第5章错过的舞会MissingtheDance(2)
“Htobelateforschool…Areyouokay?”Mymomtothebedroom。Herhaomyforehead。“Ohafever。”Idid;Ifeltotherhelpedmedress,andshedrovemetomydoctor。Ihadbeenthereoesbeforemydoctorambulance。I’tuandallthatmydoctorwastellingme。AllIcouldhearwasamuffled“Onehundred-freefever。”
&al’sbrightlightingwasblindingasahlong,darkhairstuyarm。Ididn’trememberseeingher,obeingthrownontopofme。“Cold,verycold,”Isaid,“Theblaisfilledwithice。”Sheexplained,“Youhaveabadiion。Yourdoctororderedfluidsandantibioticsforyou。Justrest。”Iyeyes。
ItseemedoeslaterwhenIheard,“G。”Mydoe。“I’mgladyousleptthroughthenight。Luckily,we’vebroughtyourtemperaturedoeciallittlegirl。Youhaveaveryseriousear,hroatiitseemsweurol。”“Mom?”Igasped。“Dad…”“I’mrighthere。”Mymrabbedmyhand。Ilookedasweretherebesideme。“DidImissthedaniled。“IcalledRiberoutofyouraddressbookahimknowthatyouwereial。”“Ohhere’llbeotherdances,”saidmydoctor。“Bethankfulyou’llbealivetoseethem。”
Dayspassed。Iglystrongerandemperature。TheydiscoveredthatIhaddevelopedaverybadstrepihatwastreatedwithantibioti’theardfromRickatall。Thatbotheredme。Iworriedthathewasangry。NotonlyhadImissedthedahisparentshadalsospentthatmoneyonalimo。Ihadletthemalldown。Whoehimifheomeagain?Iuchaboutlookinggood,IhadworhesamenursewhohadgivenmemyIVsholdialgown。“Putthisonbapwon’tsho>
“WhydoIhat?Aren’tIgoioday?I’vegotonegownonalready。”Sheleft,shuttingthedoor,andalthoughIdidn’tfeellikeputtingown,Ididwhatsheasked。MaybetherewasanotherX-rayortestmydoeededbeforeIcouldbereleased。Suddenlythedopenandstandingbeforemeweremyparentsholdingballoonsandatapeplayer,mytwobestfriendsinformals,theirdates,andRiatuxedo。
“Wouldyoucareforadance?”Rickasked。“JustbeissedtheROTeahavehthere—rightnow。”Tearsyeyes。“Sure,”Istammered。Thehesahebathroomlighton。MyfrieherasRickedhisarmsaroundmeaoswaytothemusic。“I’msogladyouareokay,”hesaid。“Icalledyourparetocheyou。”“Theydidn’ttellme。”Ipulledatmyhairsoitwouldn’tlookuworry。”Hesmiled。“Youlookbeautiful。”
Forwhatseemedlikehours,myfriendsandIdamithehallormyparentsdangbesideus。Mytwohospitalgowhanformal,butIdidhetapewasover,Rickhelpedmeintoawheel-dtookmedownstairstothelimousiingtotakemehome。NeverwillIfetthatafternasIlive。Ididn’thavemyhairfaneoreveydress,butIlearofeeltrulybeautiful—tobeloved。