A Beautiful Instrument

51: If She's Around, I Don't Wanna Be

The Dias de los Muertos dance is a rousing success at the end of the show. I'm so glad that even with everything that happened earlier in the night that Alexis still had her shining moment.

After I make it a point to catch up to congratulate her, Jeremy and I pile into Bart's tiny sports car and drive over to the clinic. True to what the paramedic thought, they are keeping Ivy over night at the hospital just to monitor her. She wants to leave against medical advice and is fighting with a nurse when we come in.

"Stop fussing over me. This isn't my first rodeo. I have a medical history nearly three times older than you." She snaps at the young nurse.

"Knock. Knock." Bart had stopped at a convenience store on the way here and bought two things - a toothbrush kit and some pretty sad-looking roses. He stopped in a bathroom on the way up to brush his teeth.

Meanwhile, all of us were getting quite a few stares given our costumes. In the harsh lights of the hospital, my shorts did feel awfully short.

When Ivy sees the roses, she rolls her eyes but I also see her blush a bit. "Ugh, not you too! I'm fine. Look at me."

Bart turns it on. "As if I could help it not to look anywhere but you."

Jeremy grabs me by my waist. "We're going to give you two a minute."

I protest. "What the heck was that about? Bart needs us."

"Leigh, imagine if that's you and I in there. Would we want anyone else creeping on us while we are trying to have a private moment?" He puts it in perspective.

"No." I admit. "Why are always so thoughtful?"

"I'm also selfish too. Let's see if we can find an empty supply closet." He is just joking as he doesn't make any show to move. He just puts his arms around my waist and looks down at me.

"What?"

"Just thinking and admiring the view." He muses.

"Is Monica your emergency contact?" I ask out of the blue. All this hoopla made me start thinking.

"Yep. And for you? Your mom?" I snuggle my head against his chest and don't say anything. I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't trust my mom to show up if I needed her. Alexis has been my emergency contact, but I don't want to get into it right now.

"Do you know if this is Ivy Karrigan's room?" A young, stylishly-dressed woman inquires. Her round face houses familiar facial features that seem out of place. It probably doesn't help that she wears a sour expression.

"Hi, um, yes, but there's someone in there." I reply.

The girl doesn't listen after I say yes. She barges in. "Mom?"

Jeremy and I exchange a look and decide to follow. Bart is sitting on the side of Ivy's bed and gets up quickly when Ivy's daughter enters. She rushes to her bedside and hugs her tightly.

Ivy responds with the same minimization as before, but gives us credit. "I'm fine, Taryn. In fact I'm fine because of some of the very people in this room. This is Bart. He's my...um...co-conspirator."

Bart smiles kindly. "Nice to meet you, Taryn."

Ivy gestures to us. "This is Analeigh and Jeremy. They're the young couple working on the cello duet I told you about."

Taryn's pretty eyes follow around the room and settle on Jeremy who gives her a reassuring smile. "Your mom really went above and beyond in trying to steal the show tonight."

She giggles and raises her eyes to him again from under her dark lashes. I instinctively hold Jeremy a little more snugly to me. It has to be my imagination that this young girl is making eyes at my man, especially after Ivy just introduced us as a couple!