He sat waiting as instructed in a small lifeless room lined with battered orange plastic chairs, a grubby Warehouse print of something famous his only company; but nothing happened so he went looking for her.
“Fucken hell, what have they done to you?”
Ruby glared up from the mattress on the floor. “Don't you dare say that I look like shit or I'll fucking deck you.”
“Ah... okay.”
Plonking down beside her he looked for a door to swing shut, but there wasn't one to swing. Open plan eh. “Jeez what are you wearing? Is that ya Grans? I can see your arse.”
“This,” she slaps exposed skin loudly. “Is not arse, but rump. In here we're just animals who smear our shit down the walls and howl all night okay?”
He's searching hard, but cautiously for that glint of humour. For her, for his friend. He's not sure yet. “Will they let you out soon?”
Her smile pushes puffy cheeks upwards almost closing black-ringed panda eyes. He can't help but laugh and visibly relaxes. “Course, end of the week hopefully.” She replies. “I get reviewed daily, risk assessment. Have to answer the question 'so how are you feeling' very carefully y'know.” The hope falters, spirals, is lost. “So um... who called the ambulance?” She asks. The smile is now gone but her eyes remain slit-like.
“Dunno, maybe the bar staff,” he tried to make his shrug casual. “Good thing really, no one new what the fuck to do eh; everyone freaking out, screaming 'n shit.”
Ruby's gaze caught him, held him. He quickly looked away, but only found her heavily bandaged forearms, back up. She smiled gently at his awkwardness, let it slide. “Well, what-eva, I'm glad that sad-arsed pub wasn't my last stand.”
He grinned back despite it all. “Fuck we thought you were doing a runner on the bill. I was about to say 'hey the door's over that way', but you were already through the fucking window. Neil burst into tears when you were lying on the footpath.” He started to laugh, but shut it abruptly and the silence is awkward. “So what's the plan then?” he asks.
Better. Deep breaths, that smile again to make it alright. Just like it used to.
“Survive; bloody psychiatrist, bloody case manager, bloody WINZ” She lifted her bandaged arms slowly upwards, fists awkwardly clenching. “And then Casper, we take on the world!”
Their laughter is too genuine to pass unnoticed; a nurse fills the doorway: “Excuse me but visitors aren't permitted in the units.” They could smell her perfume, nails all neatly painted, her teeth whitened.
“Might see that some of us are sleeping in the hall and call the papers eh?” Ruby taunts at her departing back.
Casper rose. “Wanna come stay at my place? Could borrow a car, pick you up.”
“Nah, they'll only release me to a family member so I'll go to my Aunty's up in Brooklyn, but you should come up. No booze though ok?”
“Chocolate and flowers?”
“Always!”
“Love you.”
Ruby frowned. 'Yeah; I guess that I have to learn to believe you Casper, so I don't come back here.'
'F'sure.'
He paused in the doorway; underweight, sickly, offensive. “I'll have to work harder as well; doing my bit in keeping you out too eh?”
Grinning, he flicked her a finger, disappeared from view.
She could still smell him, yelled after him: “And brush ya teeth before you come up eh?”
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