His eyes open wide, and he rubs the back of his neck. “Shit,” his voice is low, but I hear it.
“What? What’s it say?” Lunar asks.
“Nodes,” Luke tells her. “I thought you had cold symptoms?”
Shaking my head, I know what I’ve written is the most likely scenario.
Lunar snaps her head from me to Luke. “What’s happening right now?” There’s clear panic in her tone.
“Danger thinks there’s a problem with his vocal cords. It could be a node, a polyp, or a burst vocal cord. Either way, we need to go to the doctor. Now.”
Lunar’s eyes meet mine, and they glisten with the threat of tears. It’s enough to make my stomach roll with nausea, so I fall back onto the bed in defeat.
“So what does this mean?” she inquires.
“My career is over,” I rasp out.
Lunar remains silent. Her lack of reaction speaks volumes.
“Not necessarily. Let’s get a diagnosis first, then we will figure out the next steps. Get dressed. I’ll find the best ENT specialist in Tokyo.” Luke turns, exiting the room. I know his quick departure is only because it’s his innate need to try to fix the problem. But all it does is leave an ominous silence of impending disaster.
With the closing of the door, Lunar scrambles over the sheets to get to me, throwing herself at my body in a tight embrace. She leans in, kissing my cheek, and I can’t do anything in return.
I’m numb.
The realization that everything is crashing down around me is too much.
Right now, I need to sit here and let the chaos swirl around me as I retreat into detachment.
And this is how we remain on the bed for a little over fifteen minutes.
Finally, I muster the strength to turn and look at Lunar. A flicker of apprehension in my eyes causes them to narrow, and my brows furrow deeply in a frown.
Thiscouldbe the end of Recoil.
Thiscouldbe the end ofeverything!
“Wh-what if I can’t sing again?” I finally find the strength to whisper, even though it’s breathy.
She gently runs her hands down my arms, seeking to offer me reassurance and comfort.
It doesn’t work.
Nothing will.
“Hey, that’s not gonna happen. Let’s wait for Luke to come back with a doctor’s appointment, and we’ll take this one step at a time. We need a diagnosis first.”
“It’s not a fucking sobriety test, Lunar. It’s not a step-by-step process. Either I’m going to lose my voice, or I fucking won’t.”
She inhales slowly, slumping her shoulders. “Okay, I get you’re angry. I would be too. But right now, try not to use your voice and calm down.”
My anger bubbles, and I can’t hold it in. “Calm down?Calm down!This is my life. My livelihood, Lunar. If you don’t get that, then you’re dumber than you look.”
She jolts back.“Excuse me?”she scolds as she stands, her brows creasing together, her hands on her hips, making her gorgeous breasts pop out.
But I don’t let them distract me from my pity party. “Don’t make this out to not be a big deal. This ishuge,Lunar.”
“Obviously! I’m just not smart enough to know that,am I?God, I know you’re a scared little man right now, but you don’t have to be a fuckingcuntabout it.”
