Backstage Nurse (18 page)

The young ex-doctor raised his head from the character actor's chest, and his expression was grim. "No use now. They wouldn't do any good."

"Hugh! There must be something!" She stared at him in panic.

"Call an ambulance," he said. "Get the doorman to phone."

"It will take too long!" she cried. Then, remembering, "Hugh, I have some adrenalin in the dressing room."

His eyes met hers. "It's a big chance! But we can't hurt him any now. I have a heart needle in my bag. Get the adrenalin."

She ran to her dressing room for the adrenalin while he went for the heart needle. When they met in the corridor, he said, "We need some alcohol. I don't have time to disinfect this thing."

By the time she was back with the alcohol, he was ready to make the adrenalin injection. Quickly she swabbed Charles Victor's exposed chest and then, with a sure movement, Hugh plunged the needle in.

Then came moments of dread waiting. Hugh placed his ear on the actor's chest. Shirley was praying, but she did so automatically, with no real knowledge of the thoughts racing through her mind.

After what seemed hours, Hugh raised his head and on his face there was an expression of hope. "His heart's beating again," he said quietly. "Faintly—but it's beating. Check on the ambulance."

Fifteen minutes later, they stood in the stage-door entrance as the ambulance drove off with Charles Victor. They waited under the light a moment, staring after it.

Shirley turned to Hugh. "Should we have gone along?"

"Nothing we could do. He's in good hands. I'd say he'll make it."

Her eyes looked into his. "As a doctor?"

His expression became serious. "About that—"

She interrupted him. "I don't care what you say! You did a wonderful thing!"

Taking her by the arms, he said, "I didn't intend to tell you just yet. But I didn't expect this to happen. I saw my doctor friend at Memorial. He's found a spot for me on their staff."

"Hugh!"

He gave a wry smile. "That doesn't mean I'm really sure that I'll stay with being a doctor again. But I am going to try."

"That's all that matters," she told him softly.

"It means something to you?"

"It means everything to me!"

"Why?" he asked.

Emotion filled her throat and her eyes became bright with tears. "It seems I'm awfully stupid. I love you, darling."

He drew her close to him and kissed her, a long, tender kiss. The stage-door light under which they stood, and which had also cast a glow on a colored poster advertising
The Cardinal
on the wall beside them, was suddenly turned off.

Arms linked, they walked slowly along the snow-covered street in the direction of the Royalton Hotel, leaving the darkened theater behind them.