by Molly Evans
She’d always wanted to see the famous New England autumnal change that she’d read and seen pictures of. It seemed as if the past few years she’d lived her life by reading about places instead of experiencing them. Perhaps she could stay in Maine or the New England area to experience it firsthand this year. When the fall moved on, then maybe she could as well. Her father had left her a small nest egg that she’d yet to tap into. Until now, there was nothing that she’d really been interested in doing, just going to work. Staying over a week or two in the fall to enjoy the scenery seemed like a good use of her time and would hardly dent the money he’d left.
Returning the novel to her room, she pulled out an aromatherapy encyclopedia instead to read up on some of the new oils she wanted to try soon. Closing the book, she turned it over and looked at the front. Aromatherapy. Hmm. She loved this therapy. Maybe she could realize her dream of becoming a certified aromatherapist. The money her dad had left her would certainly fund such an endeavor. She’d look into that soon, too.
Hours passed with no word from Mark. Restless after the small clinic had wrapped up and no further emergencies had occurred, she tried to walk off her mood outside, but the mosquitoes got to her first, and she made a hasty retreat.
As darkness descended, she lunged onto the screened-in infirmary porch and shook her clothing to rid herself of any unwanted creatures. She was really going to have to remember that bug spray every time she left the building. Then she realized something was different in the infirmary. Something in the air. She sniffed.
Her footsteps hurried as she moved into the front room and her mouth began to salivate at the fragrance filling the air.
Pizza?
“Mark?” she called and looked around. Where was the man? More importantly, where was the food?
“In the kitchen.”
Tossing her sweatshirt onto the back of a chair, she followed her nose to the small kitchen and gasped in surprise. “What’s all this?” she asked, a bubble of warmth surging in her chest.
“It’s called pizza,” Mark said and turned with a glass of wine in each hand. “I hope you like red.”
“I like anything called wine,” she said and reached for the glass. “Oh, this smells fabulous.”
“Sit down, and I’ll tell you about Kevin. No sense in letting good pizza get cold.”
Ellie sat in one chair and Mark in the other, around a small bistro-style table. Beneath the table, their knees rubbed, and they adjusted their positions. Reaching for a slice, Ellie bit into it. Moaning out loud, she chewed.
“I love a woman that isn’t afraid to express herself about food.” Mark watched her, grinning.
“I’m so sorry,” she said and covered her mouth with her hand as she chewed. “I couldn’t help it!” She sipped the wine that went perfectly with the pizza. “This is the most incredible pizza I’ve ever had, or I must be incredibly hungry. And I even had dinner.”
“No. It’s that good.” Mark helped himself to a piece.
“So tell me what happened.” Emily watched Mark as he spoke, his face animated, his story engaging.
“It’s a break, but not bad. He’s casted again.” He shook his head. “Kevin reminds me of myself when I was a kid.”
“How so?”
“Always getting into trouble in some way or another.”
“You?” Ellie looked at him and tried to imagine the young version of him, but failed to see it. “Hard to imagine.”
“Not if you talked to my mother. She said she kept her hair color just fine with the three girls, but when I came along, that’s when things started to go gray.”
Ellie laughed at that. “Was she serious?”
“She says so, but I’m not sure.”
They talked a little more about Kevin’s case and the plan for keeping him comfortable should the need arise for pain medication. “Should we bring him to the ward room for the night, or do you think he’ll be okay in the cabin?”
“I told him that he could make that decision. He has ice packs, and I have a prescription for pain medicine should he need it. Elevation and ice are the best, but if he’s anything like me, the cast won’t keep him out of trouble, only delay it for a day or two.”
“The voice of experience,” she said and paused. Maybe it was the wine and the company, but at this moment, with nothing going on around them, she relaxed.
“More?” Mark asked and raised the bottle over her glass.
“Just a little. Red keeps me up at night if I drink too much.”
“Then no more after this. Insomnia is no fun.”
“Again, the voice of experience?”
“After residency hours, your system doesn’t know if it’s coming or going sometimes. Took a few years to get it straightened out, then being on call is no picnic, either.”
“Is that why you came to camp for the summer? To get away from all that hospital grind?” she asked and watched as his green eyes clouded over. “I’m sorry. I’ve overstepped my boundaries with that question. I didn’t mean to.”
Mark reached across the small table and took her hand. “No. It’s okay.” He took a deep breath and sighed, wondering how much to tell her and decided there was no harm in giving her some information. “Being ill and the recovery took a lot out of me. I was hoping to recharge my batteries here over the summer.”
“Have another slice of pizza,” she said and slid the last one over to him.
“No can do. I’ll explode if I have any more.” He patted his stomach.
“Then I’ll wrap it up for tomorrow. Maybe you can have it for your midmorning snack or something. That is if you like cold pizza.” She reached for the last slice to wrap it up, but stopped when Mark’s hand encircled her wrist.
CHAPTER SIX
“YOU’RE very sweet, do you know that?” he asked and wondered if she knew that was really true. Many women, especially caregivers, undervalued themselves and didn’t even know it. They spent their energies on everyone else except themselves. His mother, his sisters—they were all like that. Not that it was his cause in life, but when he had an opportunity, he wanted to let the people in his life know they were valued.
A shadow crossed her face and puzzled brown eyes met his. This was one of the few times that she met his gaze full on and the effect on him was inspiring and arousing. Two feelings he’d not allowed himself to indulge in for a long time. But now, sitting across from Ellie on a hot summer night, having had a nice evening with her, part of him wanted to reconsider his vow not to be involved with anyone until his five years of being cancer free ended. Provided he was still living.
“What?” she whispered, her gaze locked on to his.
He didn’t want to let go of the moment, but he knew he ought to. Taking a deep breath, he released her wrist and tried to return to the comfortable relationship he and Ellie had established. “Oh, nothing. Just wanted to let you know.”
He stood and gathered the pizza box, folded it and put it in the trash bin.
“You know, earlier, you left pretty quickly. I hope I didn’t say anything to disturb you,” she said.
This time she stopped him and her touch on his skin was lightning. Unable to resist the magic in her touch, he paused and looked down at the sincerity in her expression. She cared about people. It was innate in her, something she probably didn’t realize she had, and that was very hard to resist.
His vow forgotten for the moment, he didn’t try.
Facing her in the small room, he paused. Her natural allure reached out to him almost as tangibly as her hand on his arm. Without taking another second to think about whether it was right or wrong, whether he should or shouldn’t, his gaze dropped to her mouth, and he leaned in and kissed her.
Ellie parted her lips beneath his. Instinct made him pull her a little closer to him. The soft feel of a curvy woman leaning into his chest nearly robbed him of all good sense.
Desire vibrated through every cell in his body, but he had to step back. Ellie had been through
enough pain recently. He didn’t want to add to that. With reluctance, he eased back from her. “I’m sorry, Ellie. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Yes, well.” She stepped back from him and gave him a nervous glance. “We’re both professionals. We won’t let this affect our relationship, right?” Turning away, she pulled the box of foil from a drawer and wrapped the last slice of pizza.
“Really, it’s my fault, my responsibility, and I apologize for acting inappropriately.” Dammit. He should have controlled himself better than that. No matter how attractive Ellie was or how perfect the moment seemed between them, he needed more control that he obviously had.
“You sound like you regret touching me.” Hurt flared in her eyes before she turned away from him.
“Quite the contrary.” He stepped out of the tiny kitchen that suddenly became stifling. The space was too tight and he was too close to her for his comfort. “I’ll say good-night, now.”
“Good night, Mark,” she whispered and watched as he made his way down the hall. Just what had he meant by that comment—“Quite the contrary”? Had that meant he’d enjoyed the way the electricity had flowed between them for a moment or two? It obviously hadn’t been just her that had felt that little sizzle in the air before their lips met. She’d hadn’t felt that level of attraction for a man in a long, long time. And now, she wasn’t sure she wanted to feel it for the man who was her coworker on a temporary basis.
Perhaps he was right. Though there was definite attraction between them, acting on that attraction might not be the wisest move that either of them could make. She placed the pizza in the nearly empty refrigerator, corked the remainder of the wine and set it in a high cupboard, then washed the glasses.
After her few tasks, she surveyed the front room. Sighing, she looked around for something else to clean up, but there was nothing. Already prepared for the morning clinic, she had nothing else to keep her occupied.
A few days passed as Ellie and Mark returned to their routine, but without the same level of comfort that there had been between them. Ellie tried to forget the feel of Mark’s lips against hers, but at odd moments she’d remember and look up at him. Despite the illness he’d suffered, he was strong and masculine, and made her feel very feminine. No man had interested her much in the past year or more, and now, with Mark under the same roof as her every day, she wondered if it weren’t a simple case of coveting thy neighbor, because he was close and handy to her. And she was definitely coveting.
After the lunch clinic ended and the kids found their afternoon activities, she and Mark occupied themselves in the infirmary. She sat at the table and worked on her e-mails. Mark produced some professional journals that he intended to read.
A sudden flurry of activity behind her made her turn. Mark ripped the trash bag from the metal trash can, took one of the clear liners, blew air into it and pulled it over his head.
“What are you doing?” she asked and gaped at him. “Are you out of your mind? Take that off!” Had he gone mad? Lunging toward him, she tried to rip the bag from his head. Goofing around with a glove to entertain the kids was one thing. He was going to suffocate himself with this trick.
“Call 911. Now!” His voice was oddly muffled inside the bubble of the bag, but she understood. His energy was on high alert, and she stopped struggling with him. This just wasn’t right.
“Are you ill? Why am I calling 911?” Confused, Ellie backed up a step, but she still had no idea what was going on.
He tied the ends of the bag beneath his chin. “Because I’m about to get attacked by mad hornets.”
“What are you talking about?”
Mark pulled the fire extinguisher from the wall beside the door. “Just do it.” Moving toward her, he pressed a quick kiss to her mouth through the bag. “Bring the emergency kit and every anaphylaxis kit you’ve got.”
With that, he raced out the door, looking like a cartoon character dashing across the yard. Horrified, Ellie watched him go, and as her focus changed and narrowed to what he had seen, she exclaimed, “Mark!” and grabbed the phone, terror filling her, and dialed the emergency number. “Oh, God.”
During the quick call, Ellie couldn’t keep her gaze from the scene unfolding across the compound. Mark raced toward what she hadn’t seen at first. The air was dark with it.
A huge swarm of insects. Someone was fighting for their life in the middle of it.
Mark charged right into the fray, at the risk to his own life, spraying the stinging insects with the extinguisher, trying to create some relief from the attack. Shouts and screams filled the air as others noticed the situation, and Ellie’s nervous system knotted up. Counselors and campers filled the area, but the adults ushered the children away from the scene, thankfully preventing injury to anyone else.
The emergency pack was in her hand before she was aware of it and, heart wild in her chest, she raced out the door behind Mark, totally uncertain as to what to do, how to respond to this emergency. People died every year from a single sting. How someone could survive such an attack, she didn’t know.
Prayers and whispers of safety ran through her mind. This was her worst nightmare come to life. Nothing in her experience had ever prepared her for this. Nearly breathless, she stopped just yards away from them as the white puffs from the fire extinguisher filled the air.
Ellie dropped the equipment and screamed, “Mark!”
As he fell to his knees, he continued to spray the fire extinguisher until it fizzled out empty. By then, the hornets, or whatever they were, seemed to have dispersed to a few confused individuals that posed no further threat.
Mark ripped a hole in the bag and tore it off of his head. He hauled in great gasping breaths, then barked out a few wheezing coughs. She hurried over to him and placed a hand on his back. “Are you okay?”
“Check…him…first,” Mark said, panting to catch his breath.
She heard the wheezes as he struggled for breath. But with the injuries to the other person unknown, she had to do as he instructed. Mark was at least breathing. The bees appeared to have dissipated with the majority killed or dying from the effects of the extinguisher.
Skinny, however, lay in a heap on the ground, dead hornets all over his back.
“Skinny?” She called his name and flicked away the dead insects so that she could turn him over. “Skinny, can you hear me?” She struggled to turn the thin man over and found Mark’s trembling hands, covered with welts and stings, there to assist her.
“What in the Sam Hill is going on here?” Bear yelled as he charged toward them. “Oh, my Lord!”
“There’s been a hornet attack, Bear. Skinny and Mark are hurt.” She took a deep breath and choked down the tears that wanted to threaten. She had to help them, and she couldn’t be afraid. If Mark collapsed, too, she’d be the only one left to care for both of them. “Let’s move him away from here. I’ll take his legs—”
“I’ll get his shoulders,” Bear said and tucked his hands under the injured man’s arms. Skinny was unresponsive and his head fell to the side. In seconds they had moved him away from the attack area and placed him on the ground again.
“We need help right now.” Despite trembling hands, she tore open the packages of two Epi-kits, and put them together. “Talk to him, Bear. He’ll know your voice. Just talk to him.”
Bear muttered in a gentle voice, one she’d never heard before, as his brawny hands brushed the hornet carcasses off of Skinny’s chest and neck. Eyes, nose and mouth already swollen to an extreme, the man was unrecognizable. He was in very serious condition. Ellie pulled back the syringe and plunged it into his thigh, administering the lifesaving medication.
“Give him another one,” Mark whispered, his voice strained. “He’s gonna need it. Get the oxygen on him, then give me an injection.” Though raspy from exertion, Mark’s voice was almost normal again.
Without a word, Ellie administered a second syringe into Skinny’s other leg. “Bear, can you rub those spots w
hile I get the oxygen?” Nodding, Bear complied. In seconds she had a mask connected to the transport oxygen tank and cranked it up high. She placed the mask on Skinny’s face, and Bear held it tight.
Turning to Mark, she winced, but tried to control her reaction.
“That bad, am I?” he asked, but the attempt at humor fell flat.
“Let me give you this, then you have to check Skinny. He’s not looking good.” She quickly gave Mark the shot in his left thigh and turned back to Skinny.
“Is he breathing?” Mark asked and rubbed the injection site on his thigh.
“Yes, he’s got a major stridor though.” The swelling of the airway caused the high-pitched crowing sound that was unmistakable in a respiratory emergency. Ellie shook her head, willing the epinephrine to start working, to start counteracting the body’s natural reaction to the stings.
“Jake!” Bear called to one of the assistant cooks that stood nearby. “Go show the paramedics over here.” With a nod, he ran to the entrance.
Mark crawled on his hands and knees over to Skinny’s head and took over holding the oxygen mask from Bear’s hands. Mark attached the ambu bag and tried to force extra oxygen through to Skinny’s lungs. “His airway’s constricting already. He’s really tight.” Mark shook his head and clenched his jaw together. “I don’t know if this is going to work.”
“If he loses his airway completely, we’re going to have a problem.” Ellie hated to say it, but the man could certainly die right in front of them, no matter what they did. “Can you do an emergency trach if needed?” Sometimes cutting a hole in someone’s throat was the only way to save a life.
“Yes, but I’d rather not have to.” Mark removed the oxygen mask for a second and opened Skinny’s mouth to place an oral airway. It would assist in keeping his throat open despite the swelling. “Dammit. I thought this might have happened.” He extracted several dead hornets from Skinny’s mouth, then placed the plastic airway and applied the oxygen mask again.
“There was one in his mouth?” Ellie asked with revulsion and shivered.