, Ivan was going to be more of a nuisance storm than a disastrous one.

  The phone rang and Allyson picked it up. “Nicole, It’s for you.” She batted her eyelids and looked dazzled. “It’s our prince.”

  Nicole’s heart skipped a beat as she rushed to the other room. “I’ll get it in the bedroom. She took a deep breath and picked up the receiver.

  “Just checking up on you,” Julian said softly. Are you planning a hurricane party?”

  She laughed. “Hardly. I think people who do that are a little wacky. Real people have to work.”

  “Guess it was wishful thinking on my part that you’d have the day off. When are you going in?”

  “Probably in about a half an hour. I’m going ahead of time because it’s starting to get bad out.”

  “I’ll
take you.”

  “What?” She’d heard what he said, but even though it was not the first time he’d volunteered, she still found the chivalrous gesture extraordinary because it was coming from him.

  “I said I’ll be your chauffeur.”

  “I’d love it, but that means I would have to call you to come back and that might be way after midnight, assuming I’m going to be working even later than usual.”

  “That’s not a problem. Call me whenever you want. I’ve got no plans and it’s kind of boring here alone.”

  There were probably half a million women who’d love to be alone with him and he’d chosen to ferry her around during a storm. She could only be impressed—and she was—but another thought raced through her mind and before she could stop herself, the words came out. “Julian, I know this is going to sound really ridiculous, but Ally wants to stay over with a friend and she’s taking Trey. The problem is that she can’t bring the dog. Shane likes you. Could you maybe keep him overnight? He kind of goes berserk when he’s left alone, especially when there’s thunder.”

  “I’ve got a better idea—how about if I just stay at your place overnight?” Realizing the possible implications of the suggestion, he added quickly, “I can sleep on the couch.”

  “Would you really do that? I mean you certainly don’t have to sleep on the couch. You can have Trey’s room. I’ll just get rid of the cartoon sheets.”

  “Actually I like cartoons.”

  Nicole laughed. “I can’t believe it. You’ve just solved my problem.”

  “Believe it. I’ll be over in about twenty minutes.”

  The phone clicked as he replaced the receiver. He had a habit of ending calls abruptly, probably because he didn’t want to give her time to change her mind. It would be annoying if someone else did the same thing, but coming from him she found it surprisingly endearing.

  “Ally,” Nicole said, rushing back into the living room. “You and Trey can go to Lynette’s, I’ve found a sitter for Shane.”