“Eddie, you’re not supposed to move,” said Jack.
Then I heard Eddie again, and he soundedpissed.“Put the phone in my hand right now, Jack.”
I heard a muffled sound and then Eddie’s voice.“Hey.”And he didn’t sound mad anymore, just concerned.
“Hey,” I said.
“Jack, can you give me a minute?”he said.
“Right,” said Jack.
Then I heard a door slam.I hoped I didn’t get Eddie in trouble.
“What’s going on?”I said.
“The makeup artist painted this blue symbol on my chest, and I can’t move till it dries, or it’ll smudge.”
“Is it permanent?”
“No, it’ll wear off eventually,” he said.“What’s up?”
“I’m heading home.I got a migraine.I feel like I’m gonna puke.”
“Shit.Look, I’ll see how early I can leave today.”
“You don’t have to.”I didn’t want to get him in trouble.But I really needed him right then.
“I’ll call you back in a couple hours, see how you’re doing, okay?If you feel worse, call me.”
“Okay.Wish you were here.”
“Me too.”Hearing that almost made me feel better.Then he said quietly, “Love you, tapper.”
“You too, honey kid.”
I hung up.Hearing his voice had made it bearable, but now he was gone, I felt sick.I called an Uber to pick me up.I could hardly stand at that point, and the sunlight was killing me, so I had to cover my eyes.Then I was trying not to puke in the Uber on the way home.
I had to lie down in the elevator, and I took a while to get up when it got to my floor.The doors almost closed on me.I got to my apartment, and I knew I was gonna puke.Made it to the hallway before I threw up all over the carpet, and then I collapsed on the floor crying, because the pain was so bad, and he wasn’t there.I had pills for my migraines in the bathroom, and I would have dry swallowed one, but I couldn’t stand or even open my eyes.
I hadn’t had a migraine in years.My doctor said they were triggered by overwork and stress.I used to get them all the time in high school until the doctor told me to cut my extracurriculars, so I went from five to four.That helped.But lately, things had been hitting me from every direction: therapy, work, gigging, tap practice, not being able to spend time with him.My migraine had been coming on for days, but I’d ignored the signs.
I fell asleep or blacked out, and when I opened my eyes, it was dark.I heard ringing.My phone.I must have dropped it when I came in.I knew it was him.
I couldn’t stand up, so I crawled down the hallway.I didn’t get far before the ringing stopped.And I started crying again, because I felt so pathetic, lying in the hallway covered in puke.
Then my phone started ringing again.I dragged myself out of the hallway to the living room, and I had to find it by listening because it hurt too much to open my eyes.In the end, I hit it with my hand.
“Craig?”
I pulled the phone closer.“Eddie?”
“I’m on my way home.I gotta call an Uber, but after I do, I’ll call you right back.”
“Okay.”
Then I heard Jack’s voice in the background.“I can give you a ride home, Eddie.”
“No thanks, Jack,” he said.The tone of his voice was stiff.
