In a Town Called Blooming Orchid

Chapter Ten: You're Next

      "Hey doc, I think I might need more medication," Heather said to her doctor over the phone. "I've already used up the most recent bottle," There was silence as Heather listened to the doctor. "I know, I know. But please doc, I'm in pain I need more medication, my leg hurts so bad"

     Heather's begging didn't work. She would have to wait a while before she could get a refill on her pain pills. The doctor hung up and Heather layed down onto the sofa. She began to tear up. Her leg pain was clearing up, but everytime she didn't take her painkillers she felt pain.

     She would start sweating and twitching, desperate for another pill to magically make her better. She didn't quite understand, but Heather Nguyen was addicted to painkiller medicine. David walked in through the door, finished with work.

     "What's wrong sis?" David asked, seeing Heather's expressions of stress and discomfort. Heather shot up, her messy dark hair flailing behind her.

     "Nothing," She answered, her voice shaky and weak.

     "Heather, you're sweating bullets," David said, sounding very concerned. He sat down next to his sister and felt her forehead. "Here, go to your room and lie down. I'll bring you some Oolong, do you feel feverish?"

      "Kind of," She mumbled in reply. David helped Heather up the stairs and to her bedroom.

     "If you're not better tomorrow, you can't go to rehearsal," David soothed.

     "Ok," Heather agreed, getting into her bed. Heather fell asleep in her bed but woke up to the sound of a voice outside of her door.

     "We can't mess around tomorrow, baby. My sister's sick I think," it was David's voice. Very faint in his trademark whisper that was just a hair too loud to be a whisper. "I'm sorry,"

      Heather sat up, listening to her brother's conversation. She had no clue that David had been seeing someone. Who could it be? Was it someone she knew?

     "Come on, Sher," David said into the phone after some silence, revealing the other person to be Sharon "Sherry" Yablonsky. The short, thin assistant of Knightley Paraneau. Known for sleeping around. Heather gasped.

     The next day rolled around and Heather was still feeling withdrawals, but she decided she wanted to try to show up at work anyways. She woke up earlier than her brother and left, hauling her cello behind her.

     Heather had slept in, much to dazed and panicked to set her alarm. So when she had shown up, rehearsal had already started. However, she was expecting them to be playing music. Instead Mayor Merryweather's wife, Maybell Merryweather, was on the podium speaking. She took her place.

     "...I am very sorry for the inconvenience," The woman finished off just as Heather sat down. She leaned over to the 3rd chair cellist and asked him what happened.

     "Anthony just received a death threat, so we won't be performing Nox at the concert," He explained.

     "Can't we just get someone else to sing it?" Heather questioned.

     "I mean, it was her son," The cellist remarked. The orchestra rehearsal continued, and they replaced Nox Aurumque with a song they performed last year and already knew, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

     That day was the first snow of December. Everyone was more bundled up than usual and after the rehearsal, musicians ran to their cars and left as fast as they could so their instruments wouldn't be damaged. However, Byron, Robin, and Heather stayed behind. They were making plans to go to their first lunch. Garret walked past them, hesitating for a moment but grumbling off.