by Molly Evans
“I’m glad he’s doing better.” For a second she held his gaze, then dropped it to refocus on the pack in her hand. “I’m going to use the ward room to do an inhalation treatment on myself.”
“I’ll clear out, then, and give you a bit of privacy.” This was the best way. They could work together, but not get too close. He could take the hint that she was obviously uncomfortable in saying it out loud, but her body language spoke the same message if he’d only open his eyes and put his libido on ice.
“It’s nothing special, just a few oils that stimulate energy and pull the cobwebs out of my brain.”
“I wish I had had that in medical school,” he said.
She stepped back without comment and entered the ward room, then closed the door. Somehow the room had turned into their private living area when there were no patients in it. With a sigh he decided to have his run now before the heat of the day peaked. Summer was full upon Camp Wild Pines, and his time there was nearly half over. With a quick glance at the ward room door, he sighed, grabbed his ball cap and a bottle of water and headed out.
Refreshed after her aromatherapy session, Ellie sailed through lunch and the afternoon clinic, energy in every movement. With afternoon as the quiet time coming up, she was going to take the opportunity to catch up on her e-mails that she missed yesterday and drop a line to her mother. Several days had passed since she’d e-mailed her, and Ellie knew that her mother worried. Though her brothers were both in the same general area as their mother, they were married with kids and had busy lives that revolved around sports and summer activities for their kids. With a sigh, Ellie took her aromatherapy supplies back to her room.
When she returned, she stopped short and put her hands on her hips and looked down at the floor at an object that hadn’t been there just moments ago. “Where did you come from?”
The little baby girl sitting on the floor looked up at her. “Ga?”
“Yeah, you.” Ellie knelt down beside the baby when the screen door squeaked. She looked up, then screamed, “Vicki!” Ellie leaped to her feet to embrace her friend. “I can’t believe you’re here. Why didn’t you call?”
The baby still on the floor gave a happy squeal and flailed her arms at the excitement in the room.
“Takes that surprise factor right out of it,” Vicki said and pulled back from Ellie as Sam entered the infirmary. With another squeal the baby raised her arms to her daddy, who picked her up.
Vicki introduced Ellie to the little girl. “This is Myra. I know you’ve seen pictures, but this is the real thing.”
Sam moved closer to Vicki, then leaned over and kissed Ellie’s cheek. “Nice to see you again, Ellie.” The baby wiggled to get down, and Sam returned her to the floor with a stuffed animal that she grabbed by the nose.
“Same here.” Warmth filled her heart as she watched the family together. Joy mingled with a touch of envy in her heart. She was so happy that Vicki and Sam had worked things out between them, proving once again that good relationships could be had.
“Where’s Mark?” Sam asked and eased his arm around Vicki’s shoulders. Vicki looked up at him and the affection between them nearly filled the infirmary.
Ellie had to take half a step back, the energy nearly overwhelming her. “I’m not sure. Let me page him.” She used the phone to access the camp intercom and asked Mark to return to the infirmary. “He’s never far, so he should be here in a few minutes.”
They chatted, and Ellie knelt to eye level with the blonde, curly haired girl. “She’s just darling,” Ellie said.
“Who’s darling?” Mark asked as he entered the building from the side door.
Ellie looked up as Mark’s long strides carried him closer to her. Seeing him so full of life and energy, vibrant and masculine, an overwhelming flood of attraction hit her. “What?”
“I said, ‘Who’s darling?’” He squatted down beside them. “This little one? Where’d she come from?”
“Right here,” Sam said.
Surprise covered Mark’s face and, for an instant, she saw the boy beneath the man. “Sam. Vicki.” He charged forward and encased his friend in an exuberant hug. “Why didn’t you call? We’d have made it a party.”
“We can still make it a party,” Vicki said and held her arms up for Mark’s hug.
He kissed her cheek and gave her a squeeze. “Motherhood agrees with you. You look marvelous.”
A quick flush colored Vicki’s face, and she glanced at Sam. “I think you’re right.”
The group left the infirmary for a tour of the grounds, viewing the changes that continued to evolve since the fire two years ago. As they neared the wooded area beside the soccer field, Ellie noticed a patch of wild onions growing. She pointed to them. “Would you look at that?”
“Maybe that’s why Bear’s soups are so good. He’s got his own private stash of wild herbs,” Vicki said.
“Yeah, he mentioned something about you trying to weasel a recipe out of him.” Myra wiggled in Ellie’s arms and held her hands out to her mother.
“It took years, but I finally got it,” Vicki said with a grin and took Myra back.
“What happened to you?” Sam asked and pointed to Mark’s arms and legs and the fading welts. “Looks like someone mistook you for a pincushion.”
“Hornets happened. Hospitalized Skinny yesterday.”
“It was horrifying,” Ellie said and told them how Mark had charged into the fray to save Skinny.
Vicki took one of Mark’s arms and looked more closely at the marks. “What did you use on them?”
“Ellie fixed me up with some aromatherapy oils.”
“In addition to some meds,” Ellie added, not wanting to take credit for his entire healing process.
“I slept for twelve hours, and when I woke up they were like this, nearly gone.”
“That’s amazing,” Vicki said. “I’m just glad you weren’t hurt too badly.” Vicki gave a full-body shudder.
“I did a lot of that yesterday,” Ellie said. “I’m still a bit freaked out over it.”
After the tour, they settled down at the lodge for a visit and to renew their friendships.
“I should go to the infirmary and put a note on the door, letting people know we’re over here in case something comes up,” Ellie said and stood.
“Good idea,” Mark said.
“I’ll be right back.”
She left the lodge and placed the note, returning moments later to find Mark huddled in what appeared to be a serious conversation with Sam and Vicki. “You need to tell her,” Vicki said in an urgent whisper. “There shouldn’t be any secrets.”
“I know. I know. It’s not a topic that comes up in casual conversation though.” Mark removed his cap and ran a hand through his hair, seeming more distressed than she’d ever seen him. If this was a private conversation, she didn’t want to intrude. The three of them obviously had things to talk about that didn’t include her, so she backed out of the lodge without letting the screen door make a sound and stayed on the porch a few more minutes.
Bear strode up the stairs to the lodge with a basket of wild greens and a pair of kitchen shears in his hands. Now Ellie knew there were definitely some secrets in Bear’s recipes.
“Hi, Bear, what do you have there?” she asked and tried to see into the basket.
“Oh, this and that. Some wild greens. Those fiddlehead ferns Skinny was looking for. Nothing special,” he said and scooted around her, opened the door and entered. Ellie followed him inside and the trio broke up their conversation. Bear didn’t slow down until he was safely tucked away in the galley.
“So what’s the word?” Ellie asked, trying not to reveal that she’d heard part of the conversation. “Any plans while you’re here?”
“I think we’re going to let the men go have some catching-up time, and we’ll do the same,” Vicki said and held her hand out to Myra. “Let’s go, girl.”
“Mama, mama,” she said and toddled her way through the lo
dge to the door.
After returning to the infirmary, Vicki settled Myra for a nap in the ward room, and they sat at the table in the kitchen.
“Last year we had part of the ward room turned into a nursery. She was just three months old, then.”
“I’m glad things have worked out with you and Sam.”
“So am I,” Vicki said. “Though not without struggle, we finally found the place in our relationship where we could both be happy.”
“Do you miss the ICU nursing?” Ellie asked and poured a glass of iced tea for each of them. If she didn’t have her work, she didn’t know what she would do. So much of her identity was wrapped up in her career, being a nurse, caring for others. If that was not in her life, it would be hard for her to imagine her life otherwise.
“No. Not a bit right now. My hands are full enough.” Vicki raised her glass to her cheek and pressed it to her skin with a sigh. “This is lovely.”
“I see.” Ellie looked away.
“Are you missing the ICU already?” Vicki asked. “You can tell me.”
“No. Not really.” She looked around the small infirmary that had turned into her summer home. Moving from the ICU into a small building that had become the center of her life had been a drastic change.
“You sound surprised.” Vicki sipped her drink, waiting for Ellie to reply.
“I guess I am. The chaos of the ICU is something I kind of got used to and didn’t know until I left it how bad it really was for me, how overwhelming.” Now that she said it aloud, she realized what a revelation that was. Her entire nursing life had been geared toward the high-tech side of saving patients. With that went high-level stress. And that wasn’t what she wanted. She spent too much energy trying to de-stress, that she wondered if it was worth it. “Maybe I’m just not cut out for ICU work after all.”
“It’s amazing what taking a step back from things will do for you. I know the beginning of my nursing career was all about everyone else, and I nearly didn’t have enough time or energy left for me.” Compassion and understanding seemed to flow out of Vicki. She’d been where Ellie was now. She knew the difficult miles that Ellie had walked, and had walked many of her own.
Tears of unexpected grief burned Ellie’s eyes. The pain in her chest came out of nowhere, and she leaned forward over the table. Vicki sat with her, not saying anything, but scooted closer and patted her back. The soothing gesture only made Ellie cry more.
Long minutes passed and so did the storm of tears. “I’m sorry, Vicki. I don’t know what got into me.” Wiping her eyes, she pulled herself together and took a few cleansing breaths.
“I don’t, either, but it certainly wanted out.” She patted Ellie again. “Do you feel better?”
“Marginally. I usually end up with a big fat headache after crying, so I really try not to do it.” Crying just wasn’t for her. She knew that some people derived great comfort from a good cry, but it had never worked for her.
“Then you need some other sort of emotional release.”
“Definitely. Like what? At this point, I’m open to just about anything.” Really. “As long as it doesn’t involve sports.”
Vicki thought a second, then her entire face brightened and her eyes twinkled. “I don’t think it’s really considered a sport, per se, but it might work for you.”
“What? Tell me. I’ll do it.” Anything.
“How about sex?”
CHAPTER TEN
ELLIE burst out laughing. She’d never heard such a funny thing coming out of Vicki’s mouth. But maybe that had been her intent. “Sex? Sex. What are you talking about? I haven’t been in a relationship since Alan and, frankly, the thought of returning to him almost frightens me. Who am I supposed to have sex with, my imaginary lover?” She shook her head, totally dismissing the idea. That just wasn’t going to work.
“How about Mark? He’s available and right under your nose.” Vicki watched her closely.
Narrowing her eyes at Vicki, Ellie sat back in the chair and crossed her arms. “Now I see what you’re up to. This is a total matchmaking weekend for you, isn’t it?” she asked and took a sip from her glass, eyeing Vicki over the rim. “Won’t work.”
“I really don’t know what you’re talking about, so what do you mean by that? Don’t you find Mark interesting and attractive?” Vicki asked the question and somehow maintained a completely innocent look on her face. Oh, she was sneaky.
“Well, yes, of course,” Ellie said and felt the burn of a blush begin in her chest and move up her neck. “He’s very attractive. If you like that tall, lean, athletic stuff.” She cleared her throat. “He’s nice, too.” She was going to get herself in trouble if she kept talking, so she clamped her mouth shut and looked at her friend.
“If you’re looking uncomfortable and blushing, then something must be going on. Did he say he was attracted to you?”
“No. Not really.” Ellie shrugged. “Though he did kiss me. A couple of times.”
Vicki leaned forward across the table. “Aha. You don’t call a kiss ‘something’? What’s it take to get your attention, woman?”
“I’m not sure anymore.” Again, she shrugged, not certain of the point of this discussion since she and Mark would head their separate directions at the end of the summer, despite what could be called a mutual attraction going on. “After the first time, he apologized.” That apology stung more than anything.
“But? There’s more, I know it. I’ve known Mark for a long time, and he doesn’t go around laying his lips on just anyone.”
“Well, I said he sounded like he regretted touching me, but he said something I haven’t quite figured out yet.” She frowned as the memory of that tugged at her.
“What?”
“‘Quite the contrary.’” Puzzled, she looked at Vicki. “What do you suppose he meant by that?”
“You have been out of it too long. It means he has the hots for you, but respects you, too, and wouldn’t jump your bones simply because you were convenient.”
“Why do you think that is?”
The humor fled from Vicki’s face. “He’s been seriously ill.”
“Yes, he told me a little about it.”
“Did he tell you his fiancé left him in the early stages of his illness? In fact, during his first treatment.”
Ellie gasped, horrified that someone would abandon their fiancé when they were needed the most. She would never do that. “No, and I’m not sure that you should be telling me, either. If he’d wanted me to know any more he would have told me.” Though it felt like a violation of his privacy, she was glad to know a little more about him.
“I know. I know. He’s a very private, very proud man. But he’s also overprotective, way overprotective, of those he cares for.”
“I’m not sure what you mean, but it’s his life to live, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Sam and I just want to see him happy and healthy, and part of that is having a good support system of loved ones around him.” She sighed. “There’s no more healing power in the universe than the power of love. But I’m not certain Mark can take that leap of faith and reach out for it after what he’s been through.”
“Now you’re confusing me even more. Why wouldn’t he be able to reach out to someone? He seems perfectly healthy now.” He’d more than proved that yesterday.
“I don’t mean to confuse you. The rest is for Mark to tell you if he chooses. Just don’t shy away from him if there’s attraction between the two of you. It would be good for both of you.” Looking around the infirmary, a dreamy smile came over her face. “There’s something magical about this building, I swear. This was really where Sam and I worked out the problems between us, and where we fell in love all over again. Doing that a second time made us stronger together than we had ever been.” This time tears made Vicki’s eyes shine, and she waved them away. “Making me sentimental just being here.”
“I think Bear is going to want to see you. He said he was going to miss not having you a
round here this year,” Ellie said.
“He did? What a fooler he is. You just never know about that man.” She shook her head. “As tough as he is, he’s just a big old softy on the inside.”
Ellie filled Vicki in about the grease burn and her use of aromatherapy oil on it. “You would have thought I dumped a bucket of perfume on him, the way he carried on about it.”
Vicki laughed. “I can just see him now.”
“He was really shook up about Skinny.”
“They’ve been friends for a long time,” Vicki told her, her eyes filled with concern.
“You should have seen Mark with that fire extinguisher. It was a brilliant idea, and I never would have thought of it. It was like watching something out of a horror movie.” Ellie shivered as the memory of seeing both men covered in stinging insects hit her. “Still gives me the creeps.”
“You were telling me Bear was pretty upset about the attack.”
“Yeah. He went to the hospital this morning before Mark or I were even out of bed. Skinny’s due back tomorrow, but he had a close call of it. Why don’t you go over to the lodge and say hi? I’ll watch Myra. She’s sleeping, and I can handle her for a while.”
“Good idea. I’ll be back in just a bit.” She rose and returned to the lodge to visit her old friend, Bear.
“Ellie?” Mark called as he entered through the side door into the infirmary. “Where are you?”
“In the ward room.”
Again. It was definitely more comfortable than being in her cramped bedroom all of the time. He made his way down the hall and turned into the room, then felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. He stopped, because he couldn’t move farther, and his breath froze in his lungs.