by Doris Miller
It is the following week on a Saturday night at a theater in New Jersey. The theater is packed full of people. There are a lot of excited people holding large banners and large signs high in the air reading, ‘DIANE D’ and ‘THE DIAZ-DAVIDSON ORGANIZATION’ with very large bold letters printed on them.
Barry, Tomas, Tonio, Nicolas, Mickey and Michael are walking backstage. They hurry towards the front to Mary, Margarita and Marilyn as Barry anxiously asks, “Hey! Where’s Diane? We don’t see her anywhere!”
“We don’t see her anywhere either Barry!” Mary says. “We thought she was with you guys!”
“No she’s not with us!” Michael says.
“Well where could she be?” Margarita says.
“We don’t know Grandma,” Nicolas says. “But the show is suppose to start soon!”
“We gotta look for her!” Mary says.
“Okay,” Barry says, “Let’s see if she’s outside.” Barry and the rest of them hurry and head towards the front of the room going out the door.
Diane D’s family is outside the building, looking all around for her. There is no sign of Diane D. Diane D’s family go to the parking lot. They still don’t see any sign of Diane D. “Damn where is she?” Michael says.
“Beats me Michael,” Barry says.
“Wasn’t she supposed to ride here with you all?” Tomas asks.
“Yeah she was,” Marilyn says. “But at the last minute, Diane called us and told us she was gonna ride here with you guys.”
“Oh yeah?” Tonio says. “She told us she was gonna come here with you all.”
“Well obviously she’s not with any of us,” Margarita says.
“Let me call the hotel room and see if she’s there,” Barry says. Barry gets on his cell phone and dials a number. He puts the cell phone to his ear and listens as the others look on. Barry listens for a while. He removes the phone from his ear. He turns to the others and says, “There’s no answer.”
“What!” Mary shouts. “You know this don’t make any sense, the show is supposed to start any minute!”
“You know this is unlike Diane,” Margarita says. “She wouldn’t be a no-show and deliberately disappoint all these people! She knows they’re all waiting to see her! Something’s not right!”
“Come on,” Barry says. “Let’s go back to the hotel.” Barry and the rest of them all hurry to several cars. They all get into the cars as Barry gets behind the wheel of one of the cars. The cars pull off and speed away.
Around twenty-five minutes later, the cars pull up to the curb outside the hotel and park. Diane D’s family hurry out the cars and head to the hotel building as they look around. They quickly enter the hotel.
Diane D’s family quickly enter the hotel room as Barry calls out, “Diane!”
“Diane!” Mary calls out.
“Diane!” Margarita calls out.
“Diane!” Tomas calls out. Diane D’s family look all around the room.
“She’s not here either,” Michael says.
“Where could she be?” Tonio says.
“Let’s go back downstairs and see if we see her around the building,” Tomas says.
“Okay, let’s go,” Barry says. They all turn around and head towards the door. They open the door and leave the room.
Diane D’s family quickly exit the building and look around. They still don’t see any sign of Diane D. Suddenly, they here a car’s engine starting. They turn their heads towards the sound. The sound is coming from behind some tall weeds. “That kind of sounds like Diane’s car,” Mary says.
“It sure does,” Michael says. They all look at each other.
“I think we better go take a look,” Barry says. Diane D’s family turns around and look towards the weeds. They walk to the weeds. They move the weeds aside a little and peek through them. They are shocked to see Diane D sitting in the driver’s seat of her convertible and Jonathan sitting in the passenger seat hugging and smiling at each other in a back parking lot. “That is Diane!” Barry shouts. “With that Jonathan guy again!”
“Jonathan guy?” Margarita shouts. “Isn’t that the same guy she tried to marry?!”
“That’s exactly who that is!”
“What the hell is she doing with him again?” Mary asks.
“I don’t know!”
“Well I’m going to find out,” Michael angrily says. Michael and the rest of Diane D’s family suddenly see Diane D start to drive and pull off away with Jonathan, continuing to hug him as the convertible of her car goes up. Diane D’s family become hysterical! “Where’s she going?!” shouts Michael.
“It looks like she’s running off with that guy!” Tomas says.
“Running off where?!” Nicolas shouts. “To marry him again?!”
“I sure hope the hell not!” Michael says.
“Oh no,” Mary says. “We gotta go after her!” Mary and the rest of the family hurry through the weeds and try to go after Diane D shouting, “Diane! Diane!”
“Where are you going Diane!” Margarita shouts.
“Come back here Diane!” Mary shouts.
Diane D’s family see Diane D’s convertible heading way into the distance, disappearing into the darkness. They all look on in disbelief.
Michael angrily turns to the rest of them and shouts, “Did y’all just see that! What the hell is Diane doing?! Is she trying to give this a second round and try to marry that Jonathan guy again?!”
“Don’t worry Michael,” Mary says, “because we’re gonna go right after her!”
“That’s exactly what we’re gonna do!” Barry shouts. “Come on everybody, let’s head back to the cars!” Barry and the rest of the family all turn and hurry towards the cars!
Inside the cars, Diane D’s family are all hysterical, looking around for Diane D as Barry sits behind the wheel driving! “Which way did her car go?” Michael asks.
“I’m not sure Michael,” Barry says. “I hope she’s on her way to the theater! All those people are waiting to see her and the rest of you!”
“Maybe she is on her way to the theater,” Tomas says.
“Diane’s not on her way to the theater!” Margarita shouts “She drove off in the opposite direction!”
“Well wherever she‘s going, I hope she doesn’t try to marry this Jonathan guy again!” Mary says.
“I hope not either Mary!” Barry says.
“We got to hurry and get Diane!” Margarita says.
“We are Mom,” Barry says. Barry speeds the car as they continue to look for Diane D.
Twenty minutes later, Barry’s car pulls up to a curb. He comes out of the car. He approach some local people and says, “Hi. I’m sorry to bother you all, but have any of you seen a convertible drive past here?”
“Hey,” one of the men says. “I know you. You’re Diane D’s dad, aren’t you?”
“Yes I am. How are you?”
“Okay. You’re looking for a convertible?”
“Yes.”
“No we haven’t seen any convertible.”
“No? Okay thanks.”
“Is there a problem?” one of the women asks.
“No, no problem. Thanks.” Barry turns back around and heads back to the car.
Barry is driving back in the car with his family as he tells them, “No one’s seen the convertible. We have to continue to look for it.”
“My God Barry,” Mary says. “What are we gonna do? Diane disappeared with this guy! What are we gonna do with all those people at the theater if Diane don’t show up in time?”
“Mom, if we can’t find Diane in time, then we have no choice but to cancel the whole show,” Nicolas says. “We have to go back to the theater, make an announcement to the people and tell them that the show is canceled because something came up. I know the people will be disappointed, but we can’t run the show without knowing where Diane is! It’s nothing else we can do, but look for Diane and give the pe
ople their money back.”
“Oh gosh, if I knew this was gonna happen, I would have kept my eye on Diane! I should have kept my eye on her until we leave this place! As long as there are Caribbean guys walking around, she’s not gonna be in her right state of mind! She’s gonna go crazy every time she sees any of them! I sure hope we find her soon. Once we find her, I’m never gonna let her come back here!”
“We’ll find her Mary,” Barry says. “We’ll find her.”
An hour later, Barry’s relatives are in the hotel room, trying to comfort Mary, Margarita and Marilyn as Mary, Margarita and Marilyn cry their eyes out. Several white male police officers stand around them as one of them speaks to Michael and says, “And you say that your wife Diane D and a few of you were supposed to do a show at the theater, but instead, she went off and disappeared with a Jamaican guy named Jonathan and you haven’t seen or heard from her since?”
“No we haven’t,” Michael says. “We’re very worried about her!”
“Please find my daughter,” Barry says.
“We’ll find her sir,” the officer says. “We’ll put out a search for the entire area.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” The police officer turns around and quickly head out the room as the other officers follow him.
It is two nights later. Diane D’s family is in the hotel room very hysterical. My God, where is she?” Mary says. “It’s been two days already!”
“We’ll find her Mary,” Barry says. The telephone rings. Grandpa Mike Diane D’s paternal grandfather quickly goes to answer it. He picks up the telephone and says, “Hello? … Yes officer this is Diane Diaz-Davidson’s family! I’m her grandfather Mike!” Barry and Mary rush to grab the receiver as everyone else in the room become anxious! They listen as Grandpa Mike continues on the phone and says, “Have you heard or found anything about my granddaughter?” Grandpa Mike becomes excited and says, “You have?!” The others become excited as Grandpa Mike continues, “Oh my God, is she alright?! Is she alive?!” Grandpa Mike turns to the others and says, “They found Diane! She’s alive!”
Diane D’s family scream and cheer as Barry shouts, “Thank God! Let me take that Dad.” Grandpa Mike hands Barry the phone receiver. Barry gets on the phone and says, “Officer, where is my daughter? --- Oh you did? ----- Both of them? ---- Thank God! ---- Okay officer, we’re on our way down there! ---- See you soon!” Barry quickly hangs up the telephone! He turns to the others and says, “Thank God they found Diane!”
“Aaaaaaahhh thank God!” everyone says.
“Where did they find her Barry?!” Margarita asks.
“The authorities found her and that Jonathan guy lying unconscious in a wooded area somewhere!” Barry says.
“What!” everyone shockingly says.
“The authorities found Diane and that Jonathan guy lying unconscious in a wooded area?!” Tomas asks.
“What the hell is my baby doing lying unconscious in a wooded area?!” Mary shouts.
“I don’t know!” Barry shouts. “The ambulance took both Diane and that Jonathan guy to the hospital already! Come on! We gotta get to the hospital!” Barry and the rest of the family grab their belongings and rush out the hotel room!
Twenty-five minutes later, Diane D’s family rush into the hospital room. They see Diane D lying asleep in a hospital bed hooked up to tubes and monitors as two male white doctors stand over her. Diane D’s family quickly approach her! “Diane!” Mary shouts. “Are you alright?”
“Diane, wake up honey,” Margarita says.
“Talk to us baby,” Barry says. “Are you okay?”
“She’s unconscious,” one of the doctors say.
Barry turns to the doctor and says, “Yeah that’s what the officer told me over the telephone. What in the world happened to our daughter Doctor?”
“We’re not sure what happened to your daughter or the fellow she was found with, but they were both drugged.”
“Drugged?!” Barry and the rest of the family shout.
“What do you mean they were both drugged?!” Barry shouts. “Are you saying that my daughter has drugs in her system? She doesn’t use drugs!”
“That’s right doctor!” Mary says. “She’s no drug user!”
“I’m not saying your daughter is a drug user,” the doctor says. “I’m saying she and the fellow she was found with were drugged, most likely by someone else. We tested their blood and urine. An anesthetic drug was found in both of their systems.”
“What!” the family shouts.
“What we’re trying to do is find out how this drug got in their system. The authorities are trying to find out how your daughter and that guy she was found with wound up lying unconscious in the woods.”
“Does anybody have any information about what happened to them?" Margarita asks.
“Well some local witnesses said they had seen your daughter and that guy at a bar drinking,” the second doctor says. “After a while, witnesses saw them leaving together. No one’s seen or heard from them when they left the bar. We believe something was slipped into both of their drinks without them realizing it.”
“Well that sounds possible!” Gracy says.
“They must have went out to the woods and passed out there!” Barry shouts. “Where’s that Jonathan guy’s room anyway?”
“He’s in a room upstairs,” the second doctor says. “He’s still unconscious. We’re getting ready to check on him again! We’ll give you all some time to spend with your daughter.”
“Thank you doctor,” Mary says.
“You’re welcome.” The doctors turn and leave from Diane D’s bedside. They head for the door and leave the room.
The family leans to Diane D. “Diane, it’s us,” Mary says. “I know you’re not able to respond, but we just want to let you know your family is here. We’re all here for you and we all love you.”
“That’s right Diane,” Tomas says. “We’re here for you, okay baby? Just hang in there.” The family stays by Diane D’s bedside.
It is the following day. Mary, Margarita, Gracy and Marilyn sit on a few chairs next to Diane D’s hospital bed as Diane D still lays unconscious. Barry, Tomas, Grandpa Mike, Nicolas, Mickey and Michael walk into the room. They approach the women. “Why don’t you all go home and get some rest,” Barry says. “You all been here all day.”
“Yeah, we can stay here with Diane,” Michael says.
“I don’t want to leave until Diane wakes up,” Mary says.
“We know Mary,” Barry says, “but you have to go home and get some rest. Let me take you home. I’ll come back here and stay with Diane, okay? I’ll bring you back here later. It’s not gonna do Diane any good if you’re all worn out.”
“Okay Barry. I’ll come back later.”
“I’ll make sure you do.”
“Okay.” Mary, Margarita, Gracy and Marilyn get up from the chairs. They go to Diane D. Mary then says, “Diane, we’re gonna go home now to get some rest, okay?”
“Yeah we’ll be back later,” Margarita says.
“We love you,” Gracy says. Gracy, Mary, Margarita and Marilyn lean to Diane D and give her a loving kiss. They lean up from Diane and stare at her. They turn and walk towards the door as the fellows walk with them. Gracy, Mary, Margarita and Marilyn hug and kiss all the fellows. They then turn and leave the room as Barry follows behind them.
Barry turns his head to the fellows and says, “I’ll be right back guys.”
“Alright Dad,” Nicolas says. Barry turns his head back around and leaves the room with Gracy, Mary, Margarita and Marilyn, closing the door behind himself.
That same evening inside the hotel room, Mary, Marilyn, Margarita, Gracy and the rest of the relatives sit around. The telephone rings. “I’ll get it,” Marilyn says. Marilyn goes to the phone and picks up the receiver. She speaks into the receiver and says, “Hello? --- Good new
s?! ---- Well what happened?!” Everybody anxiously look towards Marilyn as Marilyn says, “She did?! ---- Oh that’s wonderful! --- Sure, we’ll be right over!” Marilyn hangs up the phone receiver. She quickly turns to the others and shouts, “That was Barry on the phone! He said Diane was smiling in her sleep!” Everyone becomes happy and excited as Marilyn shouts, “He said that they all noticed her smiling like she was having some kind of dream! They said she did that quite a few times!”
“Well let’s all get down there!” Margarita shouts. Everyone grabs their belongs and excitedly leave the room!
Thirty minutes later, Mary, Marilyn, Margarita, Gracy and the rest of the relatives rush inside the hospital room holding a bunch of flowers and gifts! They approach Diane D as Michael, Barry and Nicolas stand over her bedside. They look and see Diane D still unconscious. “Diane,” Mary says. “It’s us baby. Can you hear us?”
“She was just smiling a few minutes ago before you all walked in,” Nicolas says. “Maybe she’ll smile again.”
“I hope so,” Margarita says. “The important thing is, that’s she’s coming out of it.”
“Thank God,” Michael says. They all continue to look down at Diane D.
Gracy approaches Michael. She pulls him to the side and says, “So Michael, how did it go with the people at the theater when you told them the show was canceled?”
“I told them something suddenly came up and Diane couldn’t make it,” Michael says. “They were pretty upset and disappointed. They really wanted to see Diane. I told them not to worry, that they would all get their money back.”
“I see. Did you call the girls up in New York yet and told them what happened with Diane?”
“Yeah, I called Nancy today.”
“You did? What did she say?”
“She got very hysterical when I told her about what happened to Diane. She said she was gonna round up all the girls and they’re gonna drive over here.”
“They are?”
“Yeah. That’s why I did not want to call the girls up right away when Diane was first missing, because four of the girls are spending time with their families and I knew they would all get upset and hysterical and want to come here right away. So I waited until Diane was found to call them up.”
“That was a good idea.” Gracy and Michael look back towards Diane D.
It is now evening in the hospital room. Diane D remains unconscious. She starts to get a dream.
DIANE D’S DREAM:
Diane D is sitting in an empty restaurant looking down at a menu. She looks up and sees Jonathan standing there several yards away, smiling at her. She gazes at him. Jonathan approaches Diane D singing, ‘Have yourself a real good time with, lunch, Dinner and Me’ to her. Diane D smiles at Jonathan as he holds his hand out to her. Diane D stands up singing back to Jonathan. They start to sing to each other. They start to tap dance. They tap dance and twirl around the empty restaurant. They tap dance and twirl for a while. They finish dancing as Diane D turns her back to Jonathan. She leans her back against him as he hugs and holds her tightly, still singing as they look up in the air smiling, holding their faces together.
BACK IN HOSPITAL ROOM:
Diane D comes out of the dream, smiling in her sleep as her family anxiously look at her.
The next day at the hotel room, Barry, Michael and the rest of Diane D’s relatives are in the room. The telephone rings. “I’ll get it,” Barry says. Barry goes to the telephone and picks it up. He speaks into the receiver and says, “Hello? ---- Really?!” Everyone anxiously looks at Barry as he shouts, “That’s wonderful! ---- Okay! We’ll be right there!” Barry hangs up the telephone. He quickly turns to the others and shouts, “Hey everybody! That was Mary! She said Diane is awake!”
“She’s awake?!” Diane D’s family shout.
“Yeah! Mary said Diane’s eyes are open and Diane is talking with them!”
“Aaaaahhhh that is wonderful! Thank God!”
“We gotta get to the hospital! Come on everybody!” The family excitedly grab their belongings and rush out the room!
Thirty minutes later, Barry, Michael and the rest of Diane D’s family and relatives rush into the hospital room holding flowers! They rush to Diane D’s bedside. They see her awake, but dreary. “Hey Diane!” Michael says.
“What’s going on kid?” Barry says. Barry, Michael and the rest of Diane D’s family give Diane D hugs and kisses. They then let go of her as Barry says, “How’re you feeling?”
“Okay I guess,” says Diane D.
“Nice to see you awake and talking girl,” Nicolas says.
Mary turns to the rest of the family and tells them, “We already asked her about what happened when she disappeared that night and was missing for a couple of days. She claims she doesn’t remember anything about her disappearance.”
“She doesn‘t?” Barry says. Barry turns to Diane D and asks, “Is that true Diane? You don’t recall anything about your disappearance?”
“No, nothing at all Dad,” Diane D says. “I remember the evening I was supposed to perform at the theater. I met up with Jonathan not too far from the hotel. We talked for a while. I told him I had to do a show that night. I asked him why don’t we go have a drink before I do the show. He said okay, so we went to a bar and had a few drinks. After that, I told him I was starting to feel woozy. He said he was starting to feel woozy too. I told him why don’t we go outside and get some air. He said okay. Then we got in my car. I remember driving towards the hotel with him in the car, but I don’t remember ever reaching the hotel. It’s unbelievable. One night I’m having a drink, then driving back towards the hotel, next thing I know is that I’m waking up here in this hospital room and Mom is telling me that a couple of days went by already.”
“Yes it’s true Diane,” Nicolas says. “You’ve been out of it for a couple of days.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“So what happened to me those couple of days I was out of it? Mom told me that Jonathan and I were found in the woods. I don’t remember going to any wooded area.”
“You don’t remember going to any wooded area at all?”
“No.”
“I spoke to the doctors a little while ago,” Mary says. “They say that Jonathan is awake now too. He’s in a room upstairs. They say he doesn’t remember going to the woods either.”
“But the important thing Diane, is that you’re okay,” Michael says. “Here. We got you some more flowers.” Michael and everyone else hands Diane D the flowers.
Diane D smiles as she takes the flowers. “Thanks a lot,” she says. Diane D admires the flowers as her family stands over her.
That same night, Michael, the Dianettes and their families are all at the hospital information desk holding gifts and flowers. A black female clerk is at the information desk. The clerk tells them, “I’m sorry everybody, but it’s too late to come here now. Visiting hours are over.”
“Can we just visit a patient real quick?” Nancy says.
“No Ma’am, visiting hours are over. You all just gonna have to come back tomorrow. I’m sorry.” Everybody disappointedly looks at the clerk.
“Come on girls,” Michael says. The Dianettes look at Michael as he says, “We can come back tomorrow.” Michael, the Dianettes and their families turn around and head towards the front door.
Michael, the Dianettes and their families go through the front door leaving the hospital.
Later on that night, Lonna waits beside the back door at the back of the hospital. The back door suddenly swings open. A hospital staff member comes out of the door entrance, not noticing Lonna’s presence. As the door closes, Lonna quickly catches it. She holds the door for a few seconds. She then looks towards the side and waves her arm. The other Dianettes come from behind a car carrying gifts and flowers. They quickly head towards Lonna. They reach Lonna and go right inside the
back entrance. Lonna follows them in and quickly closes the door behind herself.
Upstairs in the hospital room, it is dark. Diane D is sitting up in the bed wearing two hospital gowns, eating a celery snack as she watches the TV on the wall. She starts flicking with the channels on the remote control as snoring is heard in the background. She annoyingly looks to her right at the snorer. She sees Mary sound asleep on a chair bed snoring with a blanket over herself. Diane D looks back at the TV. She continues to flick with the remote control through the channels. She suddenly comes across a classic TV show. She smiles and says, “Now that’s what I’m talking about.” Diane D continues to smile as she watches the TV. She sees a funny scene on the show and bursts out into a silent laugh and silently claps her hands as she watches the scene. She suddenly hears a tap at the door. She turns her head towards the door, but the curtain is blocking her view from the door. She hears the tapping sound again. “Hello?” she says. “Who is it?”
“It’s us Diane,” a soft voice whispers.
“Us? Us who?” Diane D hears soft footsteps. She looks towards the curtain and sees Miranda appearing from behind the curtain.
“Us Diane,” Miranda says.
Diane D’s face lights up as she says, “Oh my God.”
Miranda approaches Diane D as Bernice, Kelly, Nancy, Lonna and Charlotte appear from behind the curtain carrying gifts and flowers. “Hey Diane,” Bernice, Kelly, Nancy, Lonna and Charlotte say. Diane D becomes excited as Bernice, Kelly, Nancy, Lonna and Charlotte approach her.
“My god, what are y’all doing here? I didn’t expect to see you guys. What are y’all doing here?”
“What do you think?” Bernice says. “We came to see you.” The Dianettes each give Diane D a big warm hug.
“I thought you were all home in New York.”
“We were all home in New York until we found out what happened to you,” Nancy says.
“So how are you doing Diane?” Charlotte says. “I see you’re wide awake. How you feel?”
“I’m feeling fine, now that I see you all,” Diane D says. “Sit down, have a seat.” Charlotte, Kelly and Lonna sit near Diane D’s right side as Miranda, Bernice and Nancy sit near Diane D’s left. “Oh boy you all are a sight for sore eyes, this is a great surprise! I didn’t expect to see any of you until next week!”
“Well we were determined to come out here as soon as we heard about what happened to you,” Lonna says.
“Yeah,” Kelly says. “We just found out you were missing for two days. What happened?”
“I don’t have any idea what happened,” Diane D. “All I know is that I was supposed to perform at the theater. I met up with that fellow Jonathan and had a few drinks with him. After that, I told him I was feeling woozy. He said he was feeling woozy too. We went outside and got some air. We got in my car. I remember driving towards the hotel with him in the car, but I don’t remember ever reaching the hotel. Next thing I know is that I’m waking up here in this hospital room and Mom tells me Jonathan and I were found in a wooded area and that two days went by already. The doctors checked me and Jonathan out. They said there were no signs of any abuse on our bodies while we were unconscious.”
“No?”
“Uh uh.”
“Boy that’s good to hear,” Miranda says.
“So was something in the drinks you and that Jonathan guy had?” Charlotte says.
“Obviously something was slipped in our drinks without either of us knowing it,” Diane D says.
“You know what it was?” Kelly asks.
“I heard it was some knock-out drug or some extacy that might have been slipped in our drinks. I heard that’s been done to several people before. The doctors said Jonathan and I had a high dosage of it in our systems.”
“Y’all did?”
“Yeah.”
“So who served you and Jonathan the drinks?” Lonna asks.
“The bartender. I heard the authorities arrested him. He’s in jail right now.”
“He is?” Miranda asks.
“Yeah. The bartender claims he wasn’t aware of anything slipping into our drinks. The authorities are still investigating the incident.”
“Oh that’s good.”
“We also heard you were smiling in your sleep while you were unconscious,” Nancy says.
“Yeah that’s what they told me,” Diane D says.
“What were you smiling about?” Kelly asks.
“She was probably having a dream about that Jonathan guy,” Lonna says as the rest of the Dianettes start to laugh.
“Now why would I dream about Jonathan Lonna?” Diane D asks.
“Uh hello Diane,” Bernice says. “You did try to marry the guy, remember?”
“No I don’t remember Bernice. I don’t understand why everybody keeps telling me I tried to marry Jonathan. Why would I marry the guy when I’m already married to Michael?”
“We don’t have the slightest idea Diane, but the important thing is, that you’re okay.”
“Yeah that’s true,” the Dianettes say.
“So how did y’all get in here?” Diane D asks. “Visiting hours are over.”
“We know,” Nancy says as she fixes and fluffs Diane D‘s bed pillows. “We snuck in here through the back door.”
“Y’all snuck in here?”
“Through the back door.”
“Yeah,” Miranda says. “When a hospital employee came out the back door, Lonna caught the door before it shut. So that’s how we got in here.”
“What?” Diane D says. “Y’all are baaad. So how did y’all get here from New York?”
“Grandpa Tomas let us hold his other car,” Nancy says. “So we drove the car here.”
“Oh yeah? Did Grandpa knew you were all coming here?”
“No, of course not,” Charlotte says. “If he knew that, he wouldn’t have let us hold the car.”
“So what did y’all tell him y’all wanted the car for?”
“We told your Grandpa we wanted to go to a party,” Bernice says.
“A party?”
“Yeah,” Kelly says. “But instead of going to a party, we decided to take a detour here.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“All Grandpa Tomas has to do is see all that extra mileage Nancy. Then he’s gonna find out what’s up.”
“I know Diane, but we wanted to see you,” Nancy says. “I’ll worry about Grandpa Tomas later. Here. We brought you some flowers and gifts.” Nancy hands Diane D the flowers and gifts.
“Oh thank you,” Diane D smiles and says. “Thank you all so much.”
“You’re welcome,” the Dianettes say.
“Let me see what’s in here.” Diane D starts to open a gift. She finishes opening the gift and pulls out a short black sweater. She holds the sweater up and says, “A sweater? Just what I need. Y’all must probably know hospital rooms get cold at night.” The Dianettes laugh. Diane D puts her index finger to her mouth and says, “Shhhh. Let’s be careful not to wake up Mom.” The Dianettes turn their heads. They see Mary sound asleep on the chair bed. They smile at her. They turn their heads back towards Diane D.
“She seems dead to the world,” Kelly says.
“She is,” Diane D says. “I think she’s been up all day. I’ve been asleep all day.”
“That’s why you’re wide awake now?” Charlotte says.
“Yeah.”
“Open up the other gifts and see what you got,” Lonna says.
“Okay.” Diane D opens another gift. She pulls out a stuffed animal. “A stuffed animal?” she says.
“You like it?”
“I love it! Thanks girls.”
“You’re welcome,” the Dianettes says.
Kelly takes the stuffed animal. She gently rubs it against Diane D’s face and says, “You can rest your face on this thing. You like the way it feels?”
“Yes I do,�
� Diane D smiles and says. “It certainly feels very soft.” The Dianettes laugh again. Kelly removes the stuffed animal from off Diane D’s face as Diane D opens another gift. Diane D pulls out a box of chocolates. She becomes puzzled and says, “Chocolates?”
“Yeah chocolates,” Nancy. “We know you don’t dig too much sweets Diane, but this is a special occasion. You’re in the hospital.”
“I know. I appreciate the chocolates. Thank you girls.”
“You’re welcome,” the Dianettes say.
Diane D opens up the box of chocolates. She lays it on the bed and says, “Well, dig in.” The Dianettes laugh as they and Diane D take some chocolates out the box and start to eat them.
Nancy hands Diane D an envelope and says, “Here Diane. We got a letter for you.”
“A letter? From who?”
“Some admirer we guess,” Miranda says.
“Oh yeah? What does it say?”
“We don’t know, we didn’t open it,” Nancy says. “It’s for you.”
“Okay.” Diane D opens the envelope. She pulls a letter out of it. “It’s a letter,” she says. Diane D unfolds the letter. She starts to read it. “It’s from a little boy,” she says.
“A little boy?” Bernice says. “What does his letter say?”
“It says ‘Dear Diane D. I am an eight-year old boy. I am dying of cancer. I only have a couple of days to live. My biggest wish is to meet you in person. I think it is wonderful what your family’s organization does for charity. I think you, your family, the Dianettes and all the other performers and athletes are all wonderful. I’ve been to your shows a few times and seen you all perform. You’ve donated money to our school and did a lot for poor communities. I think you are all fantastic. If I could meet you, your family and the Dianettes before I pass away, I will go very happy. If you all decide to come see me, please come as soon as you can. I’m in Memorial Hospital. Room 311. Thank you. Love Kenny Stevens’. What! This little boy is dying of cancer and he wants to meet us.” Diane D looks at the envelope. “This letter was postmarked yesterday. That means this kid might pass away tomorrow!”
“That kid is gonna pass away tomorrow?” Miranda asks.
“According to this letter he will.”
“So what are you gonna do?” Bernice asks.
“We’re gonna go see him. That’s what we’re gonna do. And we’re gonna see him tonight.”
“What!” the Dianettes say.
“Are you serious Diane?” Miranda says.
“I’m as serious as the cancer itself,” says Diane D “We gotta go see this kid. This letter says he wants to see all of us. We can’t let him down. If this kid passes away without getting to meet us, I won’t forgive myself.”
“Oh come on now Diane,” Lonna says. “You’re not gonna fall for that trick. You don’t know who that letter is really from.”
“But we will never find out who the letter is really from, if we don’t go to that hospital and investigate.”
“Diane you can’t go to see this kid,” Kelly says. “You’re still in the hospital yourself.”
“I know. I’m gonna sneak out of here. Just like y’all snuck in here.”
“What!” the Dianetts say.
“Diane, you just came out of being unconscious,” Kelly says. “Think about your health!”
“That’s right Diane,” Bernice says. “You can’t go out there.”
“The only way my health will get better, is if we go and see this kid,” Diane D says. “At least let’s investigate and see if this letter is real.”
“Yeah,” Lonna says. “Investigate this non-existing kid who suppose to be dying of cancer.”
“Non-existing? Listen girls, suppose this kid does exist? If this kid passes away without us making his wish come true, I don’t think I will ever get well. The only way I will get well if we go and see this kid. Now hand me my clothes. They’re in the suitcase.”
“What!” the Dianettes.
“Diane, you’re not going out there,” Lonna says. “We won’t let you.”
“But…,” Diane D says.
“No Diane!” Lonna shouts. “So forget about it.”
Diane D sadly looks at Lonna. She then looks at the rest of the Dianettes. She then looks back at the letter and sighs, “Okay, I guess I’ll never get better, knowing that this kid will pass away without us making his wish come true. Now I’m gonna feel sick forever, knowing that we let down a dying child.” Diane D sadly stares at the letter.
The Dianettes worriedly look at Diane D. They then look at each other. They look back at Diane D. “Okay!” Nancy says. Diane D and The Dianettes look at Nancy stunned as Nancy says, “If it really means that much to you Diane, then we’ll go to that other hospital to see this kid and see if he really exists.”
“That kid doesn’t exist Nancy!” Lonna says. “It’s a trap, I’m telling you! Anybody could have written that letter pretending to be a little boy just to lure us!”
“Well it’s only one way to find out girls,” Diane D says. Diane D looks at all the Dianettes with a sly begging look.
“Okay Diane,” Nancy says. “We’ll go to that other hospital to see this kid.”
“We will?”
“Yeah.”
“Thank you,” Diane D smiles and says.
“Nancy, Aunt Mary will kill us if we let Diane go out there,” Lonna says.
“We can go out to that other hospital real quick and be back here before Mom wakes up,” Diane D says. “I don’t think she’s gonna wake up for a while. Like I said before, she’s been up all day. I think she’s real tired right now. She probably won’t wake up until the break of dawn, so come on. We gotta get to the other hospital before it’s too late. The quicker we leave here the quicker we can get back here, so let’s go. Hand me my clothes.” Nancy, Miranda and Kelly get up off the bed. They walk to a suitcase in the corner and open it up. They lift up a few clothes. They pull out a long red bustier, a black blouse, a pair of black pants and a pair of black socks. They close the suitcase back up. Kelly picks up a pair of black shoes off the floor as she, Nancy and Miranda leave away from the suitcase.
Five minutes later, Mary is still asleep with the curtain drawn all the way in front of her.
On the other side of the curtain the light is on as Diane D’s hospital gowns lay on the side of the bed near her head. Bernice sits at the other side of Diane D’s head as the rest of the Dianettes have Diane D almost fully dressed with Diane D’s black blouse wide open bearing her muscular chest, muscular cleavage, her red bustier and her six-pack abs as Diane D lies face up on the bed with her sleeves rolled up all the way to her elbows with her hands behind her back. Diane D has her black socks on, her black shoes on and her black pants only half-way up her waist. She spreads her legs apart then lifts her rear high up off the bed, the as she starts to pull the back of her pants up as Lonna and Charlotte are down on their knees on the left side of Diane D helping Diane D pull the left side and left front of her pants up and Kelly and Miranda down on their knees on the right side of Diane D helping Diane D pull the right side and right front of her pants up. Before they finish, Diane D suddenly drops her bottom to the bed. “We’re not finish pulling your pants up Diane,” Lonna says.
“Lift up again,” Miranda says. Diane D lifts her bottom back up off the bed again as her hands remain behind her back. The Dianettes try to pull her pants up more. Before they finish, Diane D suddenly drops her bottom to the bed again.
“We’re still not finish pulling your pants up yet Diane,” Charlotte says.
“Yeah lift up again,” Kelly says. Diane D lifts her bottom back up off the bed again. Her hands remain behind her back as the Dianettes try to pull her pants up more. Before they finish, Diane D suddenly drops her bottom to the bed again.
“We’re still not done Diane,” Miranda says.
“Just lift up one more time,”
Nancy says. Diane D becomes annoyed and frustrated. She lets out an angry sigh and angrily lifts her bottom back up off the bed as the Dianettes pull her pants up more.
“Now there we go,” Miranda says as Diane D drops her bottom back on the bed. Charlotte and Kelly start to fix Diane D’s zipper and button as Diane D brings her hands from behind her back, holding on to a belt. Diane D’s muscular fore arms are bare as she puts the belt through her pants loops with Charlotte and Kelly still fixing and fastening her pants button. The rest of the Dianettes hold Diane D’s arms pulling down and fixing the side and front of Diane D’s bustier and blouse. The Dianettes then finish fixing Diane D’s clothes. Diane D finishes placing her belt through her pants loop. She fastens her belt buckle as Bernice wipes Diane D’s forehead with her fingers. Diane D then sits up on the bed. She fastens up her blouse more. Bernice hands the letter to Diane D. Diane D and the Dianettes quietly get up off the bed and stand next to each other. Diane D quietly places the two hospital gowns and some rolled up clothes on the bed. She pulls the blanket up over the clothes. She mats the blanket down on top of the clothes, trying to make it appear as if she’s still in the bed. She quietly tells Bernice, “Turn off the light.” Bernice turns off the bed light. Diane D goes to the foot of the bed as The Dianettes follow her. She gestures and whispers to them all, “Let’s go.” Three of the Dianettes ease out together side by side holding each other’s hand with Diane D right behind them. The other three Dianettes come behind Diane D. They go past the curtain and go by Mary. Mary suddenly turns in her sleep and faces towards Diane D and The Dianettes. Diane D and The Dianettes panick a little and stop in their tracks, watching Mary. Mary remains asleep. Diane D and The Dianettes look at Mary. Then they quickly and quietly whisk past Mary and head towards the doorway. They then hurry out the room.
Diane D and The Dianettes are walking down the street as Diane D leads the way smiling, “Oh what a glorious night this is! The weather is beautiful!”
“You know Diane,” Nancy says. “I don’t feel right doing this.”
“Me neither,” says Charlotte.
“We’re only going to spend ten minutes with this kid,” Diane D says. “After ten minutes, we’re out of there. Now where’s the car parked?”
“Around the corner,” Nancy says. “Three blocks away.”
“Three blocks away?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you sure you’re in a mood to go to that other hospital Diane?” Miranda asks.
“I’m in a very good mood to go over there,” Diane D says. “Besides, I need this fresh air. Being cooped up in that hospital room was starting to get to me. I needed to get out of there.”
“Okay Diane,” Kelly says. “But like you said, ten minutes with this kid.”
“Ten minutes, that’s it. Boy I feel so great to be out here, I’m in a mood to dance.”
“You’re in a mood to dance?” Lonna asks.
“Yeah, how ‘bout it girls. Let’s dance to the car.”
“You want to dance all the way to the car?” Bernice says. “You want to dance for three blocks?”
“I sure do!”
“Okay then, let’s do it then!”
“Let’s do this!”
“Let’s do this!” the Dianettes shout.
“Let’s go!” Diane D shouts as she and the Dianettes start to dance down the street. They sway in front of each other as they go down the street. They then go forward and jump with their arms up in the air. They skip down the street.
Back in the hospital room, Mary is waking up. She sits up on the chair bed stretching her arms out. She looks around the room. She gets off the chair and stands up. She slips on her slippers then looks towards the window. She turns from the window and goes around the curtain. She looks at Diane D’s hospital bed. She sees a human form underneath the blanket. She says, “Diane, I’m gonna go downstairs to get some tea. I’ll be back.” Mary is about to walk away. She looks back at the bed. She puzzled looks at the human form underneath the blanket. She then says, “You know Diane, you don’t need to be sleeping with the covers all over your head.” Mary walks to the head of the hospital bed. She pulls the covers off the head of the bed. She becomes puzzled. She does not see Diane D’s head. “Diane where is your head?” Mary puzzled says. She pulls the covers all the way off the bed. She becomes shocked! She does not see Diane D’s body either! She sees a pile of clothes shaped like a human form instead. Mary looks around. She does not see Diane D anywhere. She becomes hysterical! “Diane!” she calls out. Mary looks around the room. “Diane!” she calls out again. She hysterically leaves from the bed and goes from around the curtain. She looks around the room! “Diane!” Mary continues to shout. She then runs to the bathroom!
Mary opens the bathroom light! There is no sign of Diane D! “My God!” Mary shouts. She turns and leaves the bathroom! She rushes towards the doorway.
Mary is running through the hospital hallway. She takes a quick look into each room calling out, “Diane! Diane! Diane!”
A couple of female receptionists and a male security guard hurry to Mary as the security guard asks, “Is everything okay Miss!”
“No, everything is not okay!” Mary shouts.
“What’s the matter?” one of the receptionist asks.
“My child is missing!”
“Your child is missing?" the security guard asks. “What child? You mean your daughter, Diane D? She’s missing, again?”
“Yes! I’m looking for her!”
“Well what happened?”
“I just woke up and she’s gone out of her bed! She’s no where in the room! I looked in some of the other rooms! She’s not in those rooms either!”
“No? How can she be missing from the hospital?! What room were you and your daughter in?”
Mary turns around and points her finger, “Over there! Room 607!”
“607! Okay come on! Let’s go take a look!” Mary, the security guard and the receptionists hurry towards room 607.
Mary, the security guard and the receptionists anxiously look around the hospital room. They go to the bed. “Is she supposed to be here, in this bed?” the security guard asks.
“Yes!” Mary says. “I found this blanket over these clothes here! The bed was made up in a way so I can think she was still in it!”
“Are you saying that your daughter Diane D might have snuck out of here?” the first receptionist asks.
“I’m afraid that’s the way it looks!”
“Why would she want to sneak out of the hospital?” the second receptionist asks.
“I don’t know, I don’t have the slightest idea! All I know is that she snuck out of here right under my nose!”
“Did you look out the window to see if she was out there?” the security guard asks.
“No!” Mary says. “I’ll take a look now!” Mary, the security guard and the receptionists anxiously hurry to the window! They look out and see a group of young women dancing, twirling and skipping in the darkness way down the street. They become stunned. “Wait a minute!” Mary shockingly says. “That looks like….” Mary, the security guard and the receptionists see the young women disappear around a corner.
The security guard and the receptionists look at Mary. “You know those women?” the security guard asks.
“Yes!” Mary says. “I think it’s who I think it is?”
“Was that The Dianettes dancing and twirling down the street like that?” the second receptionist asks.
“I think so!”
“Well if that was The Dianettes down there, then most likely, your daughter Diane D is with them! Right?”
“Most likely!” Mary angrily says.
“Okay Miss,” the security guard says. “We’ll go after them. Let’s go.” Mary, the security guard and the receptionists turn from the window and hurry away!
Mary, the security guard and another m
ale security guard are riding in the hospital patrol car as the first security guard sits behind the wheel driving and Mary sits beside him on the passenger side and the other guard sits in the back seat. “Now do you know which way they are supposed to be heading?” the first security guard asks Mary.
They’re probably going towards that direction,” Mary says. “My family usually parks the car three blocks that way when we come here!”
“Okay, we’ll head down there.”
“Could you do me a favor? Go to that area from the other way? I want to catch them before they reach the car!”
“Okay Miss.” The security guard puts the car into high gear! He speeds the patrol car down the street!
Two minutes later, Diane D and the Dianettes are still dancing and twirling in the street. They start to run and twirl down the street. They dance and turn around a few times. They dance and twirl for a while. They turn around again. They suddenly spot an angry Mary standing right there staring at them with her arms folded with the two security guards standing beside her as they scream! Diane D and the Dianettes quickly stop in their tracks! They become nervous. Diane D, who is out of breath, laughs and says, “Mom! Oh my goodness Mom, you really startled us! We didn’t expect you to be standing out here.” The Dianettes nervously laugh and nod their heads as Diane D continues, “I mean you practically scared us half to death. What are you doing out here?”
“I should be asking you that question young lady!” Mary angrily shouts. “I see you have enough energy to sneak out of the hospital right under my nose and dance in the streets when you’re supposed to be sick!” Mary puzzled looks at the Dianettes and says, “And girls, what are you all doing here?” The Dianettes are speechless as they nervously look at Mary, then at each other. Mary looks back at Diane D and says, “What’s going on Diane? I wake up in the middle of the night to find you not in the bed and no where around! You practically scared me half to death! What’s going on?!”
“Mom, I received a letter from a little boy,” Diane D says as she pulls the letter out of her pocket. “In his letter, the little boy claims he’s dying of cancer and has only a couple of days to live. He says his biggest wish is to see us in person before he passes away. From the postmark of this letter, this kid might pass away tomorrow. I didn’t want to let him down so I talked the girls into going to see him at the hospital. He’s at Memorial Hospital. We were on our way over there to visit him real quick and come right back. Here’s the letter from him.” Diane D hands the letter to Mary.
Mary takes the letter and asks, “How did you get this letter?” The Dianettes nervously look at Diane D.
Diane D nervously says, “Oh somebody in the family gave it to me earlier during visiting hours. I don’t remember who it was.”
Mary looks at the letter and unfolds it. She reads the letter. She looks up at Diane D and says, “Diane, you don’t even know if this letter is for real! How do you know someone else didn’t right this letter! You know something like this happened before!”
“I know that Mom, but not all the time! Mostly all the letters our organization receives from people are truthful. We don’t know about this one until we try it.”
“Diane, you just came out of being unconscious! You shouldn’t even be out here!” Mary looks at the Dianettes and says, “Girls why did you all even allow her to come out here?”
“It’s not their fault Mom. They didn’t want me to be out here, but I kept insisting, because the little boy claims he wishes to see us before he passes away. I only wanted to make his wish come true.”
“Diane, you’re not going anywhere but back in that hospital right there!”
“Please Mom? It would really mean a lot to me if we visit this kid. It will make me feel better once we visit him.”
“It really means a lot to you?”
“Yes it does Mom.”
“Okay then, I’ll let you go visit this kid, but in only one condition! I’m gonna go with you!”
“Okay Mom, that’ll be nice.”
“Go with her?” the security guard says. “I’m sorry Ma’am, but she can’t go off anywhere, she’s still a patient! She’s not signed out! As long as she’s not signed out, we can’t let her go off anywhere!”
“I’m gonna go with them real quick,” Mary says. “I’m gonna bring her right back.”
“Ma’am, if we allow her to go off anywhere, we could be in big trouble! She’s still officially a patient! As long as she’s a patient, she’s our responsibility!”
“I understand that guard. I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you come with us real quick. That way you can keep an eye on her.”
The security guard looks at his partner. His partner looks back at him and tells him, “Go ahead, I got your back. But come back real quick.”
The security guard looks back at Mary and says, “Okay Ma‘am, I’m gonna drive the patrol car to that other hospital, but she’s gonna have to ride in the patrol car too.”
“Okay, no problem,” Mary says,
“Let’s go.” The security turns and heads off as Mary, Diane D and The Dianettes follow after him.
Twenty minutes later, Mary, the security guard, a Memorial Hospital security guard, Diane D and the Dianettes enter a hospital room at Memorial Hospital. They look around the room. They see that the room is empty of patients. They see a black male custodian around his early 40’s sweeping the floor. The custodian looks up at them. He sees Diane D and the Dianettes. He becomes excited and says, “Oh my god, Diane D! It’s you! Your mom, and the Dianettes! How wonderful to see you all!”
“Oh we’re sorry to walk in on you and bother you sir, but we’re looking for a young patient,” Mary says. “A little boy by the name of Kenny Stevens who’s supposed to be in this room. But this room doesn’t appear to have any patients in it. It’s empty! Where’s the patient who’s supposed to be in this room?”
“There is no patient in this room,” the custodian says.
“What!” everybody says.
“Listen,” Mary says. “My daughter received a letter from a little boy who’s written that he has cancer and only has a couple of days to live. He wrote that he wishes to see her and the girls before he passes away. He wrote that he’s staying at this hospital in this room. Where is this patient?”
“Your looking at him,” the custodian says.
“What!” everybody says.
“Your looking at him. I’m the one who wrote the letter.”
“What!”
“You’re the one who wrote the letter?” Diane D angrily says. “You don’t look anything like a little boy and you certainly don’t look like you’re going to die in a couple of days.”
“I told you it was a trap!” Lonna says.
“I’m sorry,” the custodian says, “but I had to find a way to get to meet you all.”
“Under false pretense?!” Mary angrily shouts. “Using a story like that to get my daughter’s attention is not good at all! This is not the first time my daughter or our organization received a phony letter from somebody, just to get to meet any of us! Now we might never believe any letters that come our way again! You made it bad for everybody else!”
“I’m truly sorry Ma’am, but I just wanted to know if your organization can perform in our town. A lot of people know about your organization and want to see your organization’s performances. I told the Committee I was gonna see if I can get your organization to perform a charity event at the arena.”
“What! You expect us to do a charity event on a false pretense like this letter?! I’m sorry but our organization don’t work like that! So you can take this phony letter and do something with it!” Mary says as she tosses the letter towards the custodian.
“I’m sorry to upset you Ma’am. I know I shouldn’t have sent a phony letter, but I figure it would be the only way to meet any of you so I can ask you in person!”
“Why couldn’t
you just ask right up front in the phony letter you sent?!” Diane D says.
“Because I figure you might sent a letter back to me telling me to wait my turn because you have other charities to do! I thought if I state the sickness of a child, you might respond right away! And you did! It worked!”
“It might have worked,” Mary says, “but you made it bad for the next person who’ll send a letter to our organization! We don’t know who to believe from now on!”
“I’m truly sorry Ma’am!”
“I’m sorry too that we came here for nothing!”
“So you won’t do the charity event for the town?”
“No we won’t! Not on a false pretense!”
The custodian looks at Diane D and says, “Diane D please! Could you perform for charity in our town?”
“How the hell are you going to ask her when I just told you no?!” Mary shouts. “Are you trying to get her to over ride me?!”
“No Ma’am. I didn’t mean to do that.”
“I said she can’t do it! She nor the girls are going to do it, you got that?! We’re not working on false pretenses!”
“My mom’s right,” Diane D says. “We don’t work on false pretense, if we know it’s false!”
“I’m truly sorry,” the custodian says. “I shouldn’t have done it, but please Ma’am, do it for the town? They really would like to see your charity event! They would really love to see Diane D and the Dianettes.”
“Sir, my mom said no,” Diane D says. “It’s up to her, my Dad and my grandparents. They run the organization, they‘re the ones in charge.”
“My mind is already made up!” Mary says. “We do this for one phony person, more and more people will start to send false letters! I’m sorry sir, but we have to go! Our time has been already wasted!” Mary turns to Diane D and the Dianettes and says, “Come on girls, let’s go.” Mary, Diane D, the Dianettes, the security guard and the Memorial Hospital security guard turn around and head out the door. The custodian stands there sadly looking at them.
Back at the other hospital, the first security guard and his partner walk Mary and Diane D in the hallway. They escort Mary and Diane D back to the hospital room. Mary turns to the security guards and says, “Okay guys, I got it from here.”
“Okay Ma’am,” the security guard says. “Are you sure everything’s gonna be alright?”
“Yes we’ll be fine. Thank you.”
“No problem. If you need us, we’ll be right down the hall.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
The security guards turn and walk away.
Inside the hospital room, Mary angrily brings Diane D back into the hospital room and slams the door. She brings Diane D to the bed and slightly shoves her. Diane D puzzled looks at Mary as Mary points her finger to her and says, “Don’t you ever, sneak out of the hospital again, you hear me?”
“Yes Mom I hear you,” Diane D says. “I will never do that again. Promise!”
“Oh I’m going to make sure you never do that again.” Mary angrily looks away from Diane D. She goes towards the door as Diane D puzzled looks at her. Mary opens the door. She leans out the doorway and shouts into the hallway, “Doctor Henry! Come in here real quick, please!” Mary waits at the doorway. She then comes back into the room as a couple of male doctors, one husky black male, Dr. Henry and one medium built white doctor, approach the door. They come into the room behind Mary. Mary and the doctors approach Diane D. Mary turns to the doctors. “Okay Doctors, you both can give her the medication now.”
“Okay Ma’am,” Dr. Henry says.
“Medication?” Diane D puzzled asks. “What medication? What’s going on Mom?”
“Don’t worry Diane,” Mary says. “This medication is just to relax you that’s all.”
“Relax me?”
“Yes.”
“I’m already relaxed!”
“No you aren’t. If you were relaxed, you wouldn’t have snuck out of the hospital my dear.” Mary turns to the doctors and says, “Give it to her Doc!”
Dr. Henry turns to Diane D and says, “Okay Miss D, hold your arm out please.”
“I don’t need any medication!” Diane D shouts. “I’m already relaxed!” Mary goes to the front of Diane D and angrily grabs Diane D’s left arm. The second doctor goes behind Diane D and grabs Diane D’s left arm also. He and Mary hold Diane D’s arm out as he and Mary grabs Diane D’s body and hold tightly onto her torso as Diane D jerks and desperately tries to pull away shouting, “No Mom!” Dr. Henry wipes Diane D’s arm with a small sponge. He takes a needle and holds it up in the air as he injects fluid into it. Diane D jerks and desperately tries to pull away again. Dr. Henry turns the needle down and tightly holds Diane D’s arm as Diane D shouts, “Mom No! No!” Diane D continues to shout as she struggles to get away.
“Now!” Mary shouts as Dr. Henry inserts the needle right into Diane D’s veins.
Diane D frighteningly turns her head away from the needle and hollers, “Aaaaaah!” Mary and the two doctors continue to hold tightly onto Diane D as Diane D tries desperately to pull away. Dr. Henry continues to insert medication into Diane D’s veins as Diane D again hollers, “Aaah!”
“Almost finish dear,” Mary says. “Just hang in there.”
Diane D calms a little as her head lays on the second doctor’s shoulder with her eyes closed and face red and sweaty as Mary and the second doctor continue to hold tightly onto her. Dr. Henry pulls the needle out of Diane D’s arm and wipes her arm off.
The following day, Michael is standing outside the hospital room in the hallway with his head down. Nicolas and Mickey approach Michael holding a cup of coffee in each of their hands. Michael looks up at them and says, “Hey, what’s up guys?”
“What’s up Michael?” Mickey says.
“How you doing Michael?” Nicolas says.
“I’m okay,” Michael says.
“That’s good Where’s Mom and Dad? Are they still here?”
“No. They left around an hour ago to go to the store to pick up some things for Diane. Then they gonna head home real quick to pick up Grandma and Grandpa and then they all gonna come back here.”
“I see. So how’s everything going?”
“Not good at all.”
“No? How’s Diane doing now? Are her joints still aching from the medication that doctor gave her last night?”
“Yeah,” Michael says as slight tears appear in his eyes. “All I know is that when your mom brought Diane back in this room after Diane snuck out of the hospital last night, she had the doctors inject Diane with some medication for Diane to relax to make sure Diane never sneaks out of the hospital again. Then Diane woke up with terrible pains this morning. Her shoulders were aching, her back was aching, her muscles were aching and all her joints were aching. That medication really gave her a bad effect. By this afternoon, her condition seemed to have gotten worse! Her eyes are red and swollen now. She’s still in a lot of pain. She could barely move.”
“She can’t move at all?”
“No.”
“Boy Mom really made sure Diane won’t sneak out the hospital again, didn’t she?” Mickey says.
“I know. I think your mom is really punishing Diane for sneaking out of the hospital last night. Especially the fact of Diane sneaking out of the hospital right under your mom’s nose. Your mom didn’t like that at all. By your mom having the doctors give Diane that medication, it’s her way of making sure Diane stays grounded.”
“I’m sure it is,” Nicolas says. He turns to Mickey and says, “Come on Mickey, let’s go in there and check on Diane.” Nicolas and Mickey are about to head into the room.
“The girls are in there now,” Michael says.
Nicolas and Mickey stop and look at Michael as Mickey asks, “They are?”
“Yeah. Your mom told me and the girls to watch Diane until she and your Dad come back. After your mom and dad left, the girls d
ecided to give Diane a bath. They’re drying her up right now. After they dry her up, they’re gonna massage her aches and pains with some Mineral Ice medication.”
“Mineral Ice medication?”
“Yeah. After that, they gonna dress her back up. They got the curtain closed tight. That’s why I’m waiting out here.”
“Oh yeah?” Nicolas says. “All the girls are in there?”
“Yeah, except for Charlotte.”
“Charlotte?” Mickey asks. “Where is she?”
“She went home real quick to change her clothes because she didn’t want Diane to smell any hard liquor on her clothes.”
“She didn’t want Diane to smell any hard liquor on her clothes?”
“What she doing with hard liquor on her clothes?” Nicolas asks.
“Well Kenny took Charlotte to his family’s house for a small celebration over there a little while ago,” Michael says. “There was some hard liquor there, so Kenny’s family offered Charlotte a drink, so she took a sip. She didn’t know we were all planning to come up here to see Diane this soon. When she found out we were coming up here, she rushed home real quick to wash up and change her clothes so Diane won’t smell any hard liquor on her. She didn’t want Diane to get upset about the smell of hard liquor on her.”
“I don’t blame her. Did Diane ask where Charlotte is?”
“Of course she did.”
“What y’all tell her?”
“We told her Charlotte went home to change her clothes. Then she asked ‘Why, what happened to Charlotte’s clothes?’ The girls told Diane Charlotte spilled juice on herself so she went home to change her clothes real quick and should be here shortly.”
“Yeah? What did she say to that?”
“She didn’t say anything to that. I think she bought the story.”
“Yeah let’s hope so.”
Way down the end of the hall, Charlotte rushes through the double doors and rushes down the corridor carrying a large package.
“Oh here comes Charlotte now,” Michael says. Nicolas and Mickey turn their heads and see Charlotte coming. Charlotte approaches Michael, Nicolas and Mickey. “Hey Charlotte!” Michael, Nicolas and Mickey say.
“Is everything alright?” Nicolas says.
“Yeah,” Charlotte says.
“I told them you went home to change your clothes real quick because you didn’t want Diane to smell any hard liquor on yourself,” Michael says. “Did it work? You got the smell of liquor off you.”
“I hope so,” Charlotte says. “Do y’all smell anything?”
The Michael, Nicolas and Mickey sniff the air near Charlotte. “I don’t smell any hard liquor,” Mickey says.
“I don’t smell any either,” Nicolas says.
“I think it’s safe for you to go in there now Charlotte,” Michael says.
“Really?” Charlotte asks. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah go ahead. As long as you don’t smell like hard liquor, Diane won’t chew you out.”
“I think Diane is too sick to chew anybody out,” Nicolas says as he sips on his coffee.
“Right now she’s sick. But believe me, she’ll catch up later if she suspects anything.”
“Yeah that’s true.”
“Hey, what you got there Charlotte?” Mickey asks.
“Oh a fruit basket,” Charlotte says.
“A fruit basket?” Mickey, Nicolas and Michael say.
“Yeah. I got this for Diane.” Charlotte lifts the bag off the basket and shows the basket full of fruit to Michael, Nicolas and Mickey.
“Wow,” Nicolas says. “What a large fruit basket, look at all that fruit! Now Diane’s really gonna make us all dig in there!” They all laugh.
“Go ahead in there Charlotte,” Michael says.
“Okay Michael,” Charlotte says as she heads into the room with the fruit basket.
Nicolas turns to Michael and says, “You know Michael, the rest of the family is downstairs in the lobby right now. They’re all waiting to come up to see Diane.”
“I know Nicolas,” Michael says, “but we can’t have too many people up here trying to see Diane all at once like they tried to do the other day. That’s why we all almost got into trouble by the security guards that day because it was too many visitors here, trying to visit Diane all at the same time. It was practically fifty or more people out here in this hallway trying to get into the room to see Diane. Then everybody started arguing and fighting with each other.”
“Well that’s why they’re all waiting downstairs right now Michael, waiting for the room to be available. How long has the girls been in there anyway?”
“They’ve been in there with Diane for almost two hours.”
“Two hours?” Mickey asks.
“Yeah. They should be finished dressing Diane up by now. Let me go in there and get them out the room so everybody else can get a chance to come up.”
“You better hurry up Michael, because much more relatives are planning to come up to see Diane too.”
“What! Oh no! Let me get the girls out.” Michael turns around and goes into the room.
Michael walks into the hospital room. He passes the first hospital bed where an elderly white female patient is sleeping with a young white woman sitting on a chair beside her. The young woman looks at Michael as Michael walks to the closed curtain on the other side of the room. Michael hears the girls talking and laughing. He stops and says, “Hello in there! Can I come in now?” Michael hears footsteps approaching the curtain. The curtain opens up with Bernice standing on the other side. “Hi Michael,” Bernice says.
“Hi Bernice,” Michael says as Bernice turns away. Michael steps in behind the curtain. He sees all the girls sitting on the bed completely surrounding a dreary looking Diane D with Diane D wearing a long navy blue bustier and a large navy blue towel wrapped around her waist as she sits up on the bed.
“Hi Michael,” Miranda, Kelly, Nancy and Lonna say.
“Hey,” Michael says. Bernice gets back on the bed on Diane D’s right side. She takes a jar of Mineral Ice and puts some of it on her hands. She hands the jar of Mineral Ice to Lonna as Lonna and Kelly sit on each side of Diane D in the back. Bernice rubs the Mineral Ice all over her palms. She takes Diane D’s right arm and rubs the Mineral Ice all on it. Lonna puts some Mineral Ice on her hands. She rubs the Mineral Ice all over her palms as Kelly lifts up Diane D’s long braid and opens up the back of Diane D’s bustier. Lonna then rubs the Mineral Ice all over Diane D’s back, neck and shoulders. Nancy and Miranda sit directly in front of Diane D with Miranda wiping Diane D’s left fingers with a towel and Nancy holding a fresh tank top, a fresh pair of leggings and unbuttoning a fresh shirt. Charlotte sits on the left side of Diane D, gently holding and rubbing Diane D’s left arm and elbow with another jar of Mineral Ice. She and Miranda then look at the bandage on Diane D’s left arm and pull it back. They see Diane D’s needle mark. “Wow,” Michael says. “I see you girls are putting the whole jar of Mineral Ice on her.”
“Yeah she really needs this for her aches and pains,” Miranda says.
“I know.” Michael looks at Diane D and says to her, “Hey Diane. Boy, I see you’re still in a lot of pain, huh?” Diane D just nods her head a little with eyes red, swollen and half closed. Michael turns back to the Dianettes and says, “Y’all almost finished in here, right?”
“No we’re not almost finished yet Michael,” Lonna says.
“We didn’t finish putting the Mineral Ice on her,” Miranda says.
“And we didn’t finish dressing her yet either,” Nancy says.
“Well hurry up in here,” Michael says. “Everybody else is downstairs waiting to come up. The security says we can’t have too many people up here in the room because of a safety hazard. That’s why you girls have to hurry up and leave the room so everyone else can get a chance to come up.”
“Michael, Aunt Mary told all of us to w
atch Diane until she and Uncle Barry come back,” Nancy.
“I know what she told us, but other family members want to come up and visit Diane too. They’re not allowed up here in the room until you girls leave.”
“We can’t leave Diane right now Michael, she needs us,” Miranda says. “Don’t you see that the medication they gave her last night has her in a lot of pain?”
“Yes I see that Miranda, but you all still have to leave the room! Nicolas and Mickey are outside in the hallway right now. They can stay here in the room with Diane.”
“Yoohoo!” a woman’s voice calls from behind the curtain. “Hello!” Michael and the girls turn around and look. Michael walk towards the edge of the curtain. He opens the curtain and sees an older black female kitchen staff member approaching the curtain carrying a tray of food. “Is the patient ready to eat?” the kitchen staff member asks. The kitchen staff member passes by the curtain then passes Michael. She looks behind the curtain and sees Diane D sitting up on the bed surrounded by the Dianettes. She says to Diane D, “Are you ready to eat Miss?” Diane D nods her head a little with her eyes still half closed as she looks at the tray of food. The kitchen staff member sets the tray of food down on a table and asks Diane D, “Where do you want this tray?”
“Just leave it there ma’am,” Diane D says.
Bernice gets up off the bed and approaches the table. She picks up the tray of food off the table then turns to the kitchen staff member and says, “We got this ma’am. You can go now.” Bernice turns away with the tray of food and walks back to Diane D with it as Lonna gets up off the bed.
Lonna approaches the end of the curtain where the kitchen staff member is as the kitchen staff member asks, “Does the patient need my help to feed her?”
“No, that’s okay miss,” Lonna says. “We’ll feed her. Bye.” Lonna closes the curtain right pass Michael’s and the kitchen staff member’s faces, forcing Michael and the staff member to quickly back up.
“Well excuuuse me!” the kitchen staff member says as she and Michael look at the curtain, then look at each other. They turn around and head towards the doorway.
As Michael and the kitchen staff member reach the doorway, they suddenly hear the girls burst out laughing. They look back towards the curtain. They look at each other again then turn back around and exit the room.
The kitchen staff member and Michael enter the hallway. The kitchen staff member approaches a cart that has more trays of food on it as Michael approaches Nicolas and Mickey. “Are the girls coming out now?” Nicolas asks.
“No, not yet Nicolas,” Michael says. “They wanna feed Diane her food now.”
“What! You know Michael the rest of the family is gonna be pretty pissed off if they don’t get a chance to come up here and see Diane.”
“That’s right Michael,” Mickey says. “Aunt Christine, Uncle David, Dana and the rest of them flew in from Jamaica this morning.”
“What!” Michael shouts. “You’re kidding!”
“No I’m not! Word got out to all of them that Diane was in the hospital.”
“What! How did they find out about it?”
“Grandma Gracy mentioned it to Uncle David on the phone last night. He got hysterical and told everybody in the family down there that Diane is in the hospital, then they all got hysterical! The entire family hopped on the plane this morning and flew up here! They’re all on their way here to the hospital to see Diane.”
“Oh no!”
“Yeah Michael,” Nicolas says. “Dana was pretty pissed off when she found out that Diane was in the hospital and then became pissed off at us, wanting to know why the hell none of us called her or her family up and told them about it right away.”
“Oh yeah? Did you tell Dana we didn’t want to worry any of them?”
“Yeah we told her that, but she says that’s not the point. She said we still should’ve called her family up and told them all about it as soon as Diane was admitted in here. She’s real angry at all of us right now. When she found out Diane was in the hospital, she called Tony up.”
“She did?”
“Yeah. Then Tony called up Teresa. Then Teresa told Joseph about it. Now Tony, Teresa and Joseph are on their way up here to see Diane too!”
“My God. How many visitors are downstairs waiting to see Diane?”
“The same number like the other day, around fifty.”
“Around fifty?!”
“Yeah. Maybe more.”
“There were only around ten people down there when I first left!”
“Well more visitors showed up! Dana’s family should all be up here at the hospital any minute now too. That’s why you have to get the girls out the room right away. Visiting hours will be over before you know it and no one else will get a chance to come up and see Diane!”
“Alright, let’s get the girls out.” Michael turns to the security and shouts, “Security! Could you call downstairs for me and tell them they can send the next visitors up, please!”
“Send the next visitors up?!” the security guard shouts. “I can’t! You still have visitors in that room, don’t you?”
“Yeah we’re gonna get them out now!”
“Alright, but we can only send four visitors up at a time!”
“Alright, four visitors is cool! Send them up!”
“Okay!”
Michael turns around and goes into the room as Nicolas and Mickey follow behind him.
Michael, Nicolas and Mickey enter the hospital room. They pass the first hospital bed where the elderly white female patient is still sleeping with the young white woman still sitting on the chair beside her. The young woman looks at Michael, Nicolas and Mickey as Michael, Nicolas and Mickey walk to the closed curtain on the other side of the room. Michael, Nicolas and Mickey hear the Dianettes talking and laughing as they head towards the curtain.
Michael, Nicolas and Mickey approach the curtain as Michael calls out, “Okay girls, Nicolas, Mickey and I are here! We’re coming in!” Michael, Nicolas and Mickey open the curtain up. They enter behind the curtain and see Diane D sitting up fully dressed now still completely surrounded by the Dianettes as each of the Dianettes hold a food or drink from the tray right up to her mouth. Diane D eats food from a fork Miranda is holding. She then sips on a straw from a small carton of milk Nancy is holding. Charlotte puts a piece of toast up to Diane D’s mouth. Diane D takes a bite out of the toast as Kelly holds a carton of juice and a straw to Diane D’s mouth. Bernice holds a dessert and spoon to Diane D’s mouth as Lonna holds a soda and straw to Diane D’s mouth.
“Hey Diane,” Nicolas says.
“How are you feeling Diane?” Mickey says as he and Nicolas approach near the Dianettes.
“Are you girls ready to leave the room so the rest of the family can come up to see Diane now?” Michael asks. “Nicolas said there’s around fifty or more visitors downstairs waiting to come up to see her.”
“Fifty or more visitors?” Nancy says. “But, we’re not finished feeding her yet Michael.”
“Yeah,” Miranda says. “She didn’t finish her food yet.”
“Nor her drinks yet,” says Lonna.
“Nor her dessert,” says Bernice.
“Alright that’s it, time’s up!” Michael angrily and shouts. “Everybody ….out!”
“What?” the Dianettes say. Michael angrily grabs the food and juice containers out of the girls hand and slams the food down on the tray. He then grabs the tray. “What are you doing Michael?!” Nancy asks.
“Watch me!” Michael says as he brings the tray to the dresser. He goes back to the Dianettes then grabs Lonna and Bernice by the arms. “Let’s go!” Michael says as he pulls Lonna and Bernice up off the bed. Lonna and Bernice scream a little. Michael wraps his arms around their waists as Nicolas pulls Nancy and Miranda off the bed. Nancy and Miranda scream a little. Nicolas wraps his arms around their waists as Mickey pulls Charlotte
and Kelly off the bed. Charlotte and Kelly scream a little as Mickey wraps his arms around their waists! The Dianettes scream as Michael, Nicolas and Mickey bring them towards the curtain.
“Stop Michael!” Lonna says. “You can’t do that to us!”
“That’s right!” Kelly says. “Mary told us all to watch Diane until she comes back! She’s not back yet!”
“Look, you girls are being very stubborn right now!” Nicolas shouts as he, Michael and Mickey bring the Dianettes towards the door. “Michael just told you all that Diane has a lot of visitors downstairs waiting to come up and see her! Can’t you understand that?”
“But your mother told us to stay here and watch Diane!” Nancy says.
“Nicolas and I are here now,” Mickey says. “We’ll watch and finish feeding Diane! We’ll explain to Mom that security won’t allow too many visitors in the room all at once and we had to make room for more visitors, that’s all!”
“Yeah, time’s running out! One two three!” Michael shouts as he, Nicolas and Mickey bend down. They bend back up and gently lift all the girls up off the floor and shout, “Uupsy daisy!”
“Aaaahhh!” the Dianettes scream. The fellows bring the girls towards the doorway then through the doorway as the elderly woman’s visitor looks on.
Michael, Nicolas and Mickey put the girls back down in the hallway. Kelly is about to slip as they all catch her. “Be careful Kelly,” Michael says.
Kelly angrily turns to Michael and shouts, “Be careful my foot! I’m going back in there to take care of Diane!”
“So will I,” Miranda says.
“Me too!” Lonna says.
“That’s right,” Nancy says. “Aunt Mary told us all to keep an eye on Diane and it seems like y’all are over riding her!”
“We’re not over riding Mom Nancy,” Nicolas says. “But do you all have to be in the room with Diane?”
“Yes Nicolas,” Charlotte says. “That’s the way your mother wants it!”
“That’s right,” Bernice says. “She wants all of us in there with Diane!”
“Girls please!” Nicolas says. “We promise you’ll get back in the room to take care of Diane, okay! We promise! We just want to let the rest of the family come up and see Diane, okay? Let’s not be selfish, okay?” The Dianettes calm down. “Good. That’s what I wanna see. I’ll be right back.” Nicolas turns to Michael and says, “Michael, Mickey and I are gonna head back in the room and check on Diane.”
“Okay Nicolas,” Michael says. Nicolas and Mickey turn and head back into the room. Michael turns to the girls and says, “Why don’t you girls wait downstairs with everybody else.”
“We’re not leaving Michael,” Lonna says.
“That’s right,” Bernice says. “Mary told us to stay here and that’s what we’re gonna do.”
“But, I don’t think the hospital security want too many people standing in the hallway,” Michael says.
“Too bad Michael,” Miranda says. “If we can’t be in the room with Diane, then we’re gonna stay right out here, that’s all.”
Michael looks at the girls. He then says, “Okay, I guess you all can stay out here. But please stay cool until everybody gets a chance to come up and see Diane, please? It’s only fair.” Michael and the girls hear noises coming down the other end of the hallway. They turn to look. They see Diane D’s paternal grandparents Gracy and Grandpa Mike, Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Tonio rush down the hallway towards them. Diane D’s family approach the girls and hug them. They then hug Michael.
“Well it’s about time we got up here!” Tonio says.
“That’s right Michael!” Gracy says. “Everybody in the lobby is starting to get restless and uptight, wondering when you were gonna call up for the next visitors!”
“Yeah Michael,” Grandpa Mike says. “What took you so long?”
Michael looks at the Dianettes. The Dianettes look back at him as Lonna has her arms folded. Michael looks back at Grandpa Mike and says, “Nothing. We just had to wait for the room to be available.”
“Yeah?” Marilyn says. “Well I think you better get downstairs and explain to everybody what’s going on up here. I think they’re about to get into another argument and fight down there just like the other day!”
“Oh no! I better go stop it! Let me tell Nicolas and Mickey I have to get downstairs.” Michael turns and steps into the room.
Three seconds later, Michael comes back out the room with Nicolas following right behind him. Nicolas approaches his grandparents and relatives and gives them a hug. He tells them, “I’m gonna go downstairs to the lobby with Michael to break up the argument down there.”
“Okay Nicolas,” Gracy says. “Be careful! They’re all edgy down there.”
“Okay Grandma.” Nicolas turns to Michael and says, “Come on Michael let’s shoot!” Nicolas and Michael turn and hurry down the end of the hall as Diane D’s relatives and The Dianettes look on.
Inside the hospital Lobby, the elevator door opens. Nicolas and Michael come out of the elevator. They look in the lobby and are stunned to see around a hundred people there, fussing with several security guards. “My God, look at all these people,” Michael says. “All these people are waiting to visit Diane?”
“Yep,” says Nicolas.
“It looks like around a hundred people here. I thought you said it was around fifty visitors waiting to see Diane when you left down here!”
“Well obviously more visitors showed up! You know my mom’s side of the family is large and my father’s side of the family is large. Obviously a lot of them are here. Plus word got out among all the communities that Diane is in the hospital. I think a lot of her fans and admirers are here too.”
“They are here,” Michael says. “I see some people wearing her name on their T-shirts.” Michael and Nicolas see some visitors wearing T-shirts that read ‘DIANE D’ on them. They see other visitors wearing T-shirts that read ‘DIANE D AND THE DIANETTES’ on them. They see five teenage girls standing in a circle, wearing different color sweatshirts with different color letters that read ‘DIANE D AND THE DIANETTES’ on them.
One of the teenage girls says to the other, “I like your shirt. That’s a nice design and color.”
“Yours is nice too,” a second girl says.
“Boy I hope we get to visit Diane D!” a third girl says. “I want her to see me wearing this shirt. I want her to know that I’m her and The Dianettes’ biggest fan!”
“No I want her to see me wearing this shirt,” a fourth girl says, “so she can know I’m her and The Dianettes’ biggest fan.”
“She’s gonna see me in my shirt first,” says a fifth girl. The teenage girls start to laugh, holding and admiring their shirts. They then sing Diane D and The Dianettes’ song ‘Where’s The Flyyy Girl’. The teenage girls giggle.
“My gosh,” Michael says. “It’s so many people down here. I didn’t realize that Diane was so popular.”
“Me neither,” Nicolas says as he and Michael look at the crowd. They then approach the crowd. The teenage girls turn and see Michael and Nicolas. They become excited as one of them shout, “Hey! There goes Diane D’s husband! And Diane D’s brother!” The teenage girls become excited! They start to scream and wave their hands towards Michael and Nicolas. The rest of the crowd sees Michael and Nicolas and start to cheer, calling out, “Hey Michael! Hey Nicolas!”
Michael and Nicolas see Dana’s parents David and Christine and the rest of Dana’s family in the crowd. “Aunt Christine, Uncle David!” Michael says as he and Nicolas give Aunt Christine and Uncle David a hug and kiss. They then hug Dana’s siblings. “When did you all get here?” Michael asks.
“We just got here,” Christine says. “So what’s going on here Michael? How’s Diane doing?”
“She’s still in a lot of pain from that medication the doctors gave her last night.”
“Oh yeah?” says Uncl
e David. “Well we wanna see her right away.”
“We can only let four visitors see Diane at a time Uncle David. Your parents are up there with Diane now.”
“They are?”
“Yeah. Where’s Dana?”
“She’s on her way,” Christine says. “She’s coming here with Tony, Teresa and Joseph. They should all be here any minute now.”
“Is she still upset with us for not telling you all about Diane right away?” Nicolas asks.
“Yeah she’s still pissed off at you all,” Uncle David says.
“Yeah that’s what we were afraid of.”
“Let me explain to everybody,” Michael says as he turns around and steps up on a stool. Nicolas steps up on another stool. They both turn and face the crowd. The crowd cheers for them.
Four young women from the back of the crowd call out, “Oh Nicholaaaas!” Nicolas looks towards the back of the crowd at the young women as they hide their faces and giggle. Michael begins to speak to the crowd and says, “Hello everybody!”
“Hey Michael, Nicolas!” a male fan says. “When are we gonna get a chance to go up and visit Diane? We’ve been waiting down here forever!”
“I know and I’m sorry, but everybody cannot go and visit Diane!” Michael shouts. “Look! There are entirely too many visitors here! I’m afraid a lot of you won’t get a chance to visit Diane at all! Everybody in her family will get a chance to go up and see her, I’ll make sure of that, but we can only allow four people to visit at a time!”
“Hey what about us?” a man in the crowd wearing a Diane D sweatshirt shouts. “We love Diane D too you know! Can we get a chance to visit her too?”
“If you’re not her family sir, you won’t be able to visit her! I’m sorry, but visitation is strictly for family and close friends only!”
“Aaaahhhh,” the crowd says.
“I’m sorry people!”
Nicolas looks towards the back of the crowd and says, “Michael, there’s Tony and Joseph now.” Michael looks towards the back of the crowd. He and Nicolas see Tony and Joseph standing behind everybody, watching everybody. Nicolas looks towards the hospital entrance way behind the crowd and says, “Oh oh, Michael. There’s Dana now. She’s with Teresa.” Michael looks towards the hospital entrance. He and Nicolas see Dana walking slowly, looking angrily towards them with Teresa following right behind her, looking towards them too. “Oh oh,” Nicolas says. “Dana is giving us the evil eye.”
“Yeah I see,” Michael says.
Dana and Teresa stand at the hospital entrance looking at Michael and Nicolas.
“We’re gonna have to have a talk with them,” Michael says.
“Yeah I know,” Nicolas says.
Michael and Nicolas see Dana and Teresa turn away, going the opposite direction. “Where’re they going?” asks Michael.
“I have no idea,” Nicolas says.
Michael and Nicolas step down from the stool. They approach Christine and David as Michael tells them, “Hey, we just saw Dana, Tony, Teresa and Joseph come in. There goes Tony and Joseph.” Tony and Joseph approach Michael, Nicolas and Dana’s family. Tony and Joseph hug Michael and Nicolas then shake their hands as Michael smiles at Tony and says, “Hey what’s up man?”
“Nothing Much,” Tony says. “How’s everything going with you?”
“Just trying to hang in there.”
“How’s Diane doing? Is she still in a lot of pain?”
“Yes she still is.”
“Well we gotta see her.”
“I know, but there’s entirely too many visitors down here and upstairs. We can only allow four visitors to see her at a time.”
“Yeah that’s what we heard.”
“Where’s Dana?” Nicolas asks. “Michael and I just saw her and Teresa come in the front door, then they went the other way. Where did they go?”
“Oh they said they were gonna go to the gift shop to buy a gift for Diane,” Joseph says.
“Oh that’s nice,” Michael says. “I think Nicolas and I better go have a talk with Dana and Teresa. Nicolas and I saw Dana giving us the evil eye when she and Teresa walked in here.”
“Yeah, I bet y’all did,” Tony says.
Michael turns to Nicolas and says, “Come on Nicolas, let’s go talk with Dana and Teresa.”
“Okay Michael,” Nicolas says. Michael, Nicolas, Tony and Joseph turn and walk down the hall. They turn a corner and walk down a hallway. They then walk towards a gift shop.
Michael, Nicolas, Tony and Joseph enter the gift shop. They look around. They do not see Dana or Teresa anywhere in the gift shop. They look around again. They do not see any sign of Dana or Teresa. They approach a male clerk at the counter. Michael then says, “Excuse me sir, but did two young ladies just come in here buying a gift?”
“Yes,” the clerk says. “Two young ladies did just come in here and bought a gift. They left already.”
“Did you see which way they went?” Nicolas asks.
“I saw them turn and go that way. I don’t know where they were going, but it looked like they were going towards the back elevator.”
“Back elevator?!” Michael, Nicolas, Tony and Joseph shout.
“Yes. Is something wrong?”
“No just checking,” Michael says as he and the fellows turn and rush out the gift shop!
Michael, Nicolas, Tony and Joseph hurry down the hallway. They rush towards the back elevator. They look at the numbers and see the floor numbers going up. “That’s them, Dana and Teresa!” Nicolas shouts. “They’re sneaking up to see Diane!”
“Obviously they didn’t want to wait their turn!” Michael shouts. “They want to skip in front of everybody else! If Diane gets anymore visitors in her room right now, we’re gonna be in big trouble!”
“That right!” Nicolas. “We gotta stop Dana and Teresa!”
“Let’s go get the security!” Michael says as he fellows turn and rush from the area!
Michael, Nicolas, Tony and Joseph rush into the lobby. They approach a security guard as Michael says, “Excuse me sir.” Michael, Nicolas, Tony and Joseph bring the guard to the side. Michael then says, “You have to call the sixth floor right away!”
“Call the sixth floor right away?” the security guard says. “Why, what’s the problem?”
“The problem is, we think that two young ladies are sneaking upstairs on the back elevator to see Diane! Diane is not allowed anymore visitors at this moment! If those two young ladies get into Diane’s room, Diane’s family and myself will be in trouble! You got to call the security desk upstairs and stop those two ladies from getting to Diane’s room.”
“Okay, I’ll call the upstairs desk right away.” The security guard gets on the telephone. He then says, “Hello, Reginald? It’s me George. Did two young ladies come out the back elevator on your floor?”
On the sixth floor hallway, Officer Reginald, a male black security guard is speaking back into the phone saying, “No. I didn’t see anybody come out the back elevator yet.” Officer Reginald looks down the hall.
Down the hall, the elevator door opens. Dana and Teresa step out the elevator, each carrying a gift. They look around. They then look to their left and look down the hall. They see Officer Reginald.
“Wait a minute,” Officer Reginald says. “You said two young ladies, right?”
“Yes I did.”
“As a matter of fact, I see two young ladies coming out of the back elevator right now.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. They’re coming right this way.”
“Oh Yeah? Well do me a favor. Don’t let those two women past your desk alright. They’re on their way to visit the patient Diane D. Miss Diane D is not allowed anymore visitors at this moment right now! Stall those two women until I get up there.”
“Okay.”
The downstairs security guard puts the phone down. He turns to Michael, Nicolas, Tony
and Joseph and says, “The guard upstairs said two young ladies just walked off the elevator and coming his way. I’m on my way up there.”
“Okay,” Michael says. “I think we better go with you.”
“Why, we’ll take care of it. It’s only two women.”
“Yeah, but it’s one of those two women we’re specifically worried about.”
“One of the two women you’re specifically worried about? Which one?”
“Dana!”
“Dana? Which one is Dana? Who’s the other one?”
“The other one is Teresa, she’s not really the problem.”
“No? Well why are you worried specifically about Dana?”
“Because if you try to stop her from visiting Diane, she just might go off and start attacking you and that guard upstairs!”
“Attack me and the guard upstairs? What do you mean attack me and the guard upstairs? Why would she do that?”
“Who do you think attack security guards also? Dana! She’s just like Diane! Remember when Diane kicked and attacked five security guards and landed a few of them in the hospital years ago, and then went to jail for it! Well Dana has done the exact same thing before!”
“You’re kidding!”
“No we’re not kidding sir!” Nicolas says. “Dana kicks just like Diane! She’s been in jail before on several assault charges herself just like Diane! This is her boyfriend Tony and this is Teresa’s boyfriend Joseph! We all know how Dana is! She has a very violent temper just like Diane! What my sister did to those guards several years ago, we don’t want the same thing happening to you guards! That’s why we better go with you!”
“Okay, let’s go!” the security guard says as he, Michael, Nicolas, Tony and Joseph rush off to the elevator.
On the sixth floor hallway at the security desk, Dana is trying to go past Officer Reginald as Officer Reginald stands right in front of her, holding his arms out, trying to prevent her from going past him as Teresa stands aside nervously looking on, holding both gifts. “Could you move out of the way!” Dana shouts.
“I can’t let you go past Miss,” Officer Reginald says. “I’m sorry, but no more visitors allowed for Miss Diane D at this moment!”
Teresa grabs Dana’s arm and tells her, “Come on Dana, let’s get out of here and go back downstairs. We can wait our turn to see Diane.”
Dana violently jerks her arm away from Teresa and shouts, “Teresa did you see all those people in the lobby waiting to see Diane?! We can’t wait our turn! If we try to wait, we might not get a turn at all!” Dana turns back to Officer Reginald and says, “Listen, I’m only going to tell you one more time. Step aside!”
“And I’m only going to tell you one more time!” Officer Reginald shouts. “I can’t let you go past alright! No more visitors for Miss Diane D allowed at this moment, do I make myself clear! I hope so because I will not repeat myself again!” Dana relaxes and gives a cold stare at Officer Reginald.
Down the end of the hall, Michael, Nicolas, Tony, Joseph and the security guard rush out the elevator into the hallway. They look down the hallway. They are shocked to see Officer Reginald on the floor holding his groin in pain with the desk, chair and papers knocked all on the floor near him! “Yep!” Nicolas says. “She’s done it already!” Nicolas and the rest of the fellows rush to Officer Reginald.
The fellows reach Officer Reginald and bend down to him as the first security guard asks, “What happened?”
“I’ll tell you what happened!” Officer Reginald shouts. “One of those two women attacked me!”
“One of the two women who came off the elevator, right?”
“Yeah! She kicked me right in the groin!”
The downstairs security guard turns his head and looks at Michael and Nicolas. Michael and Nicolas look back at him. The downstairs security guard turns back to Officer Reginald and says, “Then what happened after that?”
“She swung her arm in the air and knocked me right on the floor!”
“My god! Well what was the other woman doing while the other one attacked you?”
“She tried to stop her, but she couldn’t.”
“Well which way did they go?”
“They went around the corner! I think they went to see that patient Diane D. They’re probably in her room right now!”
“Okay Reginald hang on tight, okay?”
“See?” Michael says. “This is what we were afraid of.”
“I see what you mean.”
“I think we better go get Dana,” Tony says.
“No stay here please!” the downstairs security guard says. “If this woman Dana or whoever she is, is in Diane D’s room, let her stay in there! I’m gonna call the police on her! We gotta keep her stalled in that room until the police arrive!”
“You’re not gonna have her arrested are you?”
“Of course I’m gonna have that woman arrested, look what she did! She assaulted a security guard!”
“I understand, but please don’t get her arrested!”
“I have to make a report of this sir! I can’t allow that woman to get away with this! The police are going to arrest her!”
“Please officer,” Nicolas says. “If you have to arrest Dana, please don’t arrest her right in front of Diane. Diane is sick enough. She doesn’t need to be upset by seeing this. Can’t we just all talk it over?”
“Okay, I’ll still call the police, but when I speak to them, I’ll tell them to wait outside the building for this woman Dana. Whenever she leaves the building, the police will be outside waiting for her arrival. Then we’ll all go to the police station together. In the meantime, I gotta call for a stretcher for Officer Reginald.” The downstairs security guard takes his jacket off and places it underneath Officer Reginald’s head. He stands up and gets on his walkie talkie and says, “Hello emergency room? Get a stretcher up here on the sixth floor right away! We have an officer down! He was assaulted! He seems to be injured very badly! …… Okay, thank you!” The downstairs security guard gets off his walkie talkie. He gets on his cell phone and dials a number. He then says, “Hello nine one one? Yeah get me the police please! There’s been an assault on one of the security guards here at the hospital! Get me the police right away!”
A cell phone rings. Nicolas reaches into his pocket. He pulls out his cell phone and opens it. He speaks into his cell phone and says, “Hello? ---- Yeah what’s up Mickey? ---- Yeah we know Dana and Teresa are probably in the room with Diane now. ---- She did?” Nicolas turns to the fellows and says, “Mickey said Dana had barged right into Diane’s room while Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Tonio were in there! She burst in on them!”
“You know somehow that does not surprise me,” Michael says.
“He said Teresa followed in right behind Dana!” Nicolas gets back on the cell phone and says, “Well what are Dana and Teresa doing now? ---- They’re talking to Diane? --- How’s Diane doing? --- I see. Well before Dana barged into the room, she assaulted the security guard who was at the desk around the corner. ---- Yeah she did! He’s lying on the floor right now! Me, Michael, Tony, Joseph and the guard from downstairs are with him now! They’re sending a stretcher for him. ---- Yeah. They’re calling the police on Dana! They’re gonna have her arrested! ---- Yeah! ---- Don’t worry, they’re not gonna have the police enter the room. They plan to have the police wait for Dana outside the building. ---- Yeah. Mickey don't mention a word about this to Diane okay? She doesn't need to be upset hearing this. And don't mention a word about this to Dana either! Don't let her know that the police are gonna be outside the building waiting for her, okay? The guard wants Dana to stay put so she can be stalled until the police arrive. We have to meet the police downstairs in a little while when they get here. ---- I know none of us need this right now.” Nicolas looks down the hall and sees a doctor and paramedics come out of the elevator with a stretcher. “Here comes a s
tretcher now. I gotta go Mick. Talk to you later. By.” Nicolas closes his cell phone and puts it away as he, Michael, Tony and Joseph get up from the floor as the doctor and paramedics rush to the injured Officer Reginald.
The doctor and paramedics reach Officer Reginald and tend to him. They soon lift him up onto a stretcher. They strap him in the stretcher. “Hang on Reginald,” the downstairs security guard says. “I’ll be there in a little while. I have to go outside the building to meet the police.”
“Okay,” Officer Reginald says. The doctors and paramedics take Officer Reginald and the stretcher away to the elevator.
The downstairs security guard turns to the fellows and tells them, “I just spoke with the police. They’re on their way over here. They said for all of us to meet them outside the building in two minutes. We have to go outside the building and meet them.”
“Okay,” Nicolas says. The downstairs security guard turns and walks down the hallway as Nicolas and the rest of the fellows follow him.
In Diane D’s hospital room, Dana sits on one side of the bed close to the curtain facing Diane D and Teresa sits on the other side of the bed close to window facing Diane D as Diane D lays in the bed still dreary looking with black and swelled eyes. Diane D holds tightly onto both Dana’s and Teresa’s hands as Mickey leans against the window sill. Mickey leans off the window sill. He turns to Diane D and says, “Diane I’m gonna wait out in the hall.”
“Okay Mickey,” Diane D says. Mickey walks around the bed and walks towards the edge of the curtain leaving the area. Diane D looks at Dana and Teresa and says, “I’m so surprised to see you guys. I didn’t expect to see any of you.”
“Well we’re here,” Teresa nervously smiles and says.
“You’re still in a lot of pain?” Dana asks Diane D as she fixes Diane D’s blanket.
“Yeah,” Diane D says. “This is Mom’s way of punishing me for sneaking out of the hospital last night.”
“Why did you sneak out of the hospital?”
“Because I received a phony letter from a man claiming to be a sick child.”
“A man claiming to be a sick child?” Teresa asks.
“Yeah.”
“Diane didn’t something like that happened before?” Dana asks.
“Yeah. People would write me letters claiming to be sick children when they’re not sick children at all. When we receive letters like that, you know we go investigate and check the person out, right? A few times the letters would be phony. It doesn’t happen too often. Most of the letters are for real. Hey Dana, we were all planning to come down to Jamaica to perform down there again. I think the people down in Jamaica really like us.”
“Well mom’s family keep asking her when you all are coming back and perform there again.”
“Well tell them hopefully within several months. Tell them we still have a few more cities to perform at for the next few months.” Diane D looks at Teresa and says, “What’s the matter Teresa? You seem nervous and upset about something. You seemed nervous and upset since you came in here. What’s the matter?”
“Well,” Teresa says. “I was just thinking about that security guard around the corner, that’s all.”
“Thinking about the security guard around the corner? Why?” Diane D looks at Teresa. Teresa looks at Dana as Dana looks at her. Teresa nervously looks back at Diane D as Diane D again asks, “Why are you thinking about that security guard Teresa?” Diane D suspiciously looks at Dana and says, “Dana, what did you do?”
“Dana didn’t do anything Diane,” Teresa nervously says. “I was just concerned that the security guard wasn’t gonna let us in here to see you, that’s all.”
“Let y’all in here to see me? Why are you worried about that Teresa? Y’all here aren’t you?”
“Yeah we are.” The bedside telephone rings. “I’ll get that for you,” Teresa says as she grabs the telephone receiver. She hands the receiver to Diane D.
Diane D speaks into the receiver and says, “Hello? --- Hey what’s up Nicolas? --- I’m fine. Everything’s is going okay. --- Yeah, Dana and Teresa are both here. They’re sitting right beside me. Everything is going okay. ---- Yes I’m sure. Why? Is something wrong? --- You sure nothing’s wrong? ----You‘re outside? ---- Waiting for somebody? ---- Who? ---- Why? ---- Okay. ---- Love you too. I’ll see you in a little while. ---- Okay, by.” Diane D hands the receiver to Teresa. Teresa takes the receiver from Diane D and puts it back down on the phone as Diane D says, “That was Nicolas. He said he and the fellows are outside the building right now.”
“He and the fellows are outside the building now?” Teresa asks. “Why?”
“He said they have to meet someone out there.”
“Meet someone out there? Like who?”
“I don’t know, he didn’t say. My guess is just as good as yours Teresa.” Diane D looks to the side of the curtain and says, “Michael.”
Michael approaches the bed and says, “Hey Diane.” Michael turns to Dana and Teresa and says, “What’s up ladies? How y’all doing?”
“Hi Michael,” Teresa smiles and says.
“Hi Teresa.” Michael looks at Dana and says, “Well aren’t you gonna say hello to me Dana?” Dana gives Michael a cold stare. Michael says, “Listen Dana, I know you’re upset with me because we didn’t tell you and your family right away that Diane was in the hospital, but we didn’t want to worry any of you!”
“Save it Michael,” Dana says.
“Alright I will save it, for later. I just want to tell you that your mother and your sisters are out in the hallway. They want to see Diane.”
“Well send them in!”
Michael looks at Dana. He then throws his arms up in the air and walks away. Teresa turns towards Michael and says, “Wait a minute Michael! I’ll wait in the hallway.” Teresa turns back to Diane D and says, “Diane I’ll be right back. I want to make room for Dana’s mom and sisters.”
“Okay Teresa,” Diane D says.
Teresa leans and gives Diane D a loving hug. “Be right back Diane.” Teresa gets up off the bed. “Don’t go sneaking off anywhere again.”
“I won’t Teresa. I promise.”
“Okay.” Teresa looks at Dana and says, “Dana, I’ll be in the hall.” Dana waves her hand at Teresa as Teresa turns and walks away towards the curtain.
Three police cars are waiting outside as Nicolas, Tony, Joseph and the security guard speak to some police officers.
It is now midnight. Inside Diane D’s hospital room, Mary comes out the bathroom wearing a robe. She approaches Diane D’s bed and looks at Diane D. She sees Diane D sound asleep. She smiles at Diane D. She leans to Diane D and gives Diane D a loving kiss on the head. Mary turns and sits down on a chair bed. She lays down and closes her eyes.
Chapter 18
Diane D’s Homecoming
