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We fell into step, walking around the corner to the Thai place two doors down, the façade and footpath decorated with shiny, patterned tiles dating back to the sixties. Diners huddled under gas heaters at their outdoor tables.
“The big decision is whether we dine in or takeaway,” Harry said.
We paused at the restaurant’s entry, surveying the outside diners. Eating at the practice would mean we would be alone but if we dined in, it would look like we were on a date.
Or just two normal people eating dinner.
“Whatever you like. It’s cool,” I said, feeling anything but cool.
A waiter appeared, offering us menus. I reached out and an older woman crashed into us, wheezing.
Harry caught me by the waist and steadied me. “What the—?”
The woman barrelled past, lurching into a table of diners on the footpath.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” Harry approached her. “Are you okay?”
She collapsed to the ground as a man bumped into me from behind.
“Not breathing!” he said.
“Brayden?” I stepped away from him.
Harry knelt down beside the woman, asking her rapid questions.
“Brayden, what’s going on? That’s your mum, right?”
Brayden blinked vacantly. “Yes. Not breathing.”
“Someone call an ambulance!” Harry called out.
I grabbed my mobile, ignoring Brayden, and knelt beside Harry. “What’s wrong?”
He held the woman’s wrist. “She’s struggling to breathe. Throat has closed up.”
Her lips were faintly blue. I unlocked my phone when someone else in the restaurant shouted that they had emergency on the line.
Harry shouted out symptoms.
“Could be 10 minutes away,” they called back.
“Stay on the line. Tell them a doctor is with her.”
“What can I do?” I asked.
“I don’t think it’s asthma. I think it’s an acute allergic reaction.” Harry pointed to a rash breaking out around her mouth.
I faced Brayden. “What did your mum eat?”
He shrugged. “I dunno.”
“Brayden, she’s choking. Her lips are blue!”
“Your mother has gone into anaphylactic shock!” Harry growled. “She’s allergic to something. What is it?”
Brayden’s eyes flew open in alarm. “I dunno. Um.”
I seized him just below the shoulders and he flinched. Brayden only wore a tee-shirt and had marks on his skin like bruises.
