The following week Margarita comes out of the organization meeting room into the hallway. She walks down the hallway as Diane D, the Dianettes, Nicolas, Mickey, Michael and some other performers come down the hallway towards her pulling carts of food. “Come on everybody!” Margarita shouts to them.
“Hey Grandma,” Diane D says. “Some of the performers just called the office and said they’re running a little late today.”
“Yeah I know. They called the meeting room too.”
“Okay.” Diane D turns to Michael and the Dianettes as they go pass Margarita with the carts.
Margarita continues to come down the hallway. One of the twins, Mike and Mitch is coming down the hallway with his head down and a smirk on his face with his thumbs in his pockets walking between two pre-teen black boys as the black boys smile to him talking in his ear and pointing their fingers to him. Margarita hollers to them, “Let’s go guys!” The twin and the two black boys look at Margarita. They then go past Margarita as Margarita continues down the hallway. The rest of the performers and staff members come down the hallway. “Come on everybody!” Margarita shouts to them. The performers and staff members look at Margarita then go past her.
Stephanie approaches Margarita. She says to her, “Hey Margarita, I see that the twins Mike and Mitch are back. I just saw one of them walking down the hallway with the other kids.”
“Yeah Mike and Mitch are back from Puerto Rico,” Margarita says. “They came back last week.”
“They did? Well since I just saw one of them in the hallway, where’s the other one?”
“The other one is already in the meeting room with everybody else. I’m just trying to see if anybody else is out here.”
“Oh. By the way Margarita, what happened with the case when Mike and Mitch knocked that kid Ray unconscious?”
“Well Ray’s family decided to drop the charges against Mike and Mitch.”
“That kid’s family decided to drop the charges? Why?”
“Well his parents kept getting pressure from Mike and Mitch’s relatives.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No Stephanie I’m not kidding. Mike and Mitch’s mom’s relatives and their dad’s relatives kept putting too much pressure on Ray’s family to drop the charges. They kept intimidating Ray’s family so much that Ray’s family gave in to the pressure and drop the charges.”
“My goodness. I’m sorry Ray’s family went through that. Well how is Ray doing anyway? I hope he got better.”
“Ray is not completely out of the woods yet Stephanie, but he’s getting there. I spoke to his parents the other day. He’s not fully back to normal yet.”
“Well I hope he keeps pulling through.”
“Yeah me too. Well I don’t see anybody else out here. Let’s go in the meeting room.”
“Okay.”
Margarita turns around, then she and Stephanie head to the meeting room.
Margarita and Stephanie enter the meeting room. Mike and Mitch, the other forty boys and the rest of the organization are gathered around the room talking and eating snacks while Diane D, her family, Michael and the Dianettes are on the side of the room near the window talking amongst each other. Mike and Mitch suddenly walk away from the rest of the boys. They go to the side of the room where the doors are as some of the boys follow them. They approach Mary and say, “Hey Miss Mary.”
“Hi guys,” says Mary.
One of the other boys, Bryce, comes beside Mary and says, “Hey Miss Mary?”
Mike and Mitch angrily turn to Bryce as Mitch says, “Excuse us, but you can’t talk to her right now.”
“I can’t talk to her right now?” Bryce asks. “What do you mean I can’t talk to her right now?”
“Because we’re talking to her right now,” says Mike. “That’s what we mean.” Mike and Mitch turn back to Mary as Mike says, “So Miss Mary…..”
“Excuse you!” Mary angrily shouts to Mike and Mitch. “If Bryce or anybody else wants to talk to me, they can. I’m here for everybody.”
“Yeah but he interrupted us,” says Mitch.
“Okay fine. Then Bryce will speak to me after you two are finished, alright? So what’s up?”
“When are we gonna have the dirt bike competition?” asks Mike.
“And when are we gonna have the basketball Tournament?” asks Mitch.
“Listen guys, I can’t figure out everything all at once. Let me take a few days to think about when we’re going to have these events okay?” Mary turns to Bryce and talks with him as Mike and Mitch start to talk with the other boys.
Diane D and the Dianettes walk away from where the windows are. They start to walk towards the other side of the room as Diane D shows some papers to the Dianettes.
Diane D and the Dianettes approach Mary as they stand beside and behind Mike and Mitch. “Aunt Mary, look,” Nancy says. Mary turns from Bryce towards Nancy, Diane D and the rest of the Dianettes. Diane D then hands Mary one of the papers.
“What’s this?” Mary asks.
“Mom, we’re going to wear that outfit for our next performance,” Diane D says.
Mary looks at the picture of the outfits. She then says, “You’re going to wear these shirts again?”
“Yeah,” Diane D says. Mary suddenly looks worried. “What‘s the problem Mom?” Diane D asks.
Mary looks at Diane D and says “Diane, your Grandma Gracy, Grandpa Mike and your Aunt Celeste are on their way over here.”
“Okay. And?”
“Your Aunt Celeste purchased several outfits for you and the girls to wear for your next performance.”
“She did?”
“Yes she did.”
“Mom, the girls and I already decided to wear these outfits for our next performance.”
“But Diane, your Aunt Celeste already purchased the outfits. You have to wear the outfits she’s gonna bring you. She paid a lot of money for them.”
“Too bad Mom. Maybe Aunt Celeste should have checked with us first.”
“Now Diane, you don’t want to hurt your Aunt Celeste’s feelings do you?”
“Of course I don’t want to hurt Aunt Celeste’s feelings Mom, but what about the girls’ and my feelings? We always put our feelings aside and cave in to the outfits you and Aunt Celeste pick out for us, but not this time Mom. This time, I’m gonna have to hurt Aunt Celeste’s feelings and tell her like it is. As soon as I see those outfits she brings, I’m gonna tell her that the girls and I already decided what outfits we’re going to wear for our next performance and tell her we’re just gonna have to wear the outfits she has for another performance, simple as that.” The sound of the front door opens. Diane D, Mary and the Dianettes turn their heads and see Aunt Celeste, Gracy, Grandpa Mike and other relatives standing in the doorway.
“Well hello there everybody!” Aunt Celeste shouts into the room as she holds a big shopping bag.
“Hi Celeste,” the crowd in the meeting room says.
Aunt Celeste, Gracy, Grandpa Mike and other relatives come into the meeting room. Barry approaches Aunt Celeste, Gracy, Grandpa Mike and the relatives and says, “Hey Mom, Dad.”
“Hey Barry,” Aunt Celeste, Gracy, Grandpa Mike and the relatives say.
Diane D turns to Mary and says, “Here we go Mom.” Diane D turns from Mary and walks away towards Aunt Celeste, Gracy, Grandpa Mike and the other relatives as Mary and the Dianettes follow her.
Diane D, Mary and the Dianettes approach Aunt Celeste, Gracy, Grandpa Mike and the other relatives and give them hugs.
Barry says to Aunt Celeste, “So what’s happening sis?”
“Oh nothing brother dear,” says Aunt Celeste. “We just came to check on our family.”
Gracy hugs and holds onto Diane D. She looks at Diane D and says, “So how’s our granddaughter doing?”
“Oh I’m fine Grandma,” Diane D says. “Absolutely fine.”
“That’s good baby.”
/> Grandpa Mike approaches Diane D and says, “Hey Diane, look what your Aunt Celeste got for you all.”
“Oh yeah?” Diane D says as she looks at Aunt Celeste’s big shopping bag. “What do you got there Aunt Celeste?” Diane D turns her head towards Mary, giving Mary a stern look at as she rubs her belly. Mary looks back at Diane D. Diane D looks back at Aunt Celeste.
“Oh Diane, wait til you all see what I bought you,” Aunt Celeste says as she excitingly opens up the shopping bag. She reaches in the bag and pulls out several stunning outfits. She holds them up.
Diane D and the Dianettes look at the outfits. They smile at the outfits as Diane D says, “Wow these are lovely outfits Aunt Celeste!”
“Thanks Diane! I knew you would like it! This is for you all to wear for your next performance! Here.” Aunt Celeste hands the outfits to Diane D and the Dianettes. “See Diane? I told you, I have taste.”
“Yeah you do have taste Aunt Celeste, but the girls and I already have decided what to wear for our next performance.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. I love these outfits you got for us Aunt Celeste, so we’re going to wear them in another performance.”
“In another performance?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh come on now Diane, you have to wear these outfits for your next performance. I paid a lot of money for these outfits.”
“And we’re going to wear these outfits Aunt Celeste, just not right now. Don’t worry Aunt Celeste, the girls and I will put these outfits to use at a later time.”
“Well if you’re not going to wear these outfits, then what outfits are you going to wear for your next performance?”
“Well the girls are going to wear the same outfits they wore on that television interview.”
“The same outfits they wore on that television interview?”
“Yup.”
“Is that right?”
“Oh yes that is right indeed.”
“But Diane…”
“Don’t worry Aunt Celeste, the girls and I got it down packed.” Diane D turns to the Dianettes and says, “Come on girls. Let’s check these outfits out for one of our other upcoming performances.” Diane D takes the outfits away and hurry towards a doorway in front of the room as the Dianettes follow her. Mary and Aunt Celeste look towards Diane D and the Dianettes as Diane D and the Dianettes hurry into another room. Mary and Aunt Celeste then look at each other.
Chapter 9
Showtime At The Theater