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For the first time in my life, I was afraid for my dad. He was flushed and sweating and breathing hard. “Pop, you’re the one not doing well!”
With that, he collapsed at my feet. Margo screamed for the EMT.
The next minutes were spent worrying if he was going to die on the pavement and we’d have to explain everything to my mother, who was much worse in a crisis.
Thankfully, he wasn’t having a heart attack, just such terrible anxiety worrying about me that he had collapsed.
“Margo, I’m going to lose it. Please, go with him to the ER and call Mom. I have to go home!”
Ready to jump out of my skin, I knew I’d feel terrible if George croaked right then, but it wasn’t my fault.
“Can you drive yourself?” she asked, concerned.
“I can. Thank you so much.”
I ran back to the kiosk, usually my safe place, to get my bag and car keys. A clean-up crew was there, and when they saw me, they shouted words of praise and encouragement that I didn’t need or particularly want to hear at that time, because if my boss knew I was there, I’d surely get a lecture from him, as well.
I ducked out of the kiosk and ran to my car. Trying to stick the key in the ignition with my hands shaking so badly made me stop and take a deep breath.
“Just chill,” I muttered with my eyes closed.
It worked, and the key slipped in. The house I shared with my former nursing school buddies was only a few blocks from the car wash, and when I pulled up to the curb, everyone’s cars were in the driveway or on the street, and the lights were off. I was so grateful. All I wanted was to get into the shower and my pjs and start all over the next day.
Tiptoeing through the house, I made it to my room without waking anyone. But while I gathered my things to take into the bathroom, a tap at my door made me realize I might not have escaped.
“Bellabug, it’s Casey.” She opened the door and stepped into my room.
“We’re all here,” Brian said.
“You’re all over the news tonight, in all the Detroit Facebook groups and videos on TikTok. You saved a rich guy’s life, sweetheart. You didn’t think you were going to sneak in here, did you?”
“We’ve been waiting for you all night,” Dale said, lurking behind. “Margo said you collapsed, and when the squad tried to take you to the hospital, you refused.”
Brian stepped into my room next with a stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff. “Sit. We’re going to fix you up.”
“What if you have a concussion?” Dale asked.
“I didn’t hit my head,” I answered.
“Margo said the EMT told her you passed out and hit your head on the concrete. They should have never let you leave.”
“My father fell over at my feet, you guys. I thought he had a heart attack.”
“George is fine. I called and talked to the manager tonight. Everyone’s upset with you for not letting them take you in,” Casey said. “George is going home in the morning.”
“Let me get her vitals,” Brian said. “Dale, Casey, someone do a neuro check.”
“Bossy,” I said, but lay back and submitted to their ministrations.
My hands folded over my belly, I could have fallen asleep if they’d left me alone. My friends were overly protective of me, and this proved it.
“Jesus, her pupils are unequal,” Casey cried.
“That could be due to stress or anxiety,” I mumbled.
“Shush, I’m trying to listen here,” Brian said, the stethoscope against my inner arm. He pulled the stems out of his ears. “Your blood pressure is sky high. You need to go to the ER, sweetheart. I’ll take you.”
“We’ll all go,” Dale said. “I can’t sleep now, anyway.”
