*Sneaks in* Hi, long time, no see. I hope everyone has been well. While this is not technically an update of Twist of the Kaleidoscope, it happens in the same universe. I have not stopped writing Twist of the Kaleidoscope. It's just easier for me to write shorter stories at the moment with my health issues. Plus there are specific moments in that universe I want to write about but would take forever to get to. Hence, I have decided to write these side stories while trying to piece together my normal, long chapters. But I have not stopped writing it.

"Don't worry, Cor, today, the coffee is on me."

"Okay, big spender. Can I get a Saturday study session muffin included with that?"

Shawn smiled at the cashier and handed her the money. "Nope."

"Come on, Shawnie, our fortunes have changed. I'm the poor college student and you're my best friend with the job. You know, because you abandoned me and dropped out of school in search of the almighty buck and all the greed capitalism has to offer."

"Silly me, I thought I was doing that thing called getting a life and being independent."

"Nope. Abandoning."

"Only coffee," he said, handing over the cup.

"Best friend. Deserted. Poor student." They walked over to the couch. "Alone with Guy because of the abandoning."

"You still haven't learned his name? Cory, it's been weeks."

"For the millionth time, Guy is his name! Who the heck does that to their kid?"

"You're right, that is weird."

"Weird enough to get me a muffin or doughnut?"

He sighed and dug some singles out of his pocket. "I want my change."

"Yay!" He jumped up and ran back to the counter.

Before Shawn could even sit down, he heard his brother call out to him. He was with Eric's friend and their new roommate, Jason- who was back in Philly after graduating college- and Rachel. "Hey."

"I swear, man, you're here more than when you were actually enrolled."

"I'm always after a good cup of coffee."

"If that were true you wouldn't be here."

"What's up?"

"Nothing much. Eric supposedly has an announcement. Angela called and said he wanted to meet here."

"And we're all expected to be nice," Jason added. "Very nice."

"Why," Cory asked, joining the group. "What's wrong with him?"

"Angela dragged him to the doctor. His ears were killing him last night. It was so bad I think he was close to crying." He shook his head. "Wouldn't go to the emergency room though. He thought they'd laugh at him for coming in because his ears hurt."

"Yeah, Eric's not great with physical pain. He needed a splinter out of his leg one time. Me, Shawn, and my dad held him down while mom got the tweezers."

"But of course, we are going to be supportive. Right, guys," Rachel challenged. "Right?" The guys agreed. "Good."

"What are we supporting? Holding him down while Angela administers ear drops?"

"If we have to, yes!"

"How did Topanga get a hall pass from this circus," Shawn asked. He knew she'd been keeping her distance lately, after deciding she couldn't be in love, but still figured she'd be around for stuff like this.

"She had plans with her aunt and cousin," Rachel answered.

A few minutes later Eric arrived, clinging to Angela for support as she led him in. "Hey, everybody."

Cory was surprised to see his brother legitimately did not look well. He'd supposed this whole thing was an exaggeration. "Eric, you…you don't look good."

"Nice thing to say to a man hours before he goes under the knife!"

"What?!"

"Eric, what's going on?"

"Did you not hear me? Knife, me under it. Keep up, Big Red! I'm going to be doing the surgical limbo."

"Angela," Jack asked, pleading for some sanity, "translation please."

"His wisdom teeth are impacted and need to come out ASAP."

"Wisdom teeth?"

"You have wisdom teeth? No offense, but I figured that evolutionary wonder skipped you."

"Cory, don't make me hurt you," Angela warned.

"But I just-"

"I thought it was your ears that bugged you."

"Referred pain."

"Oh. So…I'm going to get started on my project for my digital marketing class."

"Jack-"

"What? I'm sorry, but tons of people have wisdom teeth pulled."

"Not just pulled. I have to see a surgeon!"

"I got mine out at 16. It wasn't bad. I stayed home from school, played video games, and ate mashed potatoes and ice cream. I'm not normally a huge video game guy, but there's something about playing Mortal Kombat tripped out on Vicodin."

"No, man, Donkey Kong and Percocet is where it's at."

Eric looked at his girlfriend. "Can I stay at your place to recover? Jack and Jason will just drug me and plant me in front of the TV to play Donkey Kombat with iced potatoes and a sippy cup. I need to be taken care of."

"Of course." Was he being overdramatic? Undoubtedly. But like they always said, one perk of being in a relationship was having someone in your corner when you needed it. What was the point of being together otherwise? "I'll even help you get your homework from your professors. This way you don't fall behind if you need to miss a few days."

"Homework?" He made a face. "Maybe I'll just call my mommy."

/

/

"Here's a fresh ice pack," Angela said, handing it over as she got into bed. "Do you need anything else?" He shook his head. "Did you take the painkillers the doctor prescribed?"

"Yeah. It sucks that I'm not supposed to take them on an empty stomach but the last thing I want to do is eat. I was barely able to choke down a few spoons of mashed potatoes."

"Do you want ice cream?"

Eric winced at the thought. "Too cold."

"Chicken broth?"

"Too hot. Besides, if it's not my mom's homemade stuff, it's yucky."

"Yogurt? Pudding? Jello? Or I could make you oatmeal or a smoothie."

"No," he said with an aggravated sigh.

"Well, excuse me for trying to help."

"Can I please be grumpy and nervous about the surgery without you turning it into a personal attack? Because it's not."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I just feel bad because I can't help you feel better."

"If you really want to help you could be the one who gets their wisdom teeth removed. Why isn't it you? You've got so much wisdom already. You can spare a little. Me on the otherhand…"

"Eric, it's going to be fine."

"But what if they take something I need? What if losing my wisdom teeth makes me less…less…not so…that might be where my brains are stored!"

"You won't be in pain anymore." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Last time I checked you weren't crazy about that."

"That part sucks. On a scale of 1-10, the pain is definitely an 84.2 on the Richter Scale."

"See? There's a bright side. No more pain."

"But why do they want to take out all four at once? Can't they do this in stages? You know, wean me into it?"

"Why prolong the agony? Besides, you heard the dentist; those wisdom teeth are practically horizontal. If you leave them any longer, they are going to hit the nerves."

Eric brought his hands to his cheeks. "Ah! Ah! Ah! Shut up!"

"I'm sorry, baby," she said as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Not forgiven."

"How about if I tell you about another bright side to this whole thing?"

"It had better be good."

"I will take care of you until you're feeling better. And if there's a class or test this week that I can't afford to miss, your mom's the backup quarterback."

His eyes grew wide. "It took you most of the spring and summer to sort of get baseball terms right, but you know football stuff?"

"My dad loves football. He lives and breathes the Army vs Navy game every year. So, I grew up with it. I like it, too."

"So, we can go to some college games together?"

"Sure."

"And if I can score Eagles tickets?"

"I thought the plan for that was a guys' thing with your dad, Jack, and Jason? Maybe Cory and Shawn, too?"

"There's more than one game in a season. The Eagles only won three games last year. No one is rushing to Veteran's Stadium."

"I know my dad wants to get tickets to the Giants/Eagles game when he comes for Christmas. I can ask him to try to get three seats."

"He's a Giants fan?"

"My grandfather was from New York; Elmira, I think. He followed the team even after he moved to Nevada and passed on the love."

"And you?

Angela shrugged. "I think it was a way to hang out with my dad. He indulged me in classical music and writing. I can indulge him in the army and football."

Eric was going to say something else but lost his train of thought and swayed from his spot in bed. "Oookay. Wow."

"What?"

"The swirly, wavy feeling I get when my brain taps out?"

"Yeah?"

"I feel that way all over. It's like a hangover without the headache and puking."

"That's probably the painkiller kicking in."

"Cool."

She helped him lie down and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight."

/

/

"Angela?"

She looked up and was surprised to see Amy coming over to her. Though, realistically, she knew it shouldn't be a shock. After all, where else would she be while her son had a medical procedure done, no matter how minor? "Hi."

"I know Eric said it wasn't a big deal and to stay home, but I'm his mother. I hope you don't mind that I came to keep you company."

"Please. I've already done my reading for next week and am working through the Highlights magazines."

"And?"

"They're not as much fun with all the activities filled out. Though I did find one undone connect-the-dots."

"Very nice."

"I know."

"How about your reading for class?"

"The Alchemist. It started slow, but now I'm really getting into it."

"How long has Eric been back there?"

"Almost two hours. They said this usually takes two hours, sometimes a little longer if the teeth are stubborn. And his are horizontal, so-"

Amy chuckled and shook her head. "Never a dull moment with Eric. Were they putting him completely under or just numbing him?"

"I don't know. I think they said they were doing something called twilight sedation. If it's up to him, I'm sure he's unconscious. Why?"

"He had his appendix out when he was nine. When the drugs were starting to take effect before surgery he panicked, convinced we were sending him off to outer space to trade him in for a new Eric. It did not help that the surgical team wore green scrubs and masks."

"Aw, poor guy. What about when he woke up?"

"He went on and on about Big Bird. I mean on and on. Honestly, we couldn't make heads or tails of most of it. The recovery room nurse even said- when they wheeled him in- he was humming the Sesame Street theme song. And at nine it had been quite a while since he watched Sesame Street."

"That's adorable."

"Hopefully if they knocked him out, he comes out of it easier this time. But at least with both of us here one can make a store run if anything is needed while the other stays with him until Jack and Jason are home."

"Eric's staying at my apartment. He's afraid the guys will dope him up with the drugs and stick him in front of the TV. That's probably what he's going to want to do anyway, but-"

"Oh."

Angela looked at her. "Is something wrong?"

"Sometimes I forget he's an adult now. God knows he doesn't always act like it."

"If it helps, I think that's mostly self-preservation."

"Even without the craziness, it's too easy to look at him and see the nine-year-old who needed me. But he has you now, you and his friends."

"Amy, he still needs you. Just last night he wished he had some of the broth from your homemade chicken soup because he said it always makes him feel better."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"I can make him a big pot of soup."

"I think he'd like that."

"Angela?"

She looked over at the receptionist. "Yes?"

"They'll be right out to take you to him."

"Thanks."

/

"…..and remove the gauze. But if it's still bleeding, or the bleeding resumes, you can replace the gauze. You got that," the oral surgeon asked. "Eric?"

"Huh?"

"Did you hear what I said about the gauze?"

"Yeah…yeah…I got it."

"What did I say?"

"Rinse and repeat the gauze, like shampoo."

"Not quite, but it'll be in the packet."

"Packet? You're giving me homework?"

"Apply ice packs to either side of your face in twenty-minute intervals. This will help to reduce the-" She realized her patient was staring off into the corner again. "Eric?"

"What?" His hand shot up. "Yeah, present. I'm here, Mr. Feeny."

"I don't know who Mr. Feeny is, but that is not me."

"Duh. He's much nicer."

"As I was saying, ice packs-"

"Oh, Eric, look who I found!" The nurse caught the surgeon's sigh of annoyance. "Sorry, I can bring them back in a few-"

"No, it's fine. We're almost done." The doctor acknowledged the girlfriend she was introduced to earlier and a woman she assumed to be Eric's mother. "He'll be all yours' in just a moment."

Angela walked into the little room and stood next to the dental chair. Eric, he…he…well, he'd seen better days. "Eric, are you okay?" He slowly looked up at her and gave what she assumed was his best facsimile of a smile. "Hi."

"You're hot."

"Thank you. How are you feeling?"

"Am I hot?"

'What?"

"I told you you're hot. Now you tell me I'm hot."

"I'm sorry. You're very hot."

"Thanks, but I have a girlfriend. In fact," he said, snapping his fingers, "I think you might be her."

She smiled. "I just might be."

"Cool. You want to come home with me tonight?"

"No."

"But why?"

"Because you're coming home with me, remember?"

He gave a double thumbs up. "Score!"

"Eric," the surgeon interjected, "we still have a couple of points to cover before I let you leave."

"Right."

"Only soft foods and liquids tonight."

"Stuff only Josh would eat, got it."

"Josh is…"

"His baby brother," Amy explained from the doorway.

Eric turned towards his mother's voice and nearly fell out of the chair. "Hi, mommy! My mouth is all bloody."

"That's very nice, honey. Stay in your chair and listen to the doctor."

"Okay." He let Angela help him back into the chair. "Sorry, doc."

She shook her head and handed over the packet of information. "And no strenuous activity for the next few days."

"No stren…like exercise?"

"Correct."

He turned to his girlfriend and said, "Sorry, no sex."

"Oh, my, god!" Angela hid her face behind the papers. "Can we leave?"

"Please."

Angela helped him up and headed for the door; unable to look Amy in the eye. Eric not only had no qualms facing his mother, but also had some comments. "Don't worry, mom. I know what you're thinking. But I've been way more fucked up than this."

/

The ride back to her apartment had been quiet, much to her surprise. Angela had expected the commentary to continue instead, Eric stared out the window watching the scenery go by. "Your mom is going to make you her chicken soup and drop it off later. I told her how you wished you had some last night." Silence. "Hey, did you hear me?"

"Uh-huh."

"What are you doing," she asked when she heard him chuckle.

"Scaring everyone with how creepy I look."

She smiled. "You are quite the picture right now. How do you feel?"

"Like an elephant sat on my head."

"When we get back to my place I'll get you an ice pack and your medicine."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Which color do you think tastes best?"

"What color of what?"

"The leaves? Do you think yellow, orange, or red would be best?"

Angela glanced at the fall foliage as she drove. "I-I never thought about it before."

Eric appeared to give it some serious thought before answering. Then again, that could've been the sedative. "I think orange."

"Orange, huh? Why?" Quiet again. "Eric?" She looked at him when she stopped at a red light. He was asleep; forehead against the window and bloody drool at the corner of his mouth. Sure to delight to anyone who saw him. She only hoped he'd wake up easily when she got home.

/

"How's your soup," Angela asked later that night, as they watched TV.

"Eh." He pushed the food around his bowl. "It tastes fine, but you know the phrase bite the bullet?"

"Yeah."

"I can't even bite the mushy carrot."

"Do you want mashed potatoes instead?"

"Maybe later." When Angela got up, Eric was contemplating the answer to a question on Who Wants to be a Millionaire. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to start a load of laundry before I study."

"Sorry about the blood."

"It's not your fault. I'm just glad my dad agreed to an apartment with an in-unit washer and dryer. There is a plus side to his protective nature sometimes."

"Do you need help?"

"I've got it. You need to rest. Doctor's orders."

"The doctor's not here." He followed her to the closet that housed her washer and dryer. "I won't tell if you won't."

"My orders then. I must warn you, with a dad in the military I am very good at giving orders." Angela looked back to reassure him that she was joking around, but saw that he was fixated on her bottle of detergent. "What?"

"Sunshine."

"Huh?"

"The scent. It's Mountain Sunshine."

"Yeah, so?"

"So, isn't the sun like a giant ball of fire?"

"Yes," she responded slowly, unsure of where he was going with this, yet very sure the drugs were still doing the talking.

"Then shouldn't it make the laundry smell like smoke and fire? Why doesn't it make things smell like fire?"

She wrapped an arm around Eric's waist and placed one of his arms around her shoulders. "Come on, let's get you back to the couch."

"But I'm helping."

"You'll help me a lot better from the couch."