The Recoil Rock Series Box Set

by K E Osborn

  “Not necessarily. Let’s get a diagnosis, and we’ll go from there. Get dressed. I’ll find the best ENT in Tokyo.” Luke stands up and walks out of the room, the sound of the door closing behind him soon follows. Lunar rushes over the bedsheets to get to me, throwing herself at me in a tight embrace. She leans in kissing my cheek, and I can’t do anything, I’m numb. The realization that everything is crashing down around me is too much.

  Right now I just need to sit here and detach from it all.

  ***

  We’ve been sitting in an awkward silence for a little over fifteen minutes. Finally I manage to turn and look at Lunar, I can’t help but feel there’s a sense of fear in my eyes as they pull tight together and I frown dramatically.

  “What… what if I can’t sing again?” I whisper and even that’s breathy.

  She smothers her hands down my arms in a move to comfort me.

  It doesn’t work.

  “Hey, that’s not gonna happen. Let’s just wait for Luke to come back with the 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 won’t.”

  “Okay, just try not to use it too much 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 and scoffs. “Excuse me?” she scolds as she stands up, her brows furrowed and creased together.

  “Just don’t make this out to not be like it’s a big deal. This is huge, 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 fucking cunt about it.”

  I wince and shake my head. “Don’t say that word, Lunar, it’s not pleasant to hear coming from a woman.”

  She raises her eyebrows and stands taller. “What! Just ‘cause I’m a woman I’m not allowed to say cunt now? Well… cunt, cunt, cunt! You Danger are a cunt, and I’ll top it off with a side of cunt. How’d you like that?”

  Groaning, I stand up and pace the floor. “I don’t want to argue with you. I don’t have the voice for it or the will right now.”

  “Fine then, I’ll leave, let you sulk on your own. Have a good time at the doctors. Just so you know I would’ve been there for you, holding your hand, but now you can find out on your own, you selfish prick.” She turns storming toward the door grabbing her bag on the way out. The door slams with the force of a herd of elephants, and I cringe at the sound as I blow out a puff of air in annoyance.

  I didn’t need to treat her like that.

  Saying she looked dumb was fucking low, and completely not true. Sometimes I really am a prick. Lashing out at her because I’m hurting is a dick move. One I’ll need to rectify when I get back. Once I know my outlook and future.

  Moving back over to the edge of the bed, I sit down just as my cell alerts me to a message.

  Luke: Come downstairs, a car is waiting to take you to the doctor.

  Exhaling, I stand up and get dressed properly, then slowly make my way down to the foyer. I see the car is already there and I step up to it as Kane opens the door, and I slide in to see Luke and Lunar in the car. Freezing, I tense slightly looking at Lunar and then I sigh, sliding over to her. She turns away from me slightly, which I expected and as she turns her nose goes up into the air in a sign of stubborn aggravation.

  “Thank you for coming,” I rasp out through a hoarse sounding breath.

  She turns further from me and sniffs like she’s trying not to cry. “I’m only here ‘cause Luke asked me to be.”

  Exhaling at the sight of her and how much I’ve obviously hurt her, I feel like an ass. I need to fix this. “I’m glad he did because I’m a dick.”

  She turns and looks at me with a half-smile. “Yes, you are.”

  “I am, you’re not dumb. I’m scared, and you lash out at those you care about the most. It was a dick move. I’m sorry. Please forgive me?”

  She smiles, placing her hand on mine sending a wave of warmth through my very soul. “I know this is scary, but talk to me. I’m your support through this, don’t push me away.”

  I lean in to kiss her and she presses her lips to mine carefully. It’s like she’s scared she’ll hurt me, so I strengthen the kiss a little more and let her know it’s okay to kiss me as Luke groans to himself on the other side of the car.

  We arrive at the doctor’s surgery not long after, and as we pile out of the car I remember we’re in Tokyo. I turn to Luke and furrow my brows. “Luke, will the doctor speak English?”

  Luke sighs. “Yes Danger, they’re not idiots.”

  “No, I know they’re not idiots, it’s just I don’t know how to speak Asian.”

  “It’s Japanese, Danger,” Luke says and Lunar laughs as I shrug and we step toward the doctor’s surgery and enter. My heart is racing completely out of my chest as we wait in the waiting room.

  We’ve been here for near on half an hour when a man in a white waistcoat comes out.

  “Mister Pipe,” he calls out. He sounds fluent, his English is very good.

  We walk into the room and we all take a seat in front of the doctor. He seems nice and has a friendly demeanor.

  “So Dwayne, tell me your symptoms.”

  “Please, call me Danger. As you can hear, my voice is breathy and hoarse, it’s been fading for about a week that I’ve been noticing, but it really only went completely last night at a concert. That’s when it really started to fail.”

  “Okay, well first I think I need to take a look at your throat and vocal chords to see if there’s anything I can put down to being the cause. Do you consent to me using a small tube-like instrument and a mirror to look down inside your throat?”

  “No problem, do whatever you need to.”

  He nods and stands up pulling some instruments together and placing on some rubber gloves. A light is brought over and placed over my head, then he goes about his procedure. The tube tickles my throat even though he used a numbing agent and it makes me want to cough, but I let him do what he needs to without causing a fuss. This is too important to be a baby about it.

  “Mm-hmm,” the doctor murmurs, and then pulls the tube out of my throat and switches off the light. He walks back behind his desk as I sit with my heart racing and my breathing coming so hard and fast I feel faint.

  “So doc?” I ask impatiently as he scribbles something down on his notepad.

  He looks up at me and exhales with a frown. “I’m sorry, Danger, but you have a polyp on your right vocal cord.”

  A wave of nausea washes over me and I want to be sick. My body flames red hot and I sink into my chair as Luke exhales and Lunar looks around the room at all the grim faces.

  “So how long will recovery take after the surgery, doc?” Luke asks the questions I should be.

  I sink even further into my chair as Lunar’s eyes open wide and she gasps.

  “Surgery? It’s that bad?” she asks.

  I scrub my face with my hands knowing I’ve blown this tour for Recoil, and our shot at fame is coming to a grinding halt all because of me—yet again.

  “It’s different with everyone, but with singers we say you can usually sing again after six weeks from surgery without complications. If however, there is a complication during surgery or your speech therapy needs extra work, it can take longer. We generally like to say six months is the full beneficial time period.”

  “Six months!” I try to yell, but it comes out as a rasp and Luke glares at me.

  “Okay, thanks, doc. We need to make plans and talk to the rest of the band. Let’s go and make some decisions,” Luke suggests.

  I stand up in defeat knowing my career is over. Even with the surgery my voice might not return to what it was.

  I know that.

&nbs
p; Luke knows that.

  This is shit.

  Fuck my life.

  We leave thanking the doctor and head down to the car. Luke gets on the phone straight away calling Ryan and tells him to get Matt and Nate into the penthouse for an emergency meeting when we get back.

  Lunar holds my hand but I still feel numb, like everything I do I fail at. I can’t do anything right, and all the way back to the hotel I’m inwardly berating myself for letting this happen.

  We get to the penthouse and everyone’s in the main living area when we arrive. They all look up as we walk in.

  Ryan looks at me then frowns. “What’s going on?” he asks as they all sit up taller.

  Luke exhales as we take our seat on the couches next to them, and Lunar continues to hold my hand.

  “Danger has a polyp on his vocal cord. So tonight’s concert is canceled, and therefore the remainder of the tour is canceled until he’s better.”

  “Holy shit!” Ryan blurts out snapping his head around to face me, his eyebrows creased together in a show of sympathy as I grit my teeth and nod.

  “Fucking hell! Just when we start to make it big, Danger goes and fucks us over again. Well, I vote we get a replacement singer until he’s better and continue on,” Nate suggests grabbing everyone’s attention, especially mine.

  “Nate, be real! People love Recoil for Danger’s voice, it’s unique, one of a kind. It can’t be replaced. He needs to rest his instrument, and once it’s fixed we’ll pick back up. How long will this take?” Ryan asks.

  With a shrug I look to Luke. He licks his lips and slumps. “Okay, here’s the plan. We go back to Australia, Danger has the surgery there and recovers while you three continue promo and interviews… keep the interest alive. The thing is, this could take a minimum of six weeks or up to six months… we just don’t know yet.”

  “Six months?” Nate yells standing up running his fingers through his hair.

  “Calm down, bro. That’s the worst case scenario, yeah?” Matt asks.

  “Yes, worst case is six months. But you three can keep the buzz going while Danger recovers.”

  “Great, this is just fucking great! I should have known you would ruin this for us again. If not with Lunar then some other way.” Nate storms off out of the room, to I’m assuming his room, and I moan sinking back into my chair knowing he’s right. Ryan looks to me, and the guilt weighs heavy on me as I scrub at my face.

  “Okay, we get back on a plane ASAP. Danger gets his surgery, and we go into damage control. We tell the fans about his operation and that will give us some sympathy. We release the album we had planned to release half way through the tour. We can bring that forward. We have a plan of action. I guess all we can do is ride it out and see how fast Danger heals. But have actions in place for a six-month sideline,” Luke announces.

  Ryan looks at Danger and shakes his head. “I’m so sorry, bro. This is not your fault. So don’t go blaming yourself. We will bounce back, and the brothers and me will keep the hype up while you recover. This doesn’t have to be a big deal, Danger. So don’t make it one. Okay?”

  Nodding with a sigh, I fake a smile as Lunar tightens her hand in mine.

  “Okay, I’ll get us some flights back to Australia and book in your surgery. Let’s get this all started and I’ll work on a press release.”

  Luke and Matt get up and walk away from the living area with reassuring nods as I look to Ryan and shake my head.

  “I’m so sorry, dude.”

  “Stop it! What did I just say?” he berates.

  “I know, but we’re just making it. All the momentum will fall away.”

  “No, it won’t, I won’t let it. You know I can rock the PR. Let yourself recover. Let Lunar take care of you, and let me run Recoil for a bit.”

  “You’re the best, you know that?”

  “Yes, I do!”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  We’ve just landed back in Australia and we’re heading to the baggage claim through a private area. The security said there were a ton of fans and paps everywhere, so they brought us in another way. Once news of my injury was broken, everyone went mental with messages of support and love for me. I was quite amazed. For some reason I thought they’d turn and hate me for canceling our shows, but if anything they just want to hear I’m getting better. Lunar is walking beside me as we make our way through the terminal back area, she’s fiddling with her cell when her message alert goes off.

  I glance at her as she reads it, and her eyebrows squeeze together and she purses her lips.

  “Everything okay?” I ask.

  She exhales and puts the cell in front of me so I can read the text.

  Techie: Hey Lunar, me, Crash, Lookout, Behemoth, and Jigsaw have all changed chapters and moved from Virginia to Aldinga. I wanted you to know, but you can’t tell anyone and whatever you do, do NOT go to Virginia for any reason at all. The club has gone to shit and everything is crazy, you have to stay away.

  I nod letting her know I’ve finished reading and I take in a deep breath. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes. That’s not my life anymore. My life is with you.”

  I wrap my arm around her shoulders pulling her to me as we arrive at the baggage area before everyone else.

  LUNAR

  ONE WEEK LATER

  Danger is home and recovering from his surgery. He’s trying not to talk as I wait on him hand and foot. He has a pen and paper to communicate and I’m setting him up in the hotel room. We wanted to have our own suite away from the boys, so they got the penthouse while we opted for a suite that has a living room, bathroom, kitchen and bedroom. It’s basically a little apartment within the hotel. It’s good because I can cook for him, and make it feel more like a homely atmosphere to relax in.

  He writes on the notepad, and I walk over so I can check out what he’s written.

  Ella used to make this chicken soup when I felt like shit. Think you could try to make something similar?

  My chest tightens that he’s thinking of Ella right now, but I nod and lean down kissing his head. “I’ll just go to the shops to get some supplies. I’ll be back. Text Luke if you need anything.”

  He nods. I grab my handbag and walk out of the apartment to the elevators with a sigh. I figure I only need a few things, and I know there’s a 7/11 just around the corner, so I will go there and gather the items I need. Hopefully, I can make a better soup than Ella.

  Walking in the early autumn day is nice. There’s a slight breeze in the air, and it wafts over my skin like a refreshing tidal wave of pleasure. Glancing up at the sky, it’s overcast with a spattering of gray clouds, but it’s still on the warmer side of cool.

  Making it to the store, I gather the ingredients then step up to the register to pay. It is all pretty effortless, and I’m glad I can sometimes go out without the guys and still have some normalcy to my life. I pay for the groceries, hoist the bags over my shoulders, and make it to the exit of the shop to see a car pull up and a guy rush out with a camera.

  Great!

  I roll my eyes, keeping my head down trying to avoid him, but soon another three of them show up and surround me taking my picture.

  “Lunar why did you go back to Danger’s side even when the press outed your past?”

  “Are you sticking with him through his surgery?”

  I grit my teeth at how they could dare think I wouldn’t, and I look up at the cameras. “I’m actually out buying food for him right now, so if you’ll let me get pass I would like to get back to him!”

  The cameras all seem to take a step away from me, and I breathe loudly as I continue to walk back to the hotel.

  “Is it love, Lunar?” one of them calls out behind me.

  I look back at them and smile but say nothing. I won’t tell them before I tell Danger. I’m too scared to tell him first because I’m worried I’ll frighten him away, and he’s so fragile right now that I don’t want to risk anything.

  I make it back to the apartment in
one piece, with all the groceries, and I place the bags on the cupboard. I look over and Danger’s lying down on the couch, his eyes closed peacefully and a slight snore echoing from his mouth. I smile and turn back around leaving him to sleep while I prepare his soup in the small kitchen area. The television in the living room flicks to breaking news, and I turn to see me on the street from moments before.

  Shaking my head, I roll my eyes. “They don’t waste any time, do they?” I mumble to myself as I begin to chop the celery.

  DANGER

  THREE WEEKS LATER

  I’m waiting to see the surgeon again, and Luke and Lunar are with me. I am able to talk now, but I’m still breathy, although I’ve been doing my voice exercises regularly.

  “Danger, you can come through now,” the doctor says popping his head out of his office.

  Standing up with the others, we walk into his room and take our seats. The office smells pristine, like antiseptic, and the white furniture and walls does nothing for his taste in art or décor.

  “Okay, so from the results that I have seen thus far everything looks great, and in a week when you see your speech therapist again you can resume singing. But only in a minor way, not belting it out like at a concert.”

  I’m relieved instantly, but I can’t put all my faith on this meeting. The speech therapist might have something else to say. “Thanks, doc.” I reach over the table and shake his hand.

  We talk a bit more about other possibilities and things that could happen, but all in all the appointment went well and I’m feeling good.

  Luke decided after the appointment we should go out for lunch, so we head to a small café that has a back section where we can hide away from the street view. It’s kind of nice to be able to eat in semi-public, without being in public if that makes sense?

  “So, this is good. Depending on what your speech therapist says, we could be back up and running in no time,” Luke says while he swirls some pasta onto his fork.