on the patient’s lap. “Now look what you’ve done!” the patient shouted.
“Oops!” said the first VolunTeen.
“So start sponging!” cried the second VolunTeen. Together, the two girls began rubbing the struggling patient all over with the sponge. Then, they turned on the blow dryer and aimed that at the patient.
“Cut!” Clare called out. “Outstanding!” she cried. “Oh, you all are really doing a terrific job. Just wait until we sit down and see the finished tape! You will be so proud.”
The day seemed to fly by. Deanne ran around to help set up scenes. She reminded the actors of forgotten lines. She got cans of pop and snacks for everyone working on the project. By five o’clock the production was complete.
“It’s a wrap!” Clare called. “
Hairless
is officially ‘in the can!’”
The group clapped, cheered, and whistled. “Now, I’ll edit it. I think we’ll be ready to officially view it in a couple of days.”
“We need to have a premier party,” Pam said.
“Good idea!” Clare agreed. “Who should we invite?”
Everybody started talking at once. “Hold it! Hold it!” Clare laughed. “Deanne, help plan this thing!”
Deanne called out, “I need a committee. You, you, you, and you,” she said, pointing to various faces. “Tomorrow, at two o’clock in the rec room, we’ll plan the party.”
“The gala opening of
Hairless
!” someone shouted. Another cheer went up. Deanne beamed. She had never had more fun.
* * * * *
“Are you okay?” Deanne came quietly into Matt’s room and walked over to his bed.
“Sure,” Matt whispered. But Deanne could tell he was in pain.
“I missed you after we finished taping this afternoon,” Deanne said.
“I was feeling a little tired.”
“Matt,” she reached out for his hand. “My father’s waiting down in the lobby for me. I’ve got to go home. But I’ll be back first thing in the morning. Can I call you later tonight?”
He squeezed her hand weakly. “It’s all right,” he said painfully. “I’ll be okay until tomorrow.” Beads of sweat stood out on his forehead.
Deanne felt a lump rise in her throat. She felt so helpless! She wanted him to stop hurting. “Did you have a good time today?” she asked.
“Sure,” he whispered. “You wrote a great script. I can’t wait to see it all put together.”
Deanne ached inside for him. She could think of nothing else to say. “I-I have to go,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“If I should die before I wake,” he said with a half-laugh.
“Oh, Matt, don’t say that!” Deanne pleaded. She squeezed his hand and left the room.
It had been an interesting day. They taped a twenty minute video play about cancer. They made fun of all the things that kids with cancer had to endure. Everyone had fun doing it, too. They had laughed and joked about a very serious topic. Deanne hurried down to meet her father.
* * * * *
The auditorium was crowed. Doctors, nurses, patients, parents, and hospital staff were all waiting to see the production of
Hairless
. Deanne squirmed in her seat. She felt nervous. So many people had shown up. Even her own parents were there.
Mrs. Vandervoort, smiling and waving at the people she knew, sat next to Deanne in the auditorium. Deanne silently wished it would start. The waiting was the hardest part.
Matt and his family sat two rows in front of them. Deanne had talked to all of his sisters and his brother when they first arrived. She also introduced the Gleasons to her parents.
“You must be very proud of Deanne,” Janet Gleason smiled. “Matt tells me she helped write and produce this entire show. And I heard she thought of the idea in the first place.”
Deanne blushed. Mrs. Vandervoort looked at her with surprise.
“Why, no,” her mother said, “Deanne only said she helped work on the story.”
“Well, according to Matt, she was the driving force behind the project.” Janet paused. Then she added. “You know,
“Oops!” said the first VolunTeen.
“So start sponging!” cried the second VolunTeen. Together, the two girls began rubbing the struggling patient all over with the sponge. Then, they turned on the blow dryer and aimed that at the patient.
“Cut!” Clare called out. “Outstanding!” she cried. “Oh, you all are really doing a terrific job. Just wait until we sit down and see the finished tape! You will be so proud.”
The day seemed to fly by. Deanne ran around to help set up scenes. She reminded the actors of forgotten lines. She got cans of pop and snacks for everyone working on the project. By five o’clock the production was complete.
“It’s a wrap!” Clare called. “
Hairless
is officially ‘in the can!’”
The group clapped, cheered, and whistled. “Now, I’ll edit it. I think we’ll be ready to officially view it in a couple of days.”
“We need to have a premier party,” Pam said.
“Good idea!” Clare agreed. “Who should we invite?”
Everybody started talking at once. “Hold it! Hold it!” Clare laughed. “Deanne, help plan this thing!”
Deanne called out, “I need a committee. You, you, you, and you,” she said, pointing to various faces. “Tomorrow, at two o’clock in the rec room, we’ll plan the party.”
“The gala opening of
Hairless
!” someone shouted. Another cheer went up. Deanne beamed. She had never had more fun.
* * * * *
“Are you okay?” Deanne came quietly into Matt’s room and walked over to his bed.
“Sure,” Matt whispered. But Deanne could tell he was in pain.
“I missed you after we finished taping this afternoon,” Deanne said.
“I was feeling a little tired.”
“Matt,” she reached out for his hand. “My father’s waiting down in the lobby for me. I’ve got to go home. But I’ll be back first thing in the morning. Can I call you later tonight?”
He squeezed her hand weakly. “It’s all right,” he said painfully. “I’ll be okay until tomorrow.” Beads of sweat stood out on his forehead.
Deanne felt a lump rise in her throat. She felt so helpless! She wanted him to stop hurting. “Did you have a good time today?” she asked.
“Sure,” he whispered. “You wrote a great script. I can’t wait to see it all put together.”
Deanne ached inside for him. She could think of nothing else to say. “I-I have to go,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“If I should die before I wake,” he said with a half-laugh.
“Oh, Matt, don’t say that!” Deanne pleaded. She squeezed his hand and left the room.
It had been an interesting day. They taped a twenty minute video play about cancer. They made fun of all the things that kids with cancer had to endure. Everyone had fun doing it, too. They had laughed and joked about a very serious topic. Deanne hurried down to meet her father.
* * * * *
The auditorium was crowed. Doctors, nurses, patients, parents, and hospital staff were all waiting to see the production of
Hairless
. Deanne squirmed in her seat. She felt nervous. So many people had shown up. Even her own parents were there.
Mrs. Vandervoort, smiling and waving at the people she knew, sat next to Deanne in the auditorium. Deanne silently wished it would start. The waiting was the hardest part.
Matt and his family sat two rows in front of them. Deanne had talked to all of his sisters and his brother when they first arrived. She also introduced the Gleasons to her parents.
“You must be very proud of Deanne,” Janet Gleason smiled. “Matt tells me she helped write and produce this entire show. And I heard she thought of the idea in the first place.”
Deanne blushed. Mrs. Vandervoort looked at her with surprise.
“Why, no,” her mother said, “Deanne only said she helped work on the story.”
“Well, according to Matt, she was the driving force behind the project.” Janet paused. Then she added. “You know,
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