Riot stormed into the dressing room just as Rapture was securing the blanket she taken from home around her shoulders. She was sitting on a chair and had placed her feet into the bucket of steaming hot water in front of her. With the addition to the thermometer in her mouth, It was a scene out of a Norman Rockwell painting.
Riot looked around the room. Odd shaped bottles were open by the sink, Candles lined every inch of the counter top and the place smelled like an occult shop. For a moment Riot forgot what he come to say in the first place.
"What on earth is all this?" Riot asked angrily. " And what is that awful stench?"
"Riot!" Rapture cried happily taking the thermometer out of her mouth" I'm so happy to see you. Those are the healing candles. They are supposed to release a medicinal essence into the air. Only I cant really smell it. "
"Well be thankful for that!" Riot turned to his whimsical band mate and smiled condescendingly " Do you know I just ran into Rio?" He asked without waiting for an answer he continued " And do you know what he told me? He told me ..."
" Wait!" Rapture said " I know what your going to say. And I know I lied"
" Don't interrupt me Rapture! When I am speaking to you I expect you to listen!." His emphasis was on the last word. He began speaking again only he was interrupted again this time by Raptures coughing.
"Stop that!" Riot commanded.
"Riot..." She gasped between coughs.."I'm sick. I can't stop it' "
"Well try! We can discuss that after. You lied to me Rapture. Why didn't you tell me Jem wasn't coming to the show? You knew how important it was for me to see her here. How could you betray me like that? "
Rapture rubbed at her nose it was running again. She sniffled a few times and then explained " Riot I am so sorry I lied. I really really am. I just thought if you knew Jem wasn't going to be here then you would lose all your motivation to get better. I didn't want us to miss this opportunity. I did it for The Stingers. Please don't be mad at me Riot. I don't think I could bare it! "
Riot looked at her. She seemed genuine in her confession. He considered what she had said. It was, he supposed an adequate explanation for her less then satisfactory actions.
"I am still not happy you lied to me but at least I can understand why you did." Although Riot got angry easily his temper usually cooled down shortly after. It was the classic example of "his bark is worse than his bite".
" I really am sorry." And she looked it too. Her eyes were downcast she seemed truly remorseful. She removed her feet from the pail and slowly got up. She walked to where Riot stood and put her arms around him for a fierce hug. "I see your feeling better too." She remarked. " I knew my medicine would work. Too bad I left it at your place I could really use it right about now." Riot thought about that. All this time he had just assumed it was his own doing that had given him such a shockingly quick recovery. He then remembered Minx telling him how well that serum had worked on her as well. 'Well points for Rapture on that one' He thought his earlier anger slowly fading.
Rapture went to the nearby shelf and took a tissue just in time to... " EtiiiHHSOOoo" She sneezed wetly into it. She sighed and all at once she sneezed again. " HHiiiitCheww!" And if she thought it was just going to stop there she was sadly mistaken. "'TishChoo!" "ATTTISSwhoo" "AT-Chew!" With each one she felt weaker and weaker. Her energy already depleted it seemed her last ounce of strength was spent. She made it over to the couch and tumbled into it. She sat holding her head between her knees.
" Ohhh" She moaned " I feel wretched."
"I can see that." Riot said pointedly
" I bet you think I deserve this after how I treated you."
" Rapture," Riot said kindly" If you feel even half as bad as I did , I wouldn't wish it on my own worst enemy."
"not even Rio? You know I could sneeze a few times in his direction." She joked
" Hmmm... Maybe that's not a bad idea." He said and they both laughed. Which resulted in more heady coughing from Rapture.
The door opened then and Minx walked in to the sounds of hacking." Rapture that's YOU?" She asked in disbelief. " I thought it was Riot."
" It seems as if our lil' Rapture has caught cold as well." Riot said. " Not to mention Jem!"
"What? Jem is sick too?"
"Yes. Rio just informed me of this. It seems she called everyone and gave them a message that she would be absent. Only somehow I didn't get it." He looked over at Rapture but didn't say anything.
"Ohh Riot I'm sorry." Minx said although she was not. She hated seeing how Riot gushed over Jem.
"And Rapture you look awful. Are you feeling alright?"
" Oh Minx never mind about that. I really have something important to tell you. I thought about it over the past few days and I don't know why I was so mean to you. I feel really horrible about what I said to you. Can you please forgive me?"
Minx was so relieved. Rapture was her best friend and their fight had been praying on her mind ever since. " Of course I can darling. And I said some things that weren't very nice either so if you can accept my apology then were even."
The two girls embraced. Rapture pulling away quickly to sneeze yet again.
"Oh god!" She whined. " I thing I'b dyeig" Minx got up and brought her the box of Kleenex. Rapture smiled thankful and gathered up a bunch of tissue to blow her nose at a thundering volume. It didn't do much good as she still sounded congested when she next spoke " Wed is our sound check?" She asked
"Sound check...?" Minx questioned " Rapture have you heard yourself. You can barley speak, let alone sing!"
"Bud ...I'b sure ..I cad..." Her voice gave out and when she began coughing again she knew what Minx said was right. She was in no way fit to go on that night.
" Minx is right. We will just have to tell them we cant perform tonight. I am sure they will understand."
"I ab so sorry you guys. I cab here ready to preforb. I didn't dow it would ged this bad"
" We know" Minx said reassuringly." Just rest now" Rapture lay down on the couch and Minx brought over the blanket Rapture had been wearing and tucked it around her. Rapture snuggled underneath and closed her eyes.
" Now what?" Minx said looking toward the band's leader.
"Well what else can we do. I'll go tell Rio what happened and..." He stopped as he looked at Minx pleading eyes.." OK fine YOU go tell Rio whats happened. I think we should wait till our set to go home. I want to at least make a public apology"
"OK..I'll let Rio know" Minx said with a wink. With Jem out of the way she couldn't wait to work some magic of her own on the handsome roadie.
Minx left Rapture and Riot alone.
Riot thought over the events of the past few days. How horribly sick he had been. How excited he was to see Jem after he had recovered. The disappointment he felt when he leaned she wasn't there. How angry he had been at Rapture for lying. It was alot to take in. He looked over at Rapture sleeping like a baby. He was impressed that although she was clearly ill she still was loyal enough to show up tonight . That meant alot. He was fiercely protective of his band members. He hated to cancel a concert but in the end Raptures health meant more. And really it wouldn't have looked very good on The Stingers part to have Rapture up there coughing and sneezing between and probably during each song. It was the right choice to back out. He amusingly thought of how Minx was using her feminine wiles on Rio right now. He often wished Rio would just dump Jem and go after Minx and then Jem could be his and his alone. Thinking of Jem again brought forth to mind the calamity of this night. There would be other chances he was sure. In the meantime he would send her flowers and a get well card. Perhaps chocolates as well.
Rapture stirred in her sleep and he remarked how lucky she was to have Minx and him to care for her. Just as he had been so lucky to have Minx. The bonds that held this band together ran deep. Bound eternally by the music they created. The Stingers were much then a musical group they were kindred spirits. He knew this experiences would only strengthen their relationships to one another. He had forgiven Rapture and given what he knew from his recent ailment he could just imagine how she was going to feel when she woke. Ohh it was going to be a long next couple of days. He sighed. no matter he was up for the challenge