by Doris Miller
Several weeks later on a Friday morning, Dana and Teresa drive off to work together. At the end of the work day, Dana drives Teresa back home. Teresa gets out the car and tells Dana, "I'll see you later when you come back over with Tony, Diane and Michael."
"Okay Teresa,” Dana says.
"Bye," Teresa says as Dana pulls off.
Around 7:00 that same evening, Diane and Michael arrive to Teresa and Joseph's apartment. They stay at the apartment for a while. Tony and Dana have not arrived there yet. Later on, the doorbell rings. Joseph goes to the front door and says, "It's probably Tony and Dana." He opens the door. It is Tony at the door, but he is alone. He comes inside the apartment as the others ask him, "Where's Dana?"
"Dana hasn't come home yet. I don't know where she is."
"No?" Teresa asks. "That's strange because she had dropped me off from work. I thought that Dana was on her way home."
"Well she isn't there. I mean when I had left the apartment, she wasn't there. I don't know where she is at the moment."
"Well have you called up her family yet?"
"No, not yet. I'll try them later. Maybe Dana might meet up with us here a little later."
"Yeah, she might stop by here later on. Come on Joseph, let's put on some music."
Joseph goes to turn on the stereo. He puts on some old classic R&B music like the Stylistics, Sly and the Family Stone, Black Ivory, Al Green, Harold Melvin and many others.
After a while, Tony goes to use the telephone. He calls on the phone to his apartment. There is no answer. Tony hangs up the telephone. He continues to stay at Teresa and Joseph's apartment. He calls on the telephone back and forth to his apartment. He continues to try and see if Dana had arrived home yet. There still is no answer at their apartment. Tony is worried. He decides to call up Dana's grandparents' home.
The phone rings at Gracy and Mike's home. Gracy picks up the telephone and says, "Hello?"
"Hi Grandma. It's me Tony. How are you?"
"Oh I'm alright Tony! How've you been?"
"Oh, I'm okay. I just wanted to ask you, have you seen Dana today yet?"
"No I haven't seen or heard from Dana today, but she had come by here yesterday. None of us know where she is at the moment."
"No? Well, if any of you see or hear from Dana, please let me know. Tell her I'm over at Teresa and Joseph's apartment. Could you tell Dana to call over here if any of you happen to see or hear from her?"
"Okay Tony. We will."
"Thanks Grandma. I'll talk to you later."
"Okay Tony. See you."
"Okay. Bye." Tony hangs up the telephone.
It is after 11:00 PM now. Tony, Diane D and Michael decide to leave for the night and go home. Tony decides to make one final call to his apartment to see if Dana had arrived there yet. There still is no answer. Tony, Diane D and Michael then leave Teresa and Joseph's apartment.
Tony is riding home in the car with Diane D and Michael as Michael is driving at the wheel. Michael drops Tony off in front of Tony's building. Michael then asks, "Will you be alright Tony?"
"I'll be okay Michael."
"Okay. We'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay Michael. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Michael and Diane D say.
Tony goes to his building. Diane D and Michael watch him until he gets inside the building. They then drive off and head for their home.
A couple of minutes later, Tony is at his apartment door. He unlocks the door and enters inside the apartment. He starts to look around the apartment, calling out, "DANA! DANA" There is no answer. Dana is still not home.
It is an hour later now. Tony has changed to his pajamas. He is very upset. The phone rings as Tony walks through the hallway towards the living room. He hurries into the living room to answer it! He picks up the telephone and says, "Dana?"
"No Tony, it's not Dana. This is Gracy, Grandma."
"Hey Grandma, how's it going?"
"Oh everything's going okay Tony. I'm sorry for calling over there so late, but I guess Dana hadn't come home yet, huh?"
"No, Dana still has not showed up yet."
"Well, where could she be?"
"Beats me Grandma! I have no idea! I sure wish I knew!"
"Well did she say anything this morning about not coming home tonight?"
"No, that's the problem! She never says anything! I never know what Dana's next move is gonna be!"
"Yeah none of us do. Well Tony, call me as soon as Dana walks in the door, okay?"
"Okay Grandma, I will."
"Okay Tony. Talk to you later."
"Bye Grandma." Tony hangs up the phone.
Twenty minutes has past. The phone rings again. Tony quickly picks up the telephone and says, "Hello?"
"Hello Tony, this is Teresa."
"Hey Teresa, what's going on?"
"Oh nothing much. Joseph and I were just wondering if Dana had arrived home yet."
"No, Dana still hasn't come home yet."
"No? Well where is she? Did she say anything to you earlier about where she would be?"
"No she didn't say a word! Did she say anything to you when you two rode to work this morning?"
"No, she didn't say anything to me! Hold on Tony, Joseph wants to talk to you."
"Okay."
Joseph gets on the phone and says, "Hey Tony?"
"Yeah man, what's up?"
"Nothing much. Did Dana say anything to you about not coming home tonight?"
"No she didn't say anything!"
"Well maybe she went to the hospital emergency like she's always telling you!"
"She could have, but I don't know."
"Well listen Tony, I want you to call us as soon as Dana walks in the door alright?"
"Alright Joseph, I will."
"And as soon as Dana walks in the door Tony, I want you to get on her case, alright? Tell her not to be having you or any of us worrying like this!"
"I sure will Joseph."
"Okay Tony. Talk to you later."
"Alright Joseph. Bye." Tony hangs up the phone. The phone rings a third time. Tony quickly picks it up again. It is Diane D and Michael. They also want to know the same thing, if Dana arrived home yet. Tony gives the same answer for everyone that calls, "No, Dana still has not come home yet."
Michael then says, "As soon as Dana walks in the apartment Tony, give us a call alright?"
"Alright Michael, I will. I'll see you and Diane later."
"Alright Tony. Bye now."
"Bye." Tony hangs up the phone. He goes to turn the stereo on and plays R&B and Classic Soul music. Soon, the Classic Soul music of Jerry Butler's "Never Gonna Give You Up" plays on the stereo. Tony goes into the kitchen and starts to cook on the stove. He then hears keys unlocking the front door. He stops what he's doing and walks towards the front door. He stands there looking as the door opens. As the door opens, he sees Dana! She finally walks in! Tony angrily stands there with his hands on his hips as he looks at Dana. Dana stops and angrily looks back at Tony. Tony then looks at the clock. It is 2:00 in the morning. Tony gets very upset with Dana and angrily asks, "Did you forget where you live?" Dana slams the door and glares at Tony with her deadly green eyes! Tony angrily asks, "Where have you been all night?"
"I got sick and went to the hospital emergency!"
"WHAT! YOU GOT SICK AND WENT TO THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY? IT FIGURES! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT YOU WOULD HAVE COME UP WITH THAT ANSWER! YOU ALWAYS SEEM TO BE SICK AND GOING TO THE DAMN HOSPITAL! YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO THE DAMN HOSPITAL WITHOUT LETTING ANYONE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE! I FEEL LIKE A DAMN FOOL NOT KNOWING WHERE YOU ARE AT TIMES AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL THE OTHERS WHEN THEY ALL BE ASKING ME WHERE YOU ARE!"
"I GOT SICK AND WENT TO THE HOSPITAL! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT?"
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT?" Tony goes to grab the telephone and angrily waves it in Dana's face shouting, "HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THE TELEPHONE? WHY DON'T YOU USE IT SOMETIMES AND CALL?" He slams the phone down hard on the table shouting, "LET ME O
R SOMEBODY ELSE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING OR WHAT'S GOING ON!"
"I HAD CALLED HOME TONY! YOU WEREN'T HERE!"
"OH DON'T HAND ME THAT DANA! YOU KNEW WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT! YOU KNEW THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT JOSEPH AND TERESA'S A
