Chapter 35
Events were in unchangeable motion now. I thought I had overnight and most of the next day to make peace with my decision, to spend time with Elsie and say goodbye in a circuitous way to the two best things that had ever happened to me. What I had not anticipated was Gray’s solution.
The Medevac Helicopter arrived about an hour and a half later and landed on the fire road in an open section about a quarter mile away from camp. They were all packed and ready to leave by that time, though now I felt truly ill, after watching them tear everything down with determined, business-like intensity, stealing deeply concerned glances my way, each in their turn.
I hoped there were no truly sick or hurt people having to wait their turn for aid while I ran from my problems using public emergency response equipment and resources. The intense guilt I felt over this aspect of the situation played just as realistically as true pain from a U.T.I. would have. What I hated most was the upset for everyone involved.
Elsie had turned into my mom, holding me like a sick child, patting my hair, massaging my back and speaking reassuringly to me. I knew that the other two wanted to be doing that, but had been overruled by the feminine nature of the tragedy.
We lifted off and were standing on the ground in Banff less than ten minutes later. I however, was immediately transferred to a gurney. A voice in my head kept reminding me that I’d done it to myself. Though the way things were playing out now definitely had Gregory written all over it.
All three of my companions stayed with me as I was transferred by ambulance to the medical center in town. I wondered whether the helicopter crew or the ambulance personnel knew they were transporting a U.T.I. victim, though it was likely that Gray’s version had been something more like hiking induced kidney failure.
At my request, only Elsie accompanied me when the nurse saw me in my own little curtained off area of the ER. I had to give a urine sample, which was convincingly dark due to the fact that I hadn’t peed since about seven that morning and it was close to four now. Color notwithstanding, I knew it would prove me a faitour (imposter) in fairly short order, though pain of that nature could be symptomatic of other problems…
The nurse was very sweet to me, making me feel all the more guilty to take up her time when she should be seeing to real patients.
“If there’s anything you or your daughter needs, just push this button right here,” she said to my ‘mom’.
Elsie gave me a look that was priceless—equal parts offense and gratification.
When the nurse stepped away I said, “Oh, don’t worry about it Elsie. You can’t really blame her because I look like I’m twelve and you look like you’re thirty. It’s plausible. Besides you’d be the coolest most awesome mom ever.”
That seemed to mollify her creditably.
I noticed that there was a post-it note pad and pen next to the phone. I pointed to it and said, “Do you think I could have your e-mail and phone number so I can contact you some time? You’re my new hero and I’d like to keep track of you…if you don’t mind.”
She wordlessly began writing the requested data and handed it to me. Though she didn’t ask for it, I did the same for her. Then I scanned her information.
Pamela Elsinore?
“So ‘Elsie’ is short for Elsinore…like the beer?” I asked, a little incredulously.
It was a made up beer that featured heavily in a cult classic movie from the eighties.
“Now how do you know about that? Weren’t you born in the nineties?”
She was amused.
“I love Strange Brew. It’s a classic. It’s one of my guilty pleasure movies. Sorry about your name, though. That had to be pretty inconvenient.”
“Why would having the same name as a rich beer heiress be inconvenient?” she shot back, her eyebrows arched at full capacity.
“So at some point in the early eighties you switched from Pam to Elsie?” I surmised.
“You got it.”
She seemed satisfied that I’d made the connection.
“Beauty,” I pronounced.
It was a line from the movie. It expressed enthusiasm or satisfaction with a circumstance or statement.
I cradled her contact information between my palms and smiled big.
“What would you say to guiding a girl’s trip sometime?”
Her return smile was enormous.
“Those are the very best kind. You’re on, little girl. Just name the day and time!”
After close to an hour, the doctor came in with the lab results. He spoke to Elsie.
“She has a few more white blood cells in her urine than normal, but nothing too serious. It looks like we caught this on the upswing. I’m going to prescribe some Cipro and lots of water. She can even mix in some cranberry juice, if she’d like,” he suggested. Pausing to look at the chart a moment he continued, “Give her some Ibuprofen for the pain, but that should clear up after her second or third dose of antibiotics. I’d keep her off the trail for a couple days, though.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” said Elsie, every bit as relieved as my own mother would have been.
It was nice, and it made me a little emotional.
Once the physician was gone she was back to rubbing my back and speaking reassuringly.
“Did you hear that? It’s not too bad at all.”
“Yeah, I heard that. They just airlifted me because I had a few extra white blood cells in my urine. I’m so embarrassed I might actually die anyway.”
“Well that would be counter-productive to our intentions here, wouldn’t it?” She laughed softly and continued, “Look, don’t worry about it. You’re not the one who asked for the helicopter, and you’re not the one paying for it.”
I knew she was dead right about that.
When we finally walked out into the waiting room, about two hours after arriving, the sight that greeted me caused another massive wave of guilt.
Ash was sitting in a chair listening to messages on his cell phone. Gray was standing in the corner with his dad! That meant that another helicopter had probably been commandeered to lift him off of whatever backcountry trail he’d been walking not two hours ago. It was beyond ridiculous.
When they saw me, they all rushed around us to hear Elsie’s report. You’d think I was the lucky survivor of a bear attack instead of the victim of a slight imbalance of the naturally occurring bacteria in my urinary tract. They’d probably used the time in the waiting room to get themselves typed for organ donation, just in case those kidneys hadn’t made it after all because the helicopter ride hadn’t been quick enough.
The sweet and sincere and anxious concern that was obvious on both Dan and Gray’s faces, and really this whole situation, was a very clear reflection of what life would probably always be like for me as a Gregory. If that’s the path I chose, I’d be one of the best loved and kept, most lavishly cared for princesses in the history of spoiled people.
I looked at Ash. He seemed to be drawing those same conclusions as he gazed at the Gregorys before he felt my look and returned it.
Dan and Gray were listening to Elsie as she related the anecdotal details of another health crisis she’d averted with a previous unfortunate soul the month before.
With my back to the group, I stepped out of their circle toward the pretend Kiwi.
“That was quite a scare, Miss. But you’ll be feeling better in a hurry, yes?” he asked.
I loved ‘Phil’s’ Auckland accent.
“Are you going back to New Zealand now or will you be staying in Canada for a while?”
My voice was a little shaky as I asked this.
“I don’t head back for a few weeks. I’m just playing it by ear.”
There was a sad smile to go along with that last part as his eyes plumbed the depths of my soul. I wondered what he was making of all this.
“Well, it’s been a pleasure. I’m sorry for messing things up for you.”
He would n
ever know how true those words were. And then I reached up to give him a hug. I quickly whispered “I’ll catch up with you later. I love you.”
And that was the best I could give him, for now. He nodded at me, his expression completely empty and unreadable. Then he turned and walked away. I didn’t know if I’d ever see him again, but I knew I was going to break his heart in a few short hours and it was killing me.
Elsie pointed to my hand with the post-it note and said, “All right little girl. So you know what to do with that then?”
“I’m going to use it.”
I was perfectly sincere.
“Okay honey. You take care. Call me and let me know how you’re doing. Phil and I have to go figure out what we’re going to do about our cars.”
She hugged me and then she too turned and walked away. Another person I probably wouldn’t be seeing for a very long time, if ever again.
Gray stepped over into the spot where Ash had been standing. Then he put his arm around me, holding me securely at the waist, just like before.
“Let’s get you back to the hotel so you can get some rest.”
He loaded me into the back of a large Mercedes sedan which was waiting by the door, going around to the other side to get into the back seat with me, while his dad got in the driver’s seat and chauffeured us back to the hotel. I scooted closer to Gray and leaned against his chest. As his arm gently wound around me, I settled deeper into his side, and he kissed the top of my head. I felt loved and warm and secure. It was absolutely wonderful. I closed my eyes and wished this time out from my escape plan would never end.