"Good evening, Cass."

"Good evening." said Cass, peering at the red-haired stranger, "Have we met?"

"Indeed we have." said the man, with an enigmatic smile.

****

Inside, the Lumina Ball was in full swing. Music played as Luminoids, as Jordan Stark's followers were called, circulated with trays of drinks and canapes. One and all, they were polite, well-scrubbed and smiling. They gave Jake the creeps.

"They're like something out of Disneyworld." he muttered, "Maybe they're androids."

"I wonder what's keeping Cass." said Felicia, "Oh, there he is!"

"Good evening,Felicia," he said, "You're looking particularly beautiful this evening."

"Thanks." said Felicia, somewhat surprised. Cass didn't usually pay her compliments.

****

"Hi, Marly." said Jake, "You look, uh, very nice."

"With a mask covering my ugly face, you mean?"

"Marly, just because we're not identical twins any more doesn't mean that you're ugly." said Vicky.

"That's easy for you to say. You still have our face! Want to swap?"

"Let's dance." said Jake, after Vicky gave him a nudge. Marly smiled as they stepped out onto the dance floor.

"Each time you hold my hand

It's magic!

"How else can I explain

A rainbow when there is no rain?

It's magic!"

*****

"I'm gettin' tired of waitin' for Lila to be out of our lives, Matt." said Sofia.

"We just have to be patient a little while longer." said Matthew, "As soon as Lila gives birth, I'll pay her off, she'll leave town, and we can get married."

"Oh really?" said Lila, "Ah doan recollect agreein' to any such arrangement!"

"Lila?" said Matthew, "What are you doing here?"

"Ah tole you Ah was goin' to the Lumina Ball, whether you laiked it or not." said Lila, "Well, heah Ah am!"

"You're going home, right now!"

"Ah'll go if y'all come with me." said Lila.

Matthew turned to Sofia. "I'll be back in half an hour, tops."

"No, you won't." said Sofia, "Lila will find some way to keep you from comin' back, because she can't stand to see you and me enjoyin' ourselves!"

Lila said nothing, merely putting on a look of injured innocence; let Sofia act like a shrill-voiced harpy; all the better for Lila.

*****

Rachel had just stepped out of the elevator.

"Excuse me." said Cass, handing his drink to Felicia, and crossing the room towards Rachel.

"Rachel! It's good to see you! I've missed you!"

"You saw me yesterday, Cass." Rachel pointed out.

Cass merely smiled, "You look exquisite."

"Thank you." Then Rachel saw Matthew ushering Lila towards the elevator.

"Lila? I thought you were staying home."

"She is!" said Matthew, pressing the elevator button. The doors opened, and Tyrone emerged, pushing Donna in a wheelchair.

"Excuse us!" Matthew barged past them, dragging Lila in his wake. The elevator doors closed.

Tyrone spotted Marly dancing with Jake, and headed towards them, leaving Donna by herself.

"Marly! What do you mean by going out and leaving your mother alone?" he demanded, "Donna's mute as well as paralysed! If the house caught fire, she couldn't even scream for help!"

"You left Donna alone?" said Jake.

"She wasn't supposed to be alone." said Marly, "I hired a nurse to babysit."

"There was no one there when I arrived." said Tyrone, "Ask Donna."

"Donna can't talk." Marly pointed out.

"She can nod and shake her head." said Tyrone, "There's nothing wrong with her brain."

"You're supposed to be taking care of Donna." said Jake, "Maybe it's too much responsibility for you. Maybe Vicky and me should take over."

"Jake, no!" said Marly.

"Donna! Where is she?" cried Tyrone, peering over the heads of the crowd, "I left her over by the elevator!"

"Somebody must have moved her," said Jake, "What was she wearing?"

"A purple dress and a big white mask with feathers," said Tyrone, scanning the room, "Oh, there she is!" He headed towards her, with Jake, Marly and Vicky close behind.

****

The elevator alarm began to ring.

"Matthew!" said Rachel, "Something's wrong!"

Cass forced open the elevator doors, "Hello!" he called down the shaft, "Who's there?"

"It's Matt!" came the reply, "The elevator's stuck between floors, and Lila's in labour!"

"I KNEW Lila had no business leaving the house, this close to her due date." said Rachel.

Cass grabbed a passing Luminoid, "Tell someone in authority that we have a crisis." he said, "A woman is giving birth in the elevator, which isn't going anywhere."

For a split second, the kid's smile faltered, then flashed back on. "Mr Stark will take care of it." he said, "He can do anything!"

"Oh, he's an obstetrician with a sideline in elevator repair, is he?" said Cass.

Rachel had taken out her cell-phone, and was calling 911.

****

"Donna!" said Tyrone, grasping the seated woman's hand, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she said, pushing back her mask, "Only I'm not Donna."

"Felicia?" said Jake, "Where's Donna?"

"I haven't seen her."

"Wait a minute!" said Vicky, "That's not what you were wearing earlier!"

"One of the Luminoids spilled guacamole dip on my costume," said Felicia, "So Ms Allen - that's Jordan Stark's assistant - provided a new one."

"One exactly like Donna's?" said Tyrone, "There's something funny going on here!" He straightened up and bellowed "DONNA!"

Everyone stopped and looked at him.

"Donna Love, where is she?" he said, "Somebody must have seen her!"

A buzz of excited speculation filled the room.

"Tyrone?" said a voice, "Here I am."

It was Donna, being pushed by Ms Allen.

"You can talk!" said Vicky, throwing her arms around her, "Mom!"

"Darling!"

"What's going on here?" Tyrone demanded, glaring at Ms Allen.

"I found Ms Love in the Lumina Lab," said Ms Allen imperturbably, "She expressed a wish to return to the ballroom. I obliged."

"How is it she can suddenly talk again?"

"I have no idea. Perhaps you should ask her."

"I don't know!" said Donna, "I found myself in a strange room, and suddenly, I could speak again. Victoria, will you please take me home?"

"Of course!"

"I mean, to your home." said Donna, "Or to my own suite. I don't want to live with Marly any longer."

****

Meanwhile, at the elevator, Rachel was saying, "Maybe you should go down there, Cass." as Lila's cries of pain echoed up the shaft, "You have experience in these situations."

"I do?" said Cass.

"Frankie gave birth to Charlie in a stuck elevator."

"Oh yes, of course she did." said Cass, "But all I did was witness the birth. I don't think I could be of any help to Lila."

"Ohmigod, I can see the baby's head!" yelled Matthew. Lila screamed piercingly, and then they heard a baby crying.

"It's a girl!" said Matthew.

Just then, the elevator started moving again. When it reached the ballroom there was Matthew, clasping a dishevelled but radiant Lila, who in turn was holding her baby, wrapped in Matthew's tuxedo jacket.

(Note: No way would they leave the baby lying on the floor, like so much dirty laundry :-D)

"Meet my daughter!" said Matthew, "She's just as beautiful as her mother!"

"Congratulations, Darling!" said Rachel.

"Lila - will you marry me?" said Matthew.

"What?" said Sofia.

"Oh Matt - YES!" squealed Lila.