Coaster by Lorena Bathey

he recalled her face the day of the explosion. "How?"
    "She took pills and washed them down with vodka."
    " Her father must be crushed." Roger waited thinking about how Lindy had reminded him of Tori. "Were you...have you seen...." He didn't know what to ask.
    La Rosa quickly ended the conversation. "Listen, I gotta go. I'll be in touch."
    "Yeah, go. Hey , thanks again."
    "No problem." The phone went dead.
    "Holy shit." Roger was stunned. He wondered what he could do. He felt so bad for Lindy and her father. "God damn it."
     
                                                                          ****
     
     
    Diana had arrived in New York very late last night. As the limo drove to the Waldorf Hotel she listened to the message from her father. He'd done everything she wanted. Diana breathed out slowly. She felt calm and oddly good. Strength surged through her even though she still had to plan the memorial service for the children. Diana still felt as if she had broken free from jail. She felt determined. After checking in and being escorted by three bellmen to her suite she stood at the window looking out at New York when her phone rang.
    "Hello."
    "Diana, it's James. Are you sure you want to do this?" There was pleading underneath the question.
    Diana smiled. "Yes. It's done. James, I don't want to talk to you for a while. I will see you in a week when you come back for the service. But until then, please don't call me." She heard him exhale.
    " But Diana...." He sighed. "Okay, if you're sure that's what you want, I'll let you be." The phone died.
    Diana heard the knock on the door and moved to open it. There was a giant bouquet of red roses.
    "Ma'am, thes e just came for you." The concierge was hidden behind the bouquet.
    Diana stopped him from entering. "I don't want them. Take them away."
    He looked around the flowers. "Ma'am?"
    "Take them away. Give them to someone else. Throw them in the trash. I don't care what you do with them. But I don't want them."
    He nodded and turned to walk away but stopped. "Do you want the card?"
    While she was being strong , she couldn't resist seeing what he said. "Yes."
    He handed her the thick envelope of watermarked paper. "Hold on." She went to her purse and returned with a twenty. "Thank you."
    "Thank you, ma'am."
    Diana shut the door and walked back to the window. She pulled the card out. It said simply, 'Please.'
     
                                                                          ****
     
    James was still holding the phone in his hand when Regina came out of the loo. She was gorgeous with her black hair tumbling around her. Her skin was flawless. She worked very hard to keep herself perfect. She picked up her red robe from the floor and walked toward the bed. She looked like a sleek, wild cat. She crawled across the bed toward him her breasts swung enticingly.
    She purred. "Who was on the phone?"
    "Diana."
    Regina sat up. "Did she call you?"
    "No, I called her." He didn't notice her wince.
    She resumed her seduction and put her hands on his chest looking at him suggestively. She began to kiss him and move down his torso while pushing the blanket away.
    James continued looking off into the distance.
    Regina moved to his groin.
    He grabbed her hair.
    That's better, she thought. She continued what she was doing, erasing the name of Diana from the room.
     
                                                                          ****
     
    The man wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. He bought every paper he could get his hands on and combed every page looking for information about the park and the explosion. He'd even bought a binder and was filling it with the articles related to the explosion. A big tabloid magazine had done five pages on the event, the victims, and the repercussions