‘Harris, forget it. Everything’s insured, remember? It all worked out okay.’ Westie laughs. ‘Shit, mate, you sure know how to raise a ruckus, hey?’
‘Yes,’ I agree. ‘Yes, I do.’
The car ride goes by in a blur – we’re moving through time and space at warp speed. I ask him to stop on the way and I hang my head out the window and fight the heaves. Then we arrive, and I think Westie is carrying me. Actually I’m not sure, because I don’t know whether the concrete is up or down. I keep my eyes closed.
But I can smell Westie cos he stinks of Lynx, and someone’s setting me down in a chair but…whoah, okay, the chair’s got wheels. We’re moving, we’re coasting. A bright friendly voice someplace nearby starts talking when we’ve stopped. It takes me a second to place the voice, the face.
‘Hey, I know you,’ I say, which is actually an achievement in itself. Knowing that I know her. Also the speaking. Because putting words together is hard work.
‘Yep, you know me,’ Amie says, and she’s wearing this tight amiable smile. She has her badge on and her hair pulled back and she’s looking me over. ‘How’re you going, Harris?’
‘Amie? Sarge’s kid?’ Wow, I’m really together with the words and the speaking tonight.
‘Yep, that’s me.’ Her smile grows tighter but her fingers on my wrist feel more gentle. ‘Hey, have you had enough of this UDL?’
Which is funny, because until she mentioned it I hadn’t even remembered I was holding it. ‘I’m self-medicating,’ I say, and my laugh turns into a hiccup.
‘I can see that.’ Amie slips the can out of my grip. ‘How’s about I hold onto this for you?’
‘I haven’t finished me drink,’ I point out.
‘Actually, I think you have. But I’ll put it right here for you, okay?’ She sits the can on the metal nightstand near the bed.
Yep, there’s a bed right there with clean white sheets. The only downside is, the bed looks high. I got no idea how I’m supposed to be getting onto that. Which I think for a second might be what Amie and Westie are discussing, until I zone back in.
‘Is this how you found him?’ Amie says, and Westie says, ‘I found him outside the Five Flags, getting his arse handed to him by Snowie Geraldson’s mate. Got no fucking idea how he managed to get to that point –’
‘Oi, oi.’ I snap my fingers with my arm extended. ‘Mind your French in front of the girls, Westie. You’ll make Amie blush.’ I wouldn’t mind seeing Amie blush again. I look at my hand and wonder whether I could reach the can on the nightstand if I stretch far enough.
‘Oh, I’ve heard a few naughty words in my time, Harris. Don’t you worry.’ Amie pushes my arm down and says, ‘Look, I don’t need the doctor to tell me his temp is high. So that’s not from a fistfight and it’s got nothing to do with him being pissed. Is that why you brought him in?’ but I don’t think she’s talking to me.
‘I think he’s crook,’ Westie says. ‘He can’t keep his weight on that leg, and I don’t think that’s from being ploughed, either.’
‘You did the right thing,’ Amie says. ‘Can you stay for a tic, until we figure out what’s the matter? I’ve got an idea what it might be but we need the charge nurse to check him out and I might have to get some details for the forms.’
‘I can stay as long as you need,’ Westie says.
‘Thanks.’ Amie turns around to me and says, ‘Harris? Hey, Harris, we need to have a look at your leg, mate. You think that’d be okay?’
‘Sounds good.’ My voice is sloppy but the words are still working.
‘Can we get you up on the bed to have a look? Mark, can you help me get him –’
‘Yep, no probs,’ Westie says, then he’s grabbing me out of the wheelchair. My legs fall out from underneath me – this standing-up business is trickier than it looks.
Something occurs to me suddenly. ‘Westie, y’know…I think I might be a bit pissed.’
‘Bloody Einstein, you are,’ Westie says, then he shoves hard and my arse is up on a higher seat than the one I had before.
‘That’s it, that’s great,’ Amie says. ‘Now let me get in there…’
Amie swings my legs over, pushes down on my shoulders. This bed is not as soft as it looked from lower down. But that’s not the priority as Amie starts unzipping my fly.
‘Whoah, wait a sec –’ I get out, but now she’s tugging my jeans down. The top of my Bonds trunks peel back enough to flash hair, and I make a grab for her hand. ‘Hey–’
‘I can take them off or I can cut them off. What would you prefer?’ she says, and she gives me a look. But the room has started spinning so I let go of her hand. The air on my legs is cold, and I shiver. Someone works at my boots, then my jeans are all the way off.
‘Okay, right.’ Amie’s voice sounds strangled. ‘Harris, the dressing on your leg is looking kind of crusty, so I’m gonna remove it.’
