Erica lay in the hospital room gazing up at the ceiling. It was a real test, waiting in bed when she knew her daughter needed her. A daughter who had been through so much. Would it be so bad to sneak from this room and go to the court house? Just sit there in the back row, being there for Bianca like she should have been all this time…

Erica's rebellious thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. A young nurse was standing there, a look of awe and embarrassment on her face.

"Um… I'm sorry to disturb you, and I know I shouldn't be doing this… but you are such an inspiration! Would you… um… sign my book for me!"

Erica gave the young woman a welcoming smile. It was always nice to meet a fan; just as long as this one didn't turn out to be a gun-toting crazy.

"I think I can manage that." said Erica sitting up slightly in her bed.

"I know I really shouldn't be doing this," the young nurse said again, the moment obviously troubling her conscious, "But Bianca said you probably wouldn't mind. I helped take care of her after the shooting. She was so nice. It's such a shame all the bad things that happened to her… to you too."

The nurse produced a pen and a book.

"Please could you make it out to Brittany – two 't's, one 'a', one 'n'."

Erica froze when she saw the cover of the book. The dust jacket was white and in discretely-sized hot pink lettering across the top were the words 'Erica Kane – Uncensored'.

"Where did you get this?" asked Erica the shock evident in her voice.

"Barnes & Nobel." said Brittany, not sure why Erica suddenly looked so upset.

"But it wasn't finished." said Erica thumbing through the pages. The chapters she had promised her daughters she would edit were there still unchanged.

"They released it after you were hospitalised from the shooting. I guess it was a sort of tribute." explained Brittany.

"But I wasn't dead!" said Erica. She had found the final paragraph now at the back of the book. It was a schmaltzy recap of her life, condensed to eight or so sentences. It was as close to an obituary Erica had ever read.

"It's an amazing book." said Brittany, keen to show the book in a good light. "I mean it's been on the best sellers list for months."

"Months… so they didn't wait long to cash in then did they."

Brittany licked her lips, almost afraid to ask her next question.

"You do know they are making this into a film?"

Erica looked up from the book.

"I know about that. I sold the rights to the producer Kit Sterling. I was supposed to go LA and help write the screen play."

Brittany looked relieved that at least this wasn't going to be taken as bad news.

"I bet you are kind of excited. Maybe you will be out of hospital in time for the Premier."

Erica's eyes narrowed again.

"What do you mean Premier?" she asked an edge of irritation in her voice. "They can't make the film without me! I'm the star!"

Brittany blanched.

"But… um… It's everywhere. Honestly. They are making it a trilogy so they can do you amazing life justice. There's talk of Oscars and it isn't even released yet. Meryl Streep is playing you as you are now, and Scarlet Johansson is playing the younger you… It's going to be the movie event of the year!"

Erica's face looked like thunder. How dare Kit Sterling do this to her, to her dream!

"Young lady I need a phone, NOW!"

…