lvi. SUDDEN CHANGE. (pt. 2)
February 27, 2018. | Third Person POV.
Paris, France.

Sedona had hoped that by morning, she'd feel at least a little better. But as soon as she sat up, the nausea hit her like a freight train. Her body ached, her stomach twisted uncomfortably, and her head throbbed as she clutched her blankets tighter around herself. The fever had broken sometime in the night, but the food poisoning still had its hold on her. To make matters worse, every little movement made her stomach lurch. The mere thought of food had her gagging, and the sensitivity to smells was at an all-time high. The faint scent of disinfectant lingered in the room, sharp and unforgiving, twisting her stomach into tighter knots. Even the muffled city noise from the streets below felt grating, amplifying her discomfort.

As she made her way into the bathroom, a sharp, cramping sensation tore through her lower abdomen, making her wince. A groan slipped past her lips as realization dawned—her period had finally decided to show up. It had been late for a few days, and she'd been holding on to the slim hope that it would come at a more convenient time. But of course, it had to arrive now, when she was already weak, nauseous, and miserable.

"Great," She muttered under her breath. "Just fucking great."

At least she had a reason for the way she'd been acting for the past couple of days.

She sat on the edge of the tub for a moment, trying to breathe through the discomfort, but the cramping only intensified. She was already queasy from the food poisoning, and now she had to deal with this too? It felt like her body was punishing her, and she hated it. She forced herself to get in the shower, letting the warm water soothe her muscles even though it did nothing for the deep-set exhaustion pressing down on her.

By the time she emerged, dressed in the softest pajamas she could find, the doctor-ordered meal was waiting for her on the small table by the window. She sighed, knowing she needed to eat, but her stomach wasn't cooperating. She managed a few bites, just enough to settle herself, but her appetite had all but disappeared. She shuffled back to bed, pulling the covers over her head as a wave of emotions crashed over her.

Her mind drifted to the Belgium show—the one she'd been looking forward to since the tour was first announced alongside Paris. She remembered the excitement she felt when her team told her about the massive venue, the thought of hearing her name echo through the Sportpaleis arena. It was supposed to be a milestone, a defining moment in her career. Now, it was slipping through her fingers.

Now she was stuck in Paris, sick, and missing another show. She wouldn't get to experience it. Instead, she was trapped in a hotel bed, weak, emotional, and beyond frustrated. A lump formed in her throat, and before she could stop herself, tears welled in her eyes. Everything felt too much.

As she sniffled into the pillow, her phone buzzed beside her. She blinked through her tears and reached for it, squinting at the screen. A FaceTime call from Kendrick.

She hesitated before swiping to answer, wiping her eyes quickly as his face filled the screen. He was still at the venue, the background bustling with activity as the crew moved around.

"Hey, baby," He said, his voice immediately softening when he saw her face. "You been cryin'?"

She huffed, trying to brush it off. "No."

Kendrick arched a brow. "You sure? 'Cause your eyes tell a different story."

A fresh wave of emotions swelled in her chest. "I just... I hate this. I should be there. I should be in Belgium, getting ready for the show, not stuck in this damn bed feeling like garbage."

Kendrick sighed, his expression soft with understanding. "I know, baby. But you gotta take care of yourself first. We'll be back, and you'll have plenty more shows to kill. Right now, your body needs rest."

She sniffled again, shifting onto her side. "It's just—food poisoning, my period, missing another show, and being stuck in Paris instead of out there? It's a lot."

"I hear you," He murmured, his gaze filled with nothing but warmth. "I hate that you're feelin' like this. I'd switch places with you if I could."

Back at the venue, Kendrick lowered his phone, his heart twisting as he watched her wipe away tears. He could hear the crew setting up in the background, the distant hum of amplifiers, and the echo of his own voice during soundcheck replaying in his mind. But none of it mattered—not when the person who mattered most now was miles away, hurting. He ran a hand over his face, wishing he could be there, hold her, take away the pain. It killed him that he couldn't do anything more than talk through a screen.

Her lips twitched into a small, weak smile. "You wouldn't last a second. Trust me."

"Oh, for real? That's how you feel?" He teased, shaking his head. "Nah, but for real, I just want you to rest, okay? No stressin' over the show. Just focus on gettin' better."

Just then, another face popped into view. "Yo, D, you good?" Dave asked, his tone gentle. "Heard you been goin' through it."

She chuckled weakly. "I'm surviving."

Dave nodded. "Good. 'Cause I need you back on your feet so I can make fun of you properly."

"Wow, that's the motivation I needed," She joked, rolling her eyes.

Kendrick shook his head at Dave before refocusing on her. "We all miss you out here, D. Ain't the same without you."

Her heart warmed a little at that. "I miss y'all too."

Kendrick smiled. "Rest up, baby. We'll talk later, alright?"

She nodded, murmuring a quiet goodbye before ending the call. Staring at the screen, she sighed before rolling onto her side and hugging the pillow close.

She still felt like crap. But at least, for a moment, she didn't feel so alone.

She thought about the Belgium show again, her chest tightening. She remembered watching old performances in that same arena, dreaming about what it would feel like to stand on that stage, mic in hand, hearing her fans scream her name. She closed her eyes, the ache of disappointment heavy in her gut.

She still felt like crap. But at least, for a moment, she didn't feel so alone.

Sedona lay curled up in bed, staring at the ceiling as another wave of nausea rolled over her. Her stomach had settled slightly compared to the previous night, but the lingering discomfort kept her still, unwilling to tempt fate. The cramps from her period were relentless, stacking onto the misery she already felt. She groaned, shifting onto her side just as Monica knocked lightly before stepping in.

"How's my patient?" Monica asked her tone light but laced with concern. She had already checked on her earlier, but seeing Sedona still buried under the covers made her frown.

"Still feel like shit," Sedona muttered, rubbing her stomach. "And to top it all off, my period decided now was the perfect time to show up."

Monica winced in sympathy. "Damn, double homicide. You need anything? Heating pad, tea, pain meds?"

"I'm good for now," She sighed, adjusting her blanket. "I just... I hate this. I should be in Belgium. I should be performing. Instead, I'm stuck in Paris feeling like absolute garbage."

Monica sat on the edge of the bed, giving her a reassuring pat on the leg. "Shit happens, D. The fans understand. Your health comes first. And besides, you'll be back and better before you know it."

Sedona chewed on the inside of her cheek. "Speaking of fans... I think I should go live. Just for a few minutes. Explain what's going on."

Monica raised a brow. "Are you sure? You don't have to. We already put out a statement."

"I know, but I want to say it myself. They've been wondering where I am, and it doesn't feel right just disappearing."

Monica hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Five minutes, though. You still need to rest."

Sedona grabbed her phone from the nightstand, shifting upright as she opened Instagram and started the live stream. Within seconds, the viewer count climbed rapidly, comments flooding in before she could even speak.

"Hey, y'all," She greeted, her voice slightly hoarse. "I know a lot of you have been wondering where I am, especially since I wasn't in Paris last night and I'm not in Belgium tonight. So, quick update—I've been dealing with some pretty bad food poisoning. It's been rough, but I'm getting through it."

The chat exploded with messages of concern and well-wishes.

"I promise I'll be back soon," She continued, offering a small smile. "I hate missing shows, but trust me, I'm not going anywhere. Just need a little time to get back on my feet."

A comment caught her eye: So you're not in Paris or Belgium?? Where are you?

She huffed a quiet laugh. "I'm still in Paris, unfortunately. Been stuck in this hotel room recovering. Not exactly the trip I planned, but hey, at least I got a nice view."

More comments poured in, fans sending love and hoping she'd feel better soon.

"I appreciate y'all so much," She said sincerely. "Seriously. Your support means the world to me. I'll see you all soon—love you!"

She ended the live, exhaling as she set her phone down. "Okay. That was good."

Monica nodded approvingly. "See? They understand. Now, how about you actually rest?"

Sedona groaned, flopping back against the pillows. "Fine, fine. But if I have to eat another plain ass meal, I might scream."

Monica snickered. "Take it up with the doctor, not me. Get some sleep, D."

Sedona sighed, closing her eyes as Monica left the room. The exhaustion pulled her under, her last thoughts lingering on Kendrick's earlier call and the love she felt from her fans. Maybe today wasn't all bad.

—

©kashdemi
Volume I- Redamancy.
Chapter Fifty-six.
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Spam dumping chapters until we reach the long awaited chapter. ;)

Stay tuned for the next chapter, & til next time!
-shea