Diane D In The Headlines - Volume 2 - Part 2

by Doris Miller

It is one month later. Margarita is inside the organization office. The telephone rings. Margarita picks up the telephone receiver. She speaks into the receiver and says, “Hello. Diaz-Davidson Organization.”

  “Hello, this is Emily Cohen from the school committee,” Emily says.

  “Oh Emily how are you doing?”

  “I'm doing okay, and yourself?”

  “I'm okay.”

  “Good. I just want to know has Diane D come back from Jamaica yet.”

  “No not yet. She and the rest of them decided to stay in Jamaica another couple of months.”

  “Another couple of months?”

  “Yeah, then they'll all come back to New York.”

  “Okay, I'll call back when she comes back to town.”

  “Okay no problem. Take care.” Margarita hangs up the telephone.

  It is a month later. Inside a school office, several adults are sitting around talking. A black man in the group around his late 30's name Frank speaks out and says, “Hey! I here Diane D is back in town.”

  “She is?!” everybody says as they rush to Frank.

  “Diane D is back in town?!” Sherman, a white male around his early 40’s asks.

  “Yeah,” Frank says. “My brother said he and his wife saw Diane D from a distance going inside her family's organization this morning. They said she was walking with three of the Dianettes.”

  “Your brother and his wife saw Diane D with three of the Dianettes this morning?!” a woman asks.

  “Yeah.”

  “Which three Dianettes?”

  “I don't know, my brother said he wasn't sure which three Dianettes it was. He couldn't tell from the distance, but he know it was three of them with Diane D.”

  “Really?” Emily says. “I spoke to Diane D's grandmother on the phone last month. I thought her grandmother told me Diane D was gonna be in Jamaica another couple of months. It's only one month. What's Diane D doing back in town already?”

  “Well I heard Diane D and her family heard that someone from the city council wanted to buy their family's organization. They didn't want that to happen so I heard they all rushed back here to New York to stop it.”

  “Oh my God?”

  “Yeah. They think they might lose their family's organization if the city council buys it, now Diane D's parents and her grandparents all want to run for city council.”

  “What!” everybody shouts.

  “Diane D's parents and grandparents all want to run for city council?” a second man asks.

  “That's what I heard,” Frank says. “I heard they all were gonna have a meeting with the Board Of Directors at the end of the week.”

  “My goodness! If Diane D’s family run for city council, they’re certainly gonna have my vote! I'll vote for them!”

  “They'll have my vote too!” a third man says.

  “Well if Diane D is back in town,” Emily says, “maybe I can call her family's organization and try to meet her and see if she would come to the schools!”

  “What?” Frank says. “You want to try and meet Diane D?”

  “Of course I want to meet Diane D! I've always wanted to meet her. I think she’s so cool.”

  “And you want her to try and come to the schools?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You know Diane D has stopped coming to the schools ever since she and her family were lied to by that kid Marcus and his brother about some little boy who was dying of leukemia.”

  “I know, that was a terrible lie. That kid Marcus and his brother shouldn’t have done that.”

  “I know. They definitely learned their lesson from it.”

  “They sure did. I just thought maybe I can persuade Diane D and her family to change their mind and have Diane D start coming back to the schools again.”

  “Well if you meet Diane D, you better make sure the Dianettes aren't around when you meet her.”

  “Why?”

  “You're a singer aren't you?! Remember, the Dianettes don't want any female singers approaching Diane D or being around her! Remember when we read about what happened to Madilyn Lewis and Randy Coleman, the Punky Gurlz and those two Latin singers Carmen and Rachel?!”

  “Yeah I remember what happened to all of them, but the Dianettes don't know who I am! They don't know that I'm a singer! They've never seen me before! Plus I'm not gonna ask Diane D to sing with me anyway! I only want her to start coming back to the schools again so she can speak to the children like she used to do!”

  “I guess you're right. Just don't ask Diane D to sing with you, because when Diane D, her family and the Dianettes were all down in Jamaica, I heard that three of the Dianettes Lonna, Nancy and Bernice went and cursed a female singer named Shannon out down there when they heard that this female singer Shannon was gonna sing a duet with another singer named Diane!”

  “What!” everybody shouts.

  “You're kidding!” Emily says.

  “No, I'm telling the truth!” Frank shouts. “That's what I heard! I heard that Lonna, Nancy and Bernice heard that a female singer named Shannon was gonna sing a duet with a singer named Diane at a club later on one night! Lonna, Nancy and Bernice heard the name Diane and just assumed that this singer Diane was Diane D. I heard Lonna, Nancy and Bernice went to that club looking for that singer Shannon and when they found out who Shannon was, they went straight up to her and cursed her out! I heard they cursed that singer Shannon out so bad. I heard they even threatened her!”

  “They threatened her?”

  “Yeah! The security had to come! That singer Shannon got so upset by what happened, she ran off! Then the security called Diane D's family! Diane D's family came there and found out what happened. They found out that this singer Shannon was gonna sing a duet with a singer named Diane Woods, not Diane D! After it was all over, the security let Diane D's family take Lonna, Nancy and Bernice away from the area. When the time came for Shannon and Diane Woods to perform and sing at the club, Shannon didn't even show up! She never came back to the club. The people at the club said she was so upset by those three Dianettes. I heard that singer Diane Woods had to wind up performing alone and wind up having to sing another song.”

  “My God,” the second man says. “You know that whacking the Dianettes got from Diane D's mom and the month they all spent in jail didn't seem to change their attitude or behavior at all.”

  “No I guess it didn't.”

  “Where were the other three Dianettes when this cursing out took place?” Emily asks.

  “I heard they weren't there. I heard they were somewhere else with Diane D at the time.”

  “My god. Well if Diane D do come to the schools and sing to the children, she would be singing to the children alone by herself! I nor anybody else is gonna sing with her!”

  “Okay, but still, if the Dianettes happen to see you with Diane D, don't let them know or let them find out that you're a singer, because they will tear your hide. They already putted three of the Punky Gurlz in the hospital causing them to cancel their concert in Paris, they already putted Madilyn Lewis and Randy Coleman in the hospital causing them to cancel their concert at Madison Square Garden, they bit the men from the Diaz-Davidson Organization and put them in the hospital as well causing those men to get shots and stitches and they chased after the Latin singers Carmen and Rachel, pulled one of their hair and ripped her collar and knocked the other one down on the street and jumped on her back! The Dianettes were about to put Carmen and Rachel in the hospital too if the police hadn’t caught up to them and stopped them and now this latest incident in Jamaica! So if you want to send a singer to Diane D, just make sure it's a male singer that's all.” Frank starts to drink from a cup as Emily Cohen worriedly looks at him. Emily then gets on the telephone on the desk. She picks up the phone receiver and dials a number. She waits for a few seconds. She then speaks into the telephone receiver and nervously says, “Uh hello? I'm sorry to bother you, but I heard
that Diane D is back in town. Could I speak to her please?”

  “Oh I'm sorry Diane is not here right now,” Alex says. “She and her family took the girls to counseling a little while ago.”

  “They did? Oh so in other words, Diane D and her family are back in New York.”

  “Yes they're all back in New York. They flew back in town three days ago.”

  “Oh really? Well this is Emily Cohen from the school committee.”

  “Oh Emily Cohen. I heard of you. You called here before, right?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Miss Margarita told us about you.”

  “She did?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well I just want to know if Diane D could come visit the schools again.”

  “Well Diane and her family are gonna be taken the girls to counseling all week. Why don't you call back to speak to Diane on Saturday. I think she should be free then.”

  “She’ll be free? Okay no problem, I'll call back Saturday. Thanks a lot. By.” Emily Cohen hangs up the telephone. She excitedly turns to Frank and says, “Well you're right, Diane D is back in town! Someone from the Diaz-Davidson Organization just told me I can call back there Saturday because Diane D and her family took the Dianettes to counseling a little while ago!”

  “They took the Dianettes to counseling?” Frank says. “Oh that's good! So call there again Saturday!”

  “I'm not gonna call there Saturday, I'm gonna go there in person so I can talk to Diane D directly! Oh I am so excited!” Everyone is excited for Emily.

  It is now Saturday. Frank, Emily Cohen, Sherman and several people from the school committee are outside the front door of the Diaz-Davidson Organization. They knock on the front door. No one answers. Frank turns to the others and says, “We've been standing here ringing the bell and knocking on the door for ten minutes. No one is answering yet.“

  “Maybe they're not around,” Sherman says.

  “Well someone here from the organization said Diane D should be available Saturday,” Emily says. “Today is Saturday.”

  “Maybe they're at the park,” Frank says. “I hear they go to the park on nice days. It's a nice day today. Let's go to the park and see if we see them or find anybody we can ask.” Frank, Emily, Sherman and the rest of the people turn and leave the front door.

  Frank, Emily, Sherman and the rest of the people from the school committee walk through the park. They see a big husky black man sitting on top of the benches with several people around him talking and laughing. “What about those people over there?” Frank asks. “Maybe we can ask them.”

  “Okay,” Emily says. Emily, Frank, Sherman and the rest of the people start to walk towards the people on the bench.

  Emily, Frank, Sherman and the rest of the people approach the people on the bench. “Hello,” Frank says. The people on the bench turn to look as Frank says, “Excuse us, but do any of you know if the Diaz-Davidson Organization is opened today? We've been knocking on the front door for a while but no one has answered. We've been trying to get in touch with Diane D. We want to speak to her to see if we can change her mind about visiting and lecturing the children at the schools, but no one is at the organization. We hear they come to this park sometimes when the weather is nice.”

  “Yeah they do come to this park,” the husky man says. “As a matter of fact, I saw the Dianettes, Diane D's husband, Diane D's older brother and some of Diane D's relatives around here earlier.”

  “You did?”

  “Yeah. I don't know where they are right now. They still might be somewhere in the area.“ The husky man looks to the side. He then says, “Oh there goes the Dianettes now. Maybe you can ask them where Diane D is.” Frank, Emily, Sherman and the rest of the people from the school committee and everyone on the bench turn and look at the Dianettes.

  In the distance, the Dianettes are walking down a path. They are all dressed in identical dark leggings, short dark jackets, belly bearing tops and long hair around their backs and sides and thick black sneakers. They are walking in two rows with Miranda walking in the front on the far left side, Nancy walking directly behind her, Lonna walking in the front middle, Charlotte walking directly behind her, Kelly walking in the front on the far right side closer to the people and Bernice walking directly behind her, all talking and laughing with their heads turned facing each other. Nancy and Kelly lean towards each other, giving each other a loud high five then they all look forward as Lonna chews and blows bubble gum.

  Back on the bench, the husky guy turns to Emily and Frank and tells them, “Go ahead. Ask the Dianettes where Diane D is.”

  “Yeah go ahead Emily,” Frank says. “Ask them where Diane D is.”

  “I'm not gonna ask them,” Emily nervously says.

  “Why not? Don't you wanna know where Diane D is?”

  “Yeah, but I don't want to ask THEM!”

  “Why not? They don't know you're a singer.”

  “I still don't want to ask them. They might find out later by somebody who knows me.”

  “You're a singer?” the husky man asks.

  “Yes I am. I sing at a few churches and at a few night clubs and I'm trying to get a record deal.”

  “Oh yeah? So you don't want to ask the Dianettes where Diane D is because you're a singer?”

  “Right. I'd rather ask someone else where's Diane D.”

  “Well I don't see any one else around you can ask.”

  Emily turns to Frank and says, “Why don't you ask the Dianettes for me Frank.”

  “I don't want to ask them either,” Frank says. He then turns to Sherman and says, “How about you Sherman? You want to ask the Dianettes where Diane D is?”

  “With their attitude?” Sherman says. “No way.”

  “Well if none of y'all want to ask the Dianettes where's Diane D at, I guess I'll have to ask them for you,” the husky man says.

  “Thanks,” Emily says. “Just don't mention to them that I'm a singer.”

  “I won't.” The husky man turns towards the Dianettes and shouts, “Excuse me Dianettes! Dianettes! Dianettes!”

  The Dianettes turn their heads and look towards the man as they walk down the path.

  Other people and children in the park see the Dianettes and anxiously hurry halfway towards them. “Dianettes!” some children in the park shout.

  The husky man then shouts, “I'm sorry to bother y'all, but I just want to know, where's Diane D at?!”

  The Dianettes puzzled look at each other, then back at the man.

  “I just want to know, where Diane D is!” the husky man says. “Some people want to get in touch with her! I just want to know where's she at!”

  “She went to a meeting!” Miranda shouts.

  “I'm sorry, she went where?!”

  “She's at a meeting!” the rest of the Dianettes say.

  “Oh she's at a meeting?!”

  “Yeah!”

  “You know where?!”

  “At the city council!”

  “The city council?! Oh that means her family must be gonna run for city council! I hope they run!”

  The Dianettes nod their heads then look forward as they continue to walk down the path.

  The husky man calls out to the Dianettes again and shouts, “Hey Dianettes!”

  The Dianettes turn their heads and look back towards the husky man again.

  The husky man shouts, “If Diane D's family run for city council, they're gonna have my vote! I'll definitely vote for them! And when y'all see Diane D again, tell her a few people would like to get in touch with her!”

  The Dianettes nod their heads again then look forward as they continue to walk down the path as the people and children watch them. The people and children see the Dianettes walking further into the distance.

  The husky man turns back to Frank, Emily, Sherman and the rest of the people and says, “Well I asked the Dianettes for y'all where Diane D is
. Now that y'all know where Diane D's at, you can go to the city council and try to meet her and speak to her directly.”

  “Thanks,” Frank says.

  “You sure the Dianettes won't show up at the city council later?” Emily asks.

  “No,” the husky man says. “They're going that way aren't they?” Everyone sees the Dianettes in the distance walking down a different path after turning a corner. They see Michael, members of the Diaz-Davidson band, some of Diane D's family members and relatives approach the Dianettes. They see them all stop and talk. They then see Michael, members of the Diaz-Davidson band, some of Diane D's family members and relatives lead the Dianettes away. The husky man turns to Frank and Emily and says, “Well if you all want to see and speak to Diane D, here's your chance now.”

  Frank turns to Emily, Sherman and the rest and says, “Okay let's go.” He turns back to the husky man and says, “Thanks again.”

  “No problem,” the husky man says.

  Frank, Emily, Sherman and the people from the school committee turn and leave the area.

  In the lobby of the City Council building, Frank, Emily, Sherman and the rest of the people from the school committee approach the front desk. Rodney, a black male around his early 40’s, sits behind the desk and says, “Hello, may I help you?”

  “Yes,” Frank says. “We heard Diane D is here in the building at a meeting. We're from the school committee and we would like to speak to Diane D because we want to know if she can come visit the schools again like she use to.”

  “Oh really? Yeah Diane D is here. She and some of her family are at a meeting on the second floor.”

  “Oh yeah?” Emily says. “Do you know when the meeting will be over?”

  “No I don't. They've been at the meeting for a while.” Rodney looks to the side. He then says, “There goes Diane D's brother. Hey Mickey?!”

  The people from the school committee look to the side and see Mickey coming from the staircase. They become excited. Mickey approaches Rodney and says, “What's up Rodney?”

  “Mickey these people are from the school committee.” Mickey looks at the people. Rodney then says, “They would like to speak to your sister Diane D to know if she can come visit the schools again like she use to.”

  “Oh yeah?” Mickey looks at Frank, Emily, Sherman and the rest of the people and says, “You guys want Diane to come visit the schools again?”

  “Yes,” Frank says. “We know she and your family stopped visiting schools after the letter about a little boy dying of leukemia was sent to your family, then Diane D and the rest of your family found out that whole letter was a hoax, but we were hoping to change Diane D and the rest of your family’s mind. We heard Diane D's at a meeting here. We would like to know when the meeting is gonna be over so we can speak to Diane D herself.”

  “Mickey is your family still having the meeting upstairs?” Rodney asks.

  “I'm not sure yet,” Mickey says. “But you all can come with me to find out. If Diane is still in the meeting, I'll see if I can interrupt the meeting real quick and bring her out to you guys.”

  “No you don't have to do that,” Emily says. “We didn't want to disturb Diane D. We were willing to wait until the meeting is over.”

  “I don't know when it's gonna be over though,” Mickey says. “You might be waiting a long time. I'll see if I can get Diane to come out for a minute or two. Come on.” Mickey turns and leads the people to the staircase.

  Mickey leads Frank, Emily and the rest of the people down the second floor hallway. He goes to the side and knocks on a door. Frank, Emily and the rest of the people all wait. Mickey knocks on the door again. Emily then says, “That's alright, you don't have to disturb Diane D.”

  “It'll only take a minute,” Mickey says. Mickey knocks on the door again. The door opens. A janitor, a male black opens the door. Mickey looks in the room and sees that it is empty of people. “Where is everybody?” he asks. “The meeting is over already?”

  “No they moved the meeting to a room on the third floor,” the janitor says. “They said they had needed more space, it wasn't enough space in here.”

  “Oh okay, thanks.” Mickey turns to Frank and Emily and tells them, “The meeting was moved to the third floor. Follow me.” Mickey starts to walk away.

  “Listen that's alright,” Emily says. “We can catch Diane D when the meeting is over.”

  Mickey stops, turns around and says, “Do y'all want to speak to my sister or not?”

  “Yes we do, but..…”

  “That settles it then. Follow me.” Mickey turns and walks away. The people from the school committee look at him then follow him.

  Mickey leads Frank and the rest of the people up a flight of stairs that leads to the third floor. Emily nervously stays behind. Mickey turns around and looks down the staircase towards Emily. He then says, “Well what are you waiting for Miss? My sister is right up this way if you want to speak to her.”

  “I can wait,” Emily says.

  “We're almost there Ma'am. I'm gonna bring my sister out in the hallway if you would just bare with me.”

  “That's alright, I don't want to cause any problems.”

  “Problems? What are you talking about ‘cause any problems‘?”

  “She's a singer,” Frank says.

  “What?” Mickey looks down the stairs at Emily and asks, “You're a singer?”

  “Yes I am,” Emily nervously says. “I sing at a few churches and at a few night clubs and I'm trying to get a record deal.”

  “Oh yeah? Well that's good. That's good and dandy you're a singer and trying to get a record deal, what's the problem with that? How's that gonna cause a problem with you coming upstairs?”

  “Being that she's a singer, she's worried about approaching Diane D or coming near Diane D because of the Dianettes,” Frank says.

  “Oh yeah?” Mickey turns to Emily and says, “Is that what it is? Because of the girls? You don't have to worry about the girls, they're not here.”

  “I know,” Emily says. “We saw them in the park earlier. Even though the Dianettes aren't here, they still don't want any female singers approaching Diane D or coming near her. If you bring Diane D out in the hallway, I was gonna let Frank approach her and speak to her.”

  “Sweetheart, you came near Diane the minute you stepped into this building. So since you're already here, you might as well just speak to her.”

  “But what if Diane D do decide to come visit the schools and the Dianettes come with her?”

  “The girls do not come visit any schools.”

  “They don't?”

  “No. Have you ever heard of the girls coming to any schools?”

  “No.”

  “Exactly, Diane only does that. Well, she used to do that.”

  “Oh. I see.”

  Mickey turns and looks up the staircase. He sees a black man walking past the doorway and calls out to him, “Hey Glenn!” The man stops and looks in the stairway at Mickey as Mickey says, “Are you going pass the meeting room?!”

  “Yeah!”

  “Could you do me a favor?! When you pass by the meeting room, knock on the door and tell my mom some people from the school committee is out here to see Diane!”

  The man looks in the staircase and says, “Oh yeah? These people want to see Diane?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay.” The man turns and goes away.

  Mickey turns to the people and says, “Come let's go up there.” Mickey turns and leads everyone up the stairs as Emily nervously stays behind. Mickey turns back and looks down at Emily again. He then asks, “Ma'am? Are you coming?”

  “No that's alright,” Emily says. “I'll let Frank speak to Diane D. I'll wait downstairs.”

  “I'm not gonna speak to Diane D Emily,” Frank says, “you're gonna speak to her.”

  Emily slowly starts to head up the stairs.

  Mickey sig
hs then says, “If you want to speak to my sister Miss, you gotta hurry up! She has to get back to the organization after the meeting! Not only that, my whole family is heading back to Jamaica in three weeks, so if you want to speak to Diane, you better speak to her now!”

  “You all are going back to Jamaica?!” Emily asks.

  “Yeah. We would have still been in Jamaica if we hadn't heard that the city council wanted to buy the organization.”

  “Oh. Well how long are you all gonna stay in Jamaica when you go back?”

  “Maybe for one month, then go to St Thomas for a couple of months, then go back down to the Dominican Republic!”

  “St. Thomas and the Dominican Republic too?”

  “Yeah. So we'll be traveling back and forth between New York, Jamaica, St Tomas and the Dominican Republic.”

  “Oh yeah?” Frank asks. “Are the Dianettes going back to Jamaica, St Thomas and the Dominican Republic with your family when Diane D and your family go back?”

  “Yes they have to come back with us, they're gonna be in my family's custody for a year or more, so they have to go everywhere we go.”

  “Isn’t your cousin Dana in your family’s custody too?”

  “Yep, she sure is.”

  “Is she going to travel with your family to St. Tomas and the Dominican Republic too?”

  “Yep, she sure is.”

  “Wow. I wish I was in your family’s custody. That way I can get to travel around the Caribbean too.” They all laugh a little.

  Glenn comes back to the staircase and says, “Mickey, I told your mom these people are out here and want to see Diane, but she said Diane left the meeting early.”

  “Diane left meeting?” Mickey asks.

  “Yeah. Your mom said Diane left a couple of minutes ago. She said Diane went down the backstairs to the parking lot, got in her car and drove off. She said Diane is heading back to the organization now.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  Mickey turns to Frank and Emily and says, “Well you heard. Since Diane is not here now, maybe you can speak to my mom about changing her and the rest of my family’s mind about getting Diane to start visiting schools again. Want to speak to my mom? Come on. I'll bring you to her.”

  “Okay,” Frank says.

  Mickey turns back to Glenn and says, “Glenn tell my mom I'm bringing these people to talk to her.”

  “Okay,” Glenn says as he turns around and leaves the staircase.

  Mickey turns back to Emily and says, “Come on Ma'am, let's go.” Mickey turns around and walks to the door as Emily and the rest of the people walk to the top of the staircase.

  Mickey leaves the staircase entering the third floor hallway as Emily and everyone else come out the stairwell. Mickey walks down the hallway as Frank, Emily and the rest of the people follow him. Mickey looks down the hallway. He turns to Emily and points his finger down the hall and says to her, “There goes my mom right there. She's standing right down there at the door.” Emily and the rest of the people look down the hall. They see Glenn and Mary standing outside the doorway looking at them with their bodies facing each other as Mary leans against the doorway. Emily and the rest of the people nervously start to head down the hall. Mickey calls out to Mary and shouts, “Mom!”

  Mary puzzled raises her head a little.

  “Estas son las personas que estoy trained a usted!” Mickey shouts. Mickey continues to bring Frank, Emily and the rest of the people down the hall to Mary.

  Mickey, Frank, Emily and the rest of the people approach Mary and stop as Mickey turns to Emily and says, “Here you go ma'am.” Mickey turns to Mary, gives her a loving kiss then says, “Hasta luego mama.”

  “Okay baby,” Mary says.

  Mickey turns and walks away as Mary looks at Frank, Emily and the people from the committee.

  Emily nervously looks at Mary and says, “Hi Diane D's mom! How are you?! Nice to see you! My name is Emily Cohen. We're from the school committee. I spoke to you on the phone before when I called your organization. I'm sorry we pulled you away from a meeting. I just need to speak to you about something. We would like to know if your daughter Diane D could visit the schools and speak to children again like she use to do. We know she and your family stopped visiting schools after the letter about a little boy who’s dying of leukemia was sent to your family‘s organization, then Diane D and the rest of your family found out that whole letter was a hoax, but we were hoping to change Diane D and the rest of your family’s mind. I have some flyers and information that might be of help to you.”

  “I'll take a look at it,” Mary says as she holds her hand out to the flyers. Emily nervously hands Mary some flyers. Mary looks at the flyers. She starts to read the flyers. Emily and the people from the school committee nervously and anxiously look at each other, then look back at Mary as Mary continues to read the flyers. Mary finishes reading the flyers. She looks up at Emily and asks, “You're having a youth fair at two schools?”

  “Yes. We would like to know if your daughter Diane D can come to the youth fairs and speak and lecture to the children and maybe sing for them?”

  “Really? When is the fair supposed to be?”

  “Next month. Your son Mickey just told us that you and your whole family are gonna head back down to Jamaica in three weeks.”

  “We are, but before we decide to change Diane’s mind and the rest of our minds about having Diane come to the schools again, I'll have to go check the schools out first and see what they're about, then I would have to speak to Diane and the rest of my family about it. Where are these schools at?”

  “They're right here in town. They're both a mile away from here. You can come with us to check the school buildings out today if you want.”

  “Yeah? Maybe I'll check them out right now. I'll try to go there real quick and come right back.”

  “Right now? That’s good, but what about your meeting?”

  “I'll see if my parents can cover for me until I get back. Hold on.” Mary turns towards the doorway and heads inside the room closing the door behind herself as Frank, Emily and the people from the school committee wait in the hallway.

  A few minutes later, the door opens. Mary steps back out into the hallway with her cell phone to her ear as the door closes behind her. She starts to pace back and forth a little as she holds the cell phone to her ear. She then speaks into her cell phone and says, “Hey Michael. … Yeah the meeting is going okay, we didn't finish yet. …. No. Hey Michael listen, I have to step off real quick. Some people from the school committee is here out in the hallway. They asked me if Diane could attend a youth fair at two schools they're gonna have next month. … Yeah. …. I know Diane doesn’t want to come to the schools anymore, but I told the people before we decide to change Diane’s mind and our minds about having Diane come to the schools again, I'll have to go check the schools out first and see what they're about, then we would have to speak to Diane and have a meeting with the rest of the family about it. ….. I know we're leaving for Jamaica in three weeks, I just want to check the schools out real quick. I want to take a quick run over to the schools right now, then come right back. While I'm there, Grandma and Grandpa are gonna cover for me in the meeting until I get back. You still got the girls with you, right? Are they still with you, Nicolas and the rest of the family? ….. Okay good. .... What? You gotta doctor's appointment today? ..... What time? .....You're going right now? You don't plan to bring the girls there with you, do you? ..... Well you can just leave the girls with the rest of the family or I can just bring them all with me real quick.”

  Emily, Frank and the rest of the people nervously look at Mary, then at each other. Frank whispers to Emily and says, “I think you better let Diane D's mom know that you're a singer before she decides to bring the Dianettes with her. That way she'll know not to bring them near you and they wind up finding out that you're a singer who
wants to talk to Diane D and there winds up being a chaos with them and you, then after that, you got to worry about Diane D‘s cousin Dana cursing you out.”

  Emily frighteningly stares at Frank. She then says, “You're right,” Emily nervously looks at Mary and says, “Uh excuse us?”

  Mary stops pacing and holds her hand up to Emily, firmly suggesting for Emily to wait. Mary starts to pace again as she continues to speak into the phone and says, “The girls are gonna go with Nicolas, Aunt Celeste and the rest of the family? ..... Okay, no problem. .... Okay then. By.” Mary disconnects her cell phone. She turns to Emily as she puts her cell phone away and says, “I'm sorry, what were you trying to say to me?”

  “Oh I had just wanted to ask you if were you bringing the Dianettes with you.”

  “I was, but my family is gonna take them somewhere else. Why?”

  “Oh it's just that it wouldn't have been anymore room in our van if they came along.”

  “Anymore room in your van? I wasn't planning on riding in the same vehicle with you guys. I'm gonna drive my own car and follow you guys to where the schools are.”

  “You are?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh okay. That's fine with us.”

  Mary's cell phone rings. She puts the cell phone to her ear. She then speaks into it and says, “Hey girls. What’s up? ...... Y'all downstairs? ..…” Emily and the people from the committee puzzled look at Mary as Mary says into her cell phone, “What are y'all doing down there? ..... Well Diane is not here right now, she left the meeting early. .... Yeah. She's on her way back to the organization.” Emily and the people from the committee puzzled look at each other then back at Mary as Mary says into her cell phone, “Yeah the meeting is still going on, it's not over yet, but I'm on my way downstairs now. .... Yeah. Just stay down there, I'll see you all when I get downstairs. ... Alright.” Mary disconnects her cell phone and puts it away as Emily and the people from the school committee puzzled look at her. Mary turns to Emily and Frank and says, “Alright we can go downstairs now.” Emily nervously looks at Mary as Mary starts to head down the hall. Emily, Frank and the people from the school committee turn and follow Mary down the hall.

  A couple of minutes later, Mary, Emily and Frank and the people from the school committee walk through the lobby as Emily nervously looks around. Emily nervously turns to Mary and says, “Um excuse me Miss Mary?” Mary stops and turns to Emily as everyone else stops also.

  “Oh never mind,” Emily says.

  “Never mind?” Mary says. “Never mind about what?”

  Emily becomes very nervous as she looks down breathing heavy.

  “Aunt Mary!” women’s voices shout. Mary turns her head towards the voices and says, “Hey girls?!” Mary turns her body and walks away from Emily heading towards the voices as Emily nervously looks at her.

  Emily nervously looks down, refusing to turn her head to look towards the women’s voices. She hears Mary and the women's voices talking and laughing. Emily nervously turns her face away from the direction of Mary's and the women's voices. She slowly heads towards the opposite direction of Mary and the women's voices and goes to the side. She stops and turns her head to look. She looks towards Mary and the voices with a little tears in her eyes. She becomes surprised as she sees Mary with Missy, Landa, Londa, Linda and Judy all talking and laughing with each other. Emily gives out of sigh of relief. Frank goes to Emily and says, “You thought that would be the Dianettes waiting down here, didn't you?”

  “I sure did,” Emily says.

  “Yeah we all thought the same thing.”

  “I was about to tell Diane D's Mom to cancel this whole school thing a minute ago. I didn't want the Dianettes to catch me with Diane D's mom to talk about Diane D because the Dianettes would eventually find out that I'm a singer if somebody else who knows me happens to spot me and mentions it in front of them. I don't need any problems.”

  “I don't blame you. I know what you mean.” Frank and Emily look back towards Mary.

  Mary continues to talk with Missy, Landa, Londa, Linda and Judy as Linda says, “Sorry to disturb your meeting Aunt Mary, but Judy had wanted to see Diane real quick.”

  “Ah ah don’t blame me Linda,” Judy says. “I could have waited until after the meeting was over for Diane to hand me back my make-up kit.”

  “But you didn’t want to wait until after the meeting was over Judy. You wanted your make-up kit now.”

  “Well of course. I wanted to catch Diane before she throws my make-up away and replace it with a vitamin or fruit.” They all smile and laugh.

 

 

  Chapter 43

  The Dianettes’ Fear Of Diane D