“Sorry babe, there’s too much traffic in and out of this room.”  She kisses her forehead and as if on cue, the door opens.

“Mom…Dad!”

“Bette…we got here as quickly as we could.  How are you feeling?”

Tina chuckles to herself and walks over to hug Melvin while Maxine fusses over Bette.

“I’m feeling better, mom.  I just can’t walk, yet.  But that’s no reason for them to force me to stay here.  I should be at home already!”

Maxine and Melvin look at Tina.

“The doctors want to monitor her head injury a longer and they want to be sure she doesn’t get an infection from the surgery to put the pins in her leg and ankle.”

“I’m right here, you know.”

Maxine leans over and kisses Bette on the forehead.  “Yes you are.  And now we are too.”

Melvin looks at Tina, “And how are you feeling after this ordeal?  Are you getting enough rest?  How are my precious grandbabies?”

“We are doing wonderfully.  I was pretty shaken up at first, but I’m feeling better.  Peggy had a bed brought in for me, so I’ve been resting as comfortably as I can.  I was actually on my way to shower and get some of the last 2 days off of me when you came in.  How about I leave Bette in your hands for a few minutes?”

“No problem, Tina…go take your shower.  We’ll be here when you get back.”

*************************************

Tina hears one of her favorites of her dad’s most trusted security agents as she walks out of the room. “Enjoy your shower, Ms. Buttercup.” 

Tina elbows him as she walks by, “Very funny, Marky.  Why are you still working for my dad instead of touring the stand up comedy circuit?”

He just chuckles and grins as his partner Joe adds his 2 cents, “We’ll take good care of Ms. Cupcake while you’re gone.”

Tina rolls her eyes at both of them, then starts down the hallway saying, “I’m glad you’re both better at security than you are at comedy!”

Tina turns the corner and is almost to the shower facilities when she hears a familiar voice at the nurse’s station. “I’m looking for Bette Porter’s room…I have a delivery for her…can you give me her room number?”

Tina stops to observe what she sees…..a short dark haired man holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  But why is the voice familiar?  And what shop delivers flowers at 7:30 in the evening?

“We don’t give out patient information.  Leave the flowers here and we will deliver them to the room.”

The short figure studies the clipboard in his hand and says, “It says here I have to give them directly to her.  Apparently, the sender wants to be sure they don’t get lost in the hospital shuffle.”

During the exchange, Tina has walked up closer and sees an older and not so friendly looking nurse walk up to the delivery man.  “Again.  The hospital doesn’t give out patient information.  Either leave the flowers here or take them with you.  But those are your choices.  Make a decision.”

Tina sees the man clench his fist and looks in Tina’s direction.  That’s when Tina recognizes the figure.  It’s Dawn Denbo.

“Dawn Denbo…what are you doing here?” 

Denbo starts walking toward Tina but then she hears her screaming.  She heads toward the opposite direction.  As she runs, she attempts to put the clipboard back in the backpack slung over her shoulder but inadvertently a 9mm handgun drops out and papers fall out all over the floor.

“STOP HER!!  MARKY…..JOEY……COME HERE….QUICK!”  Tina is yelling and trying to follow Denbo down the hallway.  Mark stays at the door and Joe runs past Tina attempting to catch Denbo before she gets away.  The nurses call hospital security to help sort out this mess. 

Tina looks at the gun on the floor.  “What the fuck?”