I was across the room when I heard the first glass smash. Without even looking somehow I somehow knew it was Urvi, but the crowd was too thick to get to her in time. As I got nearer I heard her slurring her words and watched in horror as thatidiotdidn’t take her tray and she went down, her pink-haired friend not able to break her fall, and all the other pricks just standing around just looking on at her in disapproval. When I reached her I pushed Pink Hair out of the way and lifted Urvi’s limp body off the floor. That sheen of sweat was back over her face again and she looked so lifeless, so devoid of her usual animation, that if it wasn’t for her soft breath against my neck I would have thought she was dead.
After telling everyone on there to “move their bloody arses”, I laid her down on one of the huge sofas that dominated the room and pushed her hair back from her forehead. Her eyes blinked open and she looked up at me. She frowned and tried reaching one of her hands to my face, but it was shaking too badly.
“I wannzz go home,” she slurred. The shaking in her hand seemed to be spreading to the rest of her body. “Pleazzlemmego.”
“Call afuckingambulance,” I shouted at the Mr Blight, who snapped out of his frozen stance and pulled out his phone.
“What did you take, Urvi?” I asked urgently. She shook her head frantically and held up her hand again. “Tell us what you’ve taken. We won’t go to the police. We just need to know so we can help.”
“If you bloody lot willlet me through,” pink-haired girl was shouting as she tried to fight her way through the crowd.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Ben roared as he pushed me to the side and knelt down next to Urvi, putting his hand to her cheek. “Jesus Christ, how long has she been like this?” He took both Urvi’s hands and squeezed them. “Okay Giblet Tickler,” he said in a softer tone. “Keep those eyes open for me, baby. That’s it. Now, where’s your glucogel?” I frowned at Ben. What was he on about? Urvi tried to form words but nothing was coming out.
“I’ll run and grab her kit,” said pink-haired girl, who, having worked her way to us, then took off at a sprint, knocking anyone in front of her out of her way.
“Orange juice, now,” snapped Ben. “Or honey - anything with sugar in it. Okay, baby,” he crooned to Urvi, supporting her back so she could sit up. One of the other servers was back in double time with the orange juice. “That’s it, love. Just drink some of this and you’ll feel so much better I promise.”
She was shaking again and her eyes were wild. “Fucoff,” she slurred, batting him away, but he ignored the orange juice sluicing down his sleeve to bring the cup up to her lips. She spluttered and spat some out.
“Just sip slowly, love.”
“I’ve got it,” pink-haired girl shouted and produced a canvas bag, which she unzipped. Inside were needles, syringes, vials of medicine, some sort of reader device and a few pouches, one of which she pulled out and then opened with her teeth. “Hold still, Mozart,” she murmured as Ben pulled the orange juice away and pink-haired girl smeared some of the contents of the packet under Urvi’s teeth and into her gums. Slowly, so slowly, the shaking subsided. As it did I reached across Ben for the hand Urvi had been trying to hold out to me and lifted it up to look at her wrist.
Medic alert bracelet.
How the fuck had I missed that?
Always so arrogant about how observant, how intuitive I was; how I could read people like books. I wassucha tosser.
“Geroff, I ssss fine,” said Urvi, snatching her hand back from me and trying to shove away the drink, which pink-haired girl took before it fell. Urvi lunged up off the sofa, but it was Ben’s hands that closed around her upper arms and pushed her back down. He sat with her to restrain her as she struggled against him. Her eyes were still unfocused and she looked like death.
“Shh,” he said, holding her still. “You need to drink more of this, Giblet Tickler. All of it. And Iswearyou’ll feel better.” Pink-haired girl passed the orange juice to him and he held it to Urvi’s mouth. She scowled but when she realised she couldn’t get away she started drinking. He made her finish the whole glass. After a few moments I saw the confusion start to lift and her vision come back into focus. She blinked at Ben and then at her terrified-looking friend, and then her gaze swept through the horrified audience that had formed around us. Her eyes went wide and the hand that wasn’t holding the orange juice went to her mouth.
“I, I’m s-so sorry,” she said in a horrified whisper.
“Oh thank God,” breathed pink-haired girl. “You went totesSteel Magnoliasthere for a minute, babe.”
“Mr Bailey,” Tim Blight bustled over and inserted himself between me and the sofa Urvi was lying on. “Deepest apologies. I will have her removed immediately. I hope this didn’t interrupt your – ”
“Everyoneout,” I barked and all eyes swung to me. “You heard me, this party isover. I want you all out of herenow.” People started shuffling towards the exit, but a fair few hung back to watch the drama play out. “An ambulance is coming to see to someone who has been taken seriously ill. I want you all out of here now, and I want any obstructions to the paramedic crew in the form of your ridiculous cars removed.” There was a low muttering but people did start moving faster.
“I don’t need an ambulance,” Urvi’s shocked and raspy voice sounded from the sofa. She was swinging her feet round to the ground and Ben moved out of her way so that she could sit up and face me. “I just need a break so I can eat a proper meal with complex carbohydrates.” Her Coke and muffin refusal from the night before came back to me and I winced. Not an eating disorder, not drug use. Diabetes. Oh God, what had I said? That she didn’t need longer breaks? That she was irresponsible? She must think I’m the biggest prick alive.
“Sit down,” I shouted at her as she started to push up from the sofa. Real smooth, dickhead – not exactly helping my “I’m not really a total wanker” campaign. But I was worried, damn it. Urvi scowled at me but did sit and I let out a relieved breath. I could not handle ever seeing her collapse like that again. The look on her beautiful face, the shaking, the feeling of helplessness as I watched her slipping away into unconsciousness …
“Don’t . . . don’t shout at me,” she said, her voice breaking a little and her eyes filling. I ran both hands through my hair in frustration. The last thing I wanted was to upset her more. I was making a right pig’s ear out of this. I took a step towards her but she flinched back into the sofa. I guess I deserved that too.
So instead I focused on Tim Blight. At least I could take my anger at myself out on that weasel.
“She needs a meal right fucking now. Get her . . .” I trailed off and nearly growled in frustration at not knowing what was best for her to eat. I felt helpless,again.
“There’s some pasta I made at breakfast. It’s in the fridge. I didn’t have a chance to . . .” She trailed off and I felt a heavy weight settle on my chest. She didn’t have a chance to eat thegoddamn mealshe’d had to make herself before starting work that morning because she knew she wouldn’t have the time to make it during the day.
“Microwave it, now,” I snapped and Tim scuttled out of the room.
“Oh no,” Urvi groaned. I turned back to see she’d lifted her hand off the sofa and left behind a red stain, which looked shocking against the pale material. “Shit, I’m so sorry. I’ve ruined the –”
“Please . . .pleasedon’t say you’re sorry again,” I pleaded in a pained voice as I sank down on my knees in front of her and lifted her hand up to look at the palm. There was a gash about an inch long across it dripping blood down her arm.
