Chapter 7
Cole
I hurt…everywhere. From the tips of my toes to the top of my damn head, it all hurts. Hell, even my damn hair hurts! It’s not like I don’t know what happened and I sure as hell know where I am, but this is shit. I’m stuck here, in this sterile, shitty ass hospital room, but all I can think of is the boys and Cam. The poor thing must be freaking the hell out by now. I know I asked Brett to go relieve her and have been waiting to hear from him for almost two hours now. Maybe that’s why I fight my stiff and throbbing body to grab my phone off the side table the second I hear it ring.
“Hey, how are the boys?”
“They were sleeping when I got there. Cam’s insisting on staying with them and told me to focus on making sure you don’t piss off all the nurses.” Of course she did. I can’t fight back my smile, even though that shit hurts like hell.
“Sounds about right. Shit, she going to call you over if she needs to go anywhere? Cody and Joey’s seats were in my truck…”
“Don’t get mad, but she’s doing a store delivery for a new car seat for Joey and a new booster for Cody. She said she wants to bring the boys to see you as soon as you’re feeling up for it.” My damn heart clenches and I’m not afraid to admit I feel a little overwhelmed by what she’s doing for my family.
“I’ll call and talk to her later. Thanks for everything, man.”
“Don’t mention it. Just focus on getting better. Between me and Cam, we’ll handle everything else.”
“I appreciate it. I’ll see you later, but you better call if anything comes up.”
“You know I will. Get some rest, Cole. I’ll come see you tomorrow.” We end our call, but before I can set the phone down, I see a message that came through during my call with Brett…a message from Cam.
Cam: I’d ask how you’re feeling, but I feel that would be a ridiculous question right now. Instead, I’m going to tell you not to stress yourself out about things here. I’ll handle the boys and keep the house from burning down. Please let me know if there’s anything you need me to bring to you and I’d like to bring the boys to see you as soon as you’re feeling up for it.
The message came through ten minutes ago…at one fifteen. I could message her back, I could lie and say I’m okay, but instead, I find myself dialing her number and pressing the phone to my ear. It only rings twice before her voice comes through the line.
“Cole?! Oh my god! Are you alright? Never mind, that was a really stupid question. Did they give you pain medication?”
“I’ll be alright, Cam. I just talked to Brett. Tell me how much the kid’s seats are and I’ll get it to you when you come by.”
“Cole, shut the hell up. You’re not getting me shit. Now, are they taking good care of you? Do you need me to have Brett bring you anything?” I feel my breath hitch at the depth of the concern in her voice, but I manage to choke out an answer.
“Yeah, they’re treating me fine, Cam. I’m good for now, but how were the boys?” The sigh of relief that slips through the line has my lips curling as she jumps into answering me with a slightly more upbeat voice.
“Well, I think Joey is either possessed, or found a secret stash of sugar laying around because he spent three hours yesterday just bouncing off the damn walls. Cody and Holden helped me make meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner while Joey ran in circles and I’m fairly certain he was chanting to the Norse gods…or maybe summoning a demon, the jury’s still out on that one. Oh, and Cody and I were working on practicing some sight words and he’s doing pretty good with them so far.” God, from the second I met this woman, I was a complete dick to her, yet here she is, insisting on staying with my kids while I’m in the hospital and she's even teaching my son how to fucking read!
“I know I said it already, but thank you, Cam. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for us.” It doesn’t even come close to what I really feel, but it’s going to have to do for now.
“It’s not a problem, Cole, really, it’s not. The car seats should be delivered by ten, so if you’re feeling up for a visit from the boys, I can bring them up to see you.”
“Yeah, I’d like that. Could you give them a little heads up about the bruises and shit? I look like I lost a fight to a top tier UFC fighter.” She snorts out a laugh that has me chuckling…which makes me wince, but I bite back the hiss from the pain. I don’t want her feeling bad especially about this.
“Yeah, I figured I’d have to tell them something. Alright, so, I’ll make sure they’re fed and I’ll grab a clean change of clothes and a pair of sweats or something for you…Oh, and some socks! I’ll bring all that up along with some body wash, deodorant, a toothbrush and toothpaste. Is there anything else you might need?”
“You don’t have to…” The ornery little thing doesn’t even let me finish, but I’m not even mad about it.
“Yet I’m still going to, so, is there anything else you need?”
“I…no…no, that should be everything.”
“Oh! Your phone charger!” I can hear her shuffling around which is when I realize that she’s packing it all right now.
“Cam…shit…I sound like a damn broken record here…but…thank you.” I know she catches the way my voice breaks and the weight of emotion behind my words, something made clear by the sudden silence on her end until she responds.
“You’re welcome, Cole. You should get some rest and I’ll text before I head over with the boys later. If you need anything, I don’t care what the hell it is, you let me know.”
“Will do, Cam. See you later.”
“Yeah, see you soon, Cole.”
It’s almost eleven when I get the text from Cam, a simple ‘you have two minutes to tell me if you don’t want us to come up yet, otherwise we’re invading your space in about thirty minutes’. My reply was just as simple, ‘come down when you’re ready’. Such a small, insignificant conversation, if you can call it a conversation, yet it seems so natural…like it’s just something we do all the time.
I just got done having my damn vitals checked for the tenth time today and getting talked to by the doctor when I hear Cody’s voice coming from somewhere outside my room. I didn’t think to tell Cam what room I’m in, but I can hear her soft voice talking to one of the nurses, the one who was just in my room less than five minutes ago.
“We’re here to see Cole Samuels.”
“Yeah, he’s in room 141. He’s awake, so go ahead and head in!” I can hear their footsteps on the hard tile floors seconds before I see Holden clear the doorway, quickly followed by Cody and Cam, who has Joey settled on her hip with a duffel bag and the diaper bag slung over her other shoulder. She closes the door once they’re all inside then sets Joey down so she can place the bags on the small table near the window.
“Hey, dad. You look bad.” Holden has always been blunt, but I can’t even be mad. Hell, if I look half as bad as I feel, then I look like complete shit. I don’t miss the glossy green eyes looking in my direction from where Cam stands by the window, but she seems intent on keeping her thoughts to herself, likely for the sake of the boys.
“Yeah? You saying my makeover was a flop?” Holden laughs which makes Cody giggle, though I doubt he actually knows why they’re laughing.
“Yeah, you look like you got hit by a truck.” That comment has Cam wincing, something the boys don’t notice with their backs facing her, but I sure the hell saw it.
“Feels like it too, but nope…it was just a Buick. You boys being good for Cam?” Even as they answer, she’s already nodding her head.
“Yeah, we are. Me and Cody helped Cam make dinner and clean the house.” Yeah, I don’t miss the way her cheeks flush red, but instead of hiding away…she just…smiles.
“I really appreciate that guys. I’ll be in here at least till tomorrow, so I need you to be on your best behavior. Can you do that for me?” Cody and holden nod while Joey starts spouting some of his toddler babble that, admittedly, does sound like some weird voodoo chant.
“We’ll be good, dad. We promise.” Holden’s confidence is slightly undermined by Joey who has decided he needs to look in the drawers near the sink, but Cam moves like lightning, getting to him just as his little hand wraps around the handle.
“No, bubs, we can’t go in there. That belongs to the doctor.” He doesn’t fight her, doesn’t throw a tantrum…he just smiles and walks over to my bed.
“Dada! Me hug?” he lifts his little arms up and I damn well know my body is too damn sore to lift him, but Cam swoops in again, picking him up and leaning him over my body without letting him put any pressure on it. I give him the best hug I can manage and he seems perfectly content with it. Before we can say anything more, Brett walks in and the fucker’s face lights up when he sees Cam and the boys.
“Hey boys, hey Cam, hey Cole. How’s everyone doing?” Holden and Cody give their variations of ‘good’ while Joey doesn’t say a damn thing and I just glare at the bastard. Cam mumbles an ‘okay’ that’s far from convincing and I know Brett’s ass caught it.
“Brett, why don’t you take the boys down and get them an ice cream or something from the cafeteria?” He gives me a surprised look, but the second my eyes dart toward Cam then back to him, he nods, thankfully getting my meaning without making me spell it out for him.
“Yeah, sounds like good times. Come on boys, let’s go see what they’ve got down there.” Cam watches as each of the boys walk over to give her a hug before following Brett out of the room with the door clicking shut behind them.
“Alright, I know I look like shit, but you can look at me, Cam.” Since she got here, she’s looked in my general direction, but hasn’t actually looked at me…not till right this second. I wasn’t fucking prepared. I wasn’t ready for the tears in her eyes and I sure the hell wasn’t ready for the second they start to fall.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” She shakes her head and tries angrily wiping the tears away like they offended her on the deepest level, but it’s no use because those bastards just keep coming.
“I just…fuck…I spent all last night freaking the hell out about what happened and how you were doing, but…it looks…shit…are you in pain? Are you sure you’re okay?” Was she seriously that worried about me?!
“I won’t lie, it hurts like hell, but I’m going to be okay, Cam. Is that why you’re crying?” She nods her head as she lets out a heavy, shaky breath.
“Well, yeah? I mean, when Brett came over and he said you were in an accident…fuck…I freaked the hell out.” Don’t ask me why the hell I do it, but I reach for her hand and she doesn’t even hesitate to take it, letting me pull her closer while I try not to let her see how damn much the action hurts me.
“I’m alright, Cam. Look on the bright side, that damn cut on my hand got reopened and now the damn thing is stitched closed.” That earns a soft laugh, not enough to ease the tension completely, but enough to let her breathe a little.
“Good. At least something good came from all this. God, Cole, I’m so damn glad you’re going to be okay. I hope you know that I’ll be sleeping on your couch for a few days after you get home. You’re going to need help for a bit, so you’re stuck with me, like it or not.” Alright, that definitely gets a smile out of me, but I blame her determined glare and stern voice.
“You don’t have to, but I appreciate you, Cam, so damn much.” She squeezes my hand and I squeeze right back.
“As always, I know I don’t have to, but I’m still going to, so deal with it.”