WHAT GOES AROUND, PART FIVE

Shane opened his eyes, and found a familiar face looking down at him.

"Patti?"

"Hello, Shane." Patti aka Sister Patrice Roberts, was Shane's sister. She was also a nun, although of a rather strange order : its members wore fashionable clothes, nylons, high heels, jewellery and makeup. (The founder had been a Frenchwoman :-D)

"Why- are - you -?"

"Ah'm your private duty nurse." Patrice explained, "Carl Hutchins arranged it with my superiors. Ah'll be here with you until you're well again."

******

"You look tired," said Rachel, as Paulina sat down at the breakfast table.

"I didn't get much sleep." said Paulina, "I was thinking about my marriage."

Rachel crossed her fingers, mentally. She hoped Paulina didn't mean that she was thinking of taking Joe back!

"I thought I couldn't live without Joe's approval," said Paulina, "So, every time we disagreed, I'd give in and do things his way; every time we quarrelled, I'd apologize - even when he was the one in the wrong! I wasn't a wife, I was a doormat!"

"I've been thinking about My marriage too." said Rachel, "I haven't been much of a wife to Carl."

"What do you mean?"

"Whenever there's been any doubt about Carl's behaviour, I've assumed the worst, until he's proved his innocence. No wonder Matthew and Amanda thought they could break us up!"

"But they didn't succeed." Paulina pointed out, "You saw through their lies."

"They were so afraid of not convincing me that they overdid it." said Rachel, "They just aren't very good at plotting and scheming. I could have given them a lesson or two, in my younger days."

"Well, they know better than to try it again."

"You think so?" said Rachel, "I'm sure they're hatching a new plot, even as we speak."

Just then Carl entered the room.

" Good morning, Darling." said Rachel.

"Good morning." Carl grimaced at the sunlight coming in the window, and closed the drapes. "I have a headache."

"Are you sick?" Paulina was all sympathy.

Rachel mouthed 'hangover' and poured the coffee.

*****

"Michael? Why did you want me to meet you in the barn?" Donna tiptoed daintily across the floor, afraid of stepping into fresh horse droppings in her Italian pumps.

"Barns have always been our special place." said Michael.

(Michael and Donna had met and fallen in love when he was working as her father's stableboy. Vicky and Marley had been conceived on top of a pile of hay.)

He took a small box out of his pocket and opened it to show her the contents: a diamond ring. "This seemed like a good place to pop the question." he said, "Will you marry me, Blackie?"

"Oh Michael - YES!" Donna flung herself into his arms. He winced slightly (his ribs were still sore) but kissed her passionately.

When they came up for air, he said, "I figured we could make it a double wedding with Nick and Sofia, this Saturday."

"Saturday? But - how could I possibly be ready in time? A wedding takes so much planning!"

"Everything's already arranged." Michael pointed out, "The church, the flowers, the reception - all you've gotta do is buy a wedding gown - plus a few bits of lace to wear on the honeymoon."

"Well, I suppose." said Donna. "I just hope I can find something suitable to wear."

"Blackie, you'd look gorgeous wearing a burlap sack!"

****

"Hi, Paulina," said Vicky, as she entered Carlino's, "I'm starving, and I can't face another bite of hospital food."

"Today's special is lasagna." said Paulina.

"Sounds good to me."

"How is Shane?" Paulina asked, as she served the food.

"They're operating on him again, this afternoon." said Vicky, "Carl arranged for Shane's sister to be his nurse. She's a nun, you know, which means she doesn't approve of me. I suppose Jake told you we're getting a divorce?"

Paulina nodded. "It must be an epidemic; I'm getting a divorce too."

"You are? That's great!"

"People keep saying that!" said Paulina, "I didn't realise everybody hated Joe so much."

"We all put up with the jerk for your sake." said Vicky, "You loved him, and we love you. Now we won't have to have anything more to do with him."

"Oh, Victoria!" Donna burst through the restaurant door, arms full of packages, "I was just going to the hospital to find you! Your father and I are getting married again!" She held out her left hand to show the engagement ring.

"That's wonderful!" Vicky threw her arms around her mother.

"Congratulations, Donna." said Paulina, "When's the happy day?"

"Michael wants us to get married when Nick and Sofia do, this Saturday!"said Donna.

"Great!"

"Yes, but how am I ever going to be ready in time?" wailed Donna, "I haven't got a wedding gown, and there's no time to get one made."

"Then buy one off the rack." said Vicky.

" Oh, but - I've always had my wedding gowns designed, especially for me!"

"Donna, whatever you wear, you're going to be a beautiful bride." said Paulina.

"She's right." said Vicky. "Don't get all hung up on details. The important thing is, you and Michael are finally getting back together, where you both belong."

*****

Lila waited until Dr Nolan's secretary went to lunch, then slipped into his office. In a moment, she had her own medical file in her hands. A quck search located the blank medical forms. Using her talent for imitating other people's handwriting, she copied her file word for word, except that she changed 'four weeks pregnant' to 'eight weeks pregnant'. "The man's writin' looks laik chicken scratches." she muttered, as she forged Nolan's signature, "Ah should have done this in the fuhst place." She stuffed the original file into her purse, put the fake one back into the filing cabinet, and exited.

Out in the corridor, she spotted a familiar face. "Patrice? Whut are you doin' heah?"

"Hello, Lila. Ah'm here to look after Shane."

"You are?" Lila was sure she would be able to use this fact to her advantage, since Patrice was her friend."Can Ah see Shane, jist fo' a minute?"

"Absolutely not." said the nun, "Even if Shane wasn't being prepped for surgery - "

"Surgery?"

"- You are specifically forbidden to go anywhere near him."

"But, Ah've got to tawk to him!"

"Mr Hutchins told me how he caught you screaming at Shane and shaking him. He's in no condition to be disturbed, right now."

Two orderlies wheeled a gurney, with Shane on it, out of his room.

"Shane!" Lila started forward, only to find Patrice blocking her path.

"No, Lila! You stay away from him!"

Vicky got off the elevator just as the gurney reached it. Shane stretched out his hand towards her. "Vicky?"

She took his hand and held it to her cheek. "I'm here, Darling."

As the elevator doors closed behind them, Patrice was shocked by the look on Lila's face: it was ugly with rage and hatred.

To be continued