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Author's Chapter Notes:

This is a connecting chapter, a set-up for the following scene. And, a little bit more expectation as to what is coming...










'Dai Onna'









While standing over the kitchen stove, Maxine was doing her best to try and stay preoccupied. Disappointment filled her mind, as she searched for some alternative explanation.

Slightly ashamed of herself, for allowing all of this to happen in the first place. The little man didn't deserve being treated this way. However, she couldn't really blame Diana. The poor girl was beating herself up enough as it was and nothing that Maxine would say couldn't possibly make any difference.

The point though was that, whatever had actually happened to him, was something that should be studied further, this shrinking thing could be something that could be very useful in science, ...and, she could think of several other ways that made her tingle all over...

Finishing up with the wild rice and beans, she stepped away to add just a bit more cream to the mashed potatoes.

The entire apartment was overflowing with this amazing aroma. The bold flavors of good old 'Meat and Potatoes', came rolling from the kitchen.

An acoustical version of 'REO SPEEDWAGON's' famous single, 'TIME FOR ME TO FLY', could easily be heard all throughout the entire apartment - softly flowing out of the living room surround sound speakers.

"....I Know it hurts to say goodbye, but, It's Time for me to Fly, -time for me to fly - Time for Me to Fly!"...


.....



Sitting on the floor, in her bedroom, stretching her legs out on her yoga mat.

Diana sits listening and leaning back against the foot of her bed. Staring into her closet, the young girl's eyes welling up; imagining what her tiny little friend, Billy, was doing right at this moment... a single tear rolled down across her cheek.


.....


Back in the kitchen, Maxie was enjoying her second passion - cooking - as she wriggled her toes to the beat of REO's song.

Wearing a skin tight pair of black yoga pants, with a stylish ruching in the back and a v-neck, all-gray-color, sweatshirt; her shiny black hair, pulled up loosely in a long ponytail. The petite Asian Doctor, looked more like a teenager at the beach, rather than the renowned Psychologist that she actually was.

Using the potato masher with such vigor that she tightened up every muscle in her body. Her powerful legs, swelling out - the leggings reflecting the sunlight in the large window - the shimmering nylon, sparkling - highlighting her well-toned gam's, her bare feet graciously stepping around the small dining room table.

Shifting her weight from one side to the other, quickly turning the potato mash into a creamy blend of savory cream. The flavor would be amazing.

The thick gravy, simmering on the back burner, and the roasted beef loin would come out of the oven in about an hour.

...

Leaving the kitchen, Maxine made her way down the hall toward her daughter's room. The girl had barely left it during the entire weekend.

Sunday dinner was something that they always liked to do, too - giving Maxie a chance to spend some quality time with her daughter. And now, that she was getting older, they really needed to spend more time together, and these afternoon dinners were becoming further and further apart.

Raising her voice to be heard, Maxine casually looked up at the ceiling as she passed the girls closed bedroom door.

"C'mon Dai', come help me in the kitchen, we'll make some Blueberry Tarts for dessert.",

"Alright, Mom. I'm coming!", Diana yelled back over her shoulder.


Maxine turned into the bathroom to wash her hands,

"Well, hurry up.", she yelled. "I need you to go and get some things from the store, too."


...


Getting up, the tall teen girl reluctantly dropped a miniature pair of denim pants on the top of her dresser, before exiting her bedroom she turned around glancing toward the open closet door, wiping her eyes she sniffed and turned away.

Still wearing her baggy pajama's, she wondered down the hall toward the kitchen.

"I'll make the gravy, Mom"

Back in the kitchen, Diana had taken up the task of stirring the beef gravy. Although, the teenager had been so distracted all weekend, worrying about her helpless little friend, that she just couldn't concentrate on what she was doing. The thick gravy started sticking and beginning to burn.


"Oh, this stuff is too thick, Mom!", starting to cry, Diana stepped away from the stove and collapsed at the kitchen table.

Putting her head down on her arms, she cried,

"I can't do ANYTHING Ri-i -i- i- -ght!"


Maxine attempted to console her, but after two days of morning, she had tired of her daughters moaning. Deciding to give her a break and let her get out of the house.

Sending her to the grocery store, was just what the girl needed; a chance to drive her new car and get Billy off of her mind.

" Go ahead, Dia. You can take the car, go pick up some bread and milk from the market."

The young teen had been skulking around and, wondering if her friends would be able to keep their mouths shut about him, and not tell anyone else about their precious little secret... And, there was also a strong concern about Amy, too.

Diana knew the way that her, and her friends, had first reacted to him, and she worried that poor Billy might be in some kind of trouble, ...she hoped that it was all just her imagination, but there was still a constant fear...

Fully realizing the effect that Billy had on her, would most likely be affecting Amy as well...


....


After Diana left, Maxie was all alone in her apartment. She took everything off of the stove and turned the temperature down on the oven. Leaving the kitchen, she went to her bedroom. Stripping off her yoga pants, she pulled on a loose fitting pair of white terry-cloth shorts.

Opening her laptop, she took the time to check her emails.

Over the long weekend, she had gone back to the Morris Building and gathered some critical information that she needed in order to start discretely investigating this strange occurrence.

First, and foremost, she wanted to research those chemicals. The ones that were used in the cleaning solution at her office building. She had gone to the room where the supplies were kept and had gone through everything on the shelves.

She copied down anything that they used to do the floors. Everything on the buckets, and everything in bags, or boxes, she wrote it down, especially - anything to do with the mixture of the chemical makeup.

She found several small glass bottles and took a sample of each one. Filling up a cardboard box with the bottles, she placed the list inside and labeled each of the chemicals.

There had to be an answer somewhere. And, she was certain that it would lie within that list.

Back home inside her bedroom, she started experimenting: taking two of the most used formulas and blended them together. Then, she added some of a third chemical. Each time, keeping the mixtures separate - Test one, Test two. Test three.

In that progressive manner, she continued until she finally got the reaction that she was looking for...

The slow process, of mixing the long list took her most of the evening on Saturday, and well into Sunday morning.

A stray neighborhood cat had happened to come by her window. The short haired Calico had somehow found it's way out onto Maxie's terrace. Without thinking, the young lady doctor opened her window and let it in, ...the cat meowed, and cautiously entered her bedroom.

Maxine closed the window, and gave the cat a small saucer of milk, allowing it to stay in her bedroom while she tried another mixture.

The forty-fourth attempt, brought about the reaction that she was searching for; a strong burning reaction boiled within the glass beaker, she stood back and watched the foaming agent overflow from the pint-sized container.

Frantically, Maxie quickly set the beaker down on the floor and swiftly stepped out of her bedroom - leaving the cat inside - she closed the door and stuffed a rug underneath. Sealing the cat inside, while the chemical reaction took place and filled the room with the toxic fumes.

She didn't like the idea of doing this, but what else could she do? She had to find out what caused Billy to shrink, and if there was a better way to find out, she couldn't think of any...


...


Maxine smiled to herself, as she quickly glanced over the coming week's agenda. Scanning her latest e-mails, she noticed that she hadn't received anything from her new receptionist,

"Hmm, ...nothing from Amy, yet?", she whispered. "That's weird. I'll just see what she's up to..."

Clicking on Amy's email box, Maxine opened it up and started typing-

------ ------ ------
To: Amanda P.
From: Max H.
Hey Sweety, what's up? Have a good weekend? Everything alright?
------ ------ ------


After sending the e-mail, she clicked her local weather app. - The rest of the day would be very nice. Warming up, and clearing off with a temperature of 78 degrees. Reaching into her desk drawer she removed a small cardboard box.

Slowly lifting the lid up, she peeked inside and saw the tiny creature huddled in the corner. She wondered what her huge eye looked like from inside of the box...

The miniature cat hissed, and spit at her - frightened as could be - it still attempted to defend itself from this gigantic woman. Maxine slowly closed the lid and carefully placed it back in her desk drawer.

She wondered how Billy was doing. Maybe she would drive over there after dinner, just to take a little look around, make sure that everything was 'alright'. Her mind drifted back to the previous days, she couldn't help herself from remembering that feeling...

A rush of tingling pleasure swirled inside her, as she felt herself becoming wet, ...just holding him, made her feel like she was this Giant Goddess!

She quickly pushed away from her desk and stood up. Clearing her head and closing the computer, she stood up and stretched. She would have to go to the office first, before going over to Amy's place.

She had several clients coming in tomorrow, and one of them would be the perfect candidate for her next experiment.


.....


Diana pulled out of the parking lot and turned toward the entrance gate. She drove slowly and carefully - she was a little nervous about going out on the road all by herself, but she was just going a few miles down to their local grocer.

She stopped in front of the tall metal gates. The heavy iron bars stood fifteen feet high, connected with a solid steel deadbolt, effectively closed. Diana waited for the security guard to recognize her.

A balding middle-aged man wearing a blue uniform was seated inside a small brick building at the side of the entrance way. Smiling Ed, he was called - he waved her through, and operated the electric switch that activated the mechanical system.

Diana watched curiously, as the tall gates magically released, allowing her to escape the confines of the apartment complex. Driving down Bridgemont street, she kept her hands at ten and two - remembering to glance up into the rearview - checking her mirrors, she started to get the feel of her little car.

She didn't want to be gone too long, she knew that her mother was expecting her back in less than an hour. The little car was very fun to drive and she enjoyed the feeling of being able to go places without having to have someone else drive her there; she could take her own car now, ...thanks to her Mom's friend, Aunt Joyce.

Thinking of Joyce, ...Diana looked across the parking lot and there she was - standing by her own car, parked next to the soda machines that lined the front sidewalk in front of the store.

Diana parked and jumped out of her car. She quickly locked it up and placed the keys inside her purse. She ran across the parking lot, quickly making her way over to where Joyce was waiting,

"Well, well, ...if it isn't the 'Birthday Girl'", Joyce excitedly announced.

"Hi, Joy!", Diana squealed. Reaching out to hug her middle-aged friend.

"Where's your Mother? Don't tell me, that you're out driving all around by yourself?"

"Yea, I guessso, ...I'm just running errands. Getting some bread and milk for supper
this evening, ...what are you doing all the way across town?"

"I was just bout to get some things for myself too. I was going to stop by, and see what Maxie was doing tonight... is she still so busy that she doesn't have time to go out anymore?"


"I don't know Joy. She's pretty busy theses days. She has a full schedule at the office next week, ...I looked at her calendar yesterday and I think she has a full day already planned."

"Hmm, we'll have to get her to loosen up a bit won't we Diana?"


Diana smiled, as the two of them walked into the store together. Hanging around with Joyce made Diana feel older, more mature, ...special.


.


Chapter End Notes:

Have a great Easter everybody!  And, don't forget to review.  :`)

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