SOLITAIRE
CHAPTER 2
Minmei kept her eyes shut tight and continued to cry, hoping that the young rapist would reach orgasm and ejaculate soon so that the nightmare she was living would soon end. The young rapist continued to thrust his hips up and down Minmei's vagina. Very soon, Minmei could hear the young man's breathing getting harder and shorter as he was reaching the end of his limit. He was trying to delay his orgasm as long as he could not want the experience of having sex with a celebrity to end so soon, but his primal instincts were taking over as his hip thrusting was getting faster giving Minmei the hopeful sign that he was reaching orgasm soon, thus giving Minmei the hope that her living nightmare will be mercifully over soon.
Seconds later he slammed his hips against Minmei, grunted and yelled as he ejaculated. Minmei could feel hot semen filling up her vagina. Now that the nightmare was finally over, her only hope was that she wouldn't become pregnant or contract some kind of sexually transmitted disease from what had just happened to her. The young rapist slowly began to let himself up from Minmei. Minmei rolled over to her side, curled herself up into a fetal position and began to cry bitterly. The young man was standing up at the foot of the bed, suddenly realizing what he had just done to her. He had just raped Minmei. Minmei said no and he didn't take kindly to being said no to. He had a look of self disgust and revolt on his face.
"I'm sorry Miss Minmei. I thought you wanted to have sex with me. You said you wanted to when we were in the bar. I'm sorry for what I did to you." The young man said quietly.
Minmei just waved her hand at the young man. "Go! You got what you wanted! Just leave!" Minmei said through her crying and sobbing.
"I wish things would have turned out differently for us, Miss Minmei. It has always been a fantasy of mine to make out with a celebrity. I won't tell anyone what happened between us, I promise. I'll let myself out. I won't take anything of yours."
The young man then quietly gathered up his clothes. Put on his pants and shoes and put on his suit jacket to cover up his naked chest, then he quietly walked out.
After hearing the door close, Minmei fell apart and really began to cry and weep bitterly. After being in the same curled up fetal position for a long time, Minmei slowly began to pull at the bed cover, sheet and blanket and slowly began move herself around on the bed. She then slowly began to crawl and move her self around until she had at least had her legs and feet underneath the covers. She then slowly grabbed the bed sheet, blanket and cover and began to lower it over her naked body. She the resumed her curled up fetal position as she kept on weeping.
She hated herself for allowing herself to feel so sorry for herself, to have so much self pity and self hatred that she would get drunk, pick up a young man she did not know in a hotel bar, come on to him and to tell him that she wanted to have sex with him. Only later on, for all intent and purposes, she will be raped by that same unknown young man when she had second thoughts about having sex with him. What she had just endured was something she would not wish on her worst enemy. Not even Lisa Hayes should ever have to go through what she had gone through..
She kept on crying until all the tears were used up and all she could do was to dry heave. Physically exhausted and mentally drained by the traumatic experience she just went through, she allowed herself to slowly drift off to sleep hoping things will be better for her in the morning.
The next morning
Minmei woke up with a pounding headache. She began to move around and felt a searing shot of pain coming from her mound. She instinctively moved her hand to her mound to massage the pain away when she felt something sticky and flaky on her hand. She removed her hand from her mound and saw dried up and drying blood on her hand. She then looked at the bed cover and noticed blood on the bed cover. The young man entered her so hard and violently that he caused her bleed when he broke her hymen. She groaned in disgust and slowly began to take the bed cover, blanket and bed sheet off her naked body. She hoped the chambermaids wouldn't get any ideas when they come in to clean the room and change the sheets. She slowly began to raise herself off the bed but as soon as she was sitting up, her head began to spin. She quickly leaned back into the backboard of the bed, waiting for the spinning to stop.
As she was waiting for the spinning in her head to stop, she wondered if she should report being raped to the police. She quickly said no because that would only cause her more bad attention from the gossip rags and that one thing she didn't want or need. Also, she was drunk when she came on to him and she did seduce him by performing oral sex on him. After doing that to him, he did think that she did want to have sex with him.
'It is partly my fault. I shouldn't have come on to him. Besides, he did say he was sorry.' Minmei said to herself.
When the spinning stopped, she looked at the clock radio on the night stand. It said 8:15 AM. She was running out of time. She only enough time to shower, brush her teeth, changed her clothes and eat a quick breakfast before Vance would be coming to the hotel with the limousine. She slowly began to move herself over to the edge of the bed. When she was sitting at the edge of the bed, she slowly began to push herself up and began to slowly walk to the bathroom.
When Minmei entered the bathroom and turned on the light, the first sight that greeted her was her disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes. She jumped at what she saw, not wanting to believe she was looking at herself. Immediately, she turned on the water to the bathtub, put in a capful of bubble bath soap and let the tub fill up with hot water. She then slowly lowered herself into the tub that was filling with hot water and bubbles. After letting the hot water come up to point that she was happy with, the turned off the faucet and let the hot water soak her tired and sore body. After letting her body soak for a while, she then opened the drain and turned on the shower. She shampooed her hair and soaped up her body.
Even though she knew she couldn't wash away the dirtiness she felt inside her, the hot water at least revived her enough to face the day. After finish showering, Minmei dried herself off and blow dried her hair. She then brushed her teeth with toothpaste and toothbrush supplied by the hotel and rinsed her mouth out with mouthwash hoping she could get the stale taste and film of semen out of her mouth. Minmei then walked out of the bathroom, went to one of her suitcases, laid it on the bed and zipped open the suitcase. She grabbed a change of underwear, white ankle socks, jeans, a tight t-shirt and running shoes. Even though she is a celebrity, she still considers herself a normal young woman who feels more comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt than she is in a designer dress. As she was putting on her clothes and putting her dirty and torn clothes in a plastic bag, she ordered breakfast from room service and waited for them to come with her breakfast.
15 minutes later, room service came with Minmei's breakfast. The room service steward put the tray on a table. After giving the steward a generous tip, Minmei sat down and ate breakfast. Minmei was just finished eating breakfast, when the front desk called saying the limousine was outside at the front of the hotel, waiting to driver her to Hasselwood's office.
"Is there anyway the limo can take me out the back way? I don't want to go out the front and have to face the fans."
"I understand Miss Minmei. I'll have the limousine drive to the underground garage and wait for you there. Do you want to check out at the desk or in your room?"
"In my room please."
"Yes Miss Minmei. I'll come with the concierge when he comes to take your luggage to the limousine."
"Thank you."
Several minutes later, the desk clerk came with a portable check out computer along with the concierge.
"Please charge the bill to my expense account."
"Yes Miss Minmei." The clerk said as she pressed some button on the computer.
"It took Miss Minmei. Would you please go ahead and sign?" The clerk said with a smile as she gave the computer and a stylus pen to Minmei.
Minmei took the computer and the stylus pen and signed her name on the computer screen and gave the computer and stylus pen back to the clerk. The bellhop put Minmei's suitcases on a cart The trio then left Minmei's hotel room, went to the elevator and went down to the underground garage. The bellhop put Minmei's suitcases in the trunk of the limo and closed the trunk hood. After tipping the bellhop, Minmei went into the back seat of the limo, put on her sunglasses and told the driver to go. The driver said yes and began to drive out of the underground garage. The limo left the hotel and very soon, Minmei was on her way back to Macross City.
When the limo pulled up to Vance Hasselwood's office, Minmei told the driver he can leave but come back for her when she calls. After waiting for the driver to say yes, Minmei opened the back door and ran into Vance's office. Vance's assistant immediately spotted Minmei and led her to Vance's office and closed the door. Vance was sitting behind his desk with a pained look on his face. Minmei instantly became nervous at Hasselwood's expression on his face knowing what he was about to say.
"Minmei, before I have you sign the contract, I want you to truthfully answer a question. What I saw and heard on the news last night about what happened in Monument City, did it actually happen?"
Minmei immediately bowed her head out of embarrassment.
"Yes Vance, I'm afraid what happened last night in Monument City did happen." Minmei said sheepishly.
Hasselwood leaned back in his executive chair and groaned.
"Oh Minmei, I don't believe this! I haven't even signed you yet and already you're causing me problems. Ok Minmei. Something must have happened before the concert that caused you to break down like that. Tell me everything. Don't leave anything out. Take all the time you need. We have all day."
Minmei sighed, got up from her chair and walked to a window. She looked out the window, folded her arms across her chest as she rested her elbows in the palms of her hands and slowly nodded. "Ok Vance. I'll tell you everything."
"Yesterday morning I called Rick Hunter, asking him if he could meet me before my concert in Monument City. I wanted to thank him for rescuing me and Kyle from Khyron and to see if I had another chance of winning back his love. He said no because he was spending the day and the weekend with someone but he wouldn't tell me who it was. I think I know who he was spending the day with…but I couldn't know for sure. In the afternoon, I was in the limousine on my way to Monument City when I saw Rick's car parked in the parking lot of a park between Macross City and Monument City. I asked the driver to turn the car around because I wanted to at least say hello to Rick. The limo driver went to the next exit and drove the limo back towards the park. At the park I jumped out of the limo and ran towards Rick when I saw Rick and Lisa Hayes running around the park chasing each other and having fun. I…I hid along side a wall of a building so they couldn't see me. I…I could only take watching Rick and Lisa for several seconds when I ran back to the limo crying. I told the driver to go onto Monument City without stopping." Minmei had to stop for a moment to dry her tears and to recollect her wits. She then continued.
"Just outside Monument City, I had the driver stop at a bar. I don't remember what or how much I had to drink, but I can remember drinking so much that the driver was afraid I would be too drunk to perform. He made the bartender stop serving me the booze and start giving me black coffee to drink. I kept on drinking the black coffee until I was a little bit sober. Even then on the way to the amphitheatre, I was so drunk; the limo driver had to stop the limo along the side of the road several times so I can throw up along the curb of the road and not in the limo. At the amphitheatre's dressing room as I was putting on my makeup getting ready to perform, the reality of what I saw earlier in the day and the realization that I has lost Rick for good hit me so hard that I couldn't perform. And I told the audience just that."
Minmei then turned away from the window and looked at Hasselwood. "Vance, I didn't know what I did almost cause a riot and made the manager and the concert promoter to refund the tickets until I heard about it on the evening news. If I knew that was going to happen, I wouldn't have run off the stage. You got to believe me, Vance."
Vance walked over to where Minmei was standing and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Minmei. I believe you. I've never known you to lie."
"Vance, tell me the truth. What I did last evening in Monument City…will it hurt my chances of making a comeback?"
Hasselwood blew a breath. "Ok Minmei, I'll be honest with you. What you did last night wasn't a smart thing to do. I understand why you did it but you could have handled the situation a lot better. If I had been there, I would have done things differently. It did hurt your chances really good. Many of the big record companies will have second thoughts about signing you after what you did last night. But you still have some things working in your favor. You still have a following, people still recognize you love you and buy your music, and you still have some pull in the music and the entertainment business because you are Minmei.
However, things have changed in the past several years. When we were in space, the only celebrities were you and Jan Morris. That's no longer the case. Also, you haven't cut a record in years, your concert venues and crowds are getting smaller and the only time anyone hears about you is in the gossip rags and the entertainment news shows. And most of the time, they are only reporting the bad things about you. That needs to change. Also, we have to expand your audience base. You have too much of a niche audience. Your following among young girls is slipping. There's a young girl that has just been signed recently to a big recording contract. Her name is Jessica Spears. Many people in the music and entertainment industry are already calling her; 'The Blonde Lynn Minmei.'"
Minmei broke down and cried when Hasselwood told her that.
"I'm sorry Minmei. I shouldn't have told you that. But…"
"No, you don't have to apologize, Vance. I understand." Minmei said softly.
"Thanks Minmei. Still, I'm sorry that said that to you but you have to face the cold hard truth, Minmei. People's musical tastes are very fickle. The public's musical interests constantly changes. What singer or musical style is hot one second, will not be another second."
Minmei looked back up and faced Hasselwood. "What are we going to do, Vance?"
"Well, I can't answer that question because only an agent can answer that and I'm not your agent. So, the first thing we need to do is for you to sign the contract. Let's have a seat at my desk so you can sign the contract." Hasselwood said as he was pointing his hand to his desk.
"Ok, Vance."
As they were sitting down at Hasselwood's desk, Hasselwood began to talk.
"Ok Minmei, the contract is pretty simple and straightforward. The contract reads that I will be your agent so long as both parties, that you and me, agree that I will be your agent. If at any time you say you don't want me to be your agent anymore, or I say I don't want to represent you any further, all we have to do is to shake hands, the contract is torn up, which means that I am no longer your agent and you are free to sign with another agent. I get 10 percent of your earnings and that is all I ask. The contract also gives me the authority to be your advisor on business matters only. Legal and personal matters, you need to find an entertainment lawyer, a personal assistant or manager. I can recommend some to you."
"Yes, if you please Vance."
"I will, Minmei." Hasselwood said with a nod of his head. "You can go ahead and look over and read the contract for yourself if you wish. You don't have to but I advise to do it."
"I will read it, Vance. Can you give a couple of minutes to read it over?"
"Go ahead, Minmei. Take all the time you need."
Minmei carefully and for a long time, read the contract. After being satisfied with what the contract said with a nod of her head, she took a pen off of Hasselwood's desk and signed her name on the contract. Hasselwood then signed his name on the contract. He then laid the contract to the side.
"Ok Minmei, the first thing we need to do is to look at your spending, personal and business accounts. We can check your accounts online at the bank's website. After Kyle became your manager, did you give him the PIN and passwords to your accounts?"
"No I didn't, Vance." Minmei said shaking her head.
"Good. You're a smart girl for not doing that." Hasselwood said as he was typing in the address for Minmei's bank's website on his computer. "Ok, if you can go ahead and type in your password, we'll get started."
Minmei typed in the password. Soon, Hasselwood looked over Minmei's accounts.
"Ok, Minmei. Let's take a look at your business accounts first." Hasselwood said as he began scrolling down. "Nothing looks out of place here. Everything looks good. Let's go to your personal accounts. It's the same thing with your personal accounts. Nothing looks out of the ordinary here. Let's take a look at your expenses."
Hasselwood began scrolling down at Minmei's expense accounts and made a face.
"Minmei, I don't like the looks of your expense accounts. You're spending way too much. You need to cut back on expenses or you will have to start taking money out of your other accounts to cover your expenses and you don't want to do that. You need to cut back on your expenses starting right now."
"Ok Vance. I'll start doing that."
"Good. Ok, let's go ahead and log out." Hasselwood said as he exited out of the bank's website.
"Ok Minmei let me think for a moment."
Hasselwood was quiet for a long time. He then drummed his hands lightly on his desk.
"Ok Minmei, the first thing we need to do is do some damage control. We need to explain to the press and the public why you ran out at the concert last evening and to have you make some sort of apology to your fans. Let's work together on coming up with a statement was can release to the press. I'll then call all of the media outlets and we have a press conference outside. There you can make your statement and apology."
"I'll do anything you say, Vance."
"That's fine, Minmei. The next items of business I need to do is call around the record companies and see if I can get you a recording contract. You can forget about making movies for now, Minmei. You only made one movie and it wasn't a critical success. It only made money locally and it barely made enough money to cover the expense of making the movie. I'm going to tell you straight out Minmei, it's not going to be easy. Many of the major record companies will not sign you because of what you did last night. Plus your cousin made a lot of enemies in the recording industry. However, if I tell them that your cousin is no longer your manager and I am now your agent, they might listen to me. But if that doesn't work out, some of the small upstart record companies might sign you to a one or two record deal. The best I can do for you are to try to convince a small record label to sign you for a one record deal. If that makes money for the label and us, it will make it easier for me to get the record company to sign you to do two more records, and then we can work our way up from there. We're gong to have to start small and work our way up, Minmei."
"I don't mind doing that, Vance."
"Good to hear that, Minmei. None of the record companies' offices will be open today because it is Sunday. What I can do is bright and early tomorrow morning, I can start calling the record labels and see if I can convince them to sign you. Plus, it's getting close to the holiday season and I don't think any record label wants to do any kind of serious negotiating so close to the holidays. So the best we can do is to see if we can sign you at the beginning of the New Year. Do you have a place to stay, Minmei?
"The only place I have that is close to permanent is my uncle's restaurant."
"Yeah and the paparazzi has been staking out your uncle's restaurant for what seems to be an eternity and you need to cut back on your expenses. What we can do Minmei, is at our press conference, we can kindly ask the media and the paparazzi to move back away from the restaurant so you can have some breathing space and privacy. If that doesn't work, we'll get with an attorney and go to court to see if we can get a restraining order on the media or least have the courts create a buffer zone between you and the media. Even though you are a celebrity, you are entitled to some privacy."
"Thanks Vance." Minmei said with a relieved smile on her face.
"No problem, Minmei. You need to stay with your aunt and uncle as much as possible. That way you don't have to worry about draining your expense account so fast. Also, you need to be surrounded by family, especially at this time. It's getting close to the holidays and you need to be with family."
"I will Vance. Thank you so much for being my agent again Vance. I don't know what I'll do without you. You're a Godsend."
"It's not a problem Minmei. You were my first client and I still consider you a friend. Try not to worry too much, Minmei. Let me do the worrying. That's my job. That's what you pay me to do. Now let's work on that statement."
"Ok, Vance."
Early afternoon outside Hasselwood's office
Satellite trucks from many television and radio stations were parked outside of Hasselwood's office building waiting to beam live pictures of Minmei's press conference back to their stations. Microphones were placed on a dais that was placed outside of Hasselwood's office. Reporters and paparazzi were there waiting for Minmei to come out of Hasselwood's office. Inside his office, Minmei and Hasselwood looked at the small sea of reporters in awe. It's Sunday and the outside was filled with the media like it was a weekday.
"Remember Minmei, just read your statement and let me do the talking. Anything you say can and will be misconstrued by the media. Understand?"
"Yes Vance."
"Are you ready to face the sharks, Minmei?"
Minmei drew in a deep breath and then blew it out. "Yes. Let's get this over with, Vance."
Hasselwood smiled and he led Minmei downstairs. Immediately camera flashbulbs started popping and reporters were shouting questions to Minmei and yelling out her name. Hasselwood had to wave his arm and yell above the din of reporter's questions so he can be heard."
"Can you quiet down please so we can get this press conference started?!" Hasselwood yelled.
The yelling of reporter's questions began to quiet down.
"Thank you. I'm Vance Hasselwood, Lynn Minmei's agent. Miss Minmei has a prepared statement she wants to read to you in the media but especially to her fans. Afterwards, we'll have a short press conference. Miss Minmei will not answer any questions. I will answer them. First, Miss Lynn Minmei's prepared statement."
Minmei timidly walked up to the dais as the lights of camera flashbulbs started going off and reporters shoving tape recorders and microphones up to her. She opened up a folded sheet of paper that was in her hand, cleared her throat and began to read.
"Thank you, Vance. I have a statement that I would like to read to you but it is mostly directed to my fans. 'By now, you will have heard about me refusing to perform at a concert I was suppose to sing at in Monument City. While it is true that I did refuse to sing at the concert, no ones knows of the reasons why I had refused to sing. It is true that I said that I refused to sing because my heart is breaking. The reason behind that statement is that the constant touring, press conferences and being on talk shows made me miss my Uncle Max, Aunt Lena and Cousin Jason Lynn so much that it made me make that statement. My aunt, uncle and cousin Jason are the only family I have left. The horror of Dolza's Rain several years earlier wiped many of the inhabitants of this planet including my mother and father in Yokohama's Chinatown. My uncle and his family are the only living Lynn's that I have left that I can treasure and cherish. I apologize to all my fans but most especially to my fans in Monument City for running out on them. I have never reneged on my promise to sing for my fans no matter how tired or emotionally stressed out I am. This will not happen ever again, I promise. Because it is getting close to Thanksgiving and Christmas, I am taking time off from touring and recording to rest, relax, rejuvenate, and to be with my family. I promise that at the New Year, I will be relaxed, rested and ready to go to sing for my fans. Finally, I would like to ask my fans and the media to please give me the privacy I need and deserve. I will be living at my uncle's restaurant and my uncle is a very private man. I kindly ask you to please do not stake out my uncle's restaurant by hiding in the trees, bushes and walls.' That is my statement. Now, Vance will answer any questions you have."
Minmei stepped to side so Hasselwood can get to the dais. Soon as Hasselwood started walking to the dais reporters were shouting out questions and yelling; "Vance! Vance! Vance! Mr. Hasselwood! Mr. Hasselwood! Mr. Hasselwood!"
"One question at a time! You in the back!" Vance pointed to a female reporter in the back of the crowd.
"What happened to Lynn Kyle? Did he quit being Miss Minmei's agent?"
"Let's make this perfectly clear. Mr. Lynn Kyle has never been Miss Minmei's agent. He was only her manager and he quit as Minmei's manager. He appointed himself Miss Minmei's manager shortly after meeting up with her again when she visited her parents in Yokohama. He was staying with her parents while he was attending college in Yokohama. Shortly after arriving in Macross City and without her knowing, Mr. Lynn Kyle fired me as Miss Minmei's agent Minmei told me shortly before I agreed to be her agent again, that she didn't know that Lynn Kyle fired me as her agent. If she had known, she would have stopped him from doing it."
"Do you know Mr. Lynn Kyle's whereabouts?" A male reporter asked.
"No I do not."
"Miss Minmei in her statement said that she is taking a break from recording. How can she be taking a break from recording when she hasn't cut a record album in years and the record label she was with cancelled her contract?"
"Next question."
"In her statement, Minmei said that she made the statement of 'My heart is breaking' because she is missing her aunt, uncle and cousin. Isn't the real reason why she made that statement is because of problems in her relationship with Captain Rick Hunter?"
"Next question."
"It's not a personal question, Vance! It has everything to do with why she ran out on her concert in Monument City last evening."
"I said next question."
"Vance, quit evading the question!"
"Captain Hunter has nothing to do with what happen last night in Monument City! Minmei and Captain Hunter do not nor did they ever have a relationship. Like Minmei said several years earlier, they're just good friends, that's all. Now, next question!"
"Will Minmei ever go back to doing movies?"
"Not for now. I'd advised Minmei not to look at movie scripts or even consider doing a movie until her singing career is back on track."
"Will Minmei do concerts again?"
"Down the road, yes."
"The producers of the talent show "International Idol" are looking for a judge to replace Paula Ali. Will Minmei consider replacing her as a judge?"
"Minmei is not a washed up has been singer. She's only in her early 20's. She has many good years in the music industry left and she is already working on writing some songs. Minmei is not even considering doing something like that."
"There were rumors that she was spotted drinking in a bar in Monument City shortly before she was supposed to sing at the concert. Can you substantiate that rumor?"
"Next question."
"Was she too drunk to sing at the concert and wasn't what she yelled at the concert a convenient excuse for being too drunk to sing?"
"Next question."
"Why were you drinking booze at a bar in Monument City, Minmei?"
"Next question."
"There are rumors that she picked up an unknown young man at a bar in the Ritz-Hilton Hotel in Monument City. Is that rumor true?"
"Next question."
"Why are you not answering all of our questions, Vance?"
"Next question."
"Why are you not letting Minmei answer any questions for her self?"
"Because anything she says will be misconstrued by you in the media, especially by those of you who write for the gossip rags."
"That's not true Vance and you know it!" One reporter yelled. Another reporter yelled;
"You gotta kidding me, Vance!"
Vance then became flustered and frustrated.
"Look! If all the questions you're going to ask are based on rumors and innuendo, this press conference is over! I'm sorry no more questions!"
He then put his hand behind Minmei's back and led her back to his office.
Several reporters shouted; "Ah, come on Vance!" "We have to ask these questions!" "The public has the right to know, Vance!" While another shouted; "You're hiding something Minmei and we're gong to find out what it is! You can't hide it forever Minmei!"
Back inside Hasselwood's office, Minmei had a worried look on her face. Hasselwood noticed the look of worry on her face and tired to reassure her. He wrapped his arms around Minmei.
"Try not to worry, Minmei. They're not going to find out what happened. We just need to be careful who we talk to."
Minmei tried to be comforted by what Vance told her but she knew she couldn't hide the dark secret that was tearing at her soul forever. She knew that eventually the press will find out what happened to her last night in that hotel room in Monument City.
Day before Thanksgiving
Hasselwood was sitting at his desk with a smile on his face. He had just gotten off the telephone with the president of the small record label Ace Records. The record company agreed to sign Minmei to a one record deal. If the album makes money for the record label, they will sign Minmei to record two more records. He was about to have his wife and assistant call Minmei so he can tell her the good news when there was a knock on the door and the door opened.
"Vance honey, Minmei's on the phone and she sounds very upset."
"Thanks Ruth. I'll take the call."
"Minmei, what's wrong?"
"Vance, I'm late!"
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Calm down Minmei. Calm down. Late. Late for what? What're you late for?"
"My period, Vance. My period's late!"
"Minmei, that's nothing to worry about. Every woman's period is late. Even Ruth's period is sometimes late!"
"But that's not me Vance! My period has always been on time ever since I started menstruating! Vance, I think I'm pregnant!"
"WHAT?"
"I'm pregnant Vance! I know it!"
"Are you sure, Minmei? Have you seen your doctor to make sure?"
"No I haven't Vance. But I know I'm pregnant! I have been having morning sickness for several days now!"
"Minmei, I have a lot of questions for you but I don't think now is the time to ask them. Go see your doctor first to be sure. Let's not jump to any conclusions yet ok. Just stay calm."
"Ok Vance. I will." Minmei said then she hanged up.
'Pregnant? How can Minmei be pregnant?'
Later that same afternoon at Vance's office
Minmei walked into Hasselwood's office with a shocked look on her face. Ruth knocked on Vance's door.
"Vance, Minmei is outside waiting to talk to you. She doesn't look good."
"Oh boy. Ruth, can you be in here with me and Minmei? I got a feeling what she is about to tell me is not good."
"Sure honey. Come on in, Minmei."
Minmei walked into Hasselwood's office walking like a zombie. She just sat down in a chair with a dead look on her face.
"I'm afraid to ask, Minmei but I have to. What did your doctor tell you Minmei?"
Minmei had her head bowed for a long time. She finally spoke up quietly.
"It's true, Vance. My doctor told me I'm pregnant."
Vance and his wife sat in stunned silence for a long time. Hasselwood's wife, Ruth finally asked Minmei the obvious question. "Minmei, how did you get pregnant?"
It took Minmei a long time to summon the strength to answer her question. She started answering at barely above a whisper. "That night after I ran out of my concert in Monument City, I was in my hotel room. I'd just gotten off the phone with Vance when I decided to eat dinner and watch television. I turned on the television when the evening news came on with what happened at the amphitheatre. I got so depressed at hearing the news that I left my hotel room and went to the hotel's bar. I don't remember how many drinks I had. Anyway, I was sitting at the bar drinking when a young man sat next to me. He's about Rick's age and height. I came on to him and told him that I wanted to have sex with him. We left the bar and we went to my hotel room. When we got into my hotel room, I started to kiss him, ripped off his clothes and…and…and sucked his penis."
Minmei had to stop to get that ill memory out of her mind. She then continued.
"After he came in my mouth, I had second thoughts about having sex with him and I told him no. He…he…he got mad then started to kiss me and began to tear off my clothes. When he got me naked, he put his mouth on my mound and started to…suck my clitoris. After…he made me…come…he got on…top of me…and…and…and entered me."
Minmei couldn't take it anymore and started to cry bitterly after having to relive the horror by having to retell the experience to Hasselwood and his wife. Ruth put her arm around Minmei's shoulder and let Minmei cry in her chest.
"I'm sorry Minmei but Vance had to ask you that question. We needed to know. Did you report it to the police?"
"No, I didn't Ruth. I was drunk and I did come on to him and I did tell him that I wanted to have sex with him. It was partly my fault. Also, if I went to the police, what happened to me would wind up in the tabloids."
"Minmei, it wasn't your fault. It doesn't matter if you were drunk. You said no and he didn't take no for an answer. You were raped. You should have reported being raped to the police."
"But he did say he was sorry and he wasn't going to tell anyone. If I went to the police and told them I was raped, when they found out I was drunk, they would tell me that I should have known better than to be drunk and to come on to some strange young guy. You know they would tell me it was partly my fault for being drunk and to come on to him."
"It shouldn't matter if you were drunk or not, Minmei. You were raped. What are you going to do now?"
"I don't know, Ruth. I can't go into hiding for 9 months and then suddenly reappear. People will ask too many questions. I don't know how to be a parent, much less be a single one. I don't know if I can go through the pain of labor only to give up the baby for adoption."
"Well, I'm afraid that the only option you have left is abortion."
"I don't know if I can do that, Ruth. It will be like I'll be killing another life, a life that is growing inside of me."
"It's your choice and decision Minmei."
Hasselwood, who was standing looking out of his office window, walked over and sat down next to Minmei. He took Minmei's hand and placed it in his.
"Ruth's right, Minmei it's your decision to make alone, Minmei. We can't make it for you. We can only support you. Minmei, you have some time to think it over. Why don't you think it over long and hard before reaching a decision and whatever decision you make, we'll support you all the way."
"Thanks Vance thanks Ruth."
"You're welcome, Minmei. Why don't we end this on a happy note? I'd just gotten off the phone with the president of Ace Records earlier today and they agreed to sign you to a one record contract. If the album sells, they will sign you to do two more albums. Isn't it wonderful news, Minmei?"
"That is wonderful news! Thanks Vance."
"You're welcome, Minmei. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and they will take Friday off. So Monday morning we'll meet with the president and producers to start planning an album. Bring some songs you wrote and we'll see what they'll like."
"Thank you Vance."
December 1st
Hasselwood in his office called Minmei on her cell phone.
"Hello."
"Minmei, this is Vance. How're you doing?"
"I'm doing ok, Vance."
"That's good Minmei. There's nothing wrong with saying that. Minmei, are you busy day after tomorrow?"
"No, I'm not. Why did you ask Vance?"
"I just got a call from Mayor Luan asking me if you can sing at Macross City's Christmas tree lighting ceremony day after tomorrow."
"Yes, I'll do it. I'll be more than happy to do it."
:"That's good to hear, Minmei."
"Oh Vance, before we hang up…I've decided to get an abortion. I'm going to the planning clinic next Monday. I'm going under an alias."
"I understand, Minmei. Ruth and I are behind you whatever you decide to do. How's the personal assistant working out for you?"
"She's doing a very good job, Vance. Thanks for suggesting her to me."
"You're welcome, Minmei. I'll see you the day after tomorrow."
"Ok Vance."
Macross City's Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Minmei was up on the stage singing a Christmas song when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She tried to ignore the pain but another sharp jolt of hit her abdomen so hard that she doubled over in pain and fell to her knees. An audible gasp came up from the crowd and worried murmurs started going around the crowd. Mayor Luan and Vance rushed up to the stage and went on either side of Minmei.
"Minmei, are you alright?"
"No I'm now, Vance."
"Can you go on performing?"
"No, I can't Mr. Mayor."
"Do you think you need to go to the hospital?"
"Yes. I think I need to go to the hospital, Mr. Mayor."
"Let's get you off the stage first, Minmei." Hasselwood said.
"Ok."
Mayor Luan motioned with a wave of his hand to an aide and whispered to an aide for the paramedics to bring a stretcher. Moments later, two paramedics came running up to the stage with a stretcher. As an EMT was strapping Minmei down to the gurney, he noticed blood pooling up in an area near where her pubic area is. The two medics looked at each other and knew they had to take Minmei to the hospital right away. Seconds later, they loaded Minmei in the ambulance and drove away to the hospital with lights flashing and sirens wailing.