High C

26. Somedays

Bob caught Gwyn in his arms.

He tapped her face softly, "Gwyn can you hear me?"

"I know CPR." Rodney said quickly.

Bob put his ear to her nose and his hand to her chest to check that she was breathing. She was.

"Gwyn! I'm coming!" Gene yelled, for some reason pausing to grab his sound equipment before racing over. "Is she all right?"

"She's breathing Gene," Bob said. "Let's give her a moment to wake up before we call anyone."

"I want to hold her," Gene said.

"Let's just give her a minute."

"I'm her boyfriend. I should be holding her," he insisted petulantly, rather than desperately.

Gene assumed a bracing position and Bob readied to reluctantly slide Gwyn's limp body into his arms. Gene looked to DeeDee, "This won't upset you will it?"

"Gene, why would it?!" DeeDee snapped.

Now Gwyn's sole physical support, he seemed to turn slightly here and there so everyone could get a good look. Gwyn's eyes fluttered and the small circle of friends sighed and smiled with relief.

"Gwyn, baby speak to me. It's your sugar man."

"Eww, does it have to be?" Natasha groaned.

"Here she is. She's coming around," Steve said.

Slowly Gwyn's eyes opened fully and seemed to focus. "Kablooey," she said softly.

"Well, the world did explode," Steve laughed.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Bob asked, standing over her and presenting two.

"Twelve," Gwyn said. "Oh no, that's just your friends waving at me. Hello. Two," she said, smiling past Bob's shoulders. "Oh, but now they're waving goodbye."

"What's she talking about?" DeeDee wondered, petting Gwyn's hand.

"Fading," Gwyn said.

"She's gonna faint again!" Gene said, worried his arms couldn't take it.

"No, they're fading. Where are you going?" She seemed to slump even more than she already was. "Help me up," she said weakly.

Gene and DeeDee helped her to her feet. She was steady, but blinked firmly several times in a row and stuck her finger in her ear as if to pop it. "Testing. Testing. Is anybody there?"

"We're all here," Gene said.

"I can't hear anyone," said Gwyn blankly.

"She's deaf!" Gene gasped.

"No, sweetie, I just can't...." A sad frown deepened with a heavy sigh. "No wonder I couldn't read anyone past Christmas lights."

"Oh no," Natasha said."You mean you can't hear your peeps?"

"They're gone. I've lost my psychic mojo."

"No mo' mojo?" Bob asked in an attempt to make her smile.

"Mojo no mo,'" Rodney said.

"Could be only temporary," Gwyn said, seeming to try to perk herself up. "It happened once before in college when I took a lacrosse stick to the face. That lasted eight months."

"Are you okay otherwise?" DeeDee asked. "How's your head?"

"It'll probably just be a bruise. I'm fine honestly. I just might get a little lonely."

"You've got me," Gene said, then looked at DeeDee to make sure she wasn't angry with him.

"Yes, Gene! It's fine," she laughed. "I'm with Bob now."