"Brushing my teeth, what's it look like?" Damon replied without hesitating.
They both started yelling and shoving each other and then they started trying to throw punches. Oh god they're going to kill each other. I had to think fast!
I turned off the shower and pulled the curtain back. I stepped out of the shower, completely naked, and walked across the room over towards the two guys who finally stopped fighting and just stared at me, mouths wide open.
"You think one of you could hand me a towel?" I looked back and forth between the two of them.
They both blindly felt behind them for a towel while not looking away from me, and Jeremy finally managed to grab the towel and hand it to me.
"Thank you." I smiled and walked back into my bedroom.
The two of them quietly followed but once I sat down on my bed they both started arguing again.
"Okay...OKAY!" I yelled "ENOUGH OUT OF THE TWO OF YOU!"
"Well he shouldn't have been in there with you while you were showering!" Jeremy exclaimed.
"Okay...listen. Damon, Jeremy is right. You need to ask permission the next time you walk in on someone in the shower." I replied.
"But-" Damon started but I put my hand up.
"Jeremy...you need to calm the hell down because you are acting like a jealous boyfriend and I'm over it. You are both my friends and that's not going to change. You have to get used to it." I felt like I was scolding school children. Thankfully neither one of them complained or argued with me. I shuffled them out the door so I could finally get dressed.
Nothing remotely exciting happened over the rest of weekend aside from the two of them bugging the crap out of me, calling me left and right asking if I was okay and apologizing multiple times for what happened the morning of the shower incident.
Monday finally came and I called the neurologist but they couldn't get me in for an appointment until the following week. I was a little frustrated and I got somewhat short with the girl on the phone.
"I just told you I had a migraine and I was bleeding from my nose and throwing up blood...and you're telling me I have to wait until next Friday for an appointment?"
"Well you can always go to the hospital." she huffed.
"Yeah and that'll cost me my entire house." I rolled my eyes.
"Friday is the earliest we have. And that's actually early because we're booking out months right now."
"Fine. I'll take it. Thanks."
By the end of the week Jeremy had called me in almost hysterics asking if he could come over and talk. I agreed and sat and waited for him to show up. His car screeched to a halt in front of my house when he arrived and he ran up the stairs.
I opened the door and he immediately embraced me.
"Jeremy...what's going on? Is everything okay?" I questioned.
"It's bad. It's really bad." was all he could say.
"What is it?" I pulled out of the hug "Did something happen to someone? What's happening?"
"Bonnie and I...we got into another fight. This one was really bad." his face was so distraught as he sat down in the living room.
"No one...no one got hurt, right?" I asked.
"No! God no! Nothing like that! No but...she asked me to leave. To move out. I don't know what's happening, Vi!" his eyes began to tear up.
"Oh Jer...I'm so sorry." I sat next to him and held his hand. "What brought it on?"
"I don't know. You know we've been fighting a lot. Maybe we just need some space to work some things out? I just...I feel like a failure. This wasn't supposed to happen like this." he sobbed.
"Jeremy, hey listen...everything will work out. Maybe you're right, maybe you guys just need some time apart to figure things out. Please don't be this upset, I hate seeing it." I wrapped my arms around him and ran my fingers through his hair.
"I can't lose her, I can't. I've already lost so much." he said.
"I know. It'll be okay. I'll be here. You'll get through it. Try not to stress too much. Nothing horrible has happened. A lot of couples do this, they separate and just need some alone time. Then they work things out. It'll be okay." I assured him.
"I hope so." was all he replied.
"So where are you staying?" I asked.
"With Tyler. He offered. I would have stayed here with you but..." he trailed off.
"I know, Jer. You didn't want to make anything weird. I get it. I'm not upset." and truth be told, I wasn't. It would have been really awkward living under the same roof with him. I know we spent a few nights here and there together but day in and day out would not be healthy for either of us. I was glad he was of sound mind enough to think the same thing.
He left after a few hours and I sat down and called Bonnie.
"Hey." she answered.
"Bonnie...are you okay? Do you need to talk to someone?" I asked.
She was quiet for a moment, and I was worried that somehow, she'd be angry with me.
"Vi...I'm really thankful that you called. Means a lot to me. I'm okay. I just need some time to think about things. I love Jeremy, you know that. He knows that. But we're just having such a hard time. I need some space. Some time apart." she told me.
"I understand. Is there anything I can do for you? I feel just awful." I said.
"I appreciate it. Thank you. But no, not right now. Like I said, I just need to clear my head and think about a few things." she replied.
"Okay. I hope everything works out, Bonnie. You know I love you both. I know I'm good friends with Jeremy, but I want you to know you're one of my friends too. If you need something you can always ask." I told her and I meant every word. She really had been good to me this past year.
"Thank you, Violet. I'll talk to you later, okay?" she ended the conversation.
I had really hoped that she would be okay. Aside from her being a powerful pissed off witch, I just didn't like anyone I knew being hurt.
The following Friday had finally come by, and pretty fast. I only told Jeremy and Damon about the appointment. I drove myself there and checked in and then waited.
The wait wasn't long, thank god. This was another neurologist that specialized in headaches and the effects it had on the brain. This new doctor, Dr. Kaulman, thought that maybe there were some nerves in my brain that were possibly misfiring and that was what was causing the migraines, especially since the medications all seemed to not work as well anymore.
He ordered some X-rays and an MRI that I would need to get done after my visit with him. He told me that if they could find the problem, they may be able to treat me with some type of nerve medication and that would wind up helping with the migraines. Anything that would help would be fantastic!
The lab that did the scans was close by and considering it was a Friday, they got me in and out of there really quick. I think it had to do with it being the end of the day, they wanted to get out of there quick. They said that the doctor would have the results by the middle of next week and he would give me a call and have me come in and we'd go over what options I had to treat the headaches.
I was feeling pretty good as I was leaving the lab, thinking that FINALLY I'd have these damn headaches under control soon enough. I was tired of having to cancel plans or just worry in general about making plans and not being able to continue them with these stupid migraines. Plus, on top of that the whole "blood" thing involving me. It was so frustrating. I was ready for at least half of that to be done and over with.
Halfway home my tire pressure was reading low and I couldn't figure out why. I continued the drive and when I pulled into my drive, I checked my tire...which had a nice lovely nail sticking out of it. Great. Just what I needed.
I walked in the house and called a mechanic who then told me to bring it right over to the garage. He said depending on where it was, he may be able to patch it up and have it fixed in an hour or so.
So...on I drove to the mechanic's place. And of course, he told me that the entire tire would need to be replaced.
"Yeah, I can't take that thing outta there, your whole tire will deflate. You're going to need a new tire." he told me.
"Great. And how much is that going to cost me?" I asked.
"Two hundred." he replied.
"Two hundred dollars for one tire!?" I asked.
"Sorry hunny, but that's how much they run."
"Fine. Just do it." I frowned.
"There's another problem." he told me.
"And what's that?" I was getting annoyed.
"I don't have the tire in stock, and I also won't have anyone to fix it until Monday." he sighed.
"What!?" I couldn't believe it! "You're here, why don't you fix it? Go to a store and buy a tire or something!"
"First of all, do you see how many other cars I have lined up? If it were a simple patch job, I could have fixed it myself. This will need more time, and I'll need someone else here to do it. Plus, these tires aren't sold in every store around here, and the store that does carry them is closed until Monday." he sounded slightly irritated.
"Well then fine. I'll bring the car back on Monday and you can do it." I huffed.
"Are you kidding? You can't drive that car like that! That nail gets ripped out of there the tire will pop and you'll have one nasty accident. I can't let you leave with it. Leave it here, I'll get to it on Monday."
I had no other choice. I had to leave the car. I called up Elena and asked if she could come and pick me up and drive me home. She listened to me vent almost the entire way home and then finally was able to get a word in after all of my talking.
"What were you up to anyway?" she asked. Right...I hadn't told anyone but Damon and Jeremy about the appointment. I didn't want to worry anyone.
"Oh...well I went shopping." I quickly replied.
"And yet you have no bags?" she laughed.
"Yeah well...you know how every time you go looking for something you never actually find anything. I'm picky anyway." I hoped she bought it.
Monday morning arrived quickly and I was anxious to call the mechanic up and ask when my car would be ready. I knew they didn't open until nine so I sat down to eat breakfast. My phone rang right at 8:30 and I looked and saw it was the doctor's office.
"Huh...that was fast." I muttered to myself. They must have gotten the results from the scans already.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Hello...Miss Peyton? This is Dr. Kaulman." the man on the other end began. Odd...I didn't think doctors were usually the ones to call patients.
"Yes Doctor, what can I do for you?" I replied.
"I got the scans back and I just looked at them. Miss Peyton...I think you should come in so I can discuss them with you." he sounded concerned.
"Is everything alright?" I asked, becoming worried.
"We should discuss this in person. Can you come down here now?" he asked.
"I-well my car is in the shop. Can I just come tomorrow instead? I'll have it back by then."
"No, Miss Peyton. I think you need to come here now."
I agreed and hung up the phone, beginning to get worried. What was going on? What did he see? How was I going to get there?
I weighed my options. The only people who even knew I saw that doctor were Jeremy and Damon. I didn't want to worry Jeremy by calling him and asking him to take me. So, my only other option was Damon.
"It's very early, what's going on?" he asked when he answered the phone.
"I uhh...I have a doctor's appointment. My car is in the shop. I completely forgot about it until I checked my calendar this morning. Can you take me?" I lied.
"Yeah, I'll be right there." he hung up.
It seemed like forever for him to get there even though it wasn't any longer than usual. My brain was racing trying to figure out what the doctor was going to tell me. Would I need surgery? Would I lose my memory? Be able to walk, talk, etc.? Did I have some kind of disease?
He showed up and pulled me out of my thoughts momentarily. I quickly got in the car and told him where to go. He tried making small talk but I honestly was not paying attention. I tried but I just kept worrying about what the doctor was going to say.
We parked and I hurried in, signing my name in and sitting down.
"Are you sure you're okay? You seem really nervous." Damon asked.
"I'm fine. I'm just...excited I guess that maybe he's found a way to treat these migraines." I was trying to cover up how worried I really was.
I didn't wait long. The nurse called me back within just a few minutes of being there.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Damon grabbed my hand as I stood up.
"No...thank you. I'll be fine. Probably in and out before you know it!" I flashed a smile, hoping it looked real.
The nurse walked me back and didn't say anything other than "The doctor will be in to see you shortly" and then left the room.
It wasn't a normal exam room, which I was thankful for. All of the white walls and ceilings and floors and fluorescent lights just made me more nervous anyway. There was a desk and some chairs in the room, some plants and then of course the lights that you put the x-rays up against to see everything.
After what seemed like forever the doctor finally walked in. I stood up to shake his hand.
"Thank you for coming in so early Miss Peyton." his face was blank. No expression.
"Well...I'm hoping you have some good news." I smiled nervously.
"...I'm afraid not." he averted his eyes from me.
"Sooo...now what? You tell me that these are all stress related and that I just need stronger medication? I've heard all of that before." I sighed.
"No...that's not what I'm going to tell you." he stood up and picked up the x-rays and placed them against the lighting.
"Miss Peyton...Violet. Do you see this mass right here?" he asked, pointing to the x-ray.
"It's hard to miss...what is that?" I questioned, not really knowing where this was going.
"It's...it's a tumor." he stammered.
I froze. I couldn't have heard him right. A tumor? No...no. This wasn't real.
"A tumor? You said a tumor?" I asked.
"Yes...a tumor." he responded.
"So...so what do we do about that? Chemo or...or radiation? Or do I take some kind of medication? Because if we get rid of that my headaches will probably stop, right? And then I won't have to worry about any of this, right?"
He was silent for a moment and it made me nervous. He had to have some good news to tell me, right? We could take care of this...the headaches would go away...and I'd be fine.
"I...this tumor...you have what is called Brain Stem Glioma. It's wrapped around the base of your brain that connects to your spine." he began telling me.
"Okay...and? How do we get rid of it?" I began feeling warm.
"Violet...we can't. It's inoperable..."