SUGAR (bxb)

55. The Worst Monday (Casey)

   It's Monday. I love the first working day of the week. This one, however, I hate with every little bit of my soul. 

   I usually jump up before Avery, full of enthusiasm and can't wait to get to the office. I thought I'd be even more thrilled today, after the undeniable success of the tests on Saturday and the greatest Sunday of my life. We spent half of it in the bathtub and the other half in bed. My pedantic boyfriend even stomped on his principles, letting me eat banana pudding, sprawled on the freshly washed sheets. It was heaven.

   "Bunny, there's no way that I allow you to go to work. I'm sorry, but you look horrendous," Ave shakes his head, looking at me with shades of terror in his eyes.

   "Let me have a look in the mirror," I whine.

   "No!" he states firmly.

   "I'll fight you," I push his chest, trying to remove him from the door frame.

   "No!" he repeats.

   "Please! I promise I won't freak out," I insist, starting to feel really anxious. "Is my face swollen? Do I have a rash?"

   "Kind of..." Avery purses his lips, trying not to look worried, but unable to hide his unease.

   I finally manage to shove past him in the bathroom and throw myself to the double vanity cabinet. One mirror would have been perfectly enough to make me go nuts, but seeing my condition in the two of them simultaneously, literally turns my legs into jelly. My eyes are bright red, including the sclera. I look like a vampire of the worst kind. They resemble two narrow, bloody slits under my puffy eyelids. My face is in all shades of pink, covered by an ugly, bumpy rash.

   "Oh my God!" I scream shrilly, stumbling back on the fluffy bathroom rug and fall on my ass on top of Mozart who, for some unknown reason, has decided that this is the best place to sleep.

   "Babe, it's ok! Don't panic! I'll take you to the hospital," Ave lifts me by the waist and glares at the dog, "Get lost, you stinker!"

   "Don't scold him. It's not his fault," I defend him, although, he doesn't even open his eyes to see what the whole commotion is about. I peek with utter horror at my reflection again and gasp, "I'm a monster."

   "Yes, but you're my monster and I still love you," Ave rubs my back. "Let's get moving. Put a pair of pants on and straight to the ER."

   It takes us twenty minutes to get there in the rush hour. Everyone is driving to work. I can swear that the the swelling is increasing by the second. I'm literally blind when we get out of the car. My eyelids are so thick that I can't even lift them. Avery is leading me by the hand towards the entrance.

   "Two steps, Bunny," he gives me directions. "Now ten steps ahead and we turn left."

   "Dearest God!" I hear a woman's startled voice somewhere to my right. My appearance obviously shocked the other patients.

   "This way sir," a calm male voice leads us to another area which is more brightly lit. Avery helps me to lie down. I'm petrified.

   "I'll be back in a second, babe," Ave strokes my hair. "Everything will be fine. Just relax. It's not that bad." I try to nod in his direction and clutch my hands on my chest. Maybe, I should say a prayer. I hope I haven't sinned too much lately. Is it a crime to have a lot of sex?

   "Hello Casey!" I hear the same nice voice from before. "Your boyfriend told me your name. My name is doctor Ros," he chuckles. "No, I'm just kidding. I'm doctor Mikhailov, but you can call me George." Judging by the voice, he's not much older than us.