by A. L. Cook
“Captain Thomas?”
Cam’s eyes shot open without him having realised they had closed. “Yes,” he blurted, getting to his feet with ease, despite the weight of his turndown gear. He turned to the middle-aged nurse he vaguely recognised who stood at the door that led to the triage part of the emergency department and followed as she gestured to him and turned to lead him through the door.
“How are they?” he asked, tense.
“Ben Donald has a clean break of the humerus and substantial damage to the elbow joint,” she told him, leading him through the back of the department to an elevator lobby. “It’ll require plates and pins at least, a full reconstruction at worst. The ortho specialist will review his x-rays shortly and decide what to do from there.” The elevator arrived and they stepped in. Cynthia, Cam finally remembered, scanned her swipe card hanging from a lanyard around her neck and pressed the button for the third floor. “Anna has a severe concussion. She became unconscious in the ambulance on the ride here and will require at least one night’s stay for monitoring. She may have some temporary neck or back pain, given the angle of the blow and the way her body took the impact. She was lucky she was wearing her helmet correctly.”
“It wasn’t luck, ma’am,” Cameron told her, gesturing for her to exit the elevator first as the doors slid smoothly open.
“No, I don’t suppose it was,” Cynthia smiled at him, leading him down the hallway to the nurse’s station at the end of it. “I’ll leave you here,” she told him. “I have to get back. Don’t stay for long, you look like you could do with some rest yourself, and being here won’t do them any good.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he smiled. “Thank you. And Merry Christmas,” he called as she walked back they way they’d come. A younger nurse at the desk led him into Anna’s room first, before telling him Ben was in the room next door, and he had twenty minutes before he had to go.
Thanking her, Cam entered the room. The monitor all her leads and connections were hooked up to was dimmed and pushed discreetly behind the bed, silent but for a very faint blip sound with every heartbeat it registered. Cam took a moment to read the display to reassure himself that Anna was okay, before coming to stand next to her bed and take a good look at her. She was pale, with dark smudges beneath her eyes, but seemed otherwise okay. Her breathing was deep and even, and her face was smooth rather than creased with stress.
Satisfied that he had seen with his own eyes that she was okay, Cam squeezed her hand once and quietly left the room. He went to the next one along and knocked on the closed door. A muffled voice called him in and he entered, smiling when he saw Ben sitting up with his arm bandaged and in a sling, his wife sitting on the bed next to him.
“Hi, Jodi,” he smiled. “Hey Ben, how’s it going?”
“Never better, buddy,” the big man grinned, his dark brown eyes slightly glazed from the pain meds he must have been on. “Might need a new arm!”
“Elbow, Ben- might need a reconstruction,” he corrected with a chuckle.
“And for a damn cat!” be exclaimed over-loudly, before casting a sidelong look at his wife. “Sorry, dear,” he said repentantly. “Darn cat.”
Jodi rolled her eyes and ran a hand down the side of his face before pushing him in the centre of his chest to lean back and relax against the pillows. “You stay here and take it easy while I tell your captain all about it,” she smiled, kissing him softly before leading Cam out of the room and over to the small reception area with a coffee machine, several vending machines and a wall-mounted tv. “Thanks for calling me, Cam,” she told him, making herself a coffee.
“I’m sorry it had to happen right before Christmas,” he replied, gesturing to the tinsel that had been hung up around the place.
“Better than the alternative, I suppose,” she sighed. “One of the nurses said Anna was the one who pulled him out of that house?” she asked.
Cam nodded. “Sure was. The roof came down on them both, knocked Ben right down and he couldn’t do much with his arm, so she grabbed him by the back of the jacket and dragged him out.”
“Remind me to get that girl something insanely expensive for Christmas,” Jodi smiled, taking a sip of her drink. “I’m so glad they’re both okay.”
“Me too.” She looked a little lost, so Cam gave her a quick hug. “They’re okay, Jodi,” he said, “and it’s almost Christmas. So try not to dwell on what might have happened, and enjoy the holidays.”
“Sure, so long as you do the same,” she told him. “And speaking of, what’s this I hear about you taking a girl home for the holidays? Could it be? Has the notorious Cameron Thomas finally been caught?”
He rolled his eyes at her laugh. “News sure does travel fast,” he sighed. “Yeah, I’m spending Christmas with Erin and my family in Sitka,” he told her.
“That’s great, Cam; I’m pleased for you.”
“Thanks Jodi. Look, I need to go home and get some sleep. You guys have my number, so call me if you need anything,” he told her. “Anything at all, I mean it.”
“We will,” Jodi agreed, before leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. “Happy Christmas, Cam. Good luck with Erin.”
“Thanks. Merry Christmas to you guys too- tell Ben I said goodbye?”
“Will do,” Jodi told him, and bade him farewell.
Cameron made his way out of the hospital and to the station’s pickup he’d taken to get there. Starting the vehicle he let the engine warm up for a bit as he pulled his phone from the centre console and tried Anna’s parents again. Still no answer, but he did seem to remember her talking about them travelling over the holidays. So he called Erin instead, only belatedly realising that it was three thirty a.m. when he heard her sleepy voice answer.
“Are you okay?” she asked immediately, and just the sound of her voice was enough to make his blood feel like it was superheating.
“I’m totally fine,” he told her. “There was a situation earlier that landed Anna and Ben in hospital, but they’re both okay; I’m actually sitting in the hospital parking lot right now, about to head back to the station. I just wanted to hear your voice for a bit first, but didn’t notice the time. I’m sorry if I woke you.”
“Your call actually came through my alarm,” she told him, sounding more awake by the second. “I’m just getting ready to go for a run.”
“Be careful,” Cam told her. “And make sure you’re well covered, the wind has a real bite this morning.”
“Yep, I’ve got all my wind-resistant gear on. And my Yaktrax arrived yesterday, so I’ll give those a try and see how they go.”
Holding a hand up in front of the heating vent, Cam laughed. “What, exactly, is a Yaktrax?”
“They’re removable rubber and steel traction cleats that you wear over the sole of your shoe,” she explained. “I’ll show you later.”
“Okay,” Cam smiled, already looking forward to seeing her. “One more shift to go,” he told her.
“I’m already packed,” Erin admitted with a laugh.
“Me too,” he replied.
“I don’t think it’s quite the same if you always have a go-bag ready,” she replied.
“True,” Cam laughed. He heard the idling engine change pitch and sighed. “I’ve got to go,” he told her. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Looking forward to it,” she replied. “Bye.”
Ending the call and reversing out of the park, Cam turned on the radio in time for the opening strains of It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, and smiled a smile that grew the further he drove. It most certainly was.
Nine
Erin’s shift on the day before they were due to leave flew by. She finished up at midday, leaving a list of cake pickup and delivery instructions, made sure her workstation was clear, and took a quick moment to say goodbye to Shelley. She hugged the younger woman tightly, gently flicking one of the gold bells she wore on a set of dangling earrings.
“Merry Christmas, Shell,” she told the younger woman,
before grabbing a small, silver holographic gift bag from under one of the benches and handing it to her.
“What?” Shelley exclaimed. “You shouldn’t have gotten me anything- I didn’t get anything for you!”
“I didn’t expect anything,” Erin countered. “And it isn’t much; I didn’t really know what you wanted, but I figured it would come in handy for your date with Mikey.”
Shelley reached into the bag and blushed bright red as she pulled out a box of condoms with a festive red bow affixed to it. “Erin!” she squealed, shoving it back into the bag.
Erin laughed. “There’s something else in there too, your actual present.”
Removing another, smaller box from the bag, Shelley opened it to reveal a stunning pair of round cut sapphire drop earrings. She gasped, staring at them, before looking askance of Erin. “They’re beautiful, but I couldn’t possibly accept something like this,” she said, shaking her head.
“Sure you can, that’s the beauty of Christmas,” Erin smiled. “And they’re actually a second-hand present,” she told the younger woman. “I was wearing them on the first date my husband ever took me on, and we ended up getting married.” At Shelley’s surprised expression, Erin shrugged. “He died a few years ago,” she explained. “But we were happy.” She waited for the lance of pain that thoughts of Daniel were usually accompanied by, but it never came. She stored that surprise away to think about later, and refocused on Shelley. “Maybe some of the luck and love we had will be passed on to you and Mike. And if not,” she shrugged, “they’re a gorgeous colour for you.”
Shelley looked stunned. “Erin, I… thank you,” she said eventually, hugging Erin again. “For everything, not just the earrings. But are you sure?”
“You’re very welcome,” Erin smiled. “And yes, I’m sure. They’re just things. I have the memories, and the history. That’s enough. Now, you had better get back to work or Maggie’s going to smack us both. Merry Christmas, Shell.”
“Merry Christmas, Erin. I hope things go well with you and Cam.”
“Same for you and Mikey,” Erin agreed. “Call me after and tell me all about it?”
“Deal.”
Erin went back out the front to press a kiss to a busy Maggie’s cheek. “I’ll see you in Sitka,” she said.
“Sure will,” Maggie replied, resting a work-roughened palm against Erin’s cheek for a moment. “Enjoy the trip, and keep an eye out for whales.”
“I will.”
Erin left the bakery and headed up the stairs to her apartment. She had a small duffel packed with clothes and toiletries, as well as the wine that she had ordered online. In a backpack she had her Kindle, Cam’s gift, a camera and various other bits and pieces. She grabbed a notepad off the bench and wrote a note reminding herself to collect the cake she had made for dessert after Christmas dinner before they left.
Heading into the bathroom, she tossed a load of washing into the washer/dryer beneath the counter, including the uniform and apron she stripped off. She had a quick shower before starting the machine, and decided to have a brief nap in preparation for the early start she’d be getting the next day.
About an hour after she fell asleep, her phone’s message tone alerted and it vibrated on her bedside table. Rolling over, she unlocked it and read the message from Cam.
Just woke up, and have to head into the station to finish some paperwork. Pick you up in about 90 mins?
Erin smiled and checked the time. By the time he finished and got to her place, it would be nearly 5 p.m. Perfect, she replied. What do you feel like for dinner?
Something spicy, he replied. I feel like I haven’t been warm all day. Your pick, we’ll grab it on the way back to mine. See you soon.
Flicking through her contact list, Erin found the number for her favourite Thai takeaway restaurant and called to place an order. There was always a crowd, so it was easier to phone ahead. With pickup scheduled for a quarter after five, they’d have hot, fresh food ready for them on their way back to Cam’s house.
For the next ninety minutes, Erin watched a no-thought-required romantic comedy while folding laundry and getting preliminary sketches done for some cakes she had scheduled for the new year. About ten minutes after the movie ended, Cam knocked on her door.
“Hey,” she greeted him when she opened it and invited him in, sliding her arms under his coat and around his waist as she leaned up to kiss him, pushing the door closed with her foot. As always happened, a thrill shot through his when his mouth moved hungrily against hers, and she shivered at the way his big hands slid possessively straight into her hair, cradling her head as his lips caressed hers.
While she knew that their relationship was still in its early days, she couldn’t comprehend of a time when being kissed like this by this tall, hard-bodied, undeniably sexy man wouldn’t inspire in her the insane degree of lust and attraction that was washing over her entire body right at that moment.
“I feel like I haven’t kissed you for months,” he groaned, pressing a trail of kiss to the underside of her jaw and down her throat.
“It’s been less than a week,” she laughed breathlessly, her eyes involuntarily dropping closed as she tilted her head back to allow him better access.
“Too long,” he murmured, his breath hot against her skin.
“You need to stop that or we’re going to be late picking up dinner,” Erin told him, her heart racing.
Cameron paused. “Damn,” he muttered. “I’m starving.”
Erin laughed. “Come on- the sooner we get pick up dinner and get to your place, the sooner we can… eat,” she finished with a grin.
“I like your thinking,” Cam grinned back. “Are you all packed?”
“Sure am. Let me just turn everything off.” She went though the apartment switching appliances off at the wall, making sure the lights were out, and everything was closed and locked. Cam waited for her by the door, her backpack in one hand and her duffle slung over the other shoulder. “I think that’s it,” she said, double checking the backpack for her keys, phone and purse. One last look around and she spotted the note she’d written earlier, reminding her to bring the cake she’d made. “I just have to get something from the bakery and then we’re done.” She pulled the door closed behind them and locked it, telling Cam she’d meet him where he’d parked on the street.
She let herself into the back of the bakery and from her work station she grabbed a wooden box with an embossed leather strap attached to it. Sliding the side of the box up, she checked that the cake inside was still okay before taking it and ducking through to the front of the store. Maggie and Shelley were cleaning up the dining area, stacking chairs on tables to mop the floor, so she waved and headed to the bakery’s front door.
She was about to step out when she saw Cam leaning back against his lovingly maintained custom black ’79 F-250 Ranger, arms crossed over his chest, talking to someone. She shifted slightly to try and see in the diminishing light who it was, rolling her eyes when she realised it was Ebony, dressed once again in head to toe black. Erin left the bakery and made her way over to where the two were standing, giving Ebony a huge smile as she opened the back door of Cam’s truck and put the cake box on the back seat.
“Hi Ebony, happy holidays.”
“Oh. Hey, Emma. Merry Christmas.”
“It’s Erin, actually,” Erin began, but stopped, a bemused expression on her face as Ebony turned her back to her, ignored her entirely and spoke to Cameron again.
“So, as I was saying, I was wondering if you’d be free for a drink on Boxing Day?”
Erin smiled at Cam over Ebony’s shoulder, giving a small shrug as if to say ‘this one’s all yours’. The wind tossed her hair on front of her face as she stood, waiting to leave. She watched as Cameron watched the way the curls at the ends flipped against her, and saw how his eyes softened with affection.
“I’m sorry, Ebony, but we’re going home for Christmas this year,” he told her.
“Oh
, to Sitka? How lovely,” the other woman flirted, then hesitated. “What do you mean, ‘we’?”
“Erin and I,” Cam clarified.
“You’re taking her to your mom’s in Sitka?” Ebony’s outrage was just this side of shrill.
A huge gust of wind came barrelling down the street, cutting straight through Erin’s clothes. She wrapped her arms around herself and bounced lightly on her toes. Cam saw, and leaned off the car, pulling Erin to his side and wrapping an arm around her to help shield her from some of the wind.
“Yes, I am. Caroline and Angie will be there, with their partners and kids, and we both have a week off, so it’s perfect timing, really.”
“Speaking of timing, we’re going to be really late picking up dinner if we don’t go soon,” Erin told Cam. “We’ve got to go, but I hope you have a great holiday.”