Harry’s assumption had been accurate on at least one item. Cameron was not a pretty sight.
Bandages covered most of his body. His head was wrapped and he had a couple bruises and marks on his face, including at least one black eye. His left arm was in plaster and being suspended above his bed. His shoulder was also heavily bandaged. Tubes and wires lead off to different machines, all of which hummed or beeped in time with Cameron’s body. A UV drip to one side slowly fed its medicine into a long tube that fed into the back of Cameron’s hand.
When they first entered the room, Cameron seemed to be asleep. As they approached the bed, Cameron stirred. He opened his good eye and, seeing who it was, smiled.
“So for my next day off, can we just hire a movie and stay in?” He asked, smirking at his own joke.
Without thinking, Tory leapt onto the bed and wrapped her arms around him.
“OW!” He cried hoarsely, wincing in pain.
Tory immediately pulled back.
“I’m sorry!”
“It’s OK.” Cameron said, still smiling. “Just take it easy. Damaged goods.”
Tory nestled in next to Cameron, her arms wrapped tightly around him. Cameron looked over the top of her head to where his parents stood.
“Hi Mum. Hi Dad.”
Ellen walked up to the side of the bed and bent over to kiss her son’s forehead.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine mum. Really, I’m OK.” Cam looked over at his father. “Hey Dad.”
“How you doing?” Harry asked, briefly gripping his son’s wrist. It was a small gesture of affection, but for Cameron, it was enough.
“I feel like I fell off a building. How you doing?”
“I feel like my son just fell off a building.”
“Oh yeah? You should get em to give you some of this stuff.” Cameron raised his arm with the drip in it and pointed at the needle. “I dunno what it is, but it’s great!”
“I’ll ask for a doggy bag.”
“What the hell were you thinking!” Ellen suddenly exploded out with, cutting of her husbands retort. “You could have been killed!”
Tory flinched a little in Cameron’s arms at Ellen’s sudden snap. Cameron squeezed her a little tighter to reassure her. This was not an uncommon trait of Ellen’s and Cameron knew it. Ellen had a nasty habit of hiding emotions with anger. It was a cause of many of her and Cameron’s fights when he was a teenager. Instead of talking to Cam, or Harry for that matter, about what ever was frustrating her, she would just let it fester until it boiled over. Sudden outbursts like this were a common feature in their household. Harry had grown so used to it that whenever she had one of her rants, he would start teasing and mocking Ellen, in a bid to point out her overly dramatic way of dealing with things. Cameron had also learned ways of dealing with his mother’s rants. His tactics were a bit more subtle than his fathers, usually talking very softly in response, forcing Ellen to lower her voice. But as both men knew, sometimes the best way to deal with it was to just let her go.
“Yeah, but I wasn’t, Mum.
“But you could have! You could have been lying in the morgue now, and I could have had to come in here and pick up your dead body!”
Logic wasn’t really a big thing in these types of conversations.
“Mum, see me here, talking to you?” Cameron waved his hands slightly to emphasise his point. “I’m not dead! I survived. Yeah, I’m banged up, but I survived.”
"Well, why couldn’t you have let someone else take care of things? Why did you have to go and be the damn hero again? That worked out so well for you last time!”
The ‘last time’ Ellen spoke about had happened when Cameron was about 24 or so. At the time, Cameron had been spending a lot of time with his friends Josh and Miranda and his Girlfriend at the time, Kat. The three of them all lived in one of those designed suburbs you see all over the place, called Bligh Park, near Windsor in Sydney’s far west. ‘Overnight Suburbs’ Cameron usually referred to them as. You would find yourself driving past an empty field one day, then 6 months later, you’d return to find an entire community has just suddenly appeared, complete with schools, supermarkets and a community centre. Josh and Miranda rented a 3-bedroom place out on the area’s fringes. They were close enough to the edge that the bushland that used to occupy the area could be seen just over the roofs. Josh and Miranda shared one room, Kat had another and another roommate, Alex, took the third. Alex had originally lived there with his on again, off again girlfriend, who had since moved out.
For Josh’s birthday that year, Miranda had prepared a surprise Costume Birthday party. Elaborate steps had been taken to get Josh out of the house and away long enough for them to set up, which included a pre-arranged ‘domestic’ between Cameron and Kat. The ruse had worked, and Josh was completely bewildered by the final result. However, since it was a costume party, Miranda had one last surprise for him, as she revealed Josh’s costume for the evening. It consisted of a black mini skirt, red halter-top, fish net stockings and a blonde wig. A highlight of the party was when Josh stepped out of the bedroom in full drag, complete with make-up, courtesy of his ever loving and mischievous girlfriend.
Later in the night, the party was beginning to run low on a few items. Mostly drink and alcohol. Being one of the few who owned a car, Cameron had elected not to drink that night. When he suggested taking the car into Richmond to pick up a few items, an improvised road trip was suddenly organised. More people than he had ever thought possible has suddenly crammed into his four-door sedan, heading off for ‘Emergency provisions’
That was their first bad idea.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
6. THE HOSPITAL
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital sat on the corner of Missenden Road and Carillion Ave in Camperdown, just about 10 mins walk down from Newtown. Built in 1882, it was one of Sydney’s older Hospitals. It’s Emergency room entrance was off of Missenden Road. It had a large turning and parking bay for ambulances, with an overhanging canopy to protect patients from any kind of extreme or inclement weather. Right next to the Ambulance entrance was the driveway to a small car park, which was reserved for those friends and families of people who had been admitted to the Emergency ward. If one maintained the speed limit and observed any and all road signs and traffic lights, the journey from Ellen and Harry Clarkson’s home was at least an hour and twenty minutes.
35 minutes after receiving the call informing them that their son Cameron had fallen out of a skyscraper and had been taken to the hospital, Harry Clarkson pulled their silver BMW into the car park.
Just through the glass sliding doors, Ellen Clarkson stopped. She looked around at the faces in the waiting room, until, far off in a corner with a blank expression on her face and a faraway look in her eyes, she saw Tory.
“Tory!” Ellen cried, as she started walking towards her.
Tory at first didn’t react to Ellen’s call. Thinking she must not have heard her, Ellen tried calling out again, but still to no response. It wasn’t until she physically laid her hand on the girls shoulder that Tory finally snapped out of whatever trance she was in. Staring up at Ellen, it took her a moment to recognise who she was.
“Ellen!”
Tory burst out of her chair and wrapped her arms around the older woman’s neck. Whatever block or valve she had put in place on her emotions finally gave way, and she started to sob violently. Ellen’s resolve had been pretty steadfast all the way in the car, refusing to give in the welling panic within her. But as Tory’s tears flowed onto her shoulder, Ellen found her guard dropping and she too broke into tears. Standing just behind them, Harry reached forward and placed a hand on his wife’s back. Although his eyes were red, no tears flowed. At 64 years old, Harry was an old school Aussie bloke. He would cry late. Right now, others needed him and there were things to do.
When she had finally managed to calm down some, Tory released her grip around Ellen. She moved back slightly and looked over Ellen’s shoulder.
“Hey Mr C” Tory managed a very weak smile.
“I’ve told you to call me Harry. How you doing?”
“I don’t know” Tory said, shaking her head. She half sat, half collapsed into the chair. “They haven’t let me see him just yet, and I can’t get any of the doctors to talk to me”
“Don’t you worry about that part of things. I’ll take care of all that.”
Tory looked up at Harry, confusion making it’s way into the gamut of expressions already on her face.
“Care of what?”
Harry, who had been avoiding the girl’s eyes, looked down at her.
“Identification, making arrangement for the body. I’ll take care of all that, don’t you worry.”
Tory looked from Harry to Ellen, then back to Harry again. In her slightly bewildered state, she hadn’t been able to gauge their emotions correctly.
“Didn’t they tell you?”
Ellen furrowed up her brow.
“Tell us what?”
“He’s alive!”
Just at that moment, they were interrupted by a voice behind them.
“Excuse me, Miss Vesper?”
Looking past the startled expressions of Cameron’s parents, Tory recognised the face of Dr Brooker, the Doc who had taken Cameron when he had first been admitted.
“Oh, Doctor! These are Cameron’s Parents, Harry and Ellen.”
The doc turned to Harry, extending a hand to shake it.
“Dr Brook . . “
“My son’s alive!?” Harry blurted out, cutting off the Doctors introduction.
“Yes. Miraculously, he managed to survive the fall.”
This news was too much for Harry. After hearing the news on the phone, he had jumped into action. Getting Ellen into the car, the frantic drive in, even walking into the emergency room, Harry had been stealing himself to the fact that his only son was dead. But the doctor’s announcement brought with it a wave of relief that Harry was unprepared for. He felt his knees go weak and quickly sat down into the first empty seat he could. Ellen walked up and grabbed a hold of her husband’s hand, fresh tears welling in her eyes.
“Is he all right?”
The doctor lifted up a clipboard he had with him and started reading some of the notes.
“Well, he’s not great. He’s managed to tear some ligaments in his shoulder, which was also badly dislocated. His arm was fractured, he has a rather nasty concussion, he has multiple cuts and lacerations, many of which we had to put stitches in, we removed more broken glass from his body than was in the last “Spiderman” film, and with the number of scrapes and abrasions all over his body, I thought the ambulance had dragged him here.”
The doctor closed the clipboard and let it fall to his side. The three stared at him blankly for a moment.
“So, what does all that mean?” Harry finally asked.
“That means, Mr Clarkson, that considering he fell out of a skyscraper, your son got off light.”
“Well, we are going to have to keep him here for a few weeks just to keep an eye on some things, but yes. Everything seems to point to him making a full recovery.”
Tory, tears welling up in her eyes again, reached over and hugged Ellen. Harry emitted a very audible sigh of relief. He stood up and wrapped his arms around his wife, holding her tightly. Releasing her, he turned and walked off to the side. Ellen watched her husband as he went and stood by a window. Grasping onto the window ledge, she saw his shoulders rise and fall as he took a large breath. This was how Harry was, and she had learned to interfere and when to leave alone. Turning back to the doctor, she quickly wiped a tear from her face.
“When do you think me might be able to see him?”
“Well, that’s what I came out here for.” The Doctor said, smiling.” He’s been asking for you.”
Tory looked at the doctor in disbelief
“He’s awake already?”
“Woke up just a little while ago. Would you like me to take you to him?”
“Please”
Ellen turned and called out to Harry as Dr Brooker started to lead them out of the room. Harry turned from the window and followed. Sitting over in a corner of the waiting room, watching them as they left, Dan sat and watched them as they left, processing all that he had just overheard.
35 minutes after receiving the call informing them that their son Cameron had fallen out of a skyscraper and had been taken to the hospital, Harry Clarkson pulled their silver BMW into the car park.
Just through the glass sliding doors, Ellen Clarkson stopped. She looked around at the faces in the waiting room, until, far off in a corner with a blank expression on her face and a faraway look in her eyes, she saw Tory.
“Tory!” Ellen cried, as she started walking towards her.
Tory at first didn’t react to Ellen’s call. Thinking she must not have heard her, Ellen tried calling out again, but still to no response. It wasn’t until she physically laid her hand on the girls shoulder that Tory finally snapped out of whatever trance she was in. Staring up at Ellen, it took her a moment to recognise who she was.
“Ellen!”
Tory burst out of her chair and wrapped her arms around the older woman’s neck. Whatever block or valve she had put in place on her emotions finally gave way, and she started to sob violently. Ellen’s resolve had been pretty steadfast all the way in the car, refusing to give in the welling panic within her. But as Tory’s tears flowed onto her shoulder, Ellen found her guard dropping and she too broke into tears. Standing just behind them, Harry reached forward and placed a hand on his wife’s back. Although his eyes were red, no tears flowed. At 64 years old, Harry was an old school Aussie bloke. He would cry late. Right now, others needed him and there were things to do.
When she had finally managed to calm down some, Tory released her grip around Ellen. She moved back slightly and looked over Ellen’s shoulder.
“Hey Mr C” Tory managed a very weak smile.
“I’ve told you to call me Harry. How you doing?”
“I don’t know” Tory said, shaking her head. She half sat, half collapsed into the chair. “They haven’t let me see him just yet, and I can’t get any of the doctors to talk to me”
“Don’t you worry about that part of things. I’ll take care of all that.”
Tory looked up at Harry, confusion making it’s way into the gamut of expressions already on her face.
“Care of what?”
Harry, who had been avoiding the girl’s eyes, looked down at her.
“Identification, making arrangement for the body. I’ll take care of all that, don’t you worry.”
Tory looked from Harry to Ellen, then back to Harry again. In her slightly bewildered state, she hadn’t been able to gauge their emotions correctly.
“Didn’t they tell you?”
Ellen furrowed up her brow.
“Tell us what?”
“He’s alive!”
Just at that moment, they were interrupted by a voice behind them.
“Excuse me, Miss Vesper?”
Looking past the startled expressions of Cameron’s parents, Tory recognised the face of Dr Brooker, the Doc who had taken Cameron when he had first been admitted.
“Oh, Doctor! These are Cameron’s Parents, Harry and Ellen.”
The doc turned to Harry, extending a hand to shake it.
“Dr Brook . . “
“My son’s alive!?” Harry blurted out, cutting off the Doctors introduction.
“Yes. Miraculously, he managed to survive the fall.”
This news was too much for Harry. After hearing the news on the phone, he had jumped into action. Getting Ellen into the car, the frantic drive in, even walking into the emergency room, Harry had been stealing himself to the fact that his only son was dead. But the doctor’s announcement brought with it a wave of relief that Harry was unprepared for. He felt his knees go weak and quickly sat down into the first empty seat he could. Ellen walked up and grabbed a hold of her husband’s hand, fresh tears welling in her eyes.
“Is he all right?”
The doctor lifted up a clipboard he had with him and started reading some of the notes.
“Well, he’s not great. He’s managed to tear some ligaments in his shoulder, which was also badly dislocated. His arm was fractured, he has a rather nasty concussion, he has multiple cuts and lacerations, many of which we had to put stitches in, we removed more broken glass from his body than was in the last “Spiderman” film, and with the number of scrapes and abrasions all over his body, I thought the ambulance had dragged him here.”
The doctor closed the clipboard and let it fall to his side. The three stared at him blankly for a moment.
“So, what does all that mean?” Harry finally asked.
“That means, Mr Clarkson, that considering he fell out of a skyscraper, your son got off light.”
“Well, we are going to have to keep him here for a few weeks just to keep an eye on some things, but yes. Everything seems to point to him making a full recovery.”
Tory, tears welling up in her eyes again, reached over and hugged Ellen. Harry emitted a very audible sigh of relief. He stood up and wrapped his arms around his wife, holding her tightly. Releasing her, he turned and walked off to the side. Ellen watched her husband as he went and stood by a window. Grasping onto the window ledge, she saw his shoulders rise and fall as he took a large breath. This was how Harry was, and she had learned to interfere and when to leave alone. Turning back to the doctor, she quickly wiped a tear from her face.
“When do you think me might be able to see him?”
“Well, that’s what I came out here for.” The Doctor said, smiling.” He’s been asking for you.”
Tory looked at the doctor in disbelief
“He’s awake already?”
“Woke up just a little while ago. Would you like me to take you to him?”
“Please”
Ellen turned and called out to Harry as Dr Brooker started to lead them out of the room. Harry turned from the window and followed. Sitting over in a corner of the waiting room, watching them as they left, Dan sat and watched them as they left, processing all that he had just overheard.
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