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Episode Twenty
Theresa Mohammed-Piazza-Richman waltzes through the front door of her extravagant home. She removes a large, wide-brimmed hat and her hair floats about her face like an advertisement for Pantene. Her fourth husband greets her in the hallway with a toothy smile and a sloppy kiss.
"You're home from your trip in Spain, my darling!" exclaims Theresa ever so happily. She is always much happier when her husband is at home; who knows what he gets up to on his trips away.
"Yes, it appears that I am. But do excuse me, I was just about to hop in the spa," says Alfonso as he trundles off with a plastic bag tied around his wooden leg to prevent rotting.
Theresa smiles happily. She has had a fabulous day. She spent the morning singing at a benefit to raise money for the provention of leukemia and received a standing ovation. She laughs softly to herself as she remembers the dozens of roses thrown at her feet by adoring fans. She cannot believe that she could possibly be that popular, not when there are singing talents such as Celine Dion and Michael Bolton around.
After the benefit she lunched with her closest of friends at a lovely little restaurant which overlooked a lake inhabited by hundreds of graceful white swans. Never had she seen such a glorious site.
And now to come home and discover that her beloved husband had returned from his trip – it was a miraculous day for Theresa Mohammed-Piazza-Richman.
Theresa spots her adorable maid, Miriam working hard in the lounge room. Theresa feels a close connection with the young girl and always tries to treat her like a daughter. A daughter living in slavery. Even now, watching her work, Theresa notices that there is something about the girl that is very familiar. Perhaps it is Miriam's nose or jaw line that reminds Theresa of someone she knows. Of course it couldn't possibly be someone who lives in Harbour Town as Miriam is never neatly dressed and her hair is always in a tangle. No one else in Harbour Town would ever look like that – especially not Theresa, the woman who defines elegance. Theresa stands in the lounge room doorway staring absentmindedly at a piece of tissue paper embedded in Miriam's hair.
Meanwhile, at Rebecca Exwife-Richman's bedside, complete with box of tissues...
Trent Geepee is frowning, Sophia Richman is sobbing, Benjamin Richman is grinding his teeth and Rebecca is dying.
"Trent! You have to do something!" wails Sophia snottily.
"I'm sorry, Sophia. I really am. I do not know what to do. I cannot work out what is wrong with your mother," says Trent, admitting defeat. He is obviously devastated that one of his patients might die on him. This wasn't supposed to happen; he always saves his patients. He even managed to completely rehabilitate a man who had been devoured by a crocodile and then crushed as a road train drove over the unsuspecting reptile. Why couldn't he help this poor old lady?
"I think she would prefer it if you refered to her as 'young'," Sophia informs us.
Rebecca lies in the hospital bed, tubes coming out of her facial orifices and wires connecting her to the latest in technology.
The fluorescent lighting in the room illuminates her skin and emphasises her blue veins. She looks like she dying; good work by the make-up team.
Suddenly, Rebecca begins to confulse, her eyelids flickering and foam forming at her mouth. Everyone in the room panics and begins screaming loudly.
The screams are heard down the passage way and out into the carpark where Carlos Richman has just arrived. He jumps out of his car and walks briskly with his hands in his pockets into the hospital.
As he bursts through the swinging doors into the emergency room, everyone inhales in shock as Rebecca opens her eyes and says "Carlos..."
"I am here, Rebecca darling," says Carlos with very little emotion considering the circumstance. He holds Rebecca's hand and looks into her fading eyes and watches her eyelids close and she whispers, "I love you..."
The painful drone of death rings through the emergency room...
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