"Hi, may I help you?" asked the receptionist the next day as Renee entered the station owner's office.
"Yes, I'm Renee Beauchene-Alexander. I have an appointment with Charlotte Faulkner."
"Right, she's expecting you...Hold on." replied the receptionist while picking up a phone receiver and pressing a series of buttons as she held the receiver to her ear with her other hand.
"...Mrs. Faulkner?...Renee Alexander is here to see you...Alright...Yes, ma'am...Thank you." replied the receptionist to the person on the other end of the line before hanging up the phone and turning her attention back to Renee.
"You can go on back...the office at the end of the hall." instructed the receptionist with a smile.
"Thank you." Renee replied pleasantly before exiting down the hall as the receptionist turned her attention to other business....
"...You really didn't have to put yourself through the trouble of all your research, Renee. When I made the statements I made, I was clearly exaggerating." replied Charlotte Faulkner a few minutes into her and Renee's meeting. "..I'm well aware of..."
"...You told me if I didn't stop playing Michael's music on my radio show, thousands of people would boycott the station, and these petitions are proof to the contrary.." replied Renee as she tapped the pile of petitions she'd placed in front of Charlotte earlier. "And this survey is proof that out of all the people in this part of Indiana, only one percent said they would boycott this station if I continued to play music by Michael Jackson. And it turns out you are that one percent. Now, I have a couple of things I'd like you to listen to...if you have the time?"
"Certainly.” replied Charlotte, as Renee reached forward and pushed the 'play' button on the compact disc player she'd placed next to the pile of petitions. Charlotte listened patiently as Michael Jackson's "Childhood" played on the machine.
"Now, does that sound like it's from the heart and mind of a pedophilic child molester?" asked Renee as she switched off the machine once "Childhood" had finished playing.
"No...no, it doesn't." replied Charlotte, her mood and attitude having changed noticeably.
"A doctor studied Michael, and said he didn't even fit the profile of a child molester." continued Renee. "Michael loves children, but not in the sick twisted way the tabloid media has dreamed up...Michael sees children's value...He sees God in them...And he's said he would hurt himself before he ever hurt a child. Now, I have one more thing I'd like you to listen to...This is Evan Chandler telling a friend about the scheme to destroy Michael Jackson's career and reputation." replied Renee as she reached for the 'play' button on the machine.
"I really don't have the time to.."replied Charlotte uncomfortably, hoping to get out of having to listen.
"This won't take long." replied Renee while thinking to herself: "If you have the time to come out and tell me to stop playing Michael's music, you have time to listen to this." "Those documents mention everything Evan Chandler did...to his own son... to Michael...They detail the threats Chandler made and carried out, and the reasons. Feel free to read along if you need to." said Renee while pressing the 'play' button of the c.d. machine.
Although clearly uncomfortable about being made to listen to information which forced her to reconsider her opinion about Michael Jackson, Charlotte politely obliged Renee, and was rendered speechless for a moment or two after the recording of Evan Chandler's 'confession' stopped playing.
"Well...I must say I’m appalled." replied Charlotte after having allowed the impact of Evan Chandler's words to sink in. "...That's an understatement, I assure you. How such an individual could be allowed to have his word believed over that of some one who is clearly innocent, in order to manipulate and take advantage of that person."
"What's appalling to me is how the media has been making Evan Chandler's son out to be the victim, and Michael Jackson out to be the victimizer..." replied Renee.
"I want to thank you, Renee, for bringing this information to my attention, and for allowing me to hear these recordings. Clearly, I was wrong...wrong about Michael Jackson, and also wrong to insist that you stop playing his music on your program. I was wrong and I apologize. Please, feel free to resume your broadcast with all of Michael's music." replied Charlotte. "Am I to understand you're planning a radiothon?"
"Yes." replied Renee. "It's going to be a fund-raising marathon where listeners will be able to not only donate to Michael but to any or all of the thirty-nine charities he's worked with."
"How many did you say...thirty-nine?" replied Charlotte impressed. "Well, I had no idea."
"You and all the others whose minds have been poisoned against Michael by the tabloid media.” muttered Renee under her breath.
"A fund raiser for Michael Jackson...hmm." replied Charlotte impressed by the idea.
"Yes, as a way of showing our appreciation for everything he's done over the years, and to help him out a little bit financially." replied Renee.
"Well, I wish you a lot of luck with it, Renee...When did you say it was going to be?" asked Charlotte as she reached to answer her ringing phone.
"I didn't." Renee thought to herself while replying aloud: "Two weeks from tomorrow, for forty-eight hours."
"Well, I wish you luck with it Renee." said Charlotte as she picked up the phone receiver. "Excuse me." she continued as Renee, taking the hint the meeting was over, rose and gathered her belongings. "And thank you for stopping by." called Charlotte as Renee made her way out of the office.
After leaving the building, Renee checked the parking lot for signs of MyKayla’s car. Within minutes, Renee began to feel anxious and turned back toward the entrance to the building hoping to be able to get back inside. However, upon grabbing the door handle, she found it was locked tight-obviously a safety precaution implemented by the security team of the broadcasting company. Not knowing what to do, Renee first tried pulling on the door handle, followed by attempts at pounding her fist on the glass.
"They're on the upper floor...The door is closed...They won't hear you...Merde'!" Renee muttered to herself . "Myka...where are you?" she continued as she checked her watch. Beginning to feel panicked, Renee began pacing back and forth while scanning the parking lot for MyKayla's car as well as signs of an establishment whose building she could duck inside. "There's a Seven-Eleven across the street...I'll go there." said Renee as she began to hurry toward her destination. Shortly afterward, the anxiety she was experiencing combined with dizziness and shortness of breath leading Renee to pass out in the station owner's parking lot. Soon after, MyKayla, having gone to run an errand while Renee attended the meeting with Charlotte Faulkner, pulled into the parking lot and spotted Renee lying unconscious near the side walk.
"Oh my God." muttered MyKayla under her breath while pulling into the closest possible parking space, parking the car and getting out. "Oh my God.." she exclaimed quietly while hurrying over and kneeling beside Renee just as an ambulance, occupied by a team of paramedics who were alerted by one of the other occupants of the building, pulled up and parked beside MyKayla's vehicle.
"Any idea how this happened?" asked the chief paramedic while others tended to Renee as MyKayla observed.
"She's agoraphobic...she had a panic attack." replied MyKayla, as she gently clasped Renee's hand as the paramedics administered treatment to Renee including placing an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth.
"Don't worry, ma'am...your wife'll be just fine." said the paramedic having noticed a gold band on the same fingers of Renee and MyKayla's left hands, as well as the look of concern and love on MyKayla's face.
"Oh, we're not married." replied MyKayla. 'We're just good friends."
After the paramedics finished placing Renee on the gurney, and as they proceeded to load her into the ambulance, MyKayla took out her cell phone and dialed a number.
"Hey Linda, it's Myka...,Renee's not gonna be back this afternoon..." said MyKayla who went on to explain Renee had passed out, and was being taken to the hospital. After finishing the call to their boss, MyKayla dialed a second number...
"Hey Ty...it's Myka...if you get this message, Renee's had a panic attack, and they're taking her to the E.R....I'm heading over there now...see you there...."
Later in the E.R., Renee, having regained consciousness, was visited by the staff doctor who checked her over and explained her attack was brought on by panic and exacerbated by stress. The doctor suggested Renee take some time off, and just rest. As the doctor finished with Renee, he was greeted by MyKayla who had just arrived. After the doctor assured MyKayla Renee was going to be fine, MyKayla crossed over to her bedside.
"Oh girlfriend...I am so sorry. I tried to get back before you finished with your meeting but it took longer at the store than I expected...and then some morons had decided to drive with their cell phones glued to their ears which had caused a three-car collision which meant I had to take a detour which meant I had to go six blocks out of my way."
"It's okay." said Renee as she gently placed her hand on MyKayla's. "I wouldn't have passed out if I'd remembered to stay inside the building but I was distracted and forgot about my agoraphobia."
"How did your meeting go?" asked MyKayla.
"It went well." replied Renee. "I was surprised."
"And what about Madam Faulkner? Did you change her mind about Michael?"
"Yes...I did." replied Renee, her voice tinged with annoyance.
'Awesome....And what about your radio show?" asked MyKayla not catching the tone in Renee's voice.
"She said I didn't have to change my programming, and I could keep playing Michael's music."
"Way to go...Yess!" exclaimed MyKayla as Renee's husband Tyrell entered the E.R., and crossed over to Renee.
"Renee?" said Ty.
"Hey, baby!" replied Renee as she greeted Ty with a smile and a loving kiss.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better." replied Renee. "The doctor says I passed out because stress worsened my panic attack. He suggested I take some time off and just rest. He said I could go home as soon as someone came to pick me up."
"I'm ready when you are." replied Ty. In response, Renee signaled her readiness to leave by sitting up carefully on the side of the bed. Ty and MyKayla helped Renee redress in her shoes and other outerwear; helped her gather her personal items, and escorted her out of the E.R. and quickly to Ty's car which was parked in the front of the building. After thanking MyKayla with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Renee climbed quickly into Ty's car and waved to MyKayla as Ty steered the car out of the hospital driveway.
Kindred Spirits (c) 2010