"I'm fine, just worried about Liz," I admitted. "There's something wrong and she won't tell me, but we always tell each other everything."
"I'm sure she'll tell you when she's ready," Leslie reassured me.
"But what if it's too late?" I asked, "What then?"
"I'm sure if she needs help, she'll ask," Leslie said as she turned and headed back inside to the warmth of the ER. "If you need to talk, I'm here!"
I trudged home through the snow, deciding to skip breakfast and sleep. I was supposed to go out with Cam at seven, and I'd been awake for more than twenty-four hours. I shoved the image of Violet Metzler hugging Cam out of my head, and by the time I got home, it was all I could do to shed my scrubs, set my alarm, and fall into a deep sleep.
I woke up before my alarm went off, and for a moment wasn't sure where I was. The sun had set and the streetlight cast strange shadows on the wall of my bedroom. I grabbed my phone and saw that Cam would be picking me up a couple of hours, so I got up and made a cup of coffee as I ran a shower.
The caffeine and hot water combined to jolt me out of my sleepy state, and I decided that I wasn't going to start the evening by being mad at Cam for what Violet had done in the ER. I'd been tired and worried about Liz, so I'd read more into Cam's interaction with Violet than I should have. Besides, it was me he'd brought the flowers to, not her.
I wound my hair into a loose bun at the nape of my neck and swept black mascara on my lashes and a bit of red lipstick on my lips before I slipped into a form-fitting, little black dress that had a deep v-neck and a pair of black, patent leather stilettos. The overall effect was quite sexy, and I smiled as I looked at myself from all angles in the mirror next to the front door.
Cam arrived a little while later and let out a low wolf whistle when I opened the door. He looked handsome in a grey suit that was obviously custom made since it emphasized his wide shoulders and cut in at the waist. He'd shaved, and although it looked like he'd made an attempt to tame his wild, rust-colored curls, they defied him.
"You ready to go eat?" he asked as he helped me with my coat.
"I'm starving," I said. "I hope this place serves big portions!"
"Well, we're not leaving until you're full, that's for sure." He smiled.
We drove to Grace over on Randolph Street where Cam handed over the keys to the truck to the valet after making sure I'd made it safely to the door. The hostess led us into the dining room and seated us at a quiet table off to one side. I looked around, awed by the fact that I was inside this beautiful place that was so in demand that reservations had to be made months in advance.
"How did you get a reservation here for tonight?" I asked as I looked over the menu.
"I've got
some friends in high places." Cam smiled as he gave the waiter our drink order. He looked back at me and said, "Actually, a friend of mine already had the reservation, but he had to cancel, so he offered it to me."
"Ah, I see, so Violet's friendly greeting had nothing to do with this?" I said with a playful smile on my lips.
"I'm sorry about that, Alex," he said in a tone that was far more serious than I'd expected. "I don't know her at all. I know of her father, but we're not close or anything."
"It's okay, Cam," I said as the waiter brought our drinks and told us about the specials. We ordered before returning to the topic at hand. "I had other things on my mind this morning, and Violet, as a rule, gets on my nerves."
"I can see that," he said, holding up his glass. "Well, let's put it behind us and toast to a wonderful dinner and another nice date, shall we?"
I lifted my glass and clinked it against his, smiling as I brought it to my lips. Cam grinned as he changed the subject, and we ate until I thought I would burst as we talked about our career plans, politics, and the Cubs.
"So, what was it like growing up on the South Side?" Cam asked as he dug into a dessert that looked almost too beautiful to eat.
"Probably like anywhere else," I said, trying to figure out how to change the subject. I avoided talking about my childhood as much as possible because it wasn't a pretty story and I didn't want any pity. "It had its ups and downs, but mostly it was just a lot of looking ahead, you know?"
"That's pretty general," Cam said as he watched my expression then quietly said, "My childhood was rough, too."
I stared at him across the table for what felt like an eternity, but was probably a minute at most. I debated whether to let him in or tell the sanitized version of my upbringing. It was his smile that tipped the balance.
"Rough has its benefits," I said, holding his gaze. "And I turned out okay."
"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," he said as he finished his dessert. "I get it. I don't talk about mine much, either. But sometimes it's good, you know?"
"I was bounced around between relatives from the time I was a toddler," I said without looking away. "My parents both disappeared by the time I was ten, and then my mother showed up years later, when I was a senior in high school. She was sick and had nowhere else to go, so I nursed her until she died. We tried to get along, but she was someone who was used to being in charge of sick people. Her illness made her angry and mean. I've made peace with it, though. I'm on my own and free to decide what makes me happy."
"Sounds like a hell of a trade off," Cam said as the look in his eyes softened. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Alex.”
"Don't you dare pity me," I said.