Post by Eden Morgan on Jun 13, 2013 21:18:39 GMT -5
The day after Synergy…
Eden presses the “End” button, effectively hanging up the call. So that was that. She chews her lip thinking about what’s to come, the worry obvious on her face.
What if something went wrong? Things went wrong all the time when someone went in for surgery. It was a common thing, wasn’t it? Or was coming out peachy keen the common thing? Which one was more common?
She was psyching herself out. Perfect time to see Jet.
Eden sighs and hurls herself off her bed, walking straight out of her room and making her way to Jet’s office. She bypassed the secretary and barged right in, not even bothering to knock, knowing the girl would have already buzzed her in. She was good like that.
Jet sits at his desk going over some paperwork, muttering to himself and scribbling on a piece of paper. He doesn’t even look up at her sudden entrance.
“Yes?”
Eden twists the paper in her hands with her appointment time (0800) and date (tomorrow) written in her flourish handwriting and she starts to pace. Jet sighs and hangs his head, knowing whatever is coming is going to provide him with a headache.
“Soooo, I was thinking… are you doing anything important tomorrow?”
Jet continues to study his paperwork.
“That depends. Why do you ask?”
Eden nibbles her lower lip and continues to twist the paper, not noticing it’s starting to shred, making it pretty useless now.
“Because I was wanting you to come with me for something.”
Jet still doesn’t look up.
“And what is this something, Eden?”
Eden clears her throat.
“Actually, I kinda need you for today too. Just for a little while, it won’t take too long. Or you could just call in one of the lawyers, I’m sure that would work.”
Jet sighs.
“Edie, what are you--”
“I want the lawyer to draw up a durable power of attorney and I want you to be… it.”
Jet sits up and looks at her incredulously.
“Edie what are you up to?”
She expels the breath she had been holding.
“It’s a durable power of attorney, meaning if something happens to me where I can’t make my own decisions medically, you would make them for me.”
Jet waves that away.
“I know what it is, I just want to know why?”
Eden twists the paper even harder, completely tearing it in half. She looks down at the two pieces, ruefully.
“Well, if something happens to me as it stands, the decision will go to Cypress or my parents, but since Cypress is closer, it would be him. There’s no telling what he would do. And I trust you more than I trust him. So will you do it?”
Jet runs a hand through his hair, completely floored.
“I’ll do it, Edie, I just don’t understand what brought this on.”
Eden blinks at him.
“Oh. I guess I forgot to tell you. I’m having surgery tomorrow.”
Jet’s eyebrows shoot up.
“You’re what?”
“I’m having surgery tomorrow.”
Jet leans back in his chair, watching her, eyes narrowed.
“Don’t you think this is something you should have mentioned previously?”
Eden shrugs and turns, looking around the room, anything to avoid his disapproving stare.
“I guess it just slipped my mind.”
Jet just stares at her. That twitch. It may be back.
“It slipped your mind that you’re going to be having surgery, but this surgery got you thinking about your mortality enough that you’re asking to name me your durable power of attorney. Makes sense. Exactly what are you having surgery on, Edie?”
Eden makes a face.
“My wisdom teeth.”
Jet shakes his head, sure he must have misheard.
“Say again?”
Eden speaks a little more loudly.
“My wisdom teeth.”
He laughed at her. The jerk had actually laughed at her. Nevermind, that that laughter was a rare thing for Jet Somers. Did he really have to laugh over this? This could be life and death. When his laughter had subsided to just him shaking his head and chuckling, Jet finally spoke.
“Edie, I don’t think you have anything to worry about with that.”
“Jet, don’t you play it down. Regardless of the fact it’s just my wisdom teeth being cut out, I’ll still be put under. Anything can happen with that. It’s why they make you sign papers saying you understand the risks. I’m just covering all my bases.”
Jet sobers up, looking at her seriously.
“Fine, you’ve made your point. I’ll have a lawyer here in less than an hour and we can sign everything then. And I’ll be there tomorrow, but will you be ready for your match at In Your Hands?”
Eden nods seriously.
“If I make it out of this, I’ll be ready.” She exits Jet’s office, leaving the paper crumpled on his floor.
Jet blinks, almost in a daze.
Death by wisdom teeth removal? Surely not.
-----------------------------------------------
“Mr. Somers?”
Jet opens his eyes, sitting up straight in the spectacularly uncomfortable chair he had been attempting to snooze in for almost an hour and a half. An hour and a half? It was supposed to only take 45 minutes. He looks at the girl standing before him, fresh out of dental hygienist school, no doubt.
“Yes?”
She smiles warmly, almost assuredly, the action causing Jet to tense. What was she hiding? God, he was suspicious. He shakes his head at his thoughts.
“Mr. Somers, Miss Morgan made it through just fine, she’s just having some issues with the anesthesia right now--”
Jet sits forward, his brow furrowing.
“What kind of “issues”?”
The girls stands speechless for a moment, intimidated by his intense look. She finally gives a nervous little laugh and waves a hand.
“Oh, it’s nothing serious, it’s just taking her a little longer to fully come out of it than it usually does. Probably because she had to be given more than what is usually given.”
Jet sits back in his chair, satisfied with the answer, grimacing as he twists this way and that to loosen his kinked muscles.
“So can I see her now and what do you mean she had to be given more?” the girl’s statement finally registering.
“You can go back anytime, sir. She was apparently very anxious and demanded “they make sure she couldn’t feel a thing.” Our doctors are nothing if not accommodating.”
Jet snorts.
“Right. Sometimes people should just be told to suck it up.” He stands, stretching again and holds out a hand before him.
“After you.”
The girl blushes and leads the way.
------------------------------------------------------------
She was floating. No, she was falling. Panic. Ah, floating again. Panic gone. Why panic? Her entire face felt numb. And then nothing. The next time she opens her eyes, it was to see Jet sitting beside her, watching her. He gives her a half-smile.
“Hey there. You going to stay with us this time?”
Eden just stares at him for a moment.
“The worm wants me to have tea. I told him I can’t fit.”
“What? Eden, what are you talk--”
And she was gone again.
She was in a ball gown. Not a modern, prom queen one, this one was a lacy, marshmallowy confection of clothing. She shoves the skirt in, effectively squashing the poof, to see her feet. Barefoot. Really? What kind of princess was barefoot?? Wait. Maybe she wasn’t a princess. What was she then? Music draws her forward. She knew this music and yet she couldn’t give name to it. Huge double doors appear out of nowhere before her, and she presses an ear against them. The music is louder on the other side.
“Well that settles it,” she mutters to herself, grasping one of the handles and pulling, leaning back to lend her weight to the maneuver. The door creaks open and she slips inside.
The music is so loud she can barely hear herself think. The closing of the door makes her jump, spinning around as she senses someone behind her. Ichiro. In full-on Frankenfurter gear. She steps back in shock, staring at the man in full, black lingerie including thigh highs and heels. His smile seems menacing at first and she gulps in air-- and then it changes.
“Can I fluff your pillow?”
She stares at him, confused.
“What?”
His visage changes again.
“You know you don’t stand a chance, don’t you? Everyone thinks you’re some great phenomenon, when you’re really just a fluke. She is the great phenomenon, and she will show everyone, once again. Your star has burned out, a flash in the night and then nothing. She will surpass you and take what you consider to be your greatest achievement. And you will be left with nothing.”
And still the music plays.
She spins around to come face-to-face with Seito Risa, her face painted pale, her hair dyed a bright reddish-pink and frizzed within an inch of its life, clothed in a maid’s uniform. Magenta.
“Did you think using your finisher on me last week was cute?”
Eden shakes her head slowly, backing away, eyes wide.
“It was just business, nothing personal. It could have been any of you.”
She is suddenly surrounded by a Riff Raff’d Tacker and, even more disturbingly, Rocky’d JK, complete with golden banana hammock. She squeezes her eyes shut, pinching herself repeatedly.
And still the music plays.
“’Ey now, and who are you to look down on us? You’ve been in this business for just a few months. I’ve been here for years, mate. And I’ll be here when you’ve burned out.”
Tacker… I mean, Riff Raff, grabs her by the shoulders and spins her around, leaning in, his hair greasy and offensive.
“Time’s up. Tick tock, tick tock…”
Eden pulls away from the group, promising herself she’ll never watch Rocky Horror Picture Show again, all of them laughing behind her. At her.
Fudge that. This was her dream/hallucination. She spins back around, eyes narrowed on the group of rejects, smiling to herself as a cage appears, suspended above them. They continue to taunt her, reaching for her, threatening her. She gives a half smile and points up. They look up as one as the cage drops, engulfing them all and snuffing them out in one fell swoop. Appropriate.
And still the music plays.
Determined to find the source of the music, Eden tries another door. Locked. A sound behind her and she turns as the scene changes again and she is faced with the source of the music.
A large pipe organ sits in a spotlight, a man playing it enthusiastically. “Phantom of the Opera” belts out from the pipes, realization dawning as she moves around to catch a glimpse of the figure. Or figures, as it were. The man is the Phantom. And Jet Somers. And Travis Pierce. Or more accurately, half of him is Jet and half of him is Travis, but he is the Phantom and there is no mistaking that. She finds herself whispering the words to the song, sudden understanding of who she is breaking over her. The Phantom watches her, mocking her with his words.
Sing once again with me
Our strange duet
My power over you
Grows stronger yet…
Eden stares transfixed as fingers dance over the keys.
I am the mask you wear
The Phantom’s mismatched face with his intense eyes bore into her.
It’s me they hear.
She closes her eyes and breathes deeply, begging whoever may be listening for some kind of normalcy.
And then she opens her eyes.
Jet was standing beside her, a vase full of beautiful white roses on the bedside table. He was frowning as he looked at a card, turning it this way and that, when he notices her awake.
“Finally. Are you with it this time?”
She nods and then shakes her head.
“Really weird. I’d rather not go there again.”
Jet opens his mouth to say something and then closes it, thinking better of it.
“Right. Well we were just waiting on you to wake up. I’ll get the nurse and we can get out of here. Oh, they said to use ice packs or you’ll look like a chipmunk. You don’t want to know the fun Travis would have with that.”
She grimaces, imagining it as Jet walks out, quickly re-entering.
“Why would Covert Jay be sending you roses?”
She attempts to smile, achieving only a groan as pain sets in. She closes her eyes and opens them again to find Jet still standing there, awaiting an answer.
“Remember that date I went on a couple weeks ago?”
“Yeah?”
“Covert Jay.”
Jet’s mouth drops open.
“Covert Jay?”
Eden nods gently, careful not to move her head too much.
“Covert Jay.”
Jet can’t even hide the shock on his face. Finally, he shakes his head and walks out in search of the nurse, leaving Eden to stare at the white roses, a haunting melody trapped in her mind.
Eden presses the “End” button, effectively hanging up the call. So that was that. She chews her lip thinking about what’s to come, the worry obvious on her face.
What if something went wrong? Things went wrong all the time when someone went in for surgery. It was a common thing, wasn’t it? Or was coming out peachy keen the common thing? Which one was more common?
She was psyching herself out. Perfect time to see Jet.
Eden sighs and hurls herself off her bed, walking straight out of her room and making her way to Jet’s office. She bypassed the secretary and barged right in, not even bothering to knock, knowing the girl would have already buzzed her in. She was good like that.
Jet sits at his desk going over some paperwork, muttering to himself and scribbling on a piece of paper. He doesn’t even look up at her sudden entrance.
“Yes?”
Eden twists the paper in her hands with her appointment time (0800) and date (tomorrow) written in her flourish handwriting and she starts to pace. Jet sighs and hangs his head, knowing whatever is coming is going to provide him with a headache.
“Soooo, I was thinking… are you doing anything important tomorrow?”
Jet continues to study his paperwork.
“That depends. Why do you ask?”
Eden nibbles her lower lip and continues to twist the paper, not noticing it’s starting to shred, making it pretty useless now.
“Because I was wanting you to come with me for something.”
Jet still doesn’t look up.
“And what is this something, Eden?”
Eden clears her throat.
“Actually, I kinda need you for today too. Just for a little while, it won’t take too long. Or you could just call in one of the lawyers, I’m sure that would work.”
Jet sighs.
“Edie, what are you--”
“I want the lawyer to draw up a durable power of attorney and I want you to be… it.”
Jet sits up and looks at her incredulously.
“Edie what are you up to?”
She expels the breath she had been holding.
“It’s a durable power of attorney, meaning if something happens to me where I can’t make my own decisions medically, you would make them for me.”
Jet waves that away.
“I know what it is, I just want to know why?”
Eden twists the paper even harder, completely tearing it in half. She looks down at the two pieces, ruefully.
“Well, if something happens to me as it stands, the decision will go to Cypress or my parents, but since Cypress is closer, it would be him. There’s no telling what he would do. And I trust you more than I trust him. So will you do it?”
Jet runs a hand through his hair, completely floored.
“I’ll do it, Edie, I just don’t understand what brought this on.”
Eden blinks at him.
“Oh. I guess I forgot to tell you. I’m having surgery tomorrow.”
Jet’s eyebrows shoot up.
“You’re what?”
“I’m having surgery tomorrow.”
Jet leans back in his chair, watching her, eyes narrowed.
“Don’t you think this is something you should have mentioned previously?”
Eden shrugs and turns, looking around the room, anything to avoid his disapproving stare.
“I guess it just slipped my mind.”
Jet just stares at her. That twitch. It may be back.
“It slipped your mind that you’re going to be having surgery, but this surgery got you thinking about your mortality enough that you’re asking to name me your durable power of attorney. Makes sense. Exactly what are you having surgery on, Edie?”
Eden makes a face.
“My wisdom teeth.”
Jet shakes his head, sure he must have misheard.
“Say again?”
Eden speaks a little more loudly.
“My wisdom teeth.”
He laughed at her. The jerk had actually laughed at her. Nevermind, that that laughter was a rare thing for Jet Somers. Did he really have to laugh over this? This could be life and death. When his laughter had subsided to just him shaking his head and chuckling, Jet finally spoke.
“Edie, I don’t think you have anything to worry about with that.”
“Jet, don’t you play it down. Regardless of the fact it’s just my wisdom teeth being cut out, I’ll still be put under. Anything can happen with that. It’s why they make you sign papers saying you understand the risks. I’m just covering all my bases.”
Jet sobers up, looking at her seriously.
“Fine, you’ve made your point. I’ll have a lawyer here in less than an hour and we can sign everything then. And I’ll be there tomorrow, but will you be ready for your match at In Your Hands?”
Eden nods seriously.
“If I make it out of this, I’ll be ready.” She exits Jet’s office, leaving the paper crumpled on his floor.
Jet blinks, almost in a daze.
Death by wisdom teeth removal? Surely not.
-----------------------------------------------
“Mr. Somers?”
Jet opens his eyes, sitting up straight in the spectacularly uncomfortable chair he had been attempting to snooze in for almost an hour and a half. An hour and a half? It was supposed to only take 45 minutes. He looks at the girl standing before him, fresh out of dental hygienist school, no doubt.
“Yes?”
She smiles warmly, almost assuredly, the action causing Jet to tense. What was she hiding? God, he was suspicious. He shakes his head at his thoughts.
“Mr. Somers, Miss Morgan made it through just fine, she’s just having some issues with the anesthesia right now--”
Jet sits forward, his brow furrowing.
“What kind of “issues”?”
The girls stands speechless for a moment, intimidated by his intense look. She finally gives a nervous little laugh and waves a hand.
“Oh, it’s nothing serious, it’s just taking her a little longer to fully come out of it than it usually does. Probably because she had to be given more than what is usually given.”
Jet sits back in his chair, satisfied with the answer, grimacing as he twists this way and that to loosen his kinked muscles.
“So can I see her now and what do you mean she had to be given more?” the girl’s statement finally registering.
“You can go back anytime, sir. She was apparently very anxious and demanded “they make sure she couldn’t feel a thing.” Our doctors are nothing if not accommodating.”
Jet snorts.
“Right. Sometimes people should just be told to suck it up.” He stands, stretching again and holds out a hand before him.
“After you.”
The girl blushes and leads the way.
------------------------------------------------------------
She was floating. No, she was falling. Panic. Ah, floating again. Panic gone. Why panic? Her entire face felt numb. And then nothing. The next time she opens her eyes, it was to see Jet sitting beside her, watching her. He gives her a half-smile.
“Hey there. You going to stay with us this time?”
Eden just stares at him for a moment.
“The worm wants me to have tea. I told him I can’t fit.”
“What? Eden, what are you talk--”
And she was gone again.
She was in a ball gown. Not a modern, prom queen one, this one was a lacy, marshmallowy confection of clothing. She shoves the skirt in, effectively squashing the poof, to see her feet. Barefoot. Really? What kind of princess was barefoot?? Wait. Maybe she wasn’t a princess. What was she then? Music draws her forward. She knew this music and yet she couldn’t give name to it. Huge double doors appear out of nowhere before her, and she presses an ear against them. The music is louder on the other side.
“Well that settles it,” she mutters to herself, grasping one of the handles and pulling, leaning back to lend her weight to the maneuver. The door creaks open and she slips inside.
The music is so loud she can barely hear herself think. The closing of the door makes her jump, spinning around as she senses someone behind her. Ichiro. In full-on Frankenfurter gear. She steps back in shock, staring at the man in full, black lingerie including thigh highs and heels. His smile seems menacing at first and she gulps in air-- and then it changes.
“Can I fluff your pillow?”
She stares at him, confused.
“What?”
His visage changes again.
“You know you don’t stand a chance, don’t you? Everyone thinks you’re some great phenomenon, when you’re really just a fluke. She is the great phenomenon, and she will show everyone, once again. Your star has burned out, a flash in the night and then nothing. She will surpass you and take what you consider to be your greatest achievement. And you will be left with nothing.”
And still the music plays.
She spins around to come face-to-face with Seito Risa, her face painted pale, her hair dyed a bright reddish-pink and frizzed within an inch of its life, clothed in a maid’s uniform. Magenta.
“Did you think using your finisher on me last week was cute?”
Eden shakes her head slowly, backing away, eyes wide.
“It was just business, nothing personal. It could have been any of you.”
She is suddenly surrounded by a Riff Raff’d Tacker and, even more disturbingly, Rocky’d JK, complete with golden banana hammock. She squeezes her eyes shut, pinching herself repeatedly.
And still the music plays.
“’Ey now, and who are you to look down on us? You’ve been in this business for just a few months. I’ve been here for years, mate. And I’ll be here when you’ve burned out.”
Tacker… I mean, Riff Raff, grabs her by the shoulders and spins her around, leaning in, his hair greasy and offensive.
“Time’s up. Tick tock, tick tock…”
Eden pulls away from the group, promising herself she’ll never watch Rocky Horror Picture Show again, all of them laughing behind her. At her.
Fudge that. This was her dream/hallucination. She spins back around, eyes narrowed on the group of rejects, smiling to herself as a cage appears, suspended above them. They continue to taunt her, reaching for her, threatening her. She gives a half smile and points up. They look up as one as the cage drops, engulfing them all and snuffing them out in one fell swoop. Appropriate.
And still the music plays.
Determined to find the source of the music, Eden tries another door. Locked. A sound behind her and she turns as the scene changes again and she is faced with the source of the music.
A large pipe organ sits in a spotlight, a man playing it enthusiastically. “Phantom of the Opera” belts out from the pipes, realization dawning as she moves around to catch a glimpse of the figure. Or figures, as it were. The man is the Phantom. And Jet Somers. And Travis Pierce. Or more accurately, half of him is Jet and half of him is Travis, but he is the Phantom and there is no mistaking that. She finds herself whispering the words to the song, sudden understanding of who she is breaking over her. The Phantom watches her, mocking her with his words.
Sing once again with me
Our strange duet
My power over you
Grows stronger yet…
Eden stares transfixed as fingers dance over the keys.
I am the mask you wear
The Phantom’s mismatched face with his intense eyes bore into her.
It’s me they hear.
She closes her eyes and breathes deeply, begging whoever may be listening for some kind of normalcy.
And then she opens her eyes.
Jet was standing beside her, a vase full of beautiful white roses on the bedside table. He was frowning as he looked at a card, turning it this way and that, when he notices her awake.
“Finally. Are you with it this time?”
She nods and then shakes her head.
“Really weird. I’d rather not go there again.”
Jet opens his mouth to say something and then closes it, thinking better of it.
“Right. Well we were just waiting on you to wake up. I’ll get the nurse and we can get out of here. Oh, they said to use ice packs or you’ll look like a chipmunk. You don’t want to know the fun Travis would have with that.”
She grimaces, imagining it as Jet walks out, quickly re-entering.
“Why would Covert Jay be sending you roses?”
She attempts to smile, achieving only a groan as pain sets in. She closes her eyes and opens them again to find Jet still standing there, awaiting an answer.
“Remember that date I went on a couple weeks ago?”
“Yeah?”
“Covert Jay.”
Jet’s mouth drops open.
“Covert Jay?”
Eden nods gently, careful not to move her head too much.
“Covert Jay.”
Jet can’t even hide the shock on his face. Finally, he shakes his head and walks out in search of the nurse, leaving Eden to stare at the white roses, a haunting melody trapped in her mind.
