Chapter Fifteen: ...And I Never Saw Her Again...
Scene One: Nick’s room.
“I’ve got your medicine.” My what? “The doctor called me when he couldn’t find any of you guys.” All heads turned to look at Cecilia, then me. “Here ya go! He said to be sure to take it all, and be sure you take it with food.” Thank you for that detailed information. Now if I just knew what the hell she was talking about.
“Medicine?” Kevin screwed up his face in confusion. Better that than screwing up mine with a fist. “What medicine?”
“Yea Nick.” Brian was looking a bit confused himself. “What medicine?” Did you people know that Brian and Kevin are cousins? Are you surprised?
“For his headache.” Cecilia looked at everyone as if they were stupid. “He has a touch of a bug.” Really? What kind? A ladybug? Junebug? “Didn’t he tell you he’s been at the doctor’s?”
“What doctor?” Kevin looked really confused now, and damn it he hates to be confused. “Nick, what doctor?”
“The hotel doctor!” Cecilia was giving me no time to answer. That’s just as well. I’m sure my explanation of Dr. Suess wouldn’t have gone over nearly as well. “He went there last night when he got back from ... where was it you were, Nick?” Man, can she look innocent. “Anyway,” Cecilia pulled her scarf off and flung her coat on the end of the bed, then sat next to Howie. “The doctor called me a few minutes ago. He said he couldn’t find any of you ... anyway, he said Nick was really sick last night when he got in, and that he might be feeling a bit worse today.” She smiled a really nice smile, and saved my ass. “He said you left too fast this morning. You forgot this.” Then she placed a small white bag on the bed. I guess my medicine was in there, whatever it was.
“You went to the doctor?”
“I guess.” Way to go, Nick.
“Of course!” A lightbulb had gone off over Howie’s head again. “He was so drunk when he got in he thought he was sick!” I was sick, you dork. “So he got to the doctor somehow...” That’ when the bulb dimmed. Yea, I wouldn’t believed I had done that either. Sober I had no idea there was a doctor in the hotel. Drunk I would have been looking for Micky Mouse.
“One of the bellboys took him up there when he got in.” Cecilia had thought this out. “The doctor said they felt Nick wasn’t looking right last night.” I was looking right at Cecilia’s chest, but that was best left unsaid.
“See, it makes perfect sense.” Howie can make perfect sense out of anything. And speaking of which, have you ever seen that show Macgyver? That man can make a bomb out of handcream and a tampon.
“I guess so...” Kevin did not sound convinced.
“Yea! It sure does!” Aj was another matter. I think he just wanted it over. Now the guys could get off his back and get back on mine. Man, there are so many gay rumors about us.
“Well, I’m glad we found you.” Kevin didn’t sound convinced of that either.
“All’s well that ends well!” Go Brian. Spout those proverbs! Or whatever.
“Well, Nick needs his meds, and then some sleep. That’s what the doctor said.” Cecilia seemed to want to make an escape. I didn’t blame her. If I had an excuse I’d get the hell out of here.
“Good idea. Let’s let him get a nap. Nick,” Kevin turned to me with his serious face. “We’ll talk when you wake up.” Oh, hell.
They left after giving me a pill from the bottle in the bag. I had no idea what it was, but I would ask Cecilia later. Then it hit me, Cecilia was leaving today! I might never see her again! Well, screw the nap. I had to talk to her one last time.
Scene Two: Cecilia’s Room
“Nick?” She seemed a surprised to see me. I wasn’t sure it that was good or bad.
“Hi. Um ... can I come in? Just to talk?”
“Sure. We can talk while I finish packing, OK?” Her suitcases were out on the other bed, and were nearly full.
“So, when do you leave?” Small talk was never my strong point.
“My cab will be here in about twenty minutes.” She folded a blouse and set it in a case. “Nick, what did you want to talk about?”
“I ... I ....” I’m so damn suave, that’s what. “I just wanted to say thank you.” There. No, wait! “FOR HELPING ME!” Man, I didn’t want her to think the sex was all that mattered!
“But not for the sex?” Huh? That’s when I noticed she was smiling again. “Sorry Nick, but I can see why the guys tease you!” Yea. Everyone likes an easy mark.
“That too, I mean ...” I was so bad at this.
“Nick it’s OK.” Cecilia took my hand and sat next to me on the bed. “I wanted to help you, and later, well I wanted to do that to.”
“Cecilia, can I ask you something?”
“You just did! But go ahead, ask away!”
“If it wasn’t about Kevin ... I mean we really haven’t spent any time together. Why did you ... sleep with me?”
Cecilia dropped my hand and stood up. I wanted while she pulled the last few things from the closet and packed them. She shut the cases and turned to me.
“I like you Nick, really. YOU. But there was something ... you remind me of someone.” She came back to the bed and sat next to me again. “Sean.” She looked at our clasped hands. “He was my first.” Even I knew what that meant. “I loved him, very much. And he made it so special ...” As she trailed off I saw the sheen of tears in her eyes.
“If you loved him...” Shit Nick, this is none of your business!
“He died.” She said it so softly I almost didn’t hear her. Damn!
“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you sad, or remind you of ...”
“No, no honey!” Cecilia cupped my face and smiled. “I’m glad you reminded me of him! I loved him! And ... it, well, you helped me put something behind me, Nick. You helped me find some closure I never realized I needed.” She dropped her hands and took mine again. “The only thing I feel bad about is blaming Kevin for all our problems. He had Kristin, but I still had Sean, and I didn’t even know it. But Nick, I like you. Really. YOU. You do remind me of Sean, but you’re not him. And I want you to know ..” She put her hand under my chin and lifted it. “Really know that I loved what happened between us. I’ll always have it as a treasured memory. I hope you feel the same.”
I did, but I was choked up. She seemed to understand. I helped her carry her suitcases and about seven tons of shopping bags to the lobby, and stayed with her until the cab came. We stood, holding hands, while the cabby put her stuff in the trunk. Then he opened the door, she turned, kissed me one last time. Then she was gone.
I stood there watching the cab pull away. She didn’t look back, and I never saw her again.