Sui-Lon is in the kitchen about to bring in more food while her dinner guest are all sitting around the table laughing, talking and totally enjoying the wonderful dinner that she has prepared. She’s barely sat down during the whole meal. John keeps watching her jump up and down from the table being the perfect host as usual.

“Sui-Lon honey, why don’t you just sit down and eat okay. You’re making me dizzy. Everything is perfect and it’s just us. It’s not like we are Bill and Hillary Clinton. What was that like? He winked at her waiting for her to dish.

Sui-Lon put the platter of food on the table, sat down, blew out a “whew” sound from her mouth. “Well as you know that wasn’t the first time that my company catered a Clinton affair. His last year in office I was called to cater a political fund-raiser for his camp $100,ooo.00 a plate thank you! I think he was satisfied, because he sent one of his aids over to thank me. He didn’t want to be caught whispering into my ear after the Monica Lewinsky debacle according to the aid.  Telling me that President Clinton looked forward to doing business with me in the future. I just smiled and nodded over towards Clinton’s way and of course I was planning on holding him to it.”

Marc reached out his hand to stop her so that he continue the story she quietly retreated turning it over to him. “By holding him to it.  (He makes the signs for quotations) she means that she walked right over to Bill and Hillary and before his secret service detail was about to converge on her and bring her down, Bill waved them off of her he  flashed that smile of his, reached out to shake her hand, took her business card, and then he introduced her to Hillary. He started chatting with her and she was in!’  Marc picked up his wine glass to make a toast as everyone at the table followed his lead and made a toast to Sui-Lon. Sui-Lon stood up and took a bow. Marc reached over to give her a kiss.

“Sui-Lon this dinner is delicious. Whatever did you make for dessert? John asked.

Sui-Lon gave him a great big ole smile. “Well John believe it or not even though it was a surprise that you were coming over, I made our favorite dessert.” John had a big grin come all over his face. “Sui-Lon child you made pumpkin strudel! Girl I love you.” Yes I did!’ She said with an even bigger grin on her face. “It just seems that we can read each other’s thoughts sometimes.

Marc was starting to get annoyed at all this bonding of sorts between the two of them and before he knew it, he was whispering under his breath. “I bet the two of you can!”  Sui-Lon looked over at him and asked him what he just said. but before he could answer John interrupted him.

” So Emmie  that hunk of yours is on his way here. Are you going to be able to stay for dessert or are you two going to go home for dessert?”  Emmie put her hand over her mouth and starting giggling like a school girl in love. “Cut it out John. Perhaps I’ll have a little dessert here and we’ll top it off in out apartment.”  She looked around the table at everyone with those beautiful cat-like eyes that  helped to catapult her to the top as a super model and started to giggle even more. “Sui-Lon I hope that you have extra whip cream because I love a lot on my pumpkin strudel and it looks like someone might need to borrow some tonight. Emmie throwing some attitude Johns way said to him, “Very funny but we have our own whip cream and a few other things. “Like what?” John asked but before she could answer  she was saved by the bell. It was Sui-Lons doorbell. Emmie expecting it to be Devon jumped up. “I’ll get it!” When she got to the door and opened in walked Devon with roses in his hands and a dreamy-eyed smile on his face. He handed the flowers to Emmie and then he planted a deep passionate kiss on her. Sui-Lon walked in on the middle of them kissing.

“Perhaps I should just throw a blanket over you two.”  They broke free from the kiss and Devon walked over to Su-Lon and gave her a big hug and kiss.

“Hi Sui-Lon it’s good to see you and thanks for inviting me to dinner. I know it was kind of last-minute.?”

” Don’t worry about it, you’re family. Now get your ass in here and say hello to everyone. That is unless you two plan on having you’re welcome home sex right here in my living room.” She laughs.

Emmiee took Devon’s hand and they followed Sui-Lon into the dining room. Marc and John got up to say hello, shook his hand and to give him a hug. Devon took a seat at the table next to Emmie where they sat holding hands.

“So how’s it going man? I hear that you signed the group and also got yourself an executive producer credit as well. way to go man.” Marc said to him.

“Yeah everything is falling right into place. I am really very happy and blessed.

Marc reached for a cigar. “Yeah man but you know what ever since I have known you, you’ve had an in on the music world, on what people want to hear. So this deal that you managed to get for yourself and the group doesn’t surprise me one bit.”

“Thanks man. So tell me how’s that deal coming along with that picture that you’re supposed to be directing? Is it off the ground yet?”

Marc lights his cigar, takes a big puff and turns his head to blow the smoke away from the table. Sui-Lon immediately got up from the table  to open a window and she turned on the air to help vent out the smoke.

“Well yeah I’ll tell ya… the studio and all the V.P.’s are taking a breath for now.” Marc winked at Devon and took another puff off his cigar. Sui-Lon took a look around the table at her guest at the table and said. “And for those of you who don’t know what that means : That’s Hollywood shop talk for they are thinking it over. Now Marc I need to stop you right now because I know that once you get a glass of wine and a cigar in your hands you’re going to start talking shop. So come on baby let’s not do that tonight.”

Marc took another puff from his cigar. and because he was annoyed at Sui-Lon for cutting him off he didn’t turn his head away from the table instead he blew the smoke up towards the ceiling and said, “Oh really then what should we talk about then? Maybe you and John should pick a topic.”

Sui-Lon was starting to get annoyed at Marc’s weird behavior. “Marc what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Marc takes a sip of his wine. “I am sure that John knows what I mean. Try this topic :Better sex through gay friends. Now that’s a topic I’m sure that you two know a whole lot about!”

Still confused and not understanding what Marc was talking about she said, “Marc what on earth are you talking about?”

“Ask John or better yet ask yourself.”

Still not getting what he meant  she looked over at John. “Do you have any idea what Marc’s carrying on about?”

John shoots Sui-Lon a look that he knows that she will notice and understand. “Sui-Lon I haven’t the slightest idea what Marc is talking about  – unless.” John paused and picked up his glass of water, takes a drink, puts the glass back down and looks over at Marc.

“Unless what?” Sui-Lon asked.

” Unless, Gosh Sui-Lon I knew that you couldn’t keep a good thing quiet.”

“Sui-Lon looked directly into John’s eyes. “John come on tell me you can’t be talking about what I think you are talking about! That happened a long time ago.”

“So then why do we keep going back there. It must have been good, otherwise why do we keep revisiting this?”

Sui-Lon sounding cocky says to John. “I never said that it wasn’t good. You do have a special way of doing things John. I gotta give you that. As a matter of fact that’s why I gave it to you.”

” I know and you gave it to me over and over again.” John said smiling at her.

Marc sat at the table mortified He could not believe the two of them admitting in front  of him and everyone sitting at the table that they had sex together. He immediately lit up another cigar, chain-smoking. “I can’t believe this is happening, I can’t believe you two!”

Sui-Lon was still looking at John. “Oh deal with it Marc. Be a man. This happened long before I met you.”

Sui-Lon come on the cat’s out of the bag now. We might as well cop to the whole thing, remember last week?”

Sui-Lon was still following Johns lead. “Oh that! Well that kind of just happened.”

“Just happened. I believe that you were begging for it. Remember it was just after Marc had left and you said (John pauses and looks over at Marc) well you know what you said.”

Marc chimed in. “Yeah you said Marc doesn’t work it enough for me.”

And John feigning shock and surprise says,” Uhh Sui-Lon I cannot believe you told him that.”

Then Emmie jumps into the conversation – “Oh no you didn’t John! You and Sui-Lon. I can’t believe it! What about you and me…that time when you and I.” She stopped in mid-sentence and slapped her hand over her mouth as if she was even surprised by what she was divulging. Both Devon and Marc turned and looked at Emmie in total dis-belief. Devon stood up and said “John you and my wife and Sui-Lon too? Damn! What about us man? That time that you and I were together remember? I was feeling lonely about Em being away in Paris on that shoot and we comforted each other. God-man and now I find out that you’ve been with my wife too.”

At this point Marc is on his feet in shock. He picked the bottle of wine up off the table and instead of pouring a glass he puts the bottle to his lips and starts guzzling it. He swallows real hard and slams the bottle down onto the table. “Devon not you to man!”

Sui-Lon reached over to Devon and gives him a high-five. “Devon I can’t be mad at you. John is very good at what he does. He can work it!”

“I agree and child I can’t be mad either. It’s like you said Sui-Lon. John sure can work it. And as long as he’s keeping it in the family, it’s cool with me.” Emmie said to her.

Devon reaches out to high-five Sui-Lon back and Emmie reaches up to high-five them. everyone is all high-fiving and Marc is about to lose his shit. It’s just too much for him.

“Well Sui-Lon I give as good as I get and when Marc goes on-line pretending to be you, I work it just enough to give him exactly what he deserves!” John says and then the four of them turn around and look directly at Marc who looks like he is about to have a coronary and they burst out laughing.

By this time of course Marc realizes that they were all working his nerves. He also realizes that John knew that it was him im’ing him all along. He cups his hands to his head and turns beat red from embarrassment. “You guys are all just so amusing…ha-ha! Just a riot all of you.”

John gets up from his seat and goes over to Marc and gives him a hug. Marc reluctantly hugs him back. “I love you Marc but how long have you known me? I just could not resist it when you opened up that kind of dialogue with me on-line. Like I  wouldn’t know that it was you. You’re a mess but I love you. A straight  mess but I still love you.”

“John I asked Marc how he got you down here. I knew that something was up. He was prying you for information about you and me. News flash my hot stud lover. My besty male friend is GAY!” She shakes her head at him and laughs.

“I know, I know but you hear  those stories about how gay guys are having sex with their best girl friends. Just forget about it. I should have known better. You guys are best friends and apparently you two can even read each others minds .” He gets up from the table and starts to walk into the kitchen when Devon say’s, “Man we really had you going though.”

Marc turned around before walking into the kitchen. “Well with you carrying on about it, that’s when I kind of started to clue in.”

“No Marc we really got you and Devon making that declaration about him and John took you way over the top.” Emmie said to him and she reached over to give Devon a kiss. “That’s my gay friendly husband.”

Marc walked out of the kitchen with a beer in his hand after hearing what Emmie said about Devon he said and  not wanting to be left out say’s, “I’m very gay friendly!”

Johns cell phone rings he walks away from the table to answer it. Sui-Lon starts to clear the table and Emmie and Devon jump up to help her. Sui-Lon thanks them but she tells Devon, “you stay here. I think that you should stay and help Marc regain his manhood.” Sui-Lon and Emmie burst out laughing again as they finished clearing the table.

John is still on the phone. “I’ll be there in a minute. And don’t leave the apartment. Calm down okay.” He pressed the off button on the phone. He stands totally still  for a moment and places his left hand on his chin and rubs it. Sui-Lon walked back in to take the table-cloth off the table and she glanced over at John. She walked over to him with a sense of urgency and looked him in the eye. “What’s the matter? What was that phone call about?”

“That was Hunter.”

“Rebecca’s little boy?”

Still appearing to stare off into space. “Yeah! Marc, Devon can you guys come up to Rebecca’s apartment with me? Hunter says that he got up to use the bathroom and that the door was locked. He went to his moms bedroom to wake her but she wasn’t there and he can’t find her.”

Marc and Devon immediately got up from the table. Sui–Lon told them that she was going with them. She yelled into the kitchen to tell Emmie that they were stepping out and would be right back. The four of them got on the elevator and rode it up to the  12th floor in total silence. When they got off and went to the door John knocked and a little voice from the inside asked “who is it?”

“Hunter it’s me John and the password that you gave me to let me in is DS.”  The door opened and standing in his pajamas was Hunter still half asleep and a little shaken. “Aunty John I can’t find mommy and the bathroom door is locked and I have to go.”

“Okay Hunter we’ll get you into the bathroom.”

Sui-Lon walked over to Hunter. She got down on her knees and gave him a big hug and she held him in her arms. “Where is your little brother?” She asked him. “He’s still in  bed asleep.”

John, Devon and Marc looked around the apartment for Rebecca and then they went to the bathroom it was locked. John knocked a couple of times but no answer. Marc pushed his body against the door a couple of times until it swung open. The three of them walked in and John walked out and over to Sui-Lon and Hunter. Sui-Lon looked up at him and she knew that something was wrong.

“Why don’t you take Hunter to your apartment to use the bathroom. As a matter of fact I’m going to wake Cole up and you can take both of them to your place.

Sui-Lon shook her head yes and kept on smiling. “Come on you guys can sleep in my spare bedroom. It has a big king size bed. You boys can be kings for the night.”

John walked into the bedroom and picked up Cole without waking him. He went back into the living-room and gently puts Coles little body into Sui-Lons arms. Hunter says to John. “You will tell mommy where we are when she gets home right Aunty John?”  John nodded  his head yes. “Now run along with Sui-Lon (he bends down and gives Hunter a hug and whispers to him) be good for Sui-Lon and take care of your brother.”

“Don’t worry John they’ll be fine…call me.” John nodded his head and winked at her. They leave and Hunter closes the door behind them.

John ran into the bathroom and finds Marc on his cell phone. It’s the second time I’ve called them. They claim that the ambulance is on its way. And look John I found this on the floor. He hands John a small bottle. John looks at it and puts it in his pocket. “Let’s keep this bottle that you found to ourselves for now okay.”

Devon is on his knees by the bathtub holding Rebecca’s hand.

“Is she still breathing?” John asked.

Devon put his hand to her mouth to feel her breath. “Barely and her pulse is very weak.”

“Shouldn’t we get her out of the bathtub?” John asked.

“The 911 operator said not to move her.” Marc said.

‘I don’t understand what’s happened here. Why is she in the bathtub with her blouse and panties on taking a bath.” John said shaking his head in dis-belief.

“How are the boys?” Devon asked.

“Sui-Lon took them to her apartment. They don’t know what’s going on.”

“What about Sui-Lon?” Marc asked.

“The boy’s were with us the whole time so I couldn’t tell her anything but she knows something is up.”

” Damn-it where are those paramedics? Devon yelled out and in panic he screamed “John I can’t get a pulse!!”

The doorbell rang. John ran to the door and hurried the paramedics and the police into the bathroom. The paramedics immediately went to work on Rebecca. They were able to get a very faint heat beat then they strapped her onto the gurney and as they were taking her out of the bathroom John told the paramedics that he was going with her. Devon and Marc followed them to the door and as they were about to walk out two more NYC policemen walked in.

“Excuse me which one of you called this in?” The policeman asked.

Without thinking Marc raised his hand like he was in class. He was about to say something when John interrupted him. He called out to the paramedics to ask them which hospital they were taking her too. One of the paramedics yelled back saying that they were going to St. Vincent’s on West 57th. John asked Devon to go on with her and that they would join him shortly.

The police officers continued on with  questions. “Are you related to her?”

Once again Marc was about to answer when John interrupted him.

“No  we’re friends. I live in the building.”

“So all of you were up here?” The second police officer asked.

“We were at a small dinner party at Marc’s girl friends apartment. Rebecca was invited. When she didn’t show I called her. She didn’t answer so Marc and I came up to see what was taking so long.”

The policeman asked him how he got into the apartment.

“Rebecca and I are best friends. I have a key to her place and she has one to mine.”

“So you just let yourself in?”

“We knocked a couple of times. Then I just used my key. When I saw the lights on and after calling out for her a few times we began to look around for her and that’s when we found her in the bathroom.”

“What is your last name?”

“Childs, It’s John Childs.”

“And what apartment are you in?”

“I live in apartment 14-M. Now listen I must get to the hospital to be with my friend.”

John and Marc walked away from the policemen. The policemen follow them onto the elevator they rode down in complete silence. When they exited the elevator one of the policemen says to Marc, “Excuse me sir I didn’t get your name?”

“My names Marc Weiner. I don’t live in the building though. My girlfriend lives here.”

John interrupted the conversation between them once more. “Listen we have to grab a cab. If you have anymore questions  you can reach me at this number.” John gave the police officer his business card. They ran past the doorman and ran outside to hail a cab which they got immediately. They didn’t speak to each other during the ride. The taxi driver dropped them off at the emergency room entrance They rushed inside and they are met by Devon.

“Tell me what’s happening. How is she doing? John asked.

Devon answered shaking. “They haven’t told me anything yet. They asked me a bunch of questions about her medical history and stuff. I told them what I knew. Of course you know her better than I do. Perhaps you should  speak to the nurse at the desk. (whispering) – I didn’t say anything about the bottle that we found on the bathroom floor.

Good and thanks! You two wait here. I am going to speak to the nurse and see if I can find out anything.”

“I’m gonna call Sui-Lon and fill her in.” Marc said as he reached for his cell phone.

“No need I already did. When I called Em, she got on the phone too. She does want you to call her and you too John. She said that the boys were asleep and not to worry about them.”

John walked up to the nurses desk to ask about Rebecca and the nurse asked who he was to her.

” I am a close family friend. We my friends and I brought her in.” When he says this a doctor walks out from behind the emergency room doors and ask the nurse who came in with Rebecca Krampf. John hears and responds immediately.

“I did. We did.” pointing to Marc and Devon. He waves them over.

“I am Dr. Wallach the attending physician. I am very sorry to have to tell you that the patient Ms. Krampf didn’t make it. I am very sorry we did all we could.

“What does that mean she didn’t make it? She’s dead?” Marc said in total disbelief.

Devon put both his hands over his face. He shook his head and whispers. “Oh my God!”

John stood completely still. Appearing  to be very strong and in control of his emotions he ask. “Dr. Wallach what happened to her? I mean what is the cause of death?

” She went into cardiac arrest and we couldn’t get her heart started again.”

” She’s a strong young woman. How could she go into cardiac arrest?”

“I can’t answer that right now. However due to the circumstances  the medical examiner has ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.”

Marc walks walk over to John to give him a hug but John pushes him away.

“How soon will we know what happened?” John asks.

“The autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow morning. As soon as it’s done we’ll know.”

“If you can release her body as soon as possible. She’s Jewish.”

“Absolutely . Who is her next of kin?”

“She has no immediate family. Her adoptive parents died some time ago. She is – I mean was an only child. Her husband died a couple of years ago. I’ll contact her in-laws.”

“Well once again I am sorry for your loss.” The doctor turns and leaves the three of them in the waiting area. John stands still in silence while Marc and Devon remain seated.

“