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Chapter 21
Kevin
The next day Cameron, with Nick and my unwanted help, was limping around while Brian was out at the store.
"Careful."
I stood to Cameron's right and Nick to her left, my arm was around her shoulder and holding her right forearm, careful of her still healing bullet wound. Nick has his hand around her waist and her left arm around his shoulder. Since she was shorter than him, he had to bend over to accommodate her size.
"I can do this." Cameron snapped back. "I don't need to be carried."
"Cameron." AJ and Howie said in surprise at the same time. Since both were sitting on the couch, they both jumped to their feet and moved out of the way so Nick and I could help her sit.
Cameron's mouth was set in a firm line and I could tell, with quite a bit of amusement, that she wasn't enjoying being pampered. I guess this was why Brian liked being so nice to her, she got the funniest expressions on her face when you did anything for her.
"Do you need anything?" Howie asked, handing her a blanket, not daring to unfold it over her.
She seemed grateful for that fact as she set out to cover her scabbed legs with the blanket.
"You look awful." AJ, blunt as always, summed up everything no one would say in three words.
"Thank you." Cameron said. "You're the first person in days who actual said what was on their minds and didn't ask me how I was doing first."
AJ shrugged. "You gonna live?"
She nodded and cranked her neck. "Anyone want to get on m y good side and find a bottle of Excedrine or Tylenol?"
"Brian went to get some."
"You mean he doesn't have any at all?"
"We usually leave them on the bus so he doesn't really buy any." Kevin replied.
Carmon looked to Howie. "You've been pretty quite. What do you have to say?"
"I'm glad you survived." He shrugged. "I don't know."
She shrugged. "I just want to be up and around without being helped around."
"Well at least you're letting us help.
Cameron
It was a while before I was up and about again. I forget how long exactly because I was constantly trying to press everything forward and Brian was trying to get me to take my time.
"Brian come on, it's just over this hill." I said, taking his hand and pulling him along behind me.
"You said three hills ago." He grinned anyway.
"There, see, you can see it from here."
"Where are we going? Can't you tell me who we're seeing?"
"Nope." We crossed the hill in minutes. I found my self smiling for the most in one time than I have in years. Since early childhood.
"Cameron?" The older lady stood. The picture frame on her lap, falling to the floor, but luckily didn't break. "Cameron is that you darling?"
I let go of Brian's hand and ran to her open arms. Breaking down for only the third time in my entire life, I cried as I held the older woman close to me. "I'm here Grandma. I told you I'd come for you."
"Yes you did." She murmured, her fingers brushing my hair. "Yes you did and I never lost faith in you." When she pulled back she had tears of her own. "Look at you. You grew up since I saw you last. You're so beautiful. Like your mother."
"Thank you." I whispered.
"Who is this young lad?" The older woman turned.
"Brian, this is my grandmother, Grandma Litty, this is Brian."
"I'd never thought I'd see the day when a man would be brought to me. You must be very special." My grand mother waved his outstretched hand and hugged him. He smiled over her shoulder at me. Then his smile turned to shock when he saw the man in the door.
"Mac!" He said.
I wired around and smiled. "Grandpa." I walked over and hugged him, kissing his cheek.
"I'm so glad to see you." He said a smile that showed how much he cared. He turned to Brian. "Nice to meet you. We have just met, haven't we? How do you know my name?"
"Uh." Brian looked at me.
"Grandpa I told him all about you and your stories you used to tell me of being a baker in New York. You'd have had the only bakery that stayed open all night. That way when I worked late I could come see you any time."
My grandfather smiled. "You remembered. I didn't think with your schedule you'd even remember where we were."
"How could you think that?"
My grandfather smiled. "Now where is that dog of yours that I've heard so much about?"
"Bruno? Oh, hang on." I whistled and he came running. My hand was palm up so he came to a halt, one paw up for shaking. "Good boy."
"Wow, that's some training." My grandfather took the dog's paw and shook it like he was human before Bruno looked at me with a 'can I go' look.
I waved my hand at him a way and he was running up and down the valley paths.
"Come on you two, lets get you inside and discuss what's happened over the past years." My grandmother said.
Brian
"OK, I'm lost." I said when we were finally alone in one of the guest rooms at Cameron's grandmother's house. "Mac is not only your grandfather, but he doesn't remember New York or me. Your grandmother thinks we're engaged, which isn't a bad idea, but it's not true yet. They don't remember anything and you keep making up stuff that I don't even know."
"OK, come over here." She sat on the bed and I sat next to her. "After I finished my contract the deal was that my grandmother and grandfather never knew about it, none of it. Not the dreams, not New York, not you. Nothing."
"What about the business woman thing, you don't like publicity."
"That was a tortured twist of fate by him. He thought that since everything went back to what it was before, he got to chose my career."
"And who do you boss around? You're obviously boss of someone."
"Um, that's another thing I haven't had a chance to discuss with you."
"What?" I asked her wearily.
"I'm boss."
"I know, of who?"
"Of you. Backstreet Boys. Brittany Spears. And everyone else. I'm JIVE Records now."
"Huh?"
"I know, it sounds a little screwy, but he re wrote some stuff and it's kinda hard to explain all I can say is that I'm in show biz now."
"Can I laugh now or should I wait until you're not around?"
"Wait." She grinned. She did that more often now than then.
"So are we the only ones who remember this?"
"Basically. It was supposed to have just been you and maybe a little Nick, but that didn't happen."
"What about Nick's family?" I asked.
She shook her head. "They never met me."
"Brian, you have to know this isn't over."
"Why not? You did everything you had to do."
"I know, but as I child, when we made the contract, I hated people. Men especially. When he asked me if he wanted me to put my children on the list of people he head to leave alone I said don't bother, I won't be having any."
"So what does that mean?"
"It means." She took a deep breath. "He assumes that since I was such a great appointee that my kids will be just as great. And you, you amuse him."
"Amuse him? How?"
"How you acted with me, what you said. He thought it was funny."
"So he thinks he's going to get a super kid?"
"Basically."
"So you never want kids."
"I do, I think. But even thinking I'm putting it, them, in danger. If any of our kids is bright or quick whited it'll be a target."
I sighed. "Is there anything else?"
"There's a lot more, but it'd take too long to explain tonight and we're both tired."
I pulled her closer and since the bombing she hasn't pulled away. "We're gonna do this. He won't hurt you or our kids."
"You say that, but we both know he can."
"You know," I said, grinning. "I like the sound of 'our kids'."
Cameron smiled a little.
"What do you say-"
"Not in my grandparent's house. They're like my mom and dad."
"I had to try." I kissed her neck and got up. "In the morning, I want the rest of the story."
"Yeah, yeah."
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