Chapter 9: Ted Orion

Author's Note: I got the impression in D3 that Ted and Gordon have known each other for years. Fun fact: 3275 Glenwood is the actual location of Hans Sport Shop. I just spell-checked this. I'm updating now.

" Beep."

Gordon Bombay stirred at the sounds of the machines beeping around him. He squinted at the bright lights. This was not his bedroom, far from it.

"Nurse," a voice called. "I think he is waking up."

Bombay could not make out who that was. The voice sounded familiar, but everything was blurry when he tried to look around the room. A nurse rushed into the room and immediately took his blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature vitals.

"Mr. Bombay, I need you to open your eyes."

Gordon complied immediately. He had never felt so weak. But as soon as the nurse flashed a small light into his eyes to check his pupils, he moaned in pain and shoved the flashlight away.

"Blood pressure still up but improving. Heart right slightly elevated. Temperature normal. How are you feeling, Mr. Bombay?"

"Like my head is being crushed by a vice," Bombay said, lying back down.

"Anything else?"

Bombay thought for a moment. He wiggled his toes and figures. Normal. But it didn't quite feel right when he tried to move around. He couldn't explain it.

"Not really."

The nurse watched him briefly before jotting down some notes on a clipboard. "Well, you are a very lucky man, Mr. Bombay."

"I am?" Bombay asked, confused.

"You are. You got here just in time. " The nurse paused to see how her patient was taking it. Bombay said nothing. It was like he didn't even hear her. "The doctor will be in shortly."

Bombay nodded and sucked back under the covers. His head hurt. A lot. He would do almost anything to make it stop. Before he could drift off to sleep, he could smell the aroma of food. He was starved.

"Hey, Gordon. I managed to sneak in some food here for you. Much better than what the cafeteria is serving."

Gordon recognized the voice this time. Ted Orion.

"Thanks, Ted." Gordon gratefully took the sandwich Ted offered him and devoured it. He was starving.

"So what happened? Really."

"You don't know?" Ted asked in astonishment.

Gordon hung his head, trying to remember the night before, but it was a blank.

"I don't. I remember Luis driving me home, and that's it."

"Geeze," Orion said. "I knew you were having problems, but I never knew it was this bad."

"How did you know that I was here?" Bombay asked.

"I got a call around eleven. From my parents. It appears you haven't updated your emergency contact list since we were at Eden Hall together."

"I bet they were real pleased about that," Gordon said.

"Actually, they were worried about you."

"Really?" Bombay asked. "I seem to remember the last time I saw them. The two of us were having a graduation party in the backyard. They were supposed to be in Ohio on vacation but decided to come home early."

Orion immediately laughed at the memory. "They were so mad. The entire senior class showed up. It took me almost a week to clean up the mess. They found me passed out next to Cindy McLauren. Whatever happened to her?"

"Cindy McLauren? Wasn't she the head cheerleader during our senior year?"

"I dunno. I haven't seen Cindy since high school."

"I vaguely remember your Dad finding me hanging upside down from the old maple tree in the backyard. I remember your Dad threatening that if he ever saw me again, that ..." Bombay trailed off. "Anyway, how are your parents?"

"They're good, especially since the accident. They stay with Kelie while I'm on road trips. I don't know what I'd do if they were not there."

Bombay shook his head. None of this made sense. "If the hospital called your parents, and they called you, then how did I get to the hospital?"

"Oh, there was this guy who drove you in. I think this name was Luis. He said he found you passed out on the floor convulsing." Orion lowered his voice. "How much did you drink last night?"

"I don't know. I lost count. One moment, I'm fine, and the next, I'm...not."

Orion reached into his pocket, pulled out an AA pamphlet, and tossed it on Bombay's lap. "They said they found this in your jeans pocket."

"So they did," Bombay remarked. His headache was starting to go away.

"Listen," Orion said. "I don't know what's going on in your life right now, but when things were not looking good for Kalie, all I wanted to do was lose myself in the bottle. Prescription drugs. Whatever."

"So why didn't you?"

Orion was incredulous. "Because I need to be there for my daughter. If you even need anyone..."

"I'm fine, Ted."

"I wouldn't call 'this' fine," Ted said, motioning to the fact that they were in the hospital.

"I said I'm fine."

Gordon didn't want to hear it, especially from Ted. He and Orion went way back, but Orion had changed ever since he had his daughter. Gordon knew inside that Orion meant well, but it always came off as sanctimonious. The fact was that he was envious of Orion and his family.

The two of them stayed silent. Orion sighed. Once again, Bombay pushed everyone away whenever someone tried to help him. Ted Orion's pager going off broke the silence.

"I've gotta go. The offer still stands..."

Orion saw Gordon glaring at him and left as the doctor entered the room. Gordon sat up. He had enough of this place.

"Well, Mr. Bombay, you certainly are a lucky one."

"That's what everyone keeps telling me," Bombay muttered. The doctor ignored the remark and retook his vitals.

"One twenty over eighty. Ninety-seven point two. It appears you are back to normal." The doctor watched for Bombay's reaction as he read the results to him.

"Amazing, considering what they were when they bought you in. You probably don't even remember, do you?"

Bombay shook his head no.

"When they bought you in, your heart rate was off the chart, you were convulsing, and we had to pump your stomach twice. Your blood alcohol level was over .2 when you arrived. " The doctor paused. "You could have died. You're lucky to be alive. We also found a large amount of Acetaminophen in your blood."

"I'll be more careful next time," Bombay said. "When am I going to be released?"

"Now, if you like. Your vitals are back to normal. I see no reason to keep you."

The doctor scribbled on a hospital release form and handed it to Gordon. "I hope not to see you again like this."

Bombay nodded, gathered his things, and left the hospital as soon as possible. He had considered calling Luis, but he didn't feel like playing twenty questions today, so he called a cab and went home.

When Bombay opened the door to his apartment, he was shocked to see the mess he had created. His place looked like a tornado had gone through it. Bombay stooped down to pick up the garbage littered throughout his apartment. There were broken glass bottles everywhere. Bombay signed. This was going to take a while to clean up.

After about twenty minutes of cleaning nonstop, Bombay felt like he was being watched. Every time he picked something up, he would spin around, expecting to see a person behind him. It was not until the tenth time he did this that he finally saw who was watching him: Jade Hall.

Jade Hall stepped into the room and surveyed the room. Although most of the apartment was cleaned up, the foul stench of alcohol remained. Bombay could smell it as well. He made a mental note to have the drapes cleaned.

"Quite the party last night," Jade said as she surveyed the room. "So what was the big occasion? Birthday? Promotion?"

Bombay sighed. "Not exactly."

"I see," Jade said dryly. She paused to see if Bombay was going to say anything. Bombay just looked at her. She noticed that he looked paler than usual, with dark circles around his eyes.

"Anyway," she continued. "I came by to see how you are doing. You've been coming to meetings but didn't seem that enthusiastic. I can see why."

Gordon rolled his eyes. "Isn't it obvious?" Gordon said, referencing the condition of his apartment.

Jade ignored Bombay's eye rolling and attitude. Jade had two pre-teen boys. If she could handle them, she could handle Bombay. Jade picked up a tipped-over stool, sat down and motioned for Bombay to sit. Begrudgingly, he did.

"Why do you drink?" she asked pointedly.

"Why do I drink?" Bombay asked himself aloud. He considered this for a moment. "I dunno. Have a good time like everyone else?"

Jade was skeptical. "Are you having a good time?"

"Sometimes."

Jade laughed to herself. She had to. Bombay reminded her of how she used to be. Arrogant. Self-centered. But most of all, in denial.

Bombay felt the heat rising up his face. Jade was laughing at him. "What's so funny?"

Jade immediately stopped laughing. "Sorry. It's just that you reminded me of myself when I tried to stop drinking."

Bombay was not impressed. "I don't need your help."

Jade considered this. "Maybe not my help," she agreed. "But you do need help."

Bombay was about to say something, but Jade cut him off. "Listen, I don't know you that well. But I do know that it always starts off with one or two. Having a good time. But it may become three, four, or five before you know it. Maybe more. Eventually, it won't be enough, and you'll need something else. Coke, heroin, whatever...and it will consume your life. Until it takes it."

By the time she finished, Jade was almost in tears. She had seen it happen to many of her friends.

"Maybe AA isn't your thing," she continued. "But you need help. Talk to someone. There's no shame in asking for help."

"I'll think about it," Bombay promised.

He was visibly shaken. Maybe it is the after-effects of the alcohol. Or the pounding headache that returned.

Bombay felt very uncomfortable talking to Jade. He felt guilty. He had defended many drug dealers and drug addicts in the past. All guilty. He wondered how many of them were even alive. He could have recommended that they seek treatment. Or something. One even offered Bombay some to see if he'd like it.

Bombay had to admit he was tempted. Alcohol was losing its effect on him. Last night was evidence of that.

Jade glanced at her watch. "Well, I'm going to AA now. You're welcome to come if you want."

Bombay considered her offer but decided against it. He still had a pounding headache."Not tonight."

"Your choice."

"But I will go talk to someone," Bombay promised. "Someone I haven't talked to in a long time."

Jade smiled. She wasn't sure if he would follow through with it, but he sounded sincere. "I'll see you next week then."

Bombay nodded as she left his apartment.

Closing the door behind her, Bombay quickly cleaned up the rest of the apartment and dialled Luis.

"Hello, Luis?"

"Gordon?" Luis sounded surprised.

"Could you pick me up at seven pm? I have a few places I need to go."

"Sure thing, boss," Luis replied. "Where are you we going?"

"Visit an old friend. Hans Sport Shop. 3275 Glenwood."