Dance with Me [h.s] (Completed)

Chapter 73

By morning, Carmen is feeling much better. Her heart rate is back to normal and her blood pressure too. The doctor discharges her and recommends she spends the day resting. Carmen, of course, asks about dancing tonight and the doctor urges against it. She lays on the guilt trip, like only she could, telling the doctor how hard she has worked and how many hours. She does all this with her hands in prayer formation, uttering random Italian words for effect. The problem with that is she only knows curse words. The good thing is that the doctor doesn't speak Italian.

"I went from barely knowing a box step to being able to do lifts! You gotta let me dance!" she complains with a gravelly voice.

"If, and that's a big IF, if you feel well enough because you spent the entire day resting, you may dance for three minutes and then immediately rest again after."

Carmen hugs the doctor so quickly, I think I see the old guy blush, thanking him profusely, and then he ushers us out just as fast.

We find Harry sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him, both his ankles and his arms are crossed as he sleeps quietly. I don't know if an image has ever endeared him to me more; him sleeping in an uncomfortable hospital chair just to make sure me and my best friend were okay.

"Bossman!" Carmen says, her voice still scratchy from throwing up so much. "Oh my god! Were you worried about me?!"

Harry startles awake and begins rubbing at his eyes and trying to adjust to the bright fluorescent lights overhead. His eyes squint as he takes in Carmen, smiling at him but looking worse for wear in Harry's oversized clothes, disheveled hair and splotchy makeup.

"How you feeling?" he asks, his voice sounding raspier than usual from just waking up.

"Like shit," she announces. "I want to kill the fucker who thought they could roofie me."

"Me too," Harry says, but unlike Carm's joking tone, he sounds deadly serious. I smile at him adding Carmen to the list of people he feels protective over. I hold Carmen's hand and Harry puts his arm around her shoulder, making sure she is stable for the longer walk out of the hospital.

Once we're outside, Harry calls us a cab. He explains that he left his car at home when he went to pick up stuff last night. He knew we wouldn't all be able to fit in his car and that we would all be leaving together. The cab takes us back to our apartment and I force Carm to let Harry and I walk on either side of her again because she still seems a bit wobbly on her feet.

She insists on taking a shower, and I make sure her bed is all ready for her for when she comes out. I place a few crackers and sliced apple on a plate. I carry that and a large glass of water and place it on Carmen's nightstand.

"You're a good friend," Harry says, watching me from the couch.

"She'd do the same for me," I say, shrugging.

Carmen comes out of the bathroom with her hair in a towel and wearing pajamas. She sits on the opposite side of the couch as Harry. I sit on the arm nearest her.

"What happened? Do you remember anything?"

"Not a lot. I remember getting there. We all did a shot together at the bar. Adrian knew the bartender so we got it for free. Then, I ordered a vodka seven, and I sat at a booth with everyone. They left to go dance but I started to feel sick. Thank god Adrian stayed with me. Who knows what the fuck would have happened if he wasn't there?"

"I'm so glad you're safe," I tell her, leaning over to hug her. She hugs me back and thanks both of us for coming to the hospital and then she excuses herself to go lay down. I help her get settled and then close her door. I go back and sit next to Harry on the couch.