The rain is heavier than ever when I return from drama club. The heavy wind made quick work of demolishing my umbrella…so I hurry into the house as fast as I can to avoid being completely soaked.
Raul approaches me right away.
Raul: Mama Nadine is busy with Darwin right now! Let’s go look her up on the computer.
Alida: Okay…but maybe we should get Michael to stand watch and distract her if needed.
Raul: I don’t know. He could fall apart and give us up at any moment.
Alida: *confident* He won’t! I’ll go ask him right now.
I find Michael in my room, just as I figured I would. He turns as soon as I enter.
Michael: Alida! Thanks for helping me get into drama club! I can’t wait to start tomorrow.
Alida: No problem…I can’t wait either.
I sit down on the bed…
Alida: Raul and I need your help with something.
Michael: What is it?
Alida: We need you to keep watch and make sure Ms. Fuller doesn’t go into her room while Raul and I try to find out some information about her on the computer.
Michael: I don’t know. I’m not really good at stuff like that.
Alida: Did Raul tell you that? Listen…I believe in you! All you have to do is start talking to her or something if she tries to go to her room. Ask her a bunch of questions…anything. You can do that, right?
Michael: Yeah…I guess so.
Alida: Good! Let’s go!
Michael takes his place in the front room keeping watch, while I sneak off into Ms. Fuller’s bedroom with Raul. Luckily, she’s still busy with Darwin…so we’re pretty confident that she won’t catch us.
Alida: Any luck?
Raul: I just started typing…give me a minute. Uh…how do you spell Nadine?
Alida: *sits down* I think it’s –
Raul: Nevermind…got it!
Raul: I found something!
I hop up from the bed and hurry over.
Raul: It’s a news article…
Alida: *impatient* What does it say?
Raul: *reading* Actress and Singer Nadine Fuller Seriously Injured During an Incident at Plumbob Studios…
Raul reads a bit too slow for me, so I look over his shoulders and take over the reading from there…
Alida: *reading* Stage actress and singer Nadine Fuller is in critical condition following an incident on set. Witnesses, including Ms. Fuller’s fiancé and manager, Robert Beasley, state that the award-winning star collapsed after being struck in the face when a faulty stage prop fell on her during a late-night rehearsal for the upcoming movie, ‘Diamonds are for Sims II’. No one else was injured. Ms. Fuller was unresponsive while being rushed to the hospital. Fans of Nadine Fuller have begun to line up outside the hospital…many in tears. *after reading* She was a star!
Raul: A big star…
Alida: …and she has a fiancé.
Raul: What’s a fiancé?
Alida: Someone who you are going to marry.
Raul: Oh! I’ve never met a fiancé and she’s never said she has a fiancé.
Alida: Hmmm…I wonder what happened to him.
Just then, we hear Michael calling Ms. Fuller in a super loud voice…
Michael: Mama Nadine! Before you go in your room…I have a serious question!
Raul and I shut down the computer and hurry out of the room right on time, thanks to Michael’s warning.
Ms. Fuller: I’ll answer your question when I get back from the bathroom. *heads towards her bedroom*
Michael: That’s okay…it won’t be so serious by then!
I reward Michael for his warning with a huge smile. He smiles back.
Even Raul seems to appreciate Michael for his assist. Raul and I quietly fill Michael in on what we found out about Ms. Fuller while eating dinner.
Claudia walks in at the end of the night from work looking like she’s ready to kill. The rest of us scatter and head to bed…all satisfied that one big mystery about Ms. Fuller has been solved.
(Generation 1 Chapter Summaries)
