The Desired Effect ~ Cameron Liddell

Chapter 23. "Take Care Of You"

"Gorgeous." I caught myself saying as I woke up. I was dreaming about the wedding. I stood at the end of that aisle and imagined myself in Cameron's place, that she was walking down towards me, to marry me and promise to love me forever. I didn't see it any differently than it happened in reality, but that entire day was an out of body experience for me. I was half drunk and half delirious with rage and grief, and every few seconds I had to remind myself that I was on the side, and not the end of that aisle. Close enough.

"Dreaming about me are you?" I opened my eyes to see Myca crouching in front of me.

"Anything that involves you is a fucking nightmare." I nudged her over and stood. She glared at me from where she sat on her ass.

"She's okay." Cameron stood in front of me, about to cry. I looked back to the window. It was morning. "She's alive, she's okay."

"Knew she would be." He hugged me tightly, surprisingly not crying again. He dried out. By that morning we were nearing the part in his sobriety that he would be in extreme and excruciating pain. He had a few hours left, at best, before he would need his own hospital room.

"I'm so glad." He whispered.

"Me too." I sighed. I already knew she was fine. "Now get off me you gay bastard. Let's go see her." Cameron stepped back and smiled bigger and more genuine than he had in years. He led everyone to her, in the exact room I had found her in in the middle of the night. The curtain was completely open so everyone could see inside. The door opened before I could reach for the handle.

"Sorry people, she just went to sleep." The nurse who had taken us out of the public waiting room stated, collecting all of our attention as she walked out of Naomi's room. "But I just spoke to her. She said to tell you that she said hi. Mr Liddell, may I speak to you in private?" He nodded quickly and when they stepped away it was too far for me to hear.

"I'm so glad she's alive, fucking hell."

"Hey!" Brandi appeared at the end of the hallway, running towards us. She ran straight into James' arms and he spun her around. I went back to watching Naomi sleep through the glass. Chest moving up and down, heart monitor beeping rhythmically, IVs firmly in place. "I'm so sorry I couldn't come sooner, my flight just landed and I came straight here. How is she?" She looked around for the answer. I watched her reflection in the spotless window.

"She's alive. That's about all we know." Brandi sighed deeply.

"Oh thank god. I was so worried."

"We all were." I turned to her. "I'm glad you're here." I forced a smile and hugged her tightly. Brandi might have been the only person I didn't blame. She tried when she could be around, and she tried to be around, but she had her own life. It was the guys who had nothing to do but sit at home and jack off that I took issue with.

"Thanks. I was so worried. So was she... like..." Brandi lowered her voice. "High?"

"Cameron doesn't even know." I lowkey pointed to him where he stood talking with the doctor. He was just nodding as she spoke dramatically.

"Oh." She nodded. "Well, what if she was? What happens?"

"Brandi everyone else just found out she's alive no one knows-"

"Else." Sam stepped forward, blocking Brandi out.

"What?"

"You said else. Everyone else just found out she's alive. You knew?"

"How could you not tell us?" Ben looked at me, his entire face softened in sadness.

"Look I didn't know- I have no clue how to-"