Chapter 7 - Going Under

A/N: What happens to Reggie is based on my experiences with wisdom tooth removal (except for the teddy bear stuff--I read that in a newsletter from the local Children's Hospital).

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"This is KYSR FM, Los Angeles, Star 98.7-Today's Best Music. It's 5:45AM on this warm Saturday morning. In the next hour, we'll be playing hits from Bon Jovi, the Goo Goo Dolls, Outkast, and the latest from Evanescence. It's all coming up right here."

Sam turned and looked at his alarm clock. Yep, this was it. Time to get up so he could accompany Reggie to the hospital. Still a bit groggy, he hit the off button on his clock radio and slowly walked to the bathroom, groaning and rubbing his eyes along the way.

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Meanwhile, Reggie was also up. She was as tired as Sam was, but Ray had made sure she got up and prepared herself for her surgery. Unfortunately, she was also hungry and couldn't do anything about it; the doctor said she couldn't eat anything after midnight. However, she was sure to take the pills that the surgeon had prescribed for her to take before the surgery. They were supposed to make her feel relaxed yet drowsy. She could note their effect a few minutes after she swallowed them. On the way out the door, Ray reminded her that she was allowed to take anything she wanted that would make her feel more comfortable. She felt like she was a little too old to have any objects of comfort, but she still held on to a bit of her inner child. Deciding it wouldn't hurt, she grabbed her teddy bear as she walked out the door. Supposedly, according to the doctor, whatever she took with her could go in to the operating room--teddy bears even got their own wrist ID tags. She didn't take much else though--the doctor also told her that she would be released that afternoon if all went well. She also remembered to take Twister's necklace, although she gave it to Ray for safekeeping.

As she and Ray were leaving the house, Sam was crossing the street and heading towards the Rockets' woody wagon.

"Hey Reg. How are you feeling?" he asked.

Reggie's fatigued groan was enough of an answer for him. He noticed her drowsy look and figured that the doctors had given her something to partially knock her out before she arrived.

"Don't worry. I've been in the hospital before. Asthma, broken legs, you name it. It's not scary. Besides, you're Rocket Girl. You'll do fine."

Reggie smiled back at him as they got in the car. Sam decided that this would be the best moment to tell Reggie about the events of the previous week.

"Uh, Reg, there's something I should tell you. You know when you and Ray were talking about your surgery the other day? Well, Otto didn't hear all of the conversation, and without the part he didn't hear, he thought that you--that you--I'm embarrassed to say--dying."

The d-word temporarily snapped Reggie out of her somewhat groggy state. "What!?" she exclaimed. Sam then proceeded to explain that he was skeptical and only went along with Otto and Twister until he was able to investigate and determine that she was having a tonsillectomy. He had tried to tell Otto and Twister, but they refused to believe him.

"That's my hard-headed brother for you," Reggie quietly explained. "I bet those two were the ones that told everyone---wait! They probably told them that I was dying. Good grief! Next thing you know they'll be planning a complete funeral service for me! We have to do something."

"Well, what can we do? Besides, you're in no position to help right now," Sam wondered.

"I've got an idea," Reggie replied as she began to whisper her idea in to Sam's ear. He agreed to began to implement the plan while she was in surgery and recovering.

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When the three arrived at the hospital, they first went to the Registration desk to complete all the bureaucratic paperwork--biographical information, health history, insurance. Next, they went upstairs to meet the doctor. Ray had went out of his way to find a surgeon that had a good reputation in the area and that would be professional yet friendly. His search had not failed him. After asking Reggie if she had any more questions, he quickly gave her, Ray, and Sam a tour of the operating room and introduced her to the anesthesiologist. Finally, Ray and Sam briefly left while a nurse gave Reggie a gown to put on and then helped her in to the bed that she would be wheeled in to surgery in. Ray and Sam then entered, followed by the doctor.

The doctor handed her a Walkman with a pair of headphones. Reggie, somewhat surprised, accepted them. "Go ahead and tune in to your favorite radio station," he offered. Reggie happily complied. Now she wasn't as fearful as she had been. The music took her mind off her surroundings and the impending procedure.

"Ready?"

Reggie nodded her head, then turned to her two visitors and asked, "I'm a little embarrassed to ask this, but will you two hold my hand right now?"

Her father answered, "Don't be. It's OK to be nervous. We're right here with you." Sam took Reggie's hand and squeezed it (she squeezed right back) while Ray kissed her forehead and stroked her purple hair.

The doctor then placed a rubber tube with laughing gas circulating through it on Reggie's nose. "OK, Reggie, breathe through your nose. You'll begin to feel lightheaded and sleepy."

Slowly, Reggie began to inhale the gas. The doctor was right; she began to feel funny and everything began to blur. The last thing she remembered was feeling a pinch in her left hand as the anesthesiologist inserted an IV containing a sedative.

The nurses then wheeled her out towards the operating room. Ray walked behind them, then turned a corner to find the waiting room. It wouldn't be too long, he knew, but he wanted to keep his mind off his daughter. Although unlikely, anything could happen to her while she was sedated.

On the other hand, Sam knew what he had to do. He told Ray he would go get Otto and Twister and would be back by the time Reggie was in recovery.

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Meanwhile, Otto and Twister were sitting on the curb in the cul-de-sac, sadly staring at the sky. Both had tears in their eyes as they knew that the fateful hour had passed--the one in which Reggie would be taken from them.

"Where do you think she is, O-Man?" Twister inquired.

"Right now, I bet she's tearing it up in the clouds," mournfully replied Otto.

"When Raymundo gets back, can I talk to him? I wrote something to say during her funeral," Twister commented as he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Otto. He could not believe what Twister had written. "Maybe all the kid needed to succeed was a little emotion," Otto thought as he read.

When I was thinking about what to say about Reggie, I knew I could not just say "Good bye." After all, we had known each other since I was a little baby. I could always remember her cheery face and her wavy purple hair blowing in the breeze behind her. When we were introduced to skateboarding and surfing, I knew she was something special from the moment she strapped on a pair of roller blades or picked up her surfboard. No boy could outdo her without close competition, as she refused to take a back seat to anyone who thought she was incapable. Her strength shined as strong as ever in spite of the loss of her mother, whom she was very close to. I know that they have finally found each other again. It's sad that we have lost Reggie at such a young age, but in the sense that she has joined her mother, I feel happy for her. Reggie, I want you to know that you will always have a special place in my heart. I love you as if you were my own sister, and I swear that every Ollie and kick-flip I do, and every video I shoot from now on will be in your honor. So, until we meet again, don't get too much air up in the sky (Sorry about the joke).

Otto was sad enough, but reading this eulogy caused him to lose it completely. Tears streamed down his face almost non-stop as he buried his face in Twister's shirt. Twister could do nothing but hold him. They just sat there until suddenly, Sam came running up the street.

"Squid, where's the fire?" Twister asked.

"Guys, it's Reggie. She wanted me to come up and get you guys right now."

Suddenly, Otto's tears stopped. "You mean she hasn't passed away yet?"

Sam quickly replied, "Not yet. Better hurry though. She's in a lot of pain. I better warn you though, you may not like..." Unfortunately, Sam could not finish his statement as Otto and Twister had jumped up, grabbed their boards, and had started down the street at a lightning-fast pace. All Sam could do was try to catch up to them. After all, he had to be with them so Reggie's plan would work.

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OK. I finished this chapter pretty quickly. I'll be busy the next few days, so don't expect an update until next week.

Happy New Year :)