"Because we need to talk about something important-just the two of us."

"Okay." She was concerned about the tone of Elmo's voice. This could only be bad news, she thought.

"Did you notice that Mallie Mae and Macy were gone today?"

"Well, Ididn't notice. But Carnie saw them getting into a limo this morning."

"I sent them to Dallas. Mother needed to see a specialist."

"What's wrong with her?"

"I think she has Alzheimer's. We'll know after we get the test results."

"So, what does that mean-that she's losing her memory? At least it's not cancer. It's not so horrible if you just forget a name occasionally. Or forget where you put your keys. After all, she is getting old."

"No. It's much worse than that. Yesterday she was trying to brush her teeth with a hairbrush. She couldn't even think of the word 'teeth.'"

"Oh. That's not good."

"Yeah. And that's just the beginning. Eventually, you forget how to get into bed, how to put on your clothes, how to go to the bathroom. Then you can't walk or even speak. Eventually, your entire body quits functioning and you die."

"I didn't know it was that bad."

"And Alzheimer's victims only live an average of eight to ten years after the symptoms first appear. I suspect that she and Macy have been keeping it from me for quite a while."

"Well, can't you give her some medicine, or chemotherapy or something?"

"There's no cure for Alzheimer's."

"So, there's not anythingyou can do for her?"

"There are treatments to slow down the process. And some of those seem to work fairly well. But only for a little while. Anyway, I should get her test results tomorrow. And if they come back positive, I want to postpone the wedding."

Carsie's heart sank.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie."

"Okay. If her tests are positive, I'll take care of notifying everybody on the guest list and canceling everything. But do you mind if Carnie stays with us for a while? I'm really enjoying having my sister around."

Elmo wanted Carnie to move out as soon as possible. There was something about her he just didn't like. But how could he refuse Carsie's request when she was being so understanding about postponing the wedding?

"That'll be fine."

Mallie Mae and Macy were riding in the rented limo, on their way home from Dallas.

"What do you say, driver?" yelled Macy. "Wanna pull over and have s.e.x with me?"

"Don't worry-he can't hear us," said Mallie Mae.

"Just making sure."

"Well, what would you have done if he started pulling over?"

Macy turned red. "What did you think about the doctor?"

"He was rather tall and handsome."

"Medicallyspeaking," said Macy.

"He was quite good. Very thorough. He ran every test in the book, including the writing tests for memory and math skills."

"How'd you do? How hard was the math?"

"Easy stuff. But I did poorly."

Macy smiled. "I hope you didn't overdoit?"

"No, my dear, I under-didit. But I answered correctly on someof the problems."

"You are so bad, Mallie Mae."

"Well, I needed to be convincing."

"Yeah, but one of these days Elmo's going to find out. And then he's going to disown you and fire me."

"Honey, he's already disowned me. But he won't fire you."

"Yes, he will."

"Then I'll rehire you."

"Well, I just feel bad about tricking him."

"Look. You don't want him to marry that woman, do you?

"Well, no."

"I don't know what it is, but there's something awful about her. I have a sense about these things."

"But you've never liked anyof the women Elmo's dated. What kind of a woman wouldyou approve of?"

"One who's not going to break his heart and run off with all his money. I'll know her when I see her."

Macy knew that Mallie Mae loved her like a daughter. She had told her so-many times. But could she love her as a daughter-in-law? It probably didn't matter. She and Elmo were very close-but only as friends.

Was there really any chance they would ever make the leap from friends to lovers? She had clung to that hope for so many years. So, why give up now? Monica and Chandler had made the leap. And Rachel and Ross. And so many of her other friends on TV.

So, why not Macy and Elmo?

Chapter9.

Carnie was devouring the delicious steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas, and yams set before her. Hadley had prepared exactly what she had requested. It was diner for one. Elmo and Carsie were dining at Johnny Caces. Mallie Mae and Macy were on their way home from Dallas.

But her brain didn't have time to a.n.a.lyze the data being sent by her taste buds, or to feel any sense of loneliness. Her entire being was focused on the underground laboratory she had discovered. But something was nagging at her. What was the purpose of that huge mirror in the bathroom? It was as tall and wide as a big door. You idiot! It isa door!

Carnie jumped up from the table, still chewing.

"Are you finished, Ma'am?" said Hadley, who had just walked into the dining room.

"Yeah, I'm done. Thanks."

She rushed down the stairs, ran into her room and closed and locked the door. Then she went down into the sub-bas.e.m.e.nt, through the lab, and into the enormous bathroom.

She pushed and pulled on the mirror. No movement whatsoever. Then she remembered seeing a screwdriver in the lab. She raced back out into the lab, found it, and took it into the bathroom and began to pry on the frame of the mirror. It didn't budge.

Carnie was about to start kicking the mirror when she had a thought. She opened the cabinet doors under the sink. All she saw was a few rolls of toilet paper. She ran her fingers across the underside of the cabinet and felt something. A b.u.t.ton. She pushed it and heard a click. Was she imagining things, or did the mirror move? She ran to it, and found it ajar. When she opened the mirror door she felt for the light switch and clicked it on.

There were four hospital beds on one wall. And there were various other medical devices in the room. It was a hospital ward. But why would anyone hide a lab and four hospital beds in their bas.e.m.e.nt-unless it was used for something evil? She was getting turned on by thoughts of a demented scientist torturing his victims to their last agonizing breath.

There was a hallway that led to two smaller rooms. One of the rooms had a couple of cabinets that could be used to store medicine. They were empty.

There was another door off the main room. She opened it and saw nothing but a hallway that seemed to stretch on forever. Carnie couldn't imagine what the pa.s.sageway led to, but she would soon find out.

She practically ran through the winding wooden corridor. For the moment, she even forgot her fear of spiders and snakes. By the time she reached the other end and saw the stairs, she was gasping. She began to wonder if there was enough oxygen in the underground air to keep her alive.

Once at the top of the stairs, she struggled to open the door. She finally got it open and stepped into a small room with a dirt floor and rusty garden tools hung on the wall. A small snake in the corner made her anxious to get back above ground. Then she saw the door directly across from where she was standing. She unlocked and turned the k.n.o.b. Then she pulled. She pulled with all her might. She was getting tired of these stubborn doors.

She grabbed an old shovel from the wall and began to pry. After working the shovel in at several spots around the door, it finally broke free.

She had never been happier to see daylight. There was an old tractor and a new riding lawn mower. And a black 1956 Buick. She was in a barn. She walked to the sunlight, looked out the window and saw the back of the house. Then she remembered seeing the barn in the back yard while sitting on the patio.

It felt good to breathe fresh air again.

It was 7:00 PM-finally. Greg was ready to jump in his car and head for Marshall. He could get there in fifteen minutes. And even though he was tired, he knew he would be re-energized the moment he saw Cynthia. And he'd needsome extra energy since it would be a late night of packing Beverly's things.

His last student on Monday nights was Nancie Jo Gristel. Even at the age of 81, she was one of his best music students. Mostly because she listened to everything Greg said and tried to do it. She truly loved playing the piano-unlike many of his younger students, whose parents were forcing them to take music lessons.

"Looks like our time is up, Nancie Jo."

"Oh, it just goes by so fast."

"Well, you're making good progress."

"I'm sorry I had to drop out for while."

"That's okay. I understand."

"I thought I was going to have to give up my music. But the doctor put me on a new medicine."

Greg didn't know why Nancie Jo had been out for several weeks. And he wasn't going to ask her about her health issues. But he was curious.

She said, "It's for my Alzheimer's. The doctor said it should help for now. He doesn't know how long it will work. So, I'm just gonna try to enjoy whatever time I have."

"You have a great att.i.tude about it."

"As long as I can keep playing the piano, I can be happy."

"Well, just keep working at it. You're doing great."

"Thanks, Greg. See you Thursday night."

Greg locked up quickly, hopped into his car and drove down the alley and onto the street. It was a great night for driving the big convertible with the top down. The early evening September air ma.s.saged his scalp all the way down Highway 154 to Marshall. There was no concern about messing up his hair, since he kept it cut short. He only wished he had more of it. His forehead seemed to get taller by the day.

When he arrived at Cynthia's mother's house it looked like all the lights were on. He could see stacked boxes through every window.

Cynthia greeted him at the front door with a full body hug and a very s.e.xy kiss. At 34, Greg was far removed from his teenage years, but since he had met Cynthia he found that his body could still jump to attention. It reminded him of those embarra.s.sing high school years, walking down hallways of pretty girls, hiding unwanted arousals behind textbooks.

"Well, h.e.l.lo, Greg," said Beverly, who was walking up behind her daughter.

Cynthia instinctively turned to face her mother, leaving Greg fully exposed. He quickly moved behind his girlfriend and put his hands on her shoulders. But not before Beverly saw what he didn't want her to see.

"Hi, Beverly." Greg still wasn't comfortable using her first name. And his face was turning red. But Beverly seemed to take it in stride.

"Thanks for coming to help," said Beverly.

"Happy to do it," said Greg. "Now where do I start?"

By the time Elmo and Carsie got home in their separate cars, Carnie had closed up the hideaway hospital, as she had named it, and moved her bed back in place, covering the secret door. She couldn't wait tell her sister about it.

Carsie came downstairs and met Carnie in the Pub Room as she walked out of her bedroom.

"I need a drink," said Carsie.

"You don't look so good. What's wrong, Sis?"

They sat down at a table.