Dangerous Dana (A Suspense Thriller)

by Doris Miller

A few minutes later, Tony is inside his apartment, looking around for Dana, calling out, "Dana! Dana!" He does not see her anywhere in the apartment. He takes his suit top off and goes to the telephone. He dials up Diane D and Michael's number. Diane D picks up the telephone and says, "Hello?"

  "Hey Diane! It's me Tony! What's happening?"

  "Hey Tony! What's up?"

  "Oh nothing much. I just got inside the apartment and Dana isn't home yet. Is she there?"

  "Oh no, Dana's not here. I haven't seen her today."

  "No?"

  "Uh uh."

  "Well Diane, since I have you on the phone, you think you can do me a big favor tomorrow?"

  "A big favor? Well sure Tony, what is it?"

  "Well Dana is supposed to go see the doctor tomorrow morning. She plans on getting her tubes tied and the doctor is supposed to examine her tomorrow before they could make any kind of appointment for the actual procedure."

  "Oh yeah? Dana is going to the doctor tomorrow to see about getting her tubes tied?"

  "Yeah. She's going in the morning."

  "Really? I didn't know she was going to have this done so soon! I mean she had told me and Teresa before that she was thinking about getting her tubes tied, but she didn't tell us that she was definite or sure about it! Or she didn't tell us when she was going to have it done! I thought she had meant sometime in the future, like months or years from now."

  "Oh no, she is going to get examined tomorrow! And I would like for you to go with Dana when she goes to see the doctor tomorrow, Diane."

  "What? You want me to go with Dana to the doctor's office tomorrow?"

  "Yeah. I would like for you and Teresa to both go with Dana to the doctor tomorrow. I would like you both to be there with Dana when she goes to see the doctor tomorrow morning. I mean if you and Teresa aren't too busy or anything. It would really mean a lot to me Diane if you and Teresa could both be there with Dana tomorrow when she goes to see the doctor. I want to go with her myself, but I have to go to work tomorrow. I'm gonna do some overtime at my job, so I won't be able to go with Dana to the doctor's office. I tried to call up Missy and the triplets to see if any of them would be able to go with Dana to the doctor, but none of them are home right now. I think they all had went out to a party somewhere and they probably won't be home until late anyway!"

  "Yeah? But why do you need somebody to go with Dana to the doctor's office, Tony?"

  "Because Diane, I don't really know if Dana is actually going to go to the doctor's office tomorrow! I mean that's what she told me the other day! But that's what she always tells me when she doesn't come home until around 3:00 or 4:00 the next morning. Knowing Dana, every time she tells me that she's going to the doctor's office or the hospital, she leaves here around 9:00 or 10:00 one morning, and doesn't come home until around 3:00 or 4:00 the next morning! Now how many doctor's offices or appointments you know last that long, huh Diane? How many doctor's offices or appointments you know last for around 18 hours, huh? You tell me!"

  "So you want somebody to go with Dana tomorrow morning to make sure that she is actually going to be at the doctor's office, right?"

  "Right!"

  "Well Tony, don't you trust her?"

  "Well let me put it this way Diane. From the past experiences I had with Dana, leaving here some mornings, telling me that she is going to the doctor or the hospital and not coming home until the next morning or the next day, no I don't trust her Dian! That's why I want you and Teresa to both be right there with Dana when she goes to the doctor's office in the morning! I want you and Teresa to be right there with Dana at all times, alright? I want you two to keep an eye on Dana for me, okay? I really worry about her Diane."

  "I know Tony. Dana is my cousin and I worry about her too. What do you think she does or where do you think she goes when she doesn't come home until the next morning?"

  "I don't know Diane, I have no idea. I usually argue with Dana a lot of times because she would disappear for a whole day and stay out overnight without calling! She would not come home until around 2:00, 3:00 or 4:00 the next morning and I usually would not have any idea where she's been! You know many times during the middle of the night, Dana and I would lay in the bed together. I would have my arms wrapped tightly around her body to make sure she doesn't go anywhere or leave out of the apartment! Then I would fall asleep. The next thing I know is that when I wake up a few hours later, I would find Dana already gone, out of the apartment anyway! She always manages to sneak away from me while I'm asleep, holding tightly on to her! And she always manages to sneak out of the apartment before I wake up! When I catch up with Dana later on, I would argue and question with her! Dana would always seem to have the same excuses all the time, that she had gotten sick and had to go to the hospital emergency, or she would tell me that her car broke down! I would ask Dana why don't she tell me when she decides to go to the hospital! I tell her that I would have gone to the hospital with her! She would tell me that same line, that she didn't want to wake or disturb me."

  "Tony, you don't think that Dana could be living some kind of secret double life, do you?"

  "I don't know Diane. I had always wondered that myself, because going to the doctor's office one morning and not coming home until the next day doesn't really seem right to me at all, and nobody sees or hears from Dana, or no one even knows where she's been at all night or anything like that! That's pretty strange you know."

  "Yeah that does seem strange. Okay then Tony, I'll go with Dana to the doctor tomorrow morning."

  "Oh you will?"

  "Yeah. I'll go with her tomorrow. Dana is my cousin and I want to be there for her."

  "Oh thanks a lot Diane! I really appreciate this!"

  "That's okay Tony. You know I would like to find out myself what Dana is up to."

  "Yeah? Well me too Diane! That's why I want somebody or someone to be there with Dana at the doctor's office tomorrow! Now Diane, if you see or hear from Dana any time between now and tomorrow morning, don't let her know that you're planning on going to the doctor's office with her yet, alright? Because if Dana knows that you're planning on going to the doctor's office with her, she'll make up some kind of line or excuse to you, or she might try to cut out much earlier, just to make sure that she goes alone!"

  "Well it's obvious that Dana wants to go to the doctor's office alone in the first place Tony, because she never said a word to anyone else about it but you!"

  "I know Diane. That's why I want you and Teresa to come over here together tomorrow morning and surprise Dana alright? Just come over here in the morning and surprise Dana before she leaves, okay? She's planning on leaving around 9:30 in the morning. I won't be here. I'll be gone already."

  "Okay then Tony. I'll show up there around 9:15. That way me and Teresa could catch Dana in time, that's if Teresa comes."

  "Yeah, I know Diane. I'm going to call up Teresa as soon as I finish speaking with you, okay? I just want to tell you that when you and Teresa go with Dana to the doctor's office tomorrow, make sure you and Teresa are there with Dana at all times, alright? I want you two to stay glued to Dana! Make sure you two are right there inside the examination room when the doctor examines Dana tomorrow okay?"

  Diane D laughs and says, "Boy, you really don't trust her, do you? Now why do you want somebody to be inside the examination room with Dana, Tony?"

  "Because Diane I want to make sure that Dana isn't lying to me about getting an examination!"

  "Oh, in other words, you want me and Teresa to spy for you, don't you?"

  "Spy for me? Why do you ask that?"

  "Because Tony I know you! You think that Dana is going to have a male doctor and you don't like the idea of a male doctor touching or examining Dana right? Michael told me before that you were complaining to him and Joseph that you don't like the idea of a male doctor touching or examining Dana! Michael told me that you would rather have someone in the examination room with Dana every time she gets an examination, right?"

/>   "Well, sort of."

  "So that means you do want me and Teresa to spy for you, right?"

  "Well, could you?"

  "Well, Tony what do you think is going to happen to Dana inside the examination room? Are you afraid that a male doctor might step out of line and do something crazy?"

  "Well, sort of."

  "Well, Tony don't you think you're being very insecure? A lot of women have male doctors!"

  "I know Diane, but I don't want Dana to have a male doctor. I don't like the idea of another man touching her! If another man is to touch Dana, I would rather be right there inside the room with her! Being that I'm not able to be there, I want you and Teresa to be there, alright? I'm sorry Diane, but this is just the way I feel!"

  "Okay Tony, I'll see what we can do. But I don't know if the doctor is going to allow anyone else inside the room while they're examining a patient!"

  "Well if the doctor gives you any kind of problem, you just tell the doctor that I'm the one who wants you and Teresa to both be in the room with Dana, okay? Tell the doctor that it is very important for me to have someone right there in the room with Dana at all times! You tell the doctor that if he or she won't allow you and Teresa to stay in the room with Dana, then I don't want Dana to stay in the room either! You tell the doctor that I said it, alright?"

  "Alright then Tony, I'll do that. But what if the doctor turns out to be a woman? Do you still want me and Teresa to stay inside the examination room with Dana?"

  "Yes I do. I want you and Teresa to both stay inside the examination room with Dana, even if it is a female doctor, okay? I just want somebody to be there for Dana tomorrow, that's all."

  "Okay Tony. I'll be there for Dana tomorrow."

  "Oh thanks a lot Diane. You don't know how much this really means to me."

  "Yeah, I know. Dana means a whole lot to you, don't she? Well don't worry Tony. I'll be there for Dana tomorrow."

  "Great! Okay you take care Diane and I will see you later, okay? Thanks a million! I'm gonna call up Teresa right now and tell her the same thing, okay?"

  "Okay Tony. I'll talk to you later."

  "Okay Diane! Bye." Tony hangs up the phone.

  The next Saturday morning, Tony is outside on a pay phone calling Diane D's number.

  Diane D, who is wearing a white turtleneck shirt with a pair of blue dungarees picks up the telephone and says, "Hello?"

  "Hey Diane, it's me Tony. I'm outside on the pay phone because I don't want Dana to know that I'm calling you about you going with her to the doctor this morning."

  "Oh yeah? Dana is home?"

  "Yeah she's home. That's why I'm calling you from the pay phone to tell you that Dana is home right now and she is getting ready to leave in about a couple of hours."

  "Oh yeah? Well what time did she come in?"

  "Oh she had come in right after I had spoken with Teresa on the phone last night."

  "Oh yeah? Well did you ask Dana where she's been, and if you did, what did she say?"

  "Well when I asked Dana where she's been, she told me that she was out shopping, but I didn't see her carrying any bags or any packages."

  "Well maybe she was window shopping Tony."

  "Dana window shopping? I don't think so Diane, but I didn't question her about it, even though I wanted to. I decided to leave it alone."

  "Yeah that's best. By the way, what did Teresa say when you had spoken to her on the phone last night?"

  "Oh Teresa said that she'll go with you and Dana to the doctor this morning."

  "She will?"

  "Yeah. Teresa says that she worries about Dana a lot also. She says she wants to be there for Dana."

  "Oh that's nice. So I'll call up Teresa and meet up with her, then we'll stop by your place to pick up Dana, alright? How that sounds?"

  "That sounds perfect Diane! I really appreciate you and Teresa being there for Dana."

  "Don't worry about it Tony. Like I said before, Dana is my cousin and I want to be there for her."

  "That's good. Okay Diane, I gotta go now. I'm running late. So I'll talk to you later, okay? Take it easy now. Bye."

  "Bye now Tony." Diane D hangs up the telephone. She picks up the receiver again and dials up Teresa's number.

  Teresa, who is wearing a red turtleneck shirt with blue jeans painfully rubs her neck as the phone rings. She picks up the telephone and says, "Hello?"

  "Hey Teresa."

  "Hey Diane, what's up?"

  "Oh nothing much. So Tony called you up last night, huh?" "Yeah he had called me up."

  "So he gave you the message about you going with me and Dana to her doctor this morning, right?"

  "Yeah he gave me the message. I told him I would go with you and Dana."

  "Good. What's the matter Teresa? You don't sound so well."

  "Well, I woke up with a stiff neck this morning."

  "You did?"

  "Yeah. I guess I wasn't sleeping right."

  "No? So are you still able to go with me and Dana to her doctor? Maybe her doctor can do something for you."

  "Maybe. I'm still gonna go with you and Dana to her doctor. So are you ready to go?"

  "Yeah, I'm ready to go. Now listen Teresa, Tony wants us both to show up together at his apartment and surprise Dana before she leaves this morning, okay? That way she can't back down from us or try to get away."

  "Yeah that's true. So where do you want us to meet? You want to meet me here?"

  "Yeah. I'll just come over to your place and then we'll leave from there."

  "Okay Diane. I'll be here."

  "Okay Teresa. I'm on my way." Diane D hangs up the telephone and leaves her grandparents‘ house.

  Teresa is wearing a look of discomfort on her face as she holds and rubs her neck. The doorbell rings. Teresa opens the door. Diane D enters the apartment and says, "Hey Teresa.”

  “Hey Diane,” Teresa says as she closes the door behind Diane D.

  Diane D looks at Teresa and says, "Oh boy you don't look too well.”

  “Yeah and I don't feel too well either.”

  “Is your neck that bad?"

  "Yeah. It's still stiff."

  "Well let me take a look at it and see if I can do anything for it." Diane D looks at Teresa's neck and starts to touch it. She starts to rub Teresa's neck. Suddenly, Diane D quickly jerks Teresa's head to the side, unloosening Teresa's stiff neck!

  Teresa becomes stunned! She smiles and says, "Hey what did you do Diane? My neck feels better!"

  "I know. I had that done to me when my neck was stiff before."

  "You did?"

  "Yeah!"

  "Well my neck feels a whole lot better now! Oh boy, thanks a lot Diane!"

  "No problem Teresa. I do know how to treat some aches and pains."

  "Oh really?" Teresa laughs.

  "Yeah! I do work in the hospital."

  "I know. Oh boy my neck feels so much better, I'm all set to go now!” Teresa looks in the mirror and asks, "Say Diane? Why do you think Dana decided to get her tubes tied so sudden like this? Especially not saying a word to neither you nor me about it?"

  "I don't know Teresa," Diane D says as she sits down on a chair. "I don't have the slightest idea why Dana decided to get her tubes tied so sudden. Maybe she just got tired of taking the pill. I hear the pill does cause some women to have side affects you know."

  "Yeah, I hear that too. But still, why didn't Dana tell any of us that she had already made a plan to have her tubes tied this soon?"

  "I don't know Teresa. I really don't. But if Tony hadn't mention anything to either one of us about it, we would have never known anything about this."

  "No we wouldn't have. But I still don't understand why Tony wants us both to be right there inside the examination room while the doctor examines Dana."

  "I don't understand it myself Teresa. Tony doesn't trust a male doctor alone with Dana. Well that's what he told me when he spoke to me on the phone last night. Michael told me before that Tony doesn't lik
e the idea of a male doctor touching or examining Dana."

  "Yeah Joseph told me the same thing about Tony also."

  "Tony just doesn't like the idea of another man touching Dana period! That's why he wants us both to be inside the examination room with Dana while she's getting examined. He wants us both to spy for him to make sure nothing unusual happens between a male doctor and Dana inside the examination room."

  "You mean he's that insecure?"

  "Yeah! I guess that means if anything happens to go wrong inside the examination room, we'll be right in there to witness it or something."

  "But Diane, what if the doctor turns out to be a woman?"

  "Tony says that he still wants us both to be inside the examination room with Dana, even if the doctor is a woman!"

  "What does he think is going to go wrong inside the examination room? Or what is it that he would want us to witness?"

  "Beats me Teresa. Maybe he wants us to actually witness Dana getting examined because he doesn't believe she is going to get an examination. Tony said that Dana had told him she was going to get an examination, but he doesn't believe her. He thinks that Dana is lying to him about getting an examination and he doesn't trust her. So he wants us both to witness that to make sure Dana isn't lying to him or anything. You know Teresa, Dana has done some strange things before, like Tony said. She leaves to go to the doctor's office one morning and does not come back home until the next day! And no one sees or hears from her! Do you know any doctor's office or appointments that lasts from one morning until the next day Teresa?"

  "No I don't. That is pretty strange. Diane, do you think that Dana could be living some kind of secret double life? A secret double life that none of us know about?"

  "I don’t know Teresa."

  "Diane? In Dana's murder trial, do you think that Tony was telling the truth on that witness stand?"

  "Telling the truth on the witness stand?"

  "Yeah."

  "About what?"

  "Well when that prosecutor had putted Tony on the witness stand and asked Tony was Dana home in the bed with him the whole entire night of Kathy's murder, it didn't really seem like Tony was telling the truth. It seemed like he was kind of lying on that witness stand, like he was covering up for Dana. Tony told the prosecutor that Dana was home in the bed with him the whole entire night of Kathy's murder. I mean how would he really know if Dana was home in the bed with him the whole entire night of the murder? He could have been asleep that entire night and don't really know whether or not Dana had snuck out of the apartment that night! He probably made up this excuse about waking up back and forth all night long so he could say that he actually saw Dana right there in the bed with him the whole entire night of Kathy's murder and be Dana's alibi. I was also thinking to myself, maybe Dana wasn't home the entire night of Kathy's murder. Maybe she could have stepped out during the middle of the night somehow and Tony woke up and found her gone, but he's not going to say anything about it. Diane, we all know that Dana usually sneaks out of her apartment during the middle of the night while Tony is asleep and he would usually wake up and find her gone because he would call all over the place looking for her! He would call up me and Joseph, he would call up you and Michael, he would call up Dana's family, and he would call up Dana's relatives! He would even call up Dana's mother down in Jamaica and ask her or her family members have any of them heard from Dana! That's how everybody knows that Dana usually sneaks out of her apartment during the middle of the night!"

  "Yeah I know Teresa. Maybe Dana was home the entire night of Kathy's murder, maybe she wasn't. None of us really know. Tony probably doesn't really know himself because like you said, he could have been asleep that whole entire night and don't really know whether or not Dana had snuck out of the apartment that night, or he could have woke up in the middle of the night and find Dana gone, out of the apartment like he usually does, but either way in his mind, he still has to cover up for her! He doesn't want to risk Dana going back to prison! If Dana ever goes back to prison, Tony would miss her real bad again and he'll start to have nervous breakdowns all over again and he doesn't want that! Therefore, he's not going to risk Dana going back to prison! He'll keep his mouth shut about the truth on that witness stand! The only person that actually knows whether or not Dana was home the whole entire night of Kathy's murder is Dana herself and she's not going to say anything about it, and Tony is not going to say anything about it either because like I said, he doesn't want Dana to go back to prison!" Puzzled, Diane D and Teresa look at each other again. Diane D then says, "Come on Teresa. Let's get ready to go."

  "Okay Diane. I'm ready when you are."

  Diane D and Teresa get ready to leave the apartment. They nervously smile at each other as they both walk out of the door.

  Around 25 minutes later, Diane D and Teresa arrive on Dana's floor inside her building. They talk and laugh a little as they step off the elevator. They talk and laugh as they walk towards Dana's apartment door with Diane D saying, "Now when she opens that door, let's just yell out 'surprise', okay? She's going to be shocked to see us."

  Diane D and Teresa start to laugh again. They reach Dana's apartment door and ring her doorbell. They smile as they both wait. As they both wait, they hear someone on the other side of the door. They become a little nervous. They hear the door unlocking. They then see the door opening. As the door opens, Diane D and Teresa smile and shout out, "SURPRISE!" Dana, who is wearing a very short golden yellow shirt with sleeves rolled up to her elbows, dark blue stretch jeans and hair back in a long thick braid, stands there in the doorway and angrily shouts, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?"

  "We came to visit you," Diane D stunned says.

  "NO YOU DIDN'T! I'M ON MY WAY OUT," Dana angrily shouts as she is about to slam the door right in Diane D's and Teresa's faces!

  Diane D catches the door in time! She walks inside Dana's apartment with Teresa following right behind her. Teresa closes the door behind herself as Diane D says to Dana, "We know you're on your way out Dana. That's why we came over here. We're going with you."

  Dana turns around towards Diane D and Teresa and angrily shouts, "GOING WITH ME? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE GOING WITH ME? GOING WITH ME WHERE?"

  "To the doctor's office," Teresa says.

  Dana stunned looks at Diane D and Teresa. Diane D then says, "Yeah. Tony had called up me and Teresa last night and told us that you were going to go to the doctor's office this morning!" She then puts her hands on her hips and boldly says, "He called us up last night and told us that you were going to get an examination this morning to have your tubes tied, so he asked us to go along with you!"

  "WHAT!"

  "Yeah Dana," Teresa says. "Tony says he wants me and Diane to be there with you at all times while you're at the doctor's office. He told us both to look out for you because he says he's worried about you."

  "Yeah," Diane D says. "We both already told Tony yes that we'll go with you to the doctor's office this morning and we'll be there for you. Tony told me and Teresa to make sure that we stay glued to you at all times!"

  "You know Dana, Tony is very, very concerned about you," Teresa says. "And he's really depending on me and Diane to be there for you."

  "I DON'T NEED ANYBODY ESCORTING ME TO THE DAMN DOCTOR," Dana angrily shouts!

  Diane D boldly says, "Well Tony feels that you need somebody to escort you to the doctor Dana, so he called up me and Teresa and asked us both to go with you to the doctor and that's what we're gonna do! You know Tony really worries about you a lot Dana! He's really depending on me and Teresa to look out for you and to be there for you and we are! Now me and Teresa are going to go with you to the doctor's office this morning, okay? Teresa and I already told Tony that we'll both be there for you, and we will! Now no ifs, ands, or butts about it Dana! We're going with you!" Diane D then grabs Dana's belongings and boldly asks, "Now do you have everything ready to go?" as she grabs onto the door handle.

  Dana angrily looks at
Diane D. She angrily walks away pass Diane D and Teresa and goes to the coat closet. She opens the closet door and bends down inside the closet. She makes a lot of heavy noise as she is bending in the closet. Diane D and Teresa nervously look at each other, wondering what Dana is about to grab out of the closet! They then see Dana coming out of the closet, holding a pair of black sneakers. They see her turning around towards a stool as she starts to put on her black sneakers. Diane D and Teresa look at each other with relief! Dana frowns as she bends to fasten up her sneaker, having one foot on the stool. As Dana is fastening her sneaker, Diane D asks, "Dana why didn't you tell us that you were going to have your tubes tied so soon? Why didn't you say anything to us about it?" Dana does not respond. She just looks up for a second, frustratingly rolling her eyes, then looking back down at her sneaker, continuing to fasten her other sneaker. After Dana finishes fastening her sneakers, she bends back up. She turns around and goes back inside the closet again. Diane D and Teresa nervously look at each other again, wondering what Dana is about to grab out of the closet again! They then see Dana coming out of the closet holding her black shoulder bag. Diane D and Teresa look at each other with relief again! Dana then heads towards her front door and opens it. Diane D and Teresa start to walk out the front door. Dana then walks out the front door, following behind Diane and Teresa. The front door then locks behind Dana.

  Ten minutes later, Dana is driving in her car with both Diane D and Teresa sitting right in the front seat beside her, with Diane D sitting right in the middle! Dana gives a firm look straight ahead as she drives. Diane D lectures at Dana as Teresa looks on at them. Diane D faces towards Dana as she says, "You didn't say a word to us about going to have this operation done so soon Dana! Tony had to tell us! Why didn't you tell us? All you had to do was just pick up the telephone and call us! That's not so hard to do!"

  Teresa notices the anger coming on Dana's face as Diane D continues to bicker at her! She sees that Dana is being quietly annoyed by Diane D's bickering! Teresa then notices that Dana is starting to speed the car out of anger! Diane D angrily points her hand towards Dana as she continues, "You should have told us that you were going to have this operation done so soon Dana! Why didn't you tell us?"

  Teresa knowing Dana's violent temper decides to interrupt Diane D real quickly and shouts, "Hey Diane!" Diane D turns around and looks at Teresa. Teresa then says, "You know that's a nice Mexican restaurant they got over there."

  Diane D looks towards the street. She looks back at Teresa and annoyingly asks, "And?"

  "Well, I hear they serve pretty good food over there!"

  "Teresa you interrupted me just to tell me that?"

  "No. I just thought that maybe we can all go over there and check it out some day, that's all."

  Diane D continues to look at Teresa. She then asks, "Teresa are you feeling alright?"

  "Sure I'm feeling alright. Why do you ask?"

  "Because you're sweating!"

  "Sweating? Oh really? Maybe I could be coming down with something."

  "Oh yeah? Well since we're going to the doctor's office, maybe they can do something for you. Maybe the doctor could recommend that we stop by a drug store or a pharmacist on our way back, alright?"

  "Alright Diane. Alright."

  "Good." Diane D continues to look at Teresa. Then she turns her head forward and looks straight ahead. She then turns her head back towards Dana, angrily looking Dana up and down as Dana continues to drive. Teresa looks on nervously, fearing Diane D might start to bicker at Dana again. Diane D continues to look at Dana and asks, "How 'bout you Dana? How do you feel? You feel alright?"

  Dana rolls her eyes towards Diane D and calmly says, "I'm alright Diane," as she looks back straight ahead again.

  "Good! Now that's what I want to hear!"

  Teresa quickly interrupts Diane D again and shouts, "Hey Diane!" Diane D turns to look at Teresa again as Teresa says, "I think that's the doctor's office right there." Diane D looks straight ahead as Dana reaches near the doctor's office, which is in Richmond Hill, Queens. Dana parks her car on the street and gets out of her vehicle as Diane D and Teresa get out of the vehicle also. Dana locks the car doors, then starts to cross the busy street as Diane D and Teresa hurry behind her. Diane D and Teresa catch up to Dana right in the middle of the busy street and grab tightly onto Dana's left arm and shoulder as Dana stands there, waiting to cross to the other side of the street. Dana continues to cross to the other side of the street, watching out for the heavy oncoming traffic. She soon reaches the other sidewalk with Diane D and Teresa still holding tightly onto her arm and shoulder.

  Diane D and Teresa soon let go of Dana's arm and shoulder as Dana reaches the front door of the doctor's office. Dana opens the door and goes inside the building as Diane D and Teresa follow in behind her.

  Dana goes through the waiting room where other people are sitting as Diane D and Teresa continue to tag along behind her. She signs her name on a waiting sheet, then goes to sit down in the waiting room as Diane D and Teresa sit on each side of her.

  After around 25 minutes of waiting, Dana's name is called. She, Diane D and Teresa all get up from their seats and go towards the back office. Dana knocks on the office door, opens it and goes inside the office as Diane D and Teresa continue to tailgate her. They all go inside the office where a female doctor is sitting behind a desk. The doctor, a middle aged Indian woman wearing glasses, says, "Hello Miss. Have a seat."

  Dana sits down in a chair in front of the doctor's desk as Diane D and Teresa close the door and stand beside her. The doctor looks at Diane D and Teresa and asks, "Are you two ladies with her?"

  "Yes, we're with her," Diane D and Teresa both say.

  The doctor looks at Dana and says, "Well. How nice it is to bring friends along for moral support."

  Dana, Diane D and Teresa all give the doctor a blank look. The doctor then looks at Dana's folder and says, "So you're Dana Brown, huh? I see you're scheduled to have an examination today. Okay Dana, why don't you just come into the back room and lie down on the table, alright?"

  Dana gets up from the chair and goes towards the back room with the doctor following right behind her. Diane D and Teresa go to follow behind Dana and the doctor. As Dana goes into the back room, the doctor stops right at the door and tells Dana, "Just lie down on the table and I'll be right there in a few minutes, okay?" The doctor then closes the door behind Dana. She walks away from the door and goes into another room.

  Diane D is about to open the door to the back room, but Teresa pulls on her arm and stops her. Diane D turns towards Teresa as Teresa nervously says, "You know Diane, maybe we should wait out here until Dana finishes in there."

  "No! Tony wants us both to be right inside the room with Dana while she's getting examined. I thought he told you that."

  "He did tell me that."

  "Okay, so what's the problem then," Diane D asks as she puts her hands on her hips. "We got to be in the room with Dana. You know Tony is very concerned about Dana, Teresa. You know he had three nervous breakdowns the whole entire time she was in prison because he missed her so bad. He called me and you both last night because he really depended on us both to look out for Dana and to be there for her while she's in here."

  "I know that Diane and I do want to be there for Dana, but will the doctor allow us both to be inside the room while she examines Dana?"

  "I don't think the doctor's gonna have a choice right now Teresa. She has to let us in there. Now come on, we have to be in there with Dana." Diane D turns back around and knocks on the back room door. She and Teresa look towards the other room where the doctor had went into. Diane D then opens the back room door and walks inside the room as Teresa nervously follows in behind her. They go inside the back room and close the door behind themselves.

  The doctor soon leaves the other room with another female patient. She tells the patient, "Come back in about two weeks, okay?" The patient nods her head and leaves. The doctor then walks towards
the back room where Dana is. She opens the door and walks inside the room. When she looks inside the room, she is stunned to see Diane D and Teresa in the room standing right over Dana's face as Dana lays face up on the table with legs spread apart, one hand resting behind her head and the other hand and arm resting across her lower chest. Teresa is standing closer to Dana's head as the doctor, puzzled, looks at her and Diane D and asks, "What are you two ladies doing in here?"

  Diane D and Teresa look at the doctor. Diane D then says, "Oh, her boyfriend wants us both to be here in the room with her while she's getting examined."

  "What? What do you mean her boyfriend wants you both to be here in the room while she's getting examined?"

  "Her boyfriend Tony wants us both to be here in the room with her because he's really worried about her and he wants us both to be in here with her."

  "I can't allow anyone else in the room while I examine a patient!"

  "I understand that doctor, but her boyfriend wants us both to keep an eye on her. He wants us both to look out for her."

  "Why? What does he think is going to happen to her?"

  "Nothing. It's just that he says it is very important to him that we both be here in the room with her. He's very concerned about her."

  "Oh I'm sorry, but you two ladies are gonna have to leave the room."

  "But her boyfriend is really depending on us both to stay here in the room with her Doctor," Teresa says.

  "Well who's the doctor, me or her boyfriend?"

  "Well you are."

  "Okay then," the doctor says as she holds the door open making a gesture for Diane D and Teresa to both leave the room.

  Diane D says, "Her boyfriend says that if we cannot stay in the room with her, then he does not want her to stay in the room either! So if we have to leave the room, then she's gonna have to leave the room also!"

  "Listen, her boyfriend is not running this show! I am, alright?"

  "Listen if we go, then she has to go!"

  "No she doesn't! But you two ladies are going to have to leave!"

  "I'm sorry Doc, but we're not leaving this room until she comes with us!"

  "I'm telling you, you two ladies cannot stay in here! You both are gonna have to leave the room!"

  "And I'm telling you, we're not leaving! We're not leaving until she comes with us!"

  "Fine then," the doctor angrily says. "Have it your way, okay? Just stand there on the side and don't bother the patient, alright?"

  Diane D and Teresa both look at the doctor. Then they look down at Dana. They step back and stand just a couple of feet away from Dana as Dana continues to lay face up on the table. The doctor approaches Dana on the other side of the table. She asks Dana, "So how do you feel? You feel alright?"

  Dana frowns as she nods her head yes. The doctor lowers Dana's pants a little. She pulls up Dana's yellow shirt, baring Dana's naval and her entire upper and lower abdominal areas. Diane D and Teresa look on. They see Dana's hard firm abdominal muscles as the doctor starts to press on it. The doctor asks, "How does that feel? That feels okay?" Dana nods her head yes. The doctor then says, "Your stomach is too hard. Try to relax yourself so you can loosen it up okay?" Dana tries to relax her stomach. The doctor tells Dana, "Your stomach is still too hard. Try to relax it more."

  "Why, what's the problem Doc?" Diane D asks.

  The doctor looks up at Diane D and annoyingly says, "Nothing Miss. I'm just trying to get her to relax to break the hardness and the stiffness that's all."

  Diane D steps up. She tells the doctor, "Well doctor, I helped Teresa with her stiff neck this morning. Maybe I can help Dana with her stiff stomach. I'll get her to relax her stomach Doctor." Diane D then looks down at Dana and says, "Come on Dana. Try to relax your stomach, okay?"

  The doctor looks at Diane D and annoyingly says, "Miss, let me handle this okay?"

  "Doctor I'm only trying to help," Diane D says as she looks at the doctor. She looks back down at Dana and says, "Come on now, you can do it Dana. Try to relax your stomach more."

  "Miss, can I handle my own job?" The doctor looks at Dana and says, "Miss, you have to try to relax your stomach. You have to try to break the hardness and the stiffness."

  "Come on Dana," Diane D says. "Try to relax more."

  "WHAT THE HELL DO Y'ALL THINK I'M DOING?" Dana angrily shouts as she bangs her fist hard against the table!

  "YOU'RE NOT RELAXING!" Diane D shouts back to Dana as Teresa stunned watches!

  Dana's teeth start to grind as she angrily points her hand up at Diane D, shouting, "Look! Leave me alone Diane, JUUUST LEAVE ME ALOOONE!"

  "NO I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU ALONE DANA! I'M HERE TO HELP YOU!"

  The people in the waiting room look towards the back room as they start to hear voices shouting!

  In the back room, Diane D turns to the doctor and says, "Listen doctor, I'm gonna help her break the stiffness okay?" She then looks down at Dana and says, "Okay now Dana, I don't know if this is gonna hurt you or not, but this is what I hear they do in the army!" Diane D suddenly raises her hand high into the air and surprisingly slams a hard karate chop right onto Dana's abdominal area, causing Dana to gasp and jerk, with her upper body lifting up in pain and holding her stomach!

  Teresa knowing Dana's violent temper frighteningly steps up and grabs Diane D as she frighteningly shouts, "Diane! What are you doing?!"

  "What in the world did you do that for Miss?!” the doctor shockingly shouts!

  "I'm trying to help her break the hardness and the stiffness!” Diane D shouts!

  "Yeah but you don‘t hit her on the stomach like that! What’s wrong with you?!"

  "Diane!” Teresa frighteningly shouts. “Why did you hit her on the stomach?"

  "I'M ONLY TRYING TO SHOW YOU ALL HOW TO BREAK THE HARDNESS AND THE STIFFNESS!” Diane D shouts. “ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO LIKE THIS!” Diane D raises her hand high into the air again and surprisingly slams another karate chop against Dana's abdominal area, causing Dana's entire body to jerk again and her eyes crossing in pain!

  Teresa sees the look on Dana's face! She frighteningly grabs Diane D again and shouts, "Diane stop hitting her stomach like that!"

  "MISS WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WRONG WITH YOU?" the doctor shouts! "STOP HITTING ON HER STOMACH!" The doctor turns to Dana and asks, "Miss, are you okay?"

  "WHY IS EVERYBODY GETTING ALL UPTIGHT FOR?" Diane D shouts! "I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING! I WORK IN THE HOSPITAL TOO! TERESA YOU DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN I HELPED YOU WITH YOUR STIFF NECK THIS MORNING, RIGHT? SO WHY ARE YOU HAVING A PROBLEM NOW? ALL I DID WAS GO LIKE THIS," Diane D shouts as she raises her hand high into the air again and surprisingly slams a third karate chop hard against Dana's abdominal area, causing Dana's entire body to jerk again with her knees jerking way up in pain! Dana slams her legs back down on the table!

  Teresa grabs Diane D again and frighteningly shouts, "DIANE! I THINK YOU BETTER STOP! TONY DID NOT ASK US BOTH TO COME HERE WITH DANA SO YOU CAN POUND ON HER STOMACH!"

  "LOOK WHAT YOU DID MISS!" the doctor angrily shouts! "YOU GOT HER BELLY ALL RED!" Dana's entire abdominal area has become red! The doctor continually shouts, "LISTEN I WANT YOU BOTH TO LEAVE THE ROOM IMMEDIATELY!" The doctor angrily goes towards the door and holds it open, telling Diane D and Teresa, "I WANT YOU BOTH OUT OF HERE NOW!"

  "But we both have to stay in here with her Doctor," Teresa says.

  "That's right," Diane D says. "We can't leave her!

  "LISTEN, I DON'T CARE WHAT HER BOYFRIEND SAYS," the doctor angrily shouts! "I WANT YOU BOTH TO LEAVE THE ROOM NOW! IMMEDIATELY!"

  "LISTEN IF WE LEAVE THE ROOM, THEN SHE HAS TO LEAVE THE ROOM ALSO!” Diane D shouts!

  The doctor angrily closes the door back! She angrily walks around the table on the other side of Dana and says to Diane D, "Listen Miss, if you do that one more time, I will have no choice but to call the security in here for you, okay? Don't you ever abuse any of my patients like that again, do you hear me?" The doctor then looks down at Dana and asks,
"Miss are you alright?" Dana does not answer. She has a look of discomfort on her face as she continues to lie down, holding and rubbing her painful stomach. The doctor angrily looks at Diane D and says, "Miss, don't you ever do that again, you hear me?"

  "Alright doctor. The patient's yours. I won't do that anymore."

  "Good! Because if you do that again, I will personally charge you with assault of a patient, do you understand? Now is it alright if I have my job back now, huh? Is it alright?"

  "Yes ma'am. Go ahead and take your job back."

  "Are you sure now? Are you sure I can have my job back?"

  "Yes Doctor go ahead! Hurry up and take back your job, alright! Not unless you want me to take over again!"

  The doctor and Teresa stunned look at Diane D as Teresa nervously says, "Diane please!"

  "Listen Miss," the doctor says. "Before you take over my job again, let me just call the security in here for you, okay?" the doctor says as she is about to walk away towards the door.

  "Never mind doctor," Diane D quickly says. "I won't do anything! I promise! Proceed with your job!"

  "Are you sure now?"

  "Yes, I'm sure!"

  "Good!" The doctor angrily walks back a little and pauses for a while. She then asks, "Now where was I before I was rudely interrupted?" Diane D and Teresa look at the doctor. The doctor then approaches Dana again on the other side of the table. She looks down at Dana as Dana continues to hold and rub her painful stomach. The doctor then asks, "Are you alright, Miss?" Dana still does not respond. She continues to have a look of discomfort on her face as she holds and rubs her stomach. The doctor tells Dana, "Let me help you with that okay? Let me take care of that for you." The doctor touches Dana's reddish abdominal area and tries to smooth it. She then presses on it. “Relax,” she tells Dana as she massages Dana's abdominal area. Diane D and Teresa continue to stand right over Dana, looking on. They look at Dana as she lays there on the table with her legs still spread apart, both her hands resting behind her neck and her eyes closed. The doctor then looks at Diane D and says, "I don't know if this is going to work out today. Her stomach is in a lot of pain right now. I think you did enough damage."

  "Look doctor, I was only trying to help her."

  "Help her? I think you did more harm than help! She's going to have to make another appointment to come back here when she feels better."

  Diane D and Teresa look at the doctor. The doctor then tells Dana, "Miss, I think you're going to have to make another appointment to come back. I know your stomach is in a lot of pain. Your stomach has to feel better in order for us to proceed, okay? Do you want to come back sometime next week?" Dana still with a look of discomfort on her face nods her head yes. "Okay then," the doctor says as she pulls down Dana's yellow shirt. She then says, "Why don't you just lie down in here for a while until your stomach feels better or when you are able to get up, okay?" Dana nods her head yes again. The doctor then goes towards the door. She tells Diane D and Teresa, "You both have to wait outside this time, because I don't trust you in the room with her."

  Diane D and Teresa obediently agree. They both start to walk away towards the door and look back at Dana. They see Dana still lying face up on the table with legs still spread apart, both hands resting behind her neck and her eyes closed. They then go outside the room, leaving Dana behind to rest for a while. The doctor then walks out the room behind Diane D and Teresa, closing the door behind herself.

  Diane D and Teresa go to sit back in the waiting room area. As they sit, Teresa turns to Diane D and says, "You know Diane, I'm really disappointed in what you did."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Why did you do that, huh? Why did you pound Dana on her stomach like that?"

  "Teresa I was only trying to help Dana."

  "Wow. What a strange way to help somebody. Cause this is the first time I ever heard of helping somebody like that. Now I see why Dana doesn't tell Tony or anybody else what she does or where she goes. She wants to avoid situations like this." Diane D and Teresa annoyingly look at each other. They then look away from each other and continue to wait in the waiting area.

  After around 45 minutes of waiting, Diane D and Teresa see the doctor going into the back room where Dana is. Diane D and Teresa both look at each other. They both get up from their chairs and walk towards the back room. Teresa enters the back room with Diane D following behind her. They see the doctor helping Dana to sit up. Teresa goes to help Dana also. The doctor and Teresa are on each side of Dana as they start to help Dana sit up. Diane D then reaches out to help. The doctor angrily shouts to her, "NO MISS JUST LEAVE HER ALONE, ALRIGHT! YOU DID ENOUGH DAMAGE ALREADY!"

  "Doctor I'm only trying to help,” Diane D snaps.

  "HELP OR HARM, WHICH ONE? OR DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?" The doctor angrily stares at Diane D. She and Teresa continue to help Dana down from off the table and help her stand. Teresa holds on to Dana's stomach with one hand and puts her other arm around Dana's shoulders as she and the doctor help Dana walk. They lead Dana towards the door as Diane D follows behind them. The doctor then opens the door. Dana walks out into the hallway with a look of discomfort on her face as she holds and rubs her painful stomach with Teresa still holding on to her trying to comfort her. The doctor stays at the doorway. Diane then walks out the door and follows behind Dana and Teresa. The doctor then calls out, "Dana!" Dana, Teresa and Diane D stop. They turn their heads to the side and look at the doctor as the doctor tells Dana, "Make sure you call me up next week and let me know what day you want to come back alright? I'll talk to you next week!" The doctor then looks at Diane D and says, "And thanks for letting me have my job back, Miss!" Dana and Teresa both give a blank stare at the doctor as Diane D looks at the doctor with her mouth poking towards the side of her face. The doctor then goes back inside the room and closes the door as Dana turns her head back around to leave. Dana quietly walks away with Teresa still holding on to her. Diane D continues to follow behind them.

  Ten minutes later, Dana is driving with both Diane D and Teresa sitting in the front seat beside her again with Diane D sitting in the middle.

  Another ten minutes, Dana goes to drop Teresa off first. She pulls her car up in front of Teresa's building.

  Outside Teresa's building, Joseph is standing outside talking with some fellows. He sees Dana's car and starts to walk towards her car.

  "Is that Joseph?" Diane D asks. She, Dana and Teresa all have their heads turned back and see Joseph coming.

  Joseph reaches the car and bends down to the passenger side window. He looks inside the car and says, "Hello. So how did it go at the doctor's office Ladies?"

  "Well Dana have to make another appointment to go back," Teresa tells him.

  "Oh yeah? Why? What happened?"

  Teresa looks at Diane D as they both give each other a cold look. Teresa looks back at Joseph and tells him, "Oh nothing. It just didn't work out today that's all." Joseph then opens the door for Teresa to come out. Teresa steps out of the car. She goes into the street and walks to the driver's side of the car. She bends down to the driver's window a little and starts to talk to Dana for a couple of minutes as Joseph talks with Diane D through the passenger side window.

  After a couple of minutes, Teresa bends back up and tells Dana, "You take it easy Dana, okay? I'll talk to you later." She then goes back on the sidewalk to the passenger side of the car where Diane D is now sitting. She tells Diane D, "Okay Diane, I'll talk to you later."

  "Alright Teresa,” Diane D says.

  Dana starts to pull off. Teresa then yells out towards the car and shouts, "And keep your hands to yourself Diane!"

  Diane D waves her hand at Teresa as she pulls off with Dana. Joseph asks, "What was that all about? What happened?"

  "Joseph, when we were at the doctor's office with Dana this morning, Diane had pounded real hard on Dana's stomach!"

  "What! What do you mean she pounded real hard on Dana's stomach?"

  "The doctor had Dana lying o
n the table. She was trying to examine Dana. Diane and I were right inside the room with Dana. The doctor was telling Dana to relax her stomach. Dana tried to relax her stomach, but obviously it wasn't relaxed enough for the doctor or Diane because they said that Dana's stomach is too hard! So Diane takes it upon herself and pounds Dana right in the stomach real hard with a karate chop! And she did that three times! She claims that she was trying to break the hardness and the stiffness!"

  "Break the hardness and the stiffness?

  "Yeah!"

  "How does she expect to break the hardness and stiffness that way?"

  "I don't know Joseph. She claims she hears that's what they do in the army."

  "Oh yeah?"

  "Yeah."

  "Well how did Dana take it?"

  "Oh Dana was in a lot of pain! Her stomach had turned all red and everything! She was still in a lot of pain when she had just dropped me off! But she's going to be okay. She told me that she was gonna go home and rest right after she drops Diane off. She'll feel better after she gets some rest."

  "I hope so. We'll call her up tomorrow and see how she feels, okay?"

  "Okay Joseph. That'll be good."

  Joseph smiles at Teresa as he puts his arm around her. They then walk off together.

  Chapter 19

  The Fight!