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 was such a 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 I swear you’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 totes Steel Magnolias there 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 – ”
“Everyone out,” I barked and all eyes swung to me. “You heard me, this party is over. I want you all out of here now.” 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