Contraindication

Twenty-Three| Confused Cries

" Get busy living or get busy dying."
— Stephen King.

Darren and Felix collectively helped itchy Issac out of the car. They draped his arms over their shoulders letting him limped with their support. I could tell that Darren desperately needed to itch "down there" but wasn't going to do it out in the open.

I felt bad, but it was his fault he tinkled near poison Ivy.

I led the way to the front, ignoring the idiots behind me as I started to see little bits of black fuzz floating around me. I stopped in my tracks and rubbed my already irritated eyes to make them go away. If I didn't get my pills soon, I think I would pass out.

After convincing the boys I was fine, we continued on the path to the building. 4 Very large glass doors appeared in the distance as we made it to the fancy large entrance of the pharmaceutical lab. Before we proceed, a small lady in a lab coat raced out the glass doors. She seemed extremely conflicted, but her anger soon melted away as she saw us. "Oh hello? I didn't know we were having—wait, no way!" Her black heels clicked on the gavel as she walked up to me. "Evelyn, is that you?" She tilted her head to the side.

I leaned back as she went to touch my face, "Yeah?" I frowned at the blonde stranger.

Why does everyone know me?

"Wow, you've gotten so tall!" She screamed as she ruffled my matted hair, "Steve didn't tell me you were coming!" She stepped back and adjusted her bun. "Oh, honey bun, I missed you so much!" She quickly wrapped her short arms around my torso, catching me off guard.

I hesitantly hugged her back as if she was my long-lost aunt. She might as well be, but I didn't question it.

As she spun me around I caught a glimpse of the boys from over her shoulders.

They held blank expressions as nothing made sense to them anymore— nothing made sense to me.

The strange lady let go of me as she continued to beam with joy, "Well I wish I could stay and chat but I'm needed elsewhere!" She gave a sincere smile to the boys, then raced off to the winding edge of the building.

I stood there dumbfounded.

"Any memories coming back?" Felix came closer to my perplexing body.

I shook my head, "Nope. I just feel even more confused." I frowned and held open the door for the 3 headed blob of boys.

Steve has a lot of explaining to do.

* *<%) * *

"Hello? Excuse me? You guys can't be here? Do you have an appointment?" A cranky old voice asked with little authority.

I looked up to see a lady in her 60s stand up from the front desk. I helped Darren and Issac to a seat in one of the fancy white lounge chairs. For a lab, this place looked like a five-star hotel. The lobby had floor to ceiling windows that were only one way—You could see out, but no one could see in.

The floors were white and spotless, and down the hall was an elevator with locked sliver doors. The only thing that felt odd was the ceiling—the chandelier and the titled white tiled pattern did not scream lab.

I gave Felix a quick nod before walking up to the old lady. With her nagging call, I realized she was the same person who hung up on me earlier. "You're the cranky lady on the phone?" I started to not give a damn about Etiquette. I was so drained and so light-headed that nothing mattered to me anymore.

The lady frowned as she held her ground. "I have no idea what you are talking about?" She adjusts her blazer as she stared daggers.

"You hung up on me? And you wouldn't pick up any of my calls?" I said angrily, "What kind of receptionist are you?"

The old lady held a firm grasp onto her phone, "Excuse me, young lady, but you have no right to come in unannounced and judge me on my receptionist skills." She squalled, "Do you have an appointment?"

"An appointment?" A familiar face entered the room, "Carrie, what are you—wait Evelyn?"

Steve came out from behind one of the closed doors across the hall. He had on a full black suit with his long blonde hair slicked back. His eyebrows touched his hairline as he approached the front desk. "W-what-what are you doing here?" He looked over my shoulder, to my friends, "And why are they—"

"That's what I was trying to find out, sir." Carrie interjected, "These 4 rowdy teenagers busted in here like they were on the run from the police. And this rude young lady is not telling me why they are here!" She huffed.

"This rude girl is my girlfriend's daughter." Steve corrected, shutting up cranky Carrie. The old lady's eyes widened as she realized her mistake. She huffed immensely, then sat back down in her desk chair and clicked her keyboard keys obnoxiously.

The tall man in front of me gave the boys behind me a look of sorrow before glaring down at me. "You have a lot of explaining to do, Evelyn."

I quickly stuck my tongue out at the lady then met Steve's eyes, "Oh, I have a lot of explaining to do?" I pointed to myself, "Oh no! You have a lot of explaining to do." I directed my fingers back at him as I let it all out. "I called your cell phone, your work phone and I even called your garbage receptionist a million times before she finally picked up then hung up on me!" I cried with annoyance. "Why didn't you answer me? I left a thousand messages, Steve!"

Steve glared at the receptionist while she avoided his eyes. "I'm sorry about that, Evelyn. Things here are hectic and," He shook his head, "Nevermind about that...You're here now." he shrugged, "What's so important."

The world around me spun as I spoke the words were on the tip of my tongue for days. "I'm out of pills, Steve!" My voice cracked with every syllable and my heart ached. "My so-called two week supply was drenched with beer a few days ago." I looked away with shame, "And I've been so anxious, and so stressed without them. I can't even think straight!" I wiped away my tears, "Steve, I've just been a mess! A bloody mess! So I drove up here with my friends to get some more." I shrugged slowly, calming down. I realized he wasn't going to understand me if I was crying. I took a shaking breath as I let my salty tears fall down my cheek, "Then with the drive up here things got worse, and I just Ugh!" I let out a frustrating sigh, "I just need answers, Steve. Answers to a lot of things—"

"—No way!!" A loud voice yelled from the same door Steve came out of. "Evelyn sweetheart, you're back!!" A tall chunky lady with a blue stained lab coat raced out the back door and scooped me up in a hug. "Grace told me she saw you and I thought she was delusional." She let go of me, and stepped back, "But here you are!" She smiled, "I messed you!"

Steve's eyes widened with fear as the lady continued to talk, "Oh Steve, why didn't you tell us that she was coming back?" The lady slapped his shoulders playfully.

"Lenny, not now," Steve rubbed his temples as he looked distorted. His leg started to shake as he stared off into the distance.

Lenny with her preppy crossed her arms, "Steve, this is amazing news? You can't tell me, not now! She's back! She's actually— "

"I said not now!" He cut her words off with a knife. "Go get back to work, please." He nervously looked at her, "And don't tell anybody about this, okay? And tell Grace to shut up as well. No one should know about this."

Without complaining, Lenny nodded then exited the foyer like it was on fire. Steve looked visibly stressed as her heels clicked away.

I wiped away the rest of my tears and spoke, "I need answers about a lot of things." I hesitated, "Like why everyone here knows me." I looked back at the boys who were awkwardly sitting there listening to me rant. "Oh, and umm.." I sniffled, "They may need some medical attention... A lot of things happened. Things that I need to tell you."

Steve shut his eyes for a moment and let out a sigh. "Carrie, can you cancel the rest of my meetings for today?"

"But sir..."

"Please." He demanded, "This is much more important," he crossed his tired arms, "And can you send someone for those kids? They look pretty beat up."

Carrie nodded and began typing in some numbers.

"And Evelyn?" He looked down with pity as he ran his hands through his gelled hair, "Please follow me. I think it's time I told you the truth... no more excuses or lies... just the truth."