10
My heart is threatening to beat out of my chest as I quickly scribble down the address the woman on the phone gives me on a scrap of paper I find on the hostess stand. I feel like collapsing to the ground, but I know I need to be strong for Cami right now. I walk back over to the table, and Daveed and Jasmine both stand up when they see my face, which I'm sure looks like I've seen a ghost. I manage to get out "Cami. Hospital," and press the address into Jasmine's hand before I start crying, and someone is holding me because otherwise I would be on the ground, but I don't know who it is. I'm being guided somewhere, and as we exit the restaurant, the cold air snaps me a little more back to my senses. I realize Daveed is the one supporting me against his chest with one arm, while he talks on the phone with his other hand. He's yelling, I don't know whom at, but it clearly works because about 3 minutes later a car pulls up and we get in.
Once we're on the way to the hospital, Daveed takes my hands.
"Listen Pippa, I know you're terrified and upset right now, but once you get in there you need to hold it all together for Cami." I nod, knowing he's right. I have to be the strong one now.
After an excruciatingly long car ride, we pull up in the bay of the ER, and I run in while Daveed pays the driver. I find the nurses' station and run up to it. "Hi. I'm looking for Cami. Camille Beckett. I just got a call, that she's here. I'm Pippa. Phillipa Soo."
At the end of my nervous ramble, Daveed joins me, in time to for the nurse to announce, in a bored and apathetic tone, "Room 119." She points down a hallway and I take off, Daveed close behind. When we find the room, a woman in blue scrubs stops me before I can go in.
"Phillipa?" I nod, and she extends her hand. "I'm Doctor Foley. We spoke on the phone." I nod again, recognizing her voice, and shake her hand.
"Can I see Cami now? Is she okay? What happened?"
"Camille was brought in with several fractured ribs and some mild abdominal bleeding, which was causing her to cough up blood. She also has some bruising on her face and arms. The woman who brought her in, the head of her group foster home, told us she'd fallen down the stairs, but these injuries aren't conducive with that, and the amount of emotional distress she was in when she came in also indicates otherwise. We've called Child Protective Services, and there's a social worker who tried to talk to Camille, but she's been highly unresponsive, only insisting we call you. We're hoping you can convince her to open up."
As she talks, I feel Daveed's hand on the small of my back, grounding me and reminding me of what we'd talked about in the car. I pull him aside as the doctor leaves, before I go in Cam's room. "Call Vanessa. Tell her everything that woman just told us, and ask her what to do, or ask her to come down here, or something." Daveed pulls out his phone, and I take a deep breath and open the door in front of me. What I see brings tears to my eyes.
Cami is lying in a hospital bed, which dwarfs her tiny frame and makes her look like a little kid. She has a huge bruise on her cheekbone, and a cut on her forehead above her left eyebrow. What hurts me the most, though, is the look in her eyes. They're filled with fear and pain and sadness and panic, though I see a quick flash of relief when they meet mine. I rush to her bedside, taking her hand and stroking her hair. "Oh Cami, baby girl, I'm so sorry." She scooches over in the bed and I climb in beside her, wrapping my arms around her as she buries her head in my shoulder. She doesn't cry, but we just sit there in silence for a while. I think she's reached a point beyond tears.
Daveed comes in, waving his phone around. "Vanessa's coming. Strict instructions: You two don't talk to anyone until she gets here. I've been told to stall." Clearly trying to ease the tension, he flashes his million-dollar smile and winks. "I've also been told I'm great at stalling." With that, he pivots on his heel and goes back into the hallway, and I glance back down at Cami. She didn't move the whole time Daveed was in here, but now she pokes her head up.
"Talk to who?" Her voice quivers and she has a look of pure terror on her face.
"Honestly Cam, I don't know right now. But Vanessa's coming, and she's going to figure everything out. Danielle's never going to be able to hurt you again."
At the mention of Danielle's name, all of the walls Cami has put up come tumbling down and she starts violently sobbing. Her breathing picks up too, and I quickly recognize the symptoms of a panic attack as she hyperventilates in my arms. I move her up so her back is against my chest and gently take her hand and put it on my wrist. "Cami, listen to me. Can you feel my pulse?" She nods, and tries to say something, but can't get enough air for the words to come out. "Shhh... it's okay. I've got you, I've got you. You're safe now, I'm here." I feel Cami continue to struggle to breathe, and my heart pangs when I imagine how painful this must be with broken ribs. I keep rubbing her back, and try to get her to match her breathing with mine. After about 15 minutes, she's calmed down to the point where she's more or less breathing normally, and she's relaxed her death grip on my wrist. She lays her head on my chest, but jerks it up again when Vanessa, who I realize she hasn't met yet, walks in the room. "It's just Vanessa. She's wonderful, you're okay, you're safe," I whisper in her ear, doing anything and everything I can to keep her calm. Vanessa comes over to the bed, introduces herself to Cami, then speaks to both of us in a hushed voice.
"I think our best bet right now is to have Cami talk to the CPS social worker. She has no affiliation with Cami's particular foster system, so there's no bias there. They're going to want to keep Cami here overnight for observation, but if we play our cards right she might be able to go home with you tomorrow." She bends down and speaks directly to Cami. "Hey, I know this is scary and sucks, and I'm so sorry for everything you've been through, but do you think you can talk to this woman about what's been going on? I promise I wouldn't ask you to unless it was absolutely necessary." Cami wraps her hand tighter into the fabric of my jacket.
"Can Pippa be there?" Vanessa smiles.
"Pippa and I are both going to be there the whole time. We're not gonna let anything happen to you." Cami nods slowly and Vanessa gives her a thumbs-up. "Let's get this over with."
YOU ARE READING
The Uncanny Accuracy of Fate
Fanfiction... Camille Beckett and Phillipa Soo have been living only miles apart for years, though their paths have never crossed. It's amazing what a masterclass and a musical can do. Who knows, maybe it's fate!
