Steps 1/3 By Nita Durham a.k.a. "Nita Dee" Disclaimer: "The Commish" and its characters belong to Stephen J. Cannell and Stephen Kronish, in association with ABC Circle Films and Stephen J. Cannel Productions. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." Huddling under a umbrella in the middle of a late summer thunderstorm, Commissioner Cyd Madison looked on as a Rabbi put dirt on the coffin of her friend. Rachel Scali was dead, the victim of a car bombing. Under the awning sat Rachel's family-- her father, brother, her two children, David and Sara and her husband Tony. The Rabbi finished the service and the mourners were lead away from the burial site. Cyd worked her way through the crowd of mourners, many good friends of hers from her days as a Detective at the Eastbridge Police Department, until she finally made it to Tony Scali's side. "Tony...." Cyd began. "Cyd? Oh, Cyd...I'm glad you're here..Rachel would be so glad to know that you came." Tony said as if on a far off plane. Later that day, friends and loved ones gathered at the house to pay their respects. Cyd was able to get Stan Kelly away long enough to discuss the case in the garage. "What happened?" Cyd asked. "A maniac...someone the Commish put away years ago while he was still working in Brooklyn. He had made threats, and we even had him under survallience....God, Cyd, I just don't know how we could have missed his putting the bomb in the car." Stan said, covering his face with his hands. "You have him now?" Cyd asked, her own heart breaking. Rachel had been a good friend. "Yes, we have the bastard. He laughed all the way to the lock-up...so pleased he was with himself." Stan said. Cyd and Stan went back into the house. The house was filled with many friends that the Scalli's had made during their seven years in Eastbridge. But soon, too soon, the friends left to go to their own homes. Only Cyd remained behind. She went upstairs to find Tony sitting on the edge of his bed looking into the closet. "Do you think that maybe in a few years, Sara can wear some of these clothes?" Tony asked in the same far off voice he had at the cemetery. "Tony, by the time Sara is old enough to wear these clothes, they will be out of fashion. Keep some of her things-- Rachel's jewelry, her formal clothes, her wedding dress--for Sara and give the rest to charity. They will be put to good use." Cyd said, her hand on Tony's back. "Cyd" Tony said, his voice coming back to a heartbreaking reality "can you stay awhile? To help go through her things, to help the kids....I need you if you can manage it." "Of course I can." Cyd said. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Cyd Madison took a week's vacation from her own job as Commissioner of the city of Oak Port to help Tony Scali and his children. Then, every weekend for nearly two months, she would make the two hour drive to stay with the family. At first Tony grieved hard for his lost wife and Cyd was a comfort to him. She would talk him through it and tell him that what happened was not his fault. Cyd was also able to comfort little Sara who would have nightmares of her mother being blown up. The child had not actually seen the action, but a child of five can pick things up that adults say and come to her own conclusions. Only David did not benefit from Cyd's healing. He avoided her like the plague--this after overhearing a gossipy teacher discuss the Scali's weekend guest. "My, my, but that redhead sure has her cap set for Commissioner Scali." Mrs. Albright said one morning within David's earshot. This was painful to hear and it also brought to light David's own fears of his mother being replaced too soon. One Sunday afternoon, Cyd was loading her car to return home when she saw David shooting hoops outside of the garage. "Say, David, when basketball season starts up again I'll take you to New York City to see the Knicks play. Would you like that?" Cyd asked, smiling. "I don't like the Knicks." David said sullenly. "Well, okay then, we'll do something special next weekend when I come..just the two of us." Cyd said. "Do you have to come every weekend?" David asked angrily. This took Cyd back. "David....what's wrong?" she asked. "You could wait a year....I'll be off at college then and don't have to watch you." David said, eyes cold. "Watch me? David Scali, what are you talking about?" Cyd said, trying not to lose her temper. "You have got eyes for my father. I think you've always had eyes for him...even years ago when you worked for him. So you just sashay yourself in here every Friday night in your micromini and talk sugar to him and my little sister. Well, it may work on them but not on me." David said. "David......" Cyd paused, trying not to show her temper. "I know you are hurting. You are hurting and you won't let me help you. The only reason I have been coming up here is to try and help your father...he's hurting too. But if you don't want me here, then I won't come. " "I don't want you here." David said coldly. "Then I won't come." Cyd said softly. ----------------------------------------------------------------- October is a beautiful month in New York State, so Cyd took advantage of one Sunday afternoon to go horseback riding. She had called Tony earlier in the week and made her apologies for not being able to go to Eastbridge the weekend. Work, she cited. Tony sounded disappointed but understood. Cyd just wondered what excuse she would use for the next weekend. Riding her horse, Cyd allowed her mind to wander back to her conversation with David. What had made that boy think she was after his father? David had always liked her before his mother died. Maybe it was just his grief, she reasoned. Then another thought entered her mind. Could she be in love with Tony Scali? Cyd had always liked him tremendously, respected him as a boss, and was good friends with him. Could it be that she was in love with him? Cyd always compared the men she dated to him and always found them lacking in comparison. Cyd was lost in her thoughts so she didn't see the rattlesnake that had curled up in front of the horse. The horse began to whinny softly and breath hard. "Whoa, easy boy, calm down." Cyd said, trying to take control of the situation. The snake hissed and showed its fangs, its rattle pulsating violently. The horse began to buck and trot sideways. "Easy, Wildfire, easy...." Cyd said, pulling the reins hard, her feet planted firmly in the stirrups. The horse whirled around and began running at full gallop towards a clump of trees. Cyd was determined not to panic. She held on as tightly as possible. But nothing she did would show the horse down. Cyd saw a heavy branch baring down on her before she hit it and her world went to darkness. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Tony Scali made a new record driving from Eastbridge to Oak Port that Sunday night. Siren blaring, he made the trip in one hour and ten minutes. Arriving at the hospital, Tony confronted a nurse, who directed him to ICU. He walked into the small, glass cased room and looked at Cyd. She had a terrible bruise on her forehead and her right arm was in a sling. An I.V. was in her left arm. "Cyd." Tony said softly "its me, Tony Scali." Cyd opened her eyes, which showed fear and uncertainty. "Tony" Cyd said in a voice tinged with fear. "I can't feel my legs." ----------------------------------------------------------------- "How bad?" Tony asked Cyd's doctor later. "Concussion, sprained right arm...those will pass. What I am concerned about is her lower spine. She took the brunt of the fall on it. Maybe her paralysis is just temporary, we will have to watch over her the next 48 hours or so to determine the severity of the injury." the Doctor reported. Tony sighed. He has also had his own bout with paralysis after an assassination attempt in 1994. It had been during that time that Cyd had left his department for her Commissioner's job in Oak Port. Tony also remembered how Rachel had been his inspiration during that time. Well, Rachel was gone now, but maybe he could repay the favor in some way to Cyd. By the end of the week, the prognosis was clear..severe nerve damage to the lower spine, but thankfully, not a break. It would mean months, perhaps years, of intense physical therapy for Cyd and the possibility was there that she might never walk again. She would stay in the hospital another week to stabilize her condition, then it was off to a rehab hospital to begin her recovery. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Cyd had been in the Franklin D. Roosevelt rehabilitation center nearly four months on St. Valentine's day when Tony Scali, on a day full of pain for him, took the day off. He began at Rachel's grave, talking to her about the kids, his work, her work, and of course Cyd's recovery. Cyd. Why couldn't he get her out of his mind? Even here at his wife's grave-- Tony felt the pang of guilt over this. More and more, he would think of Cyd and not Rachel. This wasn't right...he had been madly in love with Rachel, even after 20 odd years of marriage. He shouldn't be thinking about another woman less than six months after he buried his wife. Tony was still beating himself up about this as he drove down the interstate to the rehab hospital. It wasn't like he had planned this at all..he had planned to spend the day with Rachel. But something more powerful was willing him to Cyd Madison. Tony walked into Cyd's room sheepishly. She was sitting in her wheelchair by the window, looking at an official looking letter. "Cyd..." Tony began. "Tony, look at this." Cyd looked up with eyes red and swollen. She had been crying. Tony looked at the letter. It was an official letter from the mayor of Oak Port, NY informing her that in light of her recent injuries she would be relieved of her duties as Police Commissioner of the city. "Oh, Cyd." Tony said sadly. "What am I going to do? I am going to be released from here soon. I have no place to go...my brother Roger put my stuff in storage after my lease ran out in December. I can't stay with Roger, he's been laid off and his wife is struggling hard enough without having a cripple staying with them. My mom and dad live in a retirement home and they can't have anyone living with them. I can't stay by myself, don't have a place to go back to if I could." Cyd said, tears flowing. This touched Tony. Cyd had been a tough cop...he'd never seen her cry like this before. "You forgot about option number three, Cyd." Tony said suddenly. "What's that?" Cyd said gruffly. Moving in with my family in Eastbridge. We'd love to have you!" Tony said, eyes sparkling. "Oh, Tony...I couldn't! Your kids don't want me there." Cyd protested. "My kids love you, Cyd. Sara asks me all the time "when is Cyd getting out of the horsepittle." And David would love to have someone around that's not his nagging old man." Tony said. Cyd sighed. David. As much as she wanted to take Tony up on his offer, she couldn't knowing how David felt about her. "Now I won't take NO for an answer..we'll get a bed and some things and put them into the office just off the living room. I never use it...it was Rachel's. This will work!" Tony said. "Tony...." Cyd began. "I can't. It's kind of you to offer...but I can't impose on you." "Cyd, you are now an unemployed woman. I am offering you a job. Part of that job is to live in my house and take care of things for me. Say yes...say it!" Tony said charmingly. "Yes." Cyd whispered. "Thank you." ----------------------------------------------------------------- It had been a lovely Indian Summer day when Cyd Madison first entered the hospital and it was a lovely false Spring day in early March when Cyd left the Rehab hospital with Tony Scali to go to his home. Upon arriving at the house, little Sara bolted into Cyd's lap and demanded to be "rode into the house". "Sara, no! Get out of Cyd's lap...she is not a carnival ride!" Tony thundered at his daughter. "Tony, it's okay! I want Sara to ride with me." Cyd laughed. David took two suitcases out of the trunk and said nothing. He regretted what he had said to Cyd last Autumn. If he had just kept his mouth shut, Cyd would have come to Eastbridge that weekend instead of riding horses. She would still be able to walk. Now, she was here living with his father--taking his mother's place. That evening, Tony made one of his delicious Italian meals. The kids did the dishes as Cyd and Tony sat in front of the fireplace and talked "old times." They discussed cases they had worked on together, the fun times at the office, the fun times they had together off the job, and basically relived the two years they had worked together. This was still on Cyd's mind as she lifted herself out of her wheelchair onto her bed in her newly converted "bedroom". Tony had taken the week off to ready the room. It had her bedroom furniture out of storage and was fixed up quite charmingly. Sleep soon overtook Cyd and she began dreaming. It was 1993 and she was once again a detective working on cases. She was sitting at her plant adorned desk when she heard Tony Scali call to her "Cyd, come here and look at this." Cyd rose from her desk to see what was going on. Then-- CRASH!--she awoke on the floor of the bedroom. "Cyd?" Tony called as he ran down the stairs, Sara and David close behind. Cyd didn't move, but laid there with tears welling up in her eyes. "Cyd, are you okay?" Tony said to her. "Kids, it's okay...I think Cyd just fell out of bed." Cyd nodded her head, but when Tony lifted her up to put her back into bed, he noticed the tears in her eyes. "Cyd." Tony said softly. "I am a burden to everyone! I shouldn't have come here! Why couldn't my neck have broken instead of injuring my lower spine? Then I wouldn't be trouble to anyone." Cyd cried. "Cyd, don't talk like that! You are no trouble at all!" Tony said to reassure her. Cyd laid on her bed and soon fell back to sleep. Once Tony noticed this, he smoothed her hair with his hand and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight." He whispered softly. End of Part One *************************************** Steps 2/3 Tony Scali parked his car in the driveway a tired and disgusted man on a Friday night in early May. Using his keys, he entered the back door of his house and found Cyd and Sara asleep together on the couch. He paused at the sight. They looked lovely together, he thought. Sara really loves Cyd. "Tony, I didn't hear you come in." Cyd said yawning. "What time is it?" "11:15." Tony said. "You didn't have to wait up." "We didn't...we fell asleep watching some spooky show on television." Cyd said. "Daddy!" Sara yelled, waking up. "Cyd walked eleven steps today...eleven!" "Cyd, that's great!" Tony said encouragingly. He remembered when eleven steps was a good day for him, too. "It took the better part of an hour, but I walked eleven steps. And worked harder than I ever did as Commissioner to do it." Cyd said. To Sara, she said "Give Daddy a hug and kiss and go off to bed." "Daddy, David was rude to Cyddie again." Sara said, delighting in being a tattletale. Tony looked upset . "He was? Well, we will have a little talk tomorrow. Right now, you need to go up to bed." Sara kissed her "Cyddie" and her Daddy goodnight and scampered off to bed with the spirit that only a six year old could show to the effort. "So, David was rude..again." Sighed Tony. "I told Sara not to tell you...but the truth of the matter was he told me to 'Tell his father he would be late tonight' and left out with Kevin and Chuckie in that wreaked Grand Am Kevin drives." Cyd said. "Tony, don't scold him about it. I told you before I came here that David would resent me." "You are a guest of this family and a friend. I will not allow my son to treat you this way." Tony said. "David misses his mother and he feels that I am trying to take her place." Cyd said. Tony let the matter drop at this. Maybe David knew more that he was letting on. Tony had found himself lately watching Cyd. And Lord knows he couldn't get her out of his mind. And there was the dream that he had. Rachel had come to his bedside one night and talked to Tony. She told him that she loved him but to please get on with his life. She had also said that if he had to remarry again, she would not accept any other woman in her home in her place but Cyd Madison. "Cyd will make you happy, my love. She will make my children happy, too. She is the one." Rachel said as she disappeared. Cyd interrupted Tony's chain of thought. "How was the city council meeting?" She asked. "Terrible! Marvin Wendell is an idiot! We need funding for the police department and all he can talk about is building a 'new state of the art golf course'". Tony said. "Well, it's an election year. Maybe he'll be voted out of office." Cyd said. "Not a snowball's chance in Hell, Cyd. You know as well as I do this town is a Republican stronghold. And, the only one who has even hinted at running against him is that tired old used car salesman Lloyd Cowart." Tony said. "'Always runs Lloyd'. God, Wendell IS a shoo-in. " Cyd said. Then, her eyes brightened. "You could run for mayor." "Nooooooooooooo. I don't think so!" Tony said. Then, his own eyes brightening. "Why don't you run for mayor?" "Tony, I couldn't!" Cyd said as she worked her way from the couch into her wheelchair. "Why not?" Tony said. "Because....look at me, Tony. I am a handicapped person who needs a wheelchair to get around. No one would vote for me... I would be the object of pity." Cyd said. "That never stopped Franklin Roosevelt. Or George Wallace, for that matter." Tony said. "Don't even think of comparing me to that racist!" Cyd said angrily. "Yes, old Wallace was that, but you can't deny he ran the state of Alabama effectively for 14 years after his assassination attempt." Tony said. "You could do it!" Cyd took a moment to think this over. "Maybe I could. After all, I walked 11 steps today!" ----------------------------------------------------------------- So Cyd Madison became the Democratic candidate for Mayor of Eastbridge, New York. A little persuasion from Tony Scali convinced Lloyd Cowart to stick to cars, so the election was to be between the incumbent Marvin Wendell and newcomer Cyd Madison. Marvin had three times the money and "Big Business" support that Cyd had, but Cyd got out there and charmed people. People who had known Cyd as a detective were glad to see her out with a new confidence and spirit. At the end of June, David Scali graduated from Eastbridge High School. At the graduation, he made a speech about his mother and by the time he finished there wasn't a dry eye left in the statium. Many people had been fond of Rachel Scali. Some, like Ruth Albright, resented the presence of another woman at her husband's side less than a year after her death. Late that night, Tony heard something that sounded like rats in the attic. Taking a flashlight, he went up to find David going though his mother's things and crying. "David." Tony said, moved to tears himself. "She should have been there, Dad! God, I miss her so much!" David said holding a sweater that Rachel used to wear to his chest. "I do too, son." Tony said. "No you don't!!" David said bitterly. "David, lets talk about this. You were the one who didn't cry at the funeral, held up so bravely while I fell apart. Maybe this is your time to grieve." Tony said. "I've grieved since the moment I learned about the car bombing! It's YOU who haven't grieved! " David said, letting words that had built up tumble out of his mouth. "This is about Cyd isn't it?" Tony said. "Damn straight it's about Cyd! She is living in my mother's home, taking my mother's place with you and Sara. Good God Almighty, I'm sorry as Hell she got hurt, but wasn't there anywhere else she could have gone?" David said. "Son, listen to me. Yes, I guess she could have gone to her family, but I wanted her here. David, I've got to tell you something....something that will probably hurt you. I am in love with Cyd." Tony said. "No kidding." David said gruffly. "And how does the little bitch feel about you?" "David, if you weren't upset, I would take you out on that one! To answer your question, I don't know how the 'little bitch' feels about me. And if I ever hear you refer to Cyd in that tone again.....I will have to hurt you!" Tony said angrily. David glared at his father, but said nothing. "David." Tony said, tone quieting. "I loved your mother. I still love your mother. But if I don't have enough room in my heart to love someone else, well, then I am a pretty sorry person. I don't think I will tell Cyd how I feel yet....I want her to get the election out of the way. David, can you find it in your heart if not to love Cyd at least accept her and be happy for my happiness?" Tony said, touching his son's back. "Dad, I will come to terms with this...I can promise you that. Just give me a little more time. My being away at college will help....and like you always say 'time heals everything'." David said, seeing his father for the first time as a man, a fine man, and not as his father. "I'm proud of you, son." Tony said, seeing his son for the first time as a man, a fine man, and not as his son. ----------------------------------------------------------------- It was a bright hot mid-August day when Tony drove David and Sara out to the airport to catch David's plane to Nebraska, where David had decided to attend college. Ironically, it was also the first anniversary of Rachel Scali's death in the car bombing. Earlier in the day, the family had gone to her grave to pay their respects. Cyd was out campaigning with her campaign manager Paul Leone. Paul was the Eastbridge chairperson of the Democratic party and a friend of Cyd's. In fact, they had dated a while when Cyd lived in Eastbridge. Tony had originally wanted her to spend David's last day with the family, but she was firm in her answer of no. "This day you must spend with David and Sara alone. It will be heartbreaking enough for all of you without my presence." Cyd told Tony the evening before. So Cyd was up at the crack of dawn to speak to the Rotary Club Breakfast at the Cracker Barrel restaurant and to spend the day out in the public campaigning. The polls were closing in... Marvin Wendell was going to have a run for his money out of the feisty redhead. David took a long time saying good-bye to Sara, who clutched the "Raggedy Ann" doll her mother had bought her for the last birthday they would spend together. Little Sara couldn't comprehend that David was going away for a long time and that Santa Claus would be coming before she would see her big brother again. And David knew he would miss his little sister, who looked more and more like her mother each day. After David finished with Sara, he turned to his father. "Dad....."David began. "David..I want you to know that if North Nebraska University isn't the school you think it is, you can always come home and go to a college around here." Tony said. "Thank you Dad, but I think I'll be happy at NNU. I still need time......:" David said, voice drifting off. "Flight 324 for Omaha, Nebraska boarding now at Gate 9." The announcement over the P.A. said. With that, David hugged his sister and father and ran down the aisle to the gate. "See you at Christmas!" David said before he disappeared though the door. "Goodbye, David." Tony whispered. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The autumn was hectic for the Cyd Madison for Mayor campaign. Voters could choice between "Re-Elect Marvin Wendell- Mayor. Honesty, Integrity, Vigor." or "A Fresh voice for Mayor-- Elect Cyd Madison-Mayor." Late in October, the polls showed a "neck and neck" race between Wendell and Madison. This was especially surprising since it had been 36 years since the last Democrat had held the Mayor's office in Eastbridge and that had been a "Kennedy Coattail" win. A week before the election, Paul Leone was surprised when Harry Thornton, campaign manager for the Wendell campaign, approached the Madison camp with a challenge to debate the night before the election. All four of the local affiliates had agreed to cover the event. Paul was hesitant to accept the challenge. He knew, and had heard though gossip, that Marvin Wendell wanted to debate simply to show the contrast between a "healthy, vigorous candidate" and one who was "imprisoned in a wheelchair". Although Cyd was making great strides in her recovery...many times doing her campaign stops on crutches...the fact still remained that she had trouble standing for long periods of time and walking was a difficult, torturous task. After much discussion with Tony and Paul, Cyd decided to debate Wendell. And she would do the debate standing with assistance of crutches. "Count how many steps it is from the entrance of the stage to where my podium is." Cyd asked Paul the Sunday afternoon before the debate. Paul counted off......"19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24....25. Twenty-Five steps, Cyd. But, you have nothing to prove if you want to do the debate from your wheelchair." Paul said. "I have everything to prove! And I will walk in and stand the entire two hours. I don't want to lose this election on the issue of 'health'". Cyd said. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The auditorium rang with the sounds of the Lee Greenwood 1980's hit "God Bless the U.S.A."--a song which many relate to the Reagan Administration. Marvin Wendell was making his entrance to the roar of his supporters. Paul and Tony helped Cyd up from her wheelchair. Handing Cyd her crutches, Paul said "Now at anytime, if you want the chair, I will bring it out." "Thank you, but I won't" Cyd said. "The Democratic candidate for mayor has an impressive record as an Agent with the F.B.I. and as Chief of Detectives with the Eastbridge police department. She has worked the last few years as Commissioner of the Oak Port, New York Police Department. We are proud to introduce Cyd Madison." The announcer of the debate said. The auditorium rang with the sound of Louis Armstrong's "When the Saints go Marching in" as Cyd Madison walked slowly towards her podium. Her supporters, excited to see their candidate walking went into excited cheers. "Madison, Madison...." the Madison crowd chanted while the Wendell supporters whispered "Look at the poor thing." The crowds began to quiet down, and the debate began. The first hour was uneventful with Marvin Wendell supporting a platform of tourism--supported of course by his "state of the art golf course" and family values while Cyd Madison spoke of Police funding and school support. "Mayor Wendell, you have made the question of 'health' a viable part of this campaign. Your campaign slogan is 'honesty, integrity, vigor'. Why do you feel this is important?" asked Becki Bailey, a local newswoman who was one of the three debate questioners. "Ms. Bailey, I work out everyday for two hours, either in the gym or on the golf course. I have to work long hours everyday to run a growing city like Eastbridge. Cyd Madison has many wonderful attributes, but I feel rightly that she is just not healthy enough to be mayor of this city. Perhaps, in a few years, Ms. Madison can run for one of the district council places." Wendell said smugly. "Your response." Becki Bailey asked Cyd. "Ms. Bailey, I also work out everyday for two hours, either at home or at the gym at the rehabilitation outpatient clinic. My medical records are public record. I am in perfect health except for a spinal cord injury I experienced last year. And, I am working with doctors who are watching my progress. Hopefully, this spring I will be a candidate of another kind... this one for experimental laser surgery to repair the injuries to my spine." Cyd said confidently. Turning to Wendell, she said. "Mr. Wendell, with all due respect, say you would have an accident...maybe fall out of your golf cart. Would you resign your position as mayor due to an accident?" Wendell responded "No, I wouldn't....the injury would have no effect on my ability to do the job." "Nor would my injury have an effect on how I would do my job." Cyd said to the roar of support of her supporters, while the Wendell side looked uncomfortable. The rest of the debate was uneventful. Soon, time was called and the candidates shook hands and called it a night. Tomorrow, after all, was election day. End of Part Two *************************************** Steps 3/3 It was a brisk autumn day in November when the good people of Eastbridge went to the polls to vote for a new mayor. Voter turnout was heavy, and the polls were too close to call who would be voted into office. Late that afternoon, Commisioner Tony Scali looked out his window and watched the sun set on a beautiful city. He felt himself lucky to live in a city like Eastbridge. Whether Cyd Madison won the election tonight or not, they were both very fortunate people. That evening, the Madison camp gathered at the Eastbridge Best Western to see the results come in. News crews were everywhere and all the citizens of Eastbridge would remember for many years little Sara Scali singing "When the Saints Go Marching In" to anchorwoman Becki Bailey. The race was as close as expected. Wendell at first had the lead, then Madison, then it went back to Wendell. As each polling station reported in, the lead would change. The rich, affluent sections of Eastbridge went to Marvin Wendell, while the younger and more progressive areas went to Cyd Madison. By two o'clock in the morning, the race was at a virtual tie with barely 12 votes separating Cyd Madison's lead from Marvin Wendell. The probate judge declared the election as undeclarable, and announced that all the votes would have to be recounted. He informed both canidates to be in his office at 1:00 the next afternoon. Cyd and Tony arrived home around 3:00 a.m. Tony quickly took little Sara off to bed, who was still singing "When the Saints Go Marching In" in her sleep. As Tony took his daughter upstairs, Cyd moved her body from her wheelchair to the couch and looked at a pair of Sara's shoes that were under the coffee table. "Tony, Sara is going to need new shoes. This weekend, we'll have to go to the mall and get some for her." Cyd said. Tony just looked at her in a certain way...a way Cyd had seen in other men in her life but not Tony. "I hope David can come home Thanksgiving. I know he has said Christmas, but I would love to see him.......Tony, what's wrong?" Cyd asked. Tony said nothing but sat down next to Cyd on the couch and began nuzzling her neck. "Oh, God...." Cyd began moaning softly then came to herself. "TONY! Stop it." Tony looked up to her with a hurt look on his face. Cyd didn't care about him in that way. "Cyd, if you want me to stop, I will." Tony said. "Tony--how can I put this? I want you..God yes, I want you. I've wanted you for a long time. But you deserve someone better than me...a woman who can satisfy you. I am only half a woman. I would only end up disappointing you." Cyd said, tears in her eyes. She had not realized until that moment how much she loved Tony. "Let me be the judge of that." Tony said. Without warning, he lifted her up into his arms and kissed her deeply. Then, he carried her to her bedroom. "God, please don't let him be disappointed. I love him too much for that." Cyd said a silent prayer as she began to recipricate her lover's attentions. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "And you call yourself half a woman...shame on you." Tony said these words to Cyd as she laid across his bare chest, her hair flowing down on his face. "Therapy is working." Cyd said straightforwardly. Cyd wondered if she had willed herself to perform or if her body had really healed itself to be able to enjoy sex. Either way, she had given and taken in ways she never had before with any man. And, most importantly, she had pleased Tony...her Tony. God, she loved the feeling of that....her Tony. "Call up Wendell and tell him he can have the mayor's job...my job, too! We'll stay in here and draw Welfare." Tony said kissing Cyd. What a woman, he thought to himself. Reality came knocking at the door. "Cyddie." A little voice belonging to Sara said. "How come your door's locked? Are you Mayor yet? Where's Daddy?" "What time is it?." Tony whispered. "7:30...we've been at this since 3:30 A.M." Cyd said. "You need to see about Sara." Tony wrapped himself in Cyd's housecoat, being the only article of clothing he could easily find. "Half a woman." he said chuckling. Tony cracked the door open just enough to see Sara. "Daddy...what are you doing in Cyddie's room? Did you have a bad dream like I have sometimes and needed Cyd to comfort you?" Sara asked. "You look funny in Cyd's housecoat." "Yes, baby, I needed Cyd to comfort me. You need to go upstairs and get dressed. We'll take you out to breakfast and then we'll go downtown and see if Cyddie is mayor...okay?" Tony said, as he hear Cyd giggle in the background. "Okay." Sara said, skipping off. "Half a woman." Tony said again, and Cyd clapped her hands and laughed loudly. ----------------------------------------------------------------- It was a quarter after one when Judge Jason Renhold finally arrived in his chambers with the results of the mayoral race. It had been a tense half hour for both candidates. "Mr. Wendell, Ms. Madison--thank you for your patience. Before we begin, I would like to say that we have been over these results with a 'fine tooth' comb and that it is the belief of this office that the results which I am about to report are valid and accurate. Both of you have ran good campaigns and it is my hope that once these results are read to you that you will be able to put aside your differences and work together for the good of Eastbridge." Judge Renhold said. The Judge continued. "The following votes were tabulated..for Marvin Wendell-- 1,234,678 votes for Mayor. For Cyd Madison--1.234,692. That is a slim lead of 14 votes, but enough to declare you as the winner...congratulations, Ms. Madison!" Tony, who has sat by Cyd's side during the precedings jumped up and kissed her cheek. Marvin Wendell mumbled something about "good luck and that he was going out now to play golf." Paul Leone said to Cyd and Tony. "There are group of supporters on the east side of the courthouse. Lets go down and give them the good news." Cyd rode in her wheelchair up to the door of the courthouse and then asked for her crutches. "Why do you want these? You have nothing to prove now." Tony said to Cyd as he helped her up. "Tony, I told you last night that you didn't deserve 'half a woman'--well, neither does Eastbridge." Cyd said as she slowly but proudly walked out to greet her supporters. "What a woman." Said Tony as he watched her shake hands and answer questions. "Yes, indeed." Agreed Paul. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Forty-two steps, Cyddie! That's what you will have to walk to marry Daddy!" Little Sara Scali said dancing around her future step-mother. "Cyd doesn't need you to count her steps for her anymore-- do you, Cyd?" Paul asked Cyd as he watched her getting ready for her wedding. "I might--I'm so nervous I might just faint." Cyd said smiling. She looked at herself in the mirror. She made a pretty sight in a tea-length ivory gown and a short modern veil. And the best thing of all--shoes with heels and no crutches! The Scali-Madison wedding was in June the year after Cyd had been elected mayor. The previous April, Cyd had experimental laser surgery on her spine..a modern day miracle. Less than 48 hours after surgery Cyd was up walking without crutches. Each day bought more and more feeling to her legs and back. Tony Scali wasn't getting half a woman, this was for sure! "I'm going to see Daddy again!" Sara said running out the door in a rush of excitement. "Be sure and come back, cutie....Cyd can't get married without a flower girl." Paul said smiling. Looking to Cyd, Paul said. "Now are you sure you won't change your mind and marry me?" Paul had always enjoyed dating Cyd and had played with the idea of marriage three years earlier. "No way!" Cyd said, smiling. She loved Paul--as a friend. "Well, then...I am going to go see if everything is ready. I'll send your father in to get you." Paul said, exiting the dressing room. Cyd looked into the mirror again...and saw herself face to face with Rachel Scali, Tony's first wife. "Rachel....." Cyd whispered. "You are going to make my family happy. I just wanted you to know that it's okay with me....I can rest now." Rachel said in a flowing voice. "Not David." Cyd said with sorrow. David had been very vocal with his disapproval when Cyd and Tony announced their engagement at Christmas. Despite the pleas of his father, David refused to come home for the wedding. "David---he will come around." Rachel said. "I only hope...it hurts Tony so badly. He tries to act like it doesn't, but I know it does." Cyd said. "He will...and you and Tony will have a beautiful life together...even another son." Rachel said. "I will see you again when you come home." "Rachel? Rachel!" Cyd called into the mirror. "Who are you talking to?" Asked Mr. Madison, Cyd's father. "A friend...a dear friend." Cyd said looking at her father, tears flowing down her checks. "Sweetheart, don't start crying. I know that Italian cop you are marrying doesn't want to see you cry." Mr. Madison said, offering his arm. "God, Baby...will you look at yourself? When I first saw you in the hospital I never thought this day would come. " Mr. Madison said proudly. "Oh, Dad," Cyd said softly. The wedding march began. Little Sara was a radiant sunshine at the beginning of the procession. Then Paul Leone entered, nervous in his new powder blue suit. He had never heard of a "Man of Honor" before. Then the bride and her father entered the chapel. Standing at the alter was a nervous looking Tony....and David. He had come home after all to stand with his father. As Cyd and her father made the slow, dignified march up the aisle Cyd whispered a silent prayer of thanksgiving. "Rachel...thank God and thank you...I now have a wonderful family." THE END