Jeff opens the bathroom door with an extra key. The man, lying unconscious on the floor, had removed his light jacket that covered his entire arms. Tiny blood spots underneath his white shirt appear in his back and arms. As Jeff moves inside the bathroom, a small spoon falls from the sink, hitting the tile floor just in front of my feet. A used syringe lays by his bare feet whose tiny little red marks are exposed.

Denver runs to the bathroom after hearing the commotion. Bending down to his knees, he tries to find his pulse.

"His breathing is slow," he tells Jeff and me. I can barely move my limbs, and my head can't clearly think. It is too foggy for me to take action.

"Don't touch anything," Denver warns, showing me the traces of brown powder spread around the stool and sink.

"That's fucked up," says Jeff.

"I'm calling 911," I manage to say as Jeff gets ready to lock the store, flipping the closed sign on the glass wall.

"I'll call Sylvia," Jeff adds.

"911, what's your emergency?" The attendant answers in the first ring. I'm trying so hard to keep my hands and arms firmly in place as I talk to her.

"There is an unconscious man at Sophie's bathroom," I tell her through the speakerphone.

"Where is the address, ma'am?" I can't remember the address. How come? Everything is blank. Seeing a man passed out brings the worst in me. My heart beats fast as his has stopped in place.

Jeff says out loud to the attendant, "East Johnson Avenue. Number 1002. Sophie's. Please send us an ambulance."

"Help is on the way. Stay on the phone, okay, ma'am? What's your name and the relationship with the person?

"Cassidy... Cassidy Bardot. I don't know him. I only work here. He came to get some coffee and..." I mumble the words on the phone.

"Can you perform CPR in the meantime?"

"What?"

"He needs Narcan," Denver adds to the conversation. He is sitting next to the unconscious man, still making sure that he doesn't stop breathing. I place the phone in the speaker as she requests me to perform CPR for a second time.

"I can do the CPR," Denver tells the attendant. "It appears to be an OD."

"A what?" My head is spinning as I try to find the balance between my legs and knees.

"Overdose," Jeff interprets.

"What are the symptoms?" asks the attendant.

"He is not responding to my voice, and his breathing is feeble," Denver says as he checks his pulse one more time to ensure his heart hasn't stopped. "His lips and fingernails are also purple," He ensures to the phone attendant.

Jeff approaches as Denver proceeds with chest compressions, delivering oxygen to the man's lungs for the next four minutes, but I am the one who is unable to process the actions and words. I should have been the old Cassidy. It is all I can think of. But I'm not the old Cassidy.

Instead, I'm the fucked-up Cassidy.

"Sylvia is on the way," says Jeff, "I tried calling Scarlet, but she didn't pick up the phone."

Too bad Sylvia had to leave her date to come here. I also don't think Scarlet can do any good. How worse could that be with Scarlet here?

By the time the ambulance is on the way, the man slowly opens his eyes.

"Can you move your head?" Can you talk?" asks Denver, but he doesn't move. I hear the sirens of an ambulance in the distance getting louder and louder as the vehicle approaches. In seconds, the vehicle pulls over at the door, and three paramedics wearing vests coming inside Sophie's. Two police cars pull over by the ambulance, with two police officers entering the store. Two other customers attempt to enter the store simultaneously, but Jeff blocks them, showing the closed sign.

The EMT men place the patient's head in the back position before taking a nasal spray out of the box. The small device is then inserted in the man's nostril as one man presses a plunge with his thumb. They move his body to the side, placing his head over his arm.

His pulses are rechecked.

The two officers proceed with questions, but I mumble more than speak the words out loud. Jeff and Denver take over, telling details of everything he knows about the man while the cops take notes on their notepad. The EMT lifts the man to the trolley bed, pushing it inside the ambulance.

Lastly, the police officers wear gloves and collect any paraphernalia they encounter on the floor, including the syringe, placing it into a small plastic bag. Then they finally leave the coffee shop, following the ambulance to the hospital.

Jeff and I are speechless.

***

Back home, Meggie fixes me some tea. "Thank God I wasn't on the schedule," she tells me. I don't know what I would do if it had been me there dealing with that man in the middle of an overdose. How did Jeff handle?"

"He was fine. Better than me, I guess."

"I can't believe Denver was there and saved the man before the ambulance arrived."

"Me neither. He gave him CPR."

"Oh, I don't know if I could have done it."

"We needed to save that man's life, Meggie. Of course, you would have done it."

"Well, it is not my probably if he chose to use drugs, so I don't think it is my call," she moves to give me some crackers, "Here, it is pretty warm." I grab the mug and eat a piece of toast.

"Have you called Maroney to tell him?" She looks at herself in the mirror, fixing her hair.

"I don't know what's up with him," I confess. "He hasn't called me in two days, but he'd told me he would come over tomorrow to take me on a date." I move the blanket aside since it is getting warm. There is a part of me who wants to hide.

"What?" Her expression changed suddenly, "Don't look at me this way. Of course, he'll come and pick you up. Maybe he'll take you to read lobster, or sorry. You're vegan. I mean, veggie. You're so lucky. You have Maroney and Denver on your feet, and I have nobody." I remember I haven't told her about Mike yet. I want to, but every time seems a bad moment.

"What is your weekend plan?"

"I don't have any weekend plan. Maroney didn't mention anything about us hanging out over the weekend. I know he's been working quite a lot...but I'm free." I try to hide the disappointment on my face.

Meggie places some mascara on her eyelashes, "I hear you. I remember how my heart raced every time I got a text from that asshole. It was almost unbearable," she smiles, "but now, I have another date."

"With whom?" I am curious to know. How nice. I'm glad Meggie is finally getting over Mike, the asshole.

"Some guy I met online. We are going to the theater to watch a movie. But I have to be at the dinner meeting on Sunday. Margo only gave me one more chance. If I miss one more time, I'm out of there." Her phone rings as she runs to pick up the call. She talks quickly and then hangs up, "Danika is here to pick us up."

I frown at her, "What? I hate when you make plans without telling me, Meggie. Where are we going?" I'm dressed in pajamas, and I don't want to leave my bed.

"To a party."

I freeze in place, "Nope." I don't want to go anywhere. I'll stay home."

"What are you going to do? Wait for Mr. Maroney to ring your bell?

"No, of course not. Where is the party?"

"There is a huge co-op house at Jennifer street. Some students are back to enjoy the end of the summer," She pulls my blanket completely aside, looking at me, "Now do me a favor, get up and change your clothes." My mother's voice telling me not to go to frat parties comes inside my head. It is like I can hear her. How is a co-op house different from frat houses?

As Meggie's best friend, I feel I have to agree with her at least this time. Considering she is here and doing the best she can to make me feel better through this hell of a day. So, I decided to cooperate with her rather than arguing. She shows me her makeup on her face, "Does it look good?"

"Yes, sure, "I say as I hear a text message popping up on my phone. I collect my phone between the books sitting on my desk: Catch in the Rye and Lord of flies. Is it maybe Maroney? I look at the phone. It is not Maroney. It is from Denver.

"Are you feeling any better after the incident today? If you want to get through this together, find me at the co-op party at Jennifer street. Amaya is organizing. Better having people to talk to than sitting at home."

"Oh." He is probably inviting me to the same party as Danika and Meggie are heading now.

"Are you coming then?"

"If that's the party Danika and Meggie are heading to, I certainly will."

"Who was it?" Meggie looks at me, curiosity in her expression. She always has the same look in her almond-shaped eyes when she wants to get information out.

"Denver."

"I knew it. The boy is moving mountains for you. Why don't you date both?"

"Meggie!"

"C'mon, you can do your makeup in the car. Danika is calling me again. Let's go." I wear the first clean casual dress I find in the closet, wear my flat shoes, and brush my teeth before leaving. Meggie places the plate in the sink, and I know I will have to explain that to TJ later.

Before leaving through the door, I make the last call to Maroney. He doesn't answer.

***

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