Frigate Cove Ch. 05-06

Chapter 5 The Beginning of Something New

Toronto 2010

The woman on the telephone was quite abrupt, but nonetheless had Cam's undivided attention. Marjean Atkins was an editor for Houndstooth Publishing, and was calling him from New York.

"I'm intrigued by your manuscript, Mister Stuart. We don't get stories like this very often. It appears to be well researched. Of course, it would need quite a bit of work before it could be published, but nothing that would take from what is a very good story. Is it possible for you to come to New York so that we can discuss what I think needs to be done?"

"Uh ... well ... yes ... I guess so. When do you want to meet?" Cam asked, still in shock that he had finally had a response to the dozens of mailings of the manuscript.

"I think there's a good chance we can work up an advance for you to help defray your costs. Will that encourage you?" she asked with a hint of humour.

"Yes ... well, I'm not short of funds for a visit, but I have to arrange the time off from my current job at Hunter Publishing."

"I wondered if you might be in the business. Your vocabulary and style suggest that. I'll make time for you, Mister Stuart. Why don't you check with your employer and see when you can arrange a few days. I suggest you and I will need two, possibly three days, to go over the manuscript."

Cam called the woman back two days later.

"I've arranged to be in New York on Monday morning, April 3rd, Ms. Atkins. I've booked a room at a nearby hotel for Monday and Tuesday night. I hope that will be enough. I've got an open-ended flight ticket, so if I have to stay a day or two longer, I'm able to. I'm taking a week of my vacation, so I won't be pressured for time."

"Excellent. I'm very pleased to hear that," she said enthusiastically. "I hope this is the beginning of a very profitable alliance, Mister Stuart."

"Yes ... that would be great. Well, I'll see you Monday morning at eight am, then."

"Make it nine, I don't get here before then. I live in New Jersey and commute by train."

"Okay, I get to sleep in then," Cam chuckled. "Nine it is. I'm looking forward to it."

Cam hung up the phone wondering just what might come of this. At worst, he would spend some vacation time and money on a wild goose chase. At best, he might have a chance to get his book published. It was a risk, but then, what great venture wasn't? He thought he had written a pretty good novel, but the professionals had rejected it over and over again. Only Houndstooth had shown any interest. Well, he checked them out on the Internet, and they were legitimate and had published a few best-sellers. At least it wasn't some vanity press outfit.

~*~

"I'm exhausted," Cam groaned as he leaned back in the big leather chair. "My brain is full."

Marjean Atkins laughed. "I'm not surprised. You've been a terrific contributor to this process, Cam. In three days we have got this book assembled into something close to being ready for final editing. You've made enough notes to know what we want to change, expand, or contract in the story. I wish all my authors were as good to work with as you," she beamed.

"Thank you, Marjean. I feel the same way about your input and help. I feel the guts of the story are still there and what we've been doing is refining the rough edges. We didn't have to change any of the actual history surrounding the tale, so that's very satisfying too. I really want this book to be based on the facts, and let the fiction sit on top of it."

"You surprised me with how well you handled the dialogue," she said. "That's usually a stumbling block for new authors."

"I worked hard to get the vocabulary and speech patterns of the time right. I think that's what makes it seem more true-to-life."

"Absolutely! So now that you're well along with your first book, how about we talk about the financial arrangements. Let me take you to dinner this evening and we can discuss that. You've suggested you have some ideas of other books of a similar style and I would like to talk about that as well. But, let's do it away from the office. I think we've worn ourselves out for the time being, so no serious negotiations will take place until tomorrow. But I want you to know what we have in mind for you."

Marjean Atkins was a stout, no-nonsense woman in her late fifties. But Cam had taken a liking to her almost immediately. She didn't waltz around her opinions, good or bad, of what he had written. After three days of going through the manuscript page by page, she was crystal clear about what she liked as well as the areas she was concerned about. When she gave him her thinking, he understood why she liked or disliked a particular segment. In short, she was easy to work with and Cam related well to her advice.

When he unlocked the door to his apartment at noon on Friday, he had a proposed contract in his pocket along with a hefty cheque as an advance on the book. They were still discussing a possible title for it, but that and the final editing would be the only remaining undecided elements of Cameron Stuart's first published novel. Before that however, he needed an agent.

Chapter 6 A Moment of Danger

Frigate Cove 2013

The summer proved to be warm and sunny and, as each day passed, Glynnis thanked her lucky stars that her car had died here in Frigate Cove and that she had knocked on Cam Stuart's door for help. She felt alive and happy again for the first time in years. She was safe here and rid of Brad forever. She had a wonderful house to live in, and had difficulty bringing herself to think of Cam as her landlord.

Jamie had found some nearby friends to play with, and often disappeared for hours on end as they explored the rocky shores of the cove. They played pirates, he told her, and spent a lot of their time looking for buried treasure. Cam assured her that he was safe and while she was at work, he and the neighbours would look out for him and his buddies. The only rule he made sure Jamie obeyed was crossing the road.

For Cam, it was a productive summer. While his magazine responsibilities were dwindling, the new novel was coming along very well. Actually, it was novel number three, but the second in the "Gascoigne" series. Interestingly, Glynnis had contributed some ideas about where the plot might go, and added some touches to the personality of some of the characters, including Lt. Louis St. John Gascoigne and the ship's Master, Ben Drummond. She didn't do it with suggestions, but merely asked questions that opened up possibilities for Cam. If it was a conscious effort on her part, it was so subtle that he wasn't sure it was intentional. No matter, it was welcomed.

He had to defer working on the outline of the third Gascoigne novel when the new edits for the second novel were returned to him. That was going to take almost the rest of the summer to get the work into its final shape. Marjean Atkins was delighted with his effort so far, assuring him it would be another best seller. That encouraged Cam to dedicate his time to the editing suggestions. With Glynnis looking after his meals and housekeeping duties, he was free to concentrate on finishing up the novel.

He made time for meals with Glynnis and Jamie. He owed them that much and, in truth, he enjoyed their company and hearing about their day. It felt like a real family now, with all three of them a part of it. Glynnis was pleased with her job at Albright's Hardware, offering to upgrade their simplified computer system to be more helpful and efficient.

Cam had stopped in to have a new key for the house cut as a spare, now that Glynnis carried one on her keychain. Howard Albright was pleased to see him.

"How's the town's most famous author doing these days, Cam?"

"Howie, I'm the town's only author," he chuckled at the predictable greeting.

"Say, you sure did me a favour when you sent that young lady down here for a job interview. She's a breath of fresh air compared to Mrs. Trimble. I get an instant inventory update now if I want one. She's doing the ordering now, too. I'm going to have to find a way to keep her if Mrs. Trimble wants to come back. Hell, the old girl won't like all the changes Ms. Urquhart has made," he laughed. "She doesn't trust computers."

"I'm very glad to hear you're happy with Glynnis, Howie. She's a fine lady and she tells me she enjoys working for you."

"Well, seein's as you're both single, maybe you should make it permanent," he grinned.

"Oh, I think I'm too old for her, you know. Anyway, it's good to know she's doing well and helping you out. Talk to you soon," Cam said as he turned to leave.

As he looked up, he saw Glynnis standing a few feet away, watching him. He smiled and waved as he headed out of the store, not thinking about her overhearing his conversation.

But she did overhear some of it. She was pleased that Howard liked the changes she was making; he'd told her so more than once. But Cam's remark about being too old startled her. She had no idea he thought that. She certainly didn't think he was too old. He didn't look his age and he was fit and handsome as well. She wanted to knock that idea out of him, but wasn't quite sure how to go about it. The more she was around him, the more she realized she had feelings for the man. He was everything that Brad was not ... or any other man she had been with. No, she had to help Cam rid himself of that idea that he was too old.

~*~

Near the end of August, Glynnis had collected the list of things that Jamie would need for first grade. She'd been out shopping on a Saturday morning and returned to the house with two bags of school supplies and some additional clothes. Jamie was still growing and the best indicator was the distance from the bottom of his pants to the top of his shoes. It appeared that space had grown even more this summer. Thank goodness she had a job and could afford to keep up with his needs.

She'd felt a pain in her abdomen since mid-morning and wondered if she had pulled a muscle, although she couldn't recall doing anything that would have caused it. It seemed to be getting worse and feeling her forehead, she realized she might be running a fever.

"I don't think I'll have any lunch today, Cam. I'm not feeling very well," she announced.

"What's wrong, Glynnis. Are you feeling nauseous?"

"A bit, but I have this pain in my abdomen and my head feels hot to the touch. I must be coming down with something."

"Can I make some ice tea for you?" he offered.

"Yes ... that would be very nice, thank you."

"Why don't you lie down for a while and see how you feel a little later on," he suggested.

"I think I will."

He handed her the glass of tea and she moved toward her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Cam watched as she moved rather stiffly. He was worried. This wasn't the symptoms of any flu that he remembered. He made a note to check on her in a couple of hours and see how she was then.

Glynnis slipped off her shoes and lay on the bed, loosening her jeans to take the pressure off the pain area. She lay back, hoping this would go away soon. She felt drowsy, but the pain was keeping her awake for the present. She put her head back on the pillow and willed herself to relax and ignore the pain.

It was just before three that afternoon when Cam checked on Glynnis. He looked in on her and found her moaning in her sleep and when he touched her forehead, she was burning up. He realized right away that she was in trouble and he needed to do something quickly. Jamie was out with his friends and Cam decided to leave a note for him. He quickly wrote a note and tacked it to the back door where Jamie usually came into the house. He could leave it unlocked without worrying about a break in.

He pulled his Jeep out of the shed and moved it as close to the rear door as possible. Returning to the house, he entered Glynnis's room and gently picked her up and carried her carefully out to his car. He strapped her in her seat and moved to the driver's side, heading for the Cowichan Regional Health Center. He kept glancing at the woman, but she showed no sign of consciousness. He was worried and fought a growing panic as he drove the few minutes to the hospital.

He went directly to Emergency and with luck, found a quick acting nurse to check on her. Within a couple of minutes, she was on a gurney and heading into an examination area. All Cam could do now was fill out the forms and wait to see what the doctor said. He looked around and was surprised to see the Emergency wasn't very busy, an unusual situation these last days of the summer. It wasn't unusual for the reception area to be crowded with young and old, suffering from various accidents and ailments.

He had heard nothing by four-fifteen and walked outside to call the house and see if Jamie had returned. The boy answered on the third ring.

"Jamie, I'm at the hospital. Your mother is sick and I brought her here to let the doctors take care of her. Are you okay for a little while? I'll be home as soon as I find out what's wrong with her."

"I'm okay, Cam. What's wrong with Mom?"

"I don't know, Jamie. She's sick and has a fever. As soon as I find out, I'll let you know. In the meantime, you can find something to eat if you're hungry and watch TV until I get home, okay?"

"Okay. Is Mom going to be okay?"

"Yes, I think so. This is a good hospital, so they'll make sure she's well looked after."

He hung up after being satisfied that the youngster would be alright until he returned to the house. He willed himself to relax and wait for a report from one of the staff on Glynnis's condition. At a quarter-to-five, a scrubs clad doctor appeared and looked over the sparse group in the reception area. Cam began to rise and walk toward him.

"I'm Doctor Chan. Are you Mr. Urquhart?" he asked.

"No, I'm her landlord," Cam replied. She has no relatives in the area. What's wrong with her?"

"Appendicitis. It was ready to burst by the look of it, but we've removed it and she's out of danger. She's going to be here for a while until she's well enough to go home. Is there anyone there to care for her?"

"Yes, me. I work from home, so I can be with her continually."

The doctor nodded. "Good."

"Doctor, when can I see her? I need to let her know her son is fine and in my care."

"Tomorrow. She's not going to be out of the anaesthetic for a couple of hours and we'd like her to rest. I'll make sure there's a note on her chart that you were here and her son is being cared for."

"My name is Cameron Stuart. She lives at my home on Cove Road," he said, passing the doctor his card.

"She's in good hands, Mr. Stuart. We'll take good care of her," he smiled.

Cam let a sigh of relief out and said, "Thank you, Doctor. I was very worried."

"I'm glad you got her here in time."

The conference concluded, Cam took out his phone and called home. Once again, Jamie answered.

"Jamie, I'm on my way home. Your Mom is going to be fine, but she will have to stay here for a while. I'll tell you all about it when I get there."

"Okay. Will Mom be home tonight?"

"No, she won't. She's had an operation, so she'll be in the hospital for a couple of days. Looks like you and I will be on our own."

"Just you and me?" the boy asked.

"Yeah. Sorry about that. You'll have to put up with my cooking," he chuckled as he got into his Cherokee.

"Okay, I'll wait for you here," Jamie promised.

The ten minute drive to his home was done in a good deal more comfort now that he knew Glynnis's situation. Appendicitis was common enough and his quick action in realizing she was in trouble lessened the danger. He felt an enormous sense of relief that she would be all right. It wasn't until afterwards that he recognized just how tense and worried he was. He promised himself a stiff drink when he got home.

"Jamie?" he called as he walked into the laundry room.

"I'm here," he called, his voice coming from his room.

"Okay, I'm home," Cam announced unnecessarily.

The boy came bounding down the stairs, obviously anxious to hear about his mother.

"What happened to Mom?" he asked as he came into the kitchen.

"She had an attack of appendicitis and they had to operate to take her appendix out. She'll be in hospital for a couple of days, then she'll have to rest up when she comes home until she's better."

"I'm scared, Cam," Jamie confessed, signs of tear tracks on his face. "Is she going to get better? Will she be sick for a long time?"

"No, she'll be just fine in a week or so. I imagine we can go visit her tomorrow when she's awake."

"Can I go too?"

"I'm pretty sure you can. I'll phone the hospital tomorrow morning and find out when we can see her."

"Okay," he said, not looking very happy.

"Don't worry, Jamie. Your mother is going to be home in a couple of days and you and I can make sure she gets better very soon."

"What's for supper," Jamie asked, his focus now on his stomach.

Cam laughed. "Well, since it's just you and me, how about I order a pizza. I can make a salad too. That okay with you?"

"Yeah! I like pepperoni and mushroom," he said enthusiastically.

"Pepperoni and mushroom it will be then. I'll call them right away."

It was amazing how quickly his mood had shifted from fear, to questioning, to enthusiasm. Oh, to be young again, Cam thought.

Cam placed the order with the local pizzeria and began to make a salad for the two of them. It had been quite some time since he'd had to make his own meal. Glynnis had removed that obligation from him with his blessing. She was quite a talented cook. However, she was also quite mindful of Jamie having a healthy balanced diet, so pizza was not usually on the menu. For once he didn't think Glynnis would object.

To Be Continued