‘How long has he been unconscious?’
‘Five minutes. Less than ten.’
‘Did he have chest pain?’
‘No. I don’t know. What else do you need?’
‘I’m not sure. He’s breathing’s still shallow, if he vomits again it might obstruct his airway. But his temperature’s cooling and his pulse is starting to even out.’ She shakes her head, like she’s shaking a bad thought away. ‘Look, I don’t know. I’m just doing basic first aid. What did he take?’
I catch her eye. ‘What do you think?’
‘Okay, look, if he’s not properly treated it could be fatal. He could have a stroke and get brain damage, or kidney failure. He needs a doctor, a hospital… Is the ambulance on its way?’ She looks from me to Steph, back to me. Her face is all kinds of terrible. ‘Youhaven’t called an ambulance? Are you bloodyinsane? What are you –’
She grabs her phone.
‘Hey!’ Steph reaches out, closes her hand over Amie’s, holding the phone. ‘Listen. I dunno who you are, and I don’t wanna know. But if we call the ambos they’ll report an OD, and then the cops will show up –’
Amie snatches her phone-hand away. ‘Do you want this kid to die?’
‘Idon’t wantthis whole house to get busted again,’ Steph says savagely, ‘not that it’s any of your business.’
I’m torn between wanting to break them up, and wanting Amie to realise the stakes here are bigger than she thought. If the cops pull up here that’ll be the end of everything. Me and Steph will get hauled down the station again, Leon will put off delivery, and if anybody remembers I was in Tulane Road… Amie looks at me and I think she knows it, although she doesn’t want to.
Reggie starts coughing, which breaks the moment. Amie turns back to keep him rolled on his side, to rub his thin shoulder blades and speak softly into his ear. I touch his hands – they’re cool now – as Amie starts easing the wet blankets back. I help as much as I can.
‘I think…I think he’s settling,’ she says. ‘We should get some dry wraps for him.’
‘I’ll get something,’ Steph says gruffly. She leaves the room.
Reggie’s face is damp, but I can’t do anything about it. Amie stops fiddling with the wet blankets, and suddenly she doesn’t seem to know what to do with her hands.
She sits back on her haunches, eyes glazed. ‘He’s okay. He needs a doctor, but he’s okay, he seems stable.’
‘Thank god.’ I feel like I’ve just had a stroke. When Amie pushes off her heels and stands up, walks towards the hallway, I don’t follow her for a second. Then I realise she’s not coming back in. ‘What – Ames?’
My eyes flick from Reggie to the hallway, which Amie’s just walked down, but I don’t think Reggie needs me at the moment and maybe Amie does. I get up and pass Steph as she’s returning with a blanket off her bed.
‘Put that around him, and wipe his face,’ I instruct, and I keep walking all the way to my room. The door is open. Amie is in there, pacing, turning in circles, talking to herself. I don’t think she knows whose room this is. I don’t think she cares.
‘I can’t believe…’ she whispers. ‘Oh god, I can’t believe I just did that…’
‘What?’ I try to fix on her, but she’s moving around too much. ‘Amie, you saved his life.’
She spins to face me. ‘He should be in a hospital!’
‘Amie, it worked out.’
‘I’m not a doctor! I’m not even a qualifiednurse! I didn’t know what I was doing –’
‘But itworked.’
‘That waspureluck!’ She’s shouting. ‘And you should’ve called an ambulance – you calledme!’
Now we’re both shouting. ‘You were the only person I knew who could help!’
‘What if he’ddied, Harris? What would’ve happened then?’
‘But hedidn’tdie –’
