Sal didn’t even bother waiting to see what Charlene wanted. In one movement he scooped her into his arms and deposited her on Seth’s lap.
“You guys have to be kidding. It’s just a sprain. I don’t need to be carried around,” she said.
“Charlene, you know you’re wasting your time arguing with Seth, right?” Sal asked.
She knew that, but she still needed to voice her opinion. “And you should’ve told me you weren’t alone,” she shot back.
Seth asked, “I have several questions, but we’ll discuss them after I know you’re okay.”
It was only then did she realize there was more than just concern going on in Seth. He was upset. And she understood why too. He was working and Charlene called Sal and pulled him away from their meeting. It seemed like disrupting Seth’s work schedule was something she excelled at. And something she needed to avoid doing in the future.
“I’m telling you, it’s not that bad,” she stated. “Probably the worst thing hurt is my pride.”
“You wouldn’t have called Sal if that was the case,” Seth said.
He was right. Hopefully he was wrong about her ankle. They pulled up to the emergency room and Sal went to get her a wheel chair while she waited on Seth’s lap. The silence was killing her. Without looking at him she said, “I’m really sorry about ruining your meeting today.” First the one with Mr. Sheen. Now the one with Sal. I’m on a roll.
“The meeting is not what’s on my mind,” he said firmly.
And I’m not sure I want to know what is.
Thankfully Sal arrived with the wheelchair and inside they went. Whatever was upsetting Seth would need to wait. And right now that was okay with her. Her ankle had started to swell and turn colors. Charlene had her own things to think about too. Like how the hell am I going to go to work when I can’t even walk?
Seth sat in the waiting room with Sal. “What the hell is taking so long?”
Calmly Sal answered. “I’m going to guess they are waiting on x-ray results. It’s only been an hour. This is an emergency room. Her foot might not be the biggest thing they’re dealing with.”
Seth knew that. He’d seen the ambulances coming in, one after another. But he wanted to know how she was doing. “She should’ve let me go in with her.” Sal chuckled and Seth asked, “Did I say something funny?”
“I think she was in enough pain. Didn’t need you adding to it,” Sal replied.
“What the hell does that mean?”
“I told you before, that Charlene isn’t one who you can bark orders to.”
He remembered, but this was different. She was hurt and not listening to what he was telling her. And he wasn’t barking, just strongly making his point. While ignoring what she was saying. That explained why she didn’t want him around at the moment. “I guess I’m going to need to explain to her why I was”
“Such an ass?” Sal suggested. Seth turned to him about to cuss him out, and opted not to. “And I’d skip the explanation and go directly for the apology.”
“Sal, you’re head of security. You can keep your advice to yourself,” Seth stated. He already felt like shit, he didn’t need Sal adding to it.
“I am doing my job. Because if you go back there and start ‘explaining’ your actions, she’s probably going to throw something at you. Have you ever heard the saying, sometimes less is more?”
“You’re getting on my nerves Sal. Why don’t you do something useful like go home to Rori? I’ll have the limo come and retrieve us when she’s finished,” Seth snarled.
“I’m not leaving. There’s something she’s not saying. I want to know what it is.”
“I don’t know. She said a lot on the way over here.” Mostly about how stupid it was for them to all be crammed in the car and how she should’ve just called a cab.
“When she called and I asked what happen, she never really answered.”
“Obviously she fell,” Seth stated.
“If that was the case, she’d have made a joke about her being clumsy and how she once again needed to be rescued.”
Again?“You mean she’s accident prone?”
“No. Not exactly. But things happen, and usually she calls my sister. Sofia has been bailing her out most of her life.”