by Nella Tyler
“He’s in training, Dr. Keeler. They don’t let him go easily. As a matter of fact, he and I have a date afterwards, so I thought we could leave here together.”
“I warned you to be careful about that, Gilda,” he told her. “Being married to a cop is a rough life. I sort of hoped for something better than that for you.”
“Why, Dr. Keeler, I’m surprised that you are being so softhearted. When did this start?” she teased him.
“Ahhhh…to heck with you then,” he grumbled and headed back to his office.
Friday came and Cole showed up at the end of the day. When he walked through the door, Gilda was surprised to feel her heartrate increase and a fluttery feeling in her womanhood. Ever since she had left Scott, she made a point of being as immune as she could to male attention.
“Hey, there. How are you today?” Cole asked her.
“Looking forward to poking you — with a needle, that is,” she said jokingly. “Why don’t you go into this first room on the right, and I’ll get Dr. Keeler?”
Cole nodded and headed as directed into the first exam room. Gilda walked down the hallway and tapped on Dr. Keeler’s door. He didn’t answer, so she tapped again. “Dr. Keeler? Your last appointment is here. It’s Cole Stephens, here for his immunization. I’ve got everything set up. Can you step out for a moment and supervise?”
The door open slowly and Dr. Keeler stood there, very pale and looking terribly ill.
“Doctor! Are you okay? You look awful. Here, sit down and let me get you a glass of water.”
“Gilda,” he said, “when was a last time you saw me give a patient a glass of water as a remedy? I’ll take a whiskey, though, if you have one handy.”
“I’m sorry, I just never expected you to be ill. It throws me off. What can I do for you?”
“Nothing. I’m fine. Just had a little upset stomach is all. Where did you put Stephens? Let’s get this over with.”
“Exam room one.” She preceded him down the hall and into room one where Cole was sitting on the exam table, waiting, his shirt sleeves rolled up.
“No, you don’t, young man. This one goes in the hip. Drop your drawers,” Dr. Keeler told him.
Gilda’s back was turned toward Cole, and she was smiling as she loaded the syringe. She turned and found a very masculine buttocks presented toward her. She fought to keep her face expressionless and professional as she advanced upon him and rubbed his bottom with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol.
“This won’t hurt a bit,” she told him.
“I’ll bet,” he responded wryly.
Gilda administered the injection and turned to deposit the syringe into the safety hazard box. “You can pull up your pants now,” she told Cole and turned to smile at Dr. Keeler, but he had already disappeared down the hall.
She followed him, calling to him. “Dr. Keeler? Will you be okay? I’m going to be leaving now, but I don’t want to leave you if you’re not feeling well.”
“Get outta here!” Keeler shouted from within his office.
Gilda cringed at the tone of his voice. She had never heard him be quite that brusque before and it worried her. There was nothing she could say and no one she could confide in, though, so she had to keep it to herself.
She met Cole in the waiting room and said, “I’m ready to go when you are.”
“After you, sweetheart,” he said as she passed to the doorway next to him. He patted her bottom lightly with his hand, making her blush.
“So, where we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” he told her. “You may or may not have ever been to one, but I thought this might be something a little more our style.”
There was a limousine parked out in front of the precinct and as they approached, a uniformed driver emerged and opened the rear door for the both of them.
Gilda’s eyebrows rose. “For us?”
“First of all, I don’t want to worry about traffic. I want to be able to concentrate fully on my date: you. Secondly, just because I agreed never to give you gifts, doesn’t mean that you can’t take part in my lifestyle when you’re with me, right?”
“Well, technically I suppose that’s right,” she allowed. “I just feel a little odd in blue jeans sitting a limousine.”
“You won’t when we get there,” he said with assurance.
As the limousine pulled away from the curb, Cole reached forward and pulled a basket from beneath the rear facing seat. He opened it to reveal that it was a fully stocked picnic basket.
“Miss?” He proffered a plate, accompanied by a checkered, cotton napkin in which was rolled a set of tableware. He reached forward and folded down two trays that were built into the back of the front seats.
“How handy,” Gilda acknowledged. “You brought us a picnic?”
“I thought you might enjoy it,” he affirmed.
“I do! I love it! We could do this all the time. So, what’s in the basket? I’m starved.”
Cole grinned, happy that his idea had pleased her so much. “Well, let’s see, we’ve got some fried chicken, some potato salad, I see a couple of dinner rolls, a container each of mashed potatoes with gravy, and a couple of slices of apple pie. And, would you look here, two cartons of milk. What do you think?” he asked her.
“I think you’ve been to Kentucky Fried Chicken on the way here,” she teased him.
“Oh, this is much better than some drive-through. Sometime I’ll introduce you to the chef.”
He handed her the various containers for her dinner and between the two of them, they sat back to eat and relax, watching the city wind by outside their window.
Cole pushed a button that raised a dividing window between the driver’s compartment and the rear, giving them ultimate privacy. They chatted casually about the weather and how Cole’s training was going. Gilda was still curious as to where they were headed, but kept her peace, allowing him to spring his surprise when he was good and ready.
When they had finished eating, Cole gathered up the remaining other containers, packed them all back into the basket, and shoved it beneath the seat. “There,” he concluded. “Are you full?”
“Very,” she affirmed.
At about that time, the limousine left the expressway and headed toward what appeared to be a large, stadium-like building. “What is this?” she asked.
“I’m taking you to a rodeo,” he told her and waited for her reaction. He was not to be disappointed.
Gilda clapped her hands together in delight. “A rodeo! Oh, Cole, I love rodeos. There was one that came to town when I was a little girl. Mama could never afford to let me go. Once, I sneaked in through a back door and stood were no one could see me. There were so many people that I don’t think they would’ve noticed, anyway.
“It was marvelous. All the cowboys, young and strong, climbing onto those bulls to be thrown into the dust. At first I was scared to death for them, but then I realized that they knew what they were doing. The clowns came out to intervene so the bulls would be driven away, and I thought the rodeo was the most wonderful thing I had ever seen.”
“Well, well, well, I believe that’s the longest statement I’ve heard you make yet. It really must have impressed you. Good. Then we will have a good time. I’m glad this is what I planned.”
The driver pulled up to the entrance of the exposition center and came around to open the door for them. People who were walking in stared, assuming that whoever arrived in a limousine at a rodeo must certainly be important. A few even applauded as though Cole and Gilda were recognized celebrities. Gilda blushed, completely unfamiliar with such attention.
Naturally, Cole had the best seats, right down at the center side of the ring, and not bleachers, but the padded folding chairs. Gilda looked around herself and recognized many celebrities whom she had only seen in movies or on television. She felt quite elegant in her blue jeans and hugged Cole’s arm in delight. “This is wonderful,” she cooed to him. “Thank you so much for bringing me.”
; He was delighted to see her so happy. He realized he had finally found the formula to bring her closer into his life. It was not about giving her gifts; it was about including her in what he already did in his natural habitat.
Gilda was completely relaxed, and her face was constantly beaming. She was like a young girl, cheering when the announcer introduced each new rider. There were close calls and there were records broken, and she loved every bit of it. Cole was thrilled with his decision.
When the rodeo was over, the driver picked them up at the entrance and this time, there were glasses of champagne and various hors d’oeuvres waiting for them. Gilda reclined against the leather seats, chattering on about what she had seen and how exciting it had all been. She said she’d never had expected to find a little bit of country in the middle of all that city, and it made her homesick, even though she didn’t want to go home again.
“Don’t you ever want to go back?”
“I should tell you now, something I didn’t share with you before.”
He was curious. “What’s that?”
“I went home a few weeks ago. I really didn’t tell anyone; I rode the bus down. I went to stay with my girlfriend and spent a few hours with Mama.”
“How did that go?” He was trying to be sensitive and not flinch. It bothered him that she had gone on such a trip.
“It went okay, I suppose. Mama seemed glad to see me, well at least as glad as Mama can be. She never was a very warm person. I can see that she’s not as healthy as she used to be; she is no longer the beautiful woman who brought all the men around.”
There was pain in her voice, and Cole hastened to remind her. “Are we breaking one of your rules?”
“No, not really, because I was the one who brought it up.”
“Did you see him?” Gilda knew who he was referring to and shook her head.
“No, and I went to great lengths to make sure he didn’t know I was coming.”
“Are you afraid of him, Gilda?”
“I don’t really know, to tell you the truth. He’s not a good man. He’s very determined to get what he wants. He wasn’t happy when I divorced him, and I’m guessing he’s just biding his time. That’s why I’m here, in this big city where he can’t find me.”
“You got me now, to protect you, you know,” Cole said softly.
“There’s nothing you can do, Cole. He has to break the law before you can do anything to him. He’s smart. He walks all around the law, but never breaks it. That’s how he always was. He can sweet talk you into anything and before you know it, you’ve become his prey.
“Anyway, enough about all that. I had such a wonderful time tonight. Thank you so much for bringing me; you knew just what would cheer me up.”
“You are more than welcome, sweetheart,” he said and leaned back against the seat, a grimace across his face.
She noticed and thought it was because they had been talking about Scott. “He’s the past, Cole. He’s out of my life. You shouldn’t let him upset you.”
“He doesn’t upset me. I know his kind. I know how to deal with his kind.” He leaned forward and set his glass of champagne back into the little bar. He leaned back again, sighing heavily and placing a hand over his abdomen.
Gilda was instantly alert. “Are you ill?”
“I don’t know. I feel rather strange. Not sick like in a virus, but very odd.” His face has gone ashen, and his smile had faded away.
Gilda put her hand against his forehead and realized he was running a high fever. She leaned forward and tapped on the window and the driver lowered it. “Get us back to Mr. Stephen’s apartment as quickly as possible, please. He’s ill.”
Cole laid his head back, and Gilda put her arm around him so that he leaned against her breast. He smiled weakly. All I could think of was that there he was, lying against her exactly the way he had dreamed, and felt too ill to do anything more about it. The world seem to mock him with its irony.
The city flew by as the driver exceeded the speed limit, intent upon taking Cole home. The driver lowered the window once more. “Miss?”
Gilda looked toward him. “Yes?”
“Should we stop at a hospital, Miss?”
“I’m not entirely sure, to tell you the truth. Cole, do you think we should go by an emergency room?”
“No, don’t do that. It’s not that bad. It just feels odd.”
That’s when it occurred to Gilda. “I’ll bet I know what’s going on. You’re having a reaction to that immunization earlier this afternoon. That’s not uncommon. It won’t hurt you, and the effects will fade away before too long. You’ll be fine.” She looked forward to the driver and said, “No, it’s not necessary to go to the hospital. Just take us straight to the apartment, please.”
The limo pulled up in front of the building and the driver scooted around quickly to open the door for them. Gilda climbed out first and held her arm toward Cole. The doorman, realizing there was an issue, immediately came forward and helped to hold Cole up. Using his key, they accessed the elevator and went directly to Cole’s apartment. The doorman helped them inside and back to Cole’s bedroom.
“I’m practically a nurse,” she told him. “He will be fine. He’s having a reaction to an immunization he received earlier today. He just needs some fluids and to lie down for a while. Thank you for your help.”
The doorman nodded and left as Gilda began to pull Cole’s shoes off and pull down the blankets on the bed. He was shivering by this time, most likely due to the fever. Gilda opened his belt and pulled off his pants, socks, and then began unbuttoning his shirt.
“This isn’t exactly how I had imagined it,” joked Cole.
“Never mind about that now. Just climb under those covers. I’m going to go find some aspirin and get you a glass of water.” She rose from the side of the bed to leave, but his hand shot out and gripped her arm.
“Gilda, please don’t leave me.”
She whirled to look at him, surprised by his words. She knew he was not a weak-willed man, and yet, for some reason, he feared being alone. She wanted to put him at ease.
“I’m not going anywhere, honey. I’m just going to get some aspirin and water. I’ll be right back. I promise.”
He nodded and let go of her arm, turning on his side and curling into a ball. It was apparent he was miserable. She knew from experience that this was a typical reaction of that particular immunization. She had seen others through the same process and recognized the symptoms. There was no reason to become alarmed; it would pass soon, most likely within a couple of hours.
She went into his bathroom and found aspirin and the medicine chest and then went into the kitchen to get him a glass of cool water. She flipped off the lights as she went back to the bedroom.
“Here you go, Cole. Swallow these, and you’ll begin to feel better soon. This will pass shortly; I’ve seen other guys go through it and it’s always the same. You’ll be fine.”
He nodded and swallowed the aspirin, handing her back the empty glass of water.
“Are you sick to your stomach? Shall I get you a bucket?” she asked him with a considerate tone in her voice.
He shook his head. “No, my stomach is fine. I just feel weak and chilled.”
She nodded. “Yeah, that’s just how they say it feels.”
Gilda set the glass down on the nightstand and went through the room turning off the lights. She opened his closet and extracted one of his shirts, disappearing into the bathroom long enough to shower quickly to wash the dust from the rodeo off of herself. She emerged a few minutes later, her long hair brushed and wearing his shirt. She folded back the blanket on the opposite side of the bed and slid in.
“Don’t you worry; this time I’m going to look after you,” she told him in a soft voice.
Cole’s hand moved toward her, and she took it, kissing the back of it and laying it back upon the mattress. He didn’t move it, evidently wanting to remain close to her. She picked his hand back up and this time
held against her chest. “There now. I know you feel awful but I promise you it will pass quickly. Try to close your eyes and get some sleep. When you wake up, you’ll feel all better. I won’t leave you, I’ll be right here.”
Cole nodded, content to have her close by. His eyes felt heavy and as the aspirin began to reduce his splitting headache, he drifted off to sleep.
Gilda lay in the muted lights of the city as they shone through the window. She realized she had forgotten to close the drapes, but didn’t want to disturb Cole to get up and do it. Instead, she lay there, still and holding his hand against her chest. How strange it felt that it was she who was looking after him, and yet she was the one who felt safe.
That was when she realized how much her life had changed. Just being with Cole truly did make her feel safe.
Gilda was dreaming. She was seeing the open field that led to the creek where she used to wade as a child. She had pulled her shoes off and rolled up her pant legs so they wouldn’t get wet. The cool water of the stream tickled the bottom of her feet and then soothed her, drawing the heat out of her body. She knew her face was sunburned; she’d always burned easily, being of such a fair complexion.
She dreamed that she waited upstream and was able to catch a fish that had become trapped between some rocks. She lifted it up momentarily, empathetic to its plight. She bent low and laid it gently back into open water so that it could swim away. That’s how she wanted to be: like a fish who had been set free. Strangely, that’s how she felt at that very moment. Just as she had lightly stroked the fish, she was now being stroked as well.
As she left the dream behind and reentered the reality of the darkened bedroom, she felt that the stroking was not left behind. Indeed, there was a strong hand upon her breast. She startled somewhat and then remembered. She looked toward Cole and saw that he was watching her, his face less pale and his eyes hungry, visible even in the dim light.
“Are you feeling better?” she asked him softly.
He nodded and reached with one arm to tug at her. “Come. Come closer and lay next to me, please?”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure in my life. Come lay with me, Gilda.”