Carmen - H.S

Chapter 16

When that stuttering nuisance Harry was finally out of her sight, Carmen felt herself relax. The tension fled her shoulders, and it was all she could do to keep from collapsing on the silver speckled pavement.

Hugo was in the hospital. The hospital. He could be dying, hell, he could be dead, and Carmen wasn't with him. The only person he had left in the world besides her was his daughter, but she lived all the way across the country in Nevada. There was a possibility that she hadn't even heard of the incident yet. And there was a possibility that she wouldn't make it here in time.

The thought of that sweet, elderly man dying alone, surrounded by nurses and doctors and machines, but no one who actually mattered to him, was terrifying to her. She could feel a sob clawing its way up her throat, digging its claws into tender tissue, letting blood and sorrow flow free.

He didn't deserve to die. No one did, but that was the way the world worked. You came into the world, smooth and unmarred, but as time wore on and life scraped at your every crevice, you became old and weathered until you simply... crumbled.

Hugo was too resilient, too bright to be eroded in such a way. He will live, she told herself, her thoughts shaky and uncertain. He has to.

But in the meantime, she had to go see him. An audible groan escaped her lips as she realized that meant enduring another agonizing car ride with Harry. But Hugo was worth it. She inhaled deeply in an attempt to collect herself and force some semblance of peace into her countenance. Squaring her shoulders, she began walking back in the direction of the car when a voice rang out and halted her stride.

"Don't bother."

Carmen began walking again at a slower pace upon realizing who had spoken.

"Carmen, stop," Ron demanded firmly. She ignored him.

"Damn it," he swore, rushing forward to grab her arm.

"What is it?" she growled impatiently. Why did Ron always have to be in the way?

"Don't bother going to the hospital."

"What? Why?"

"No one is allowed to see him until tomorrow. So just come to the gala and relax."

Carmen immediately went limp, prompting Ron to tighten his grip on her. She had to see him, had to have something anchoring her to this dissipating world.

"I don't wanna go," she squeaked, her voice tight and high pitched. She shut her eyes, briefly yet tightly in a desperate to restrain her tears.

Ron's heart softened temporarily as he caught a rare glimpse of vulnerability from her. "It won't be so bad. Just talk to the execs for a bit, drink a little champagne, and go home. Ok?"

She sniffed, and for a moment, he feared she'd refuse his terms. Then he saw something in her eyes yield. "Fine."

Then she wrenched her arm free and began walking into the building. With a weary shake of his head, Ron stuffed his hands inside his pockets and followed her in.

Carmen was certainly used to extravagant parties, but this one took the cake. Soft, glowing lights glowed from brilliant chandeliers, casting a beautiful gleam onto the crowd. The massive windows were closed, covered by rich, velvet curtains that complemented the hardwood floors. Cream colored pillars with ornate detailing encased the ballroom, somehow epitomizing strength and grace.

Sparkling crystal glasses were lined up in rows on the table next to tiered displays showcasing delicately iced cakes and hors d'oeuvre that looked much too pretty to eat. Every person in the room donned a gorgeous gown or dapper tuxedo, class and poise radiating from their every movement. The presence of all this opulence comforted her somewhat, but concern for Hugo still flitted at the edges of her mind.