Chapter 3a "The Flu"

October 2, 2000



5:55 a.m. -  Tany walks onto the elevator.

Tany, Sabrina, Rebecca and Biff walk off the elevator and waiting for them are two limos. One is for Biff, Tany, Jonny and the band.  The Other is for everyone else.  Biff holds the door for Tany, she climbs in.  Jonny and the other band members are already in there.  Tany slides over and Biff climbs in.  

"It's about time, don't you think we should be on time."  
"Shut up, I don't see you running five miles a day."  "Wow, Tany you run five miles everyday." Tisha said, not wanting Jonny and Tany to fight.  
"She only does it so she will look good in front of the camera."  
"Come on guys lets not fight, let's have a relaxing ride." Cale piped in.  
"Jonny, you should run, it might help with your problem."  There was a hush in the limo.  Suddenly everyone started to laugh.  
"I will run five miles when you lift 200 lbs." Jonny dared.  Tany not wanting to accept the challenge, "Nope I like running."

6:25 a.m. - Arrive at Rackerfeller Plaza.

Biff opens the door, The Band climbs out first, then Jonny and then Tany.  A woman wearing a headset usher the band away.  A man with the similar stuff ushered Tany and Jonny into an area behind the stage.  Mark comes over and tells them his questions and says what his cue will be.  Sabrina, Al and Biff are the only ones allowed on the set.  Sabrina brings a comb and fluffs Tany's hair a bit.  Rebecca and Jenny are in the building watching from the green room.  Tany is freezing.  Biff wraps his arms around her to try and keep her warm.  Her outfit wasn't really warm, but it was pretty warm outside.  

6:55 a.m.  Jonny and Tany are again ushered to where they would be singing.  Tany sees that the band is already there and she wonders how long they have been there.  Mark is next to Tany he puts his arm around her.  Let me just say that this was very strange for Tany.  She wasn't use to other men putting their hands on her.  Should she put her hand on him.  "It's O.k. I won't bite."  Tany froze a little then relazed.  "After the break we will be joined by "The Connors"."  "And We're out."  A guy wearing a headset said.  

7:00 a.m. -  Mark who had let his hand drop was now holing Tany again.  She held a microphone.  Mark interviewed both Jonny and Tany.            "Here to sing their newest single "Reason" "The Connors"". With that Mark left the stage and Jonny started to play. Tany sang for the first time that day.

7:10a.m.- They were off to GMA.  Tany was freezing.

7:20 a.m.- They were escorted to the studio.  Everyone was allowed to be there this time. Sabrina had gotten Tany some more tea with honey and lemon.  It wasn't helping her warm up.  Biff was trying but it wasn't working.  Tany was actually starting to feel ill.  But the show must go on.  Jonny could see she wasn't feeling good.

7:25 a.m. - Tany and Jonny are in their places and   Deann Sayer interviews them and then they are off, Tany singing for the second time that day.

7:35 a.m.- "The Connors are allowed to sign autographs, so they pause and walk down a line to do so.  Tany gets several pictures taken of her and fans.  Jonny signs a teddy bear, and a girls shirt on her back.  

7:55 a.m.- Once again they load up into the limo and head to their next interview.  Tany is really starting to feel sick.  She is feeling nauseated.  Sabrina looks at Biff for guidance.  
"Tany are you sick?"  Jonny turns toward her.  Just then she grabs the ice bucket and throws up.  No one in the limo says anything.  Tany throws up again.  She is really feeling sick.  Biff puts his hand on her forehead, "Tany you are burning up."  Tany nods, Biff using his talkie "We are pulling over at the next grocery store."  

8:10 a.m.- After Biff went shopping for some stuff, they did some rearranging, Tany, Biff, Jonny, Sabrina, Jenny and Rebecca are now in one limo and the band is in the other.  Tany has a seat to herself.  The Limo driver has a blanket that she uses.  They also found a bucket for her to use.  She took some tylenol and pepto.  She is also sipping some juice.  

8:25 a.m.  They pull up to their next stop.  Tany will rest until it is time to go on.  Jenny tells Jonny to make the excuse that she is touching up her make-up, which isn't a lie.  Sabrina is covering up her pasty white skin.  Tany is laying on the couch in the green room when her phone rings.  She hesitanly answers it.  "Tania, you look ill are you ok?"  It was Ciera, her mother.  "No, Mom, I am not feeling good."  "You need rest minha."  "I don't know when, The show must go on."  "Aw, Tania, you can't cancel your appearances?"  "No, we need to get our name out there."  "Do you want me to fly up there?"  "No, Mom, I will be ok..................."  Ciera hears throwing up.  Ciera tells Tany she will be up there in about two hours.  Tany just sighs.

8:30 a.m.  They are at the New York studio for MTV.  She sits on a stool and Jonny starts.  She sings for the fourth time that day.  Her voice is clear as a bell.  No one suspects she is sick.  

8:40 a.m. Again they load up into the limo, Tany's stomach is still not letting up.  She is still running a fever, but she is fighting with everything she has to just throw in the towel.  Jonny starts to see something in his sister he has never seen.  He is starting to realize that she is much stronger than he thought.  A seed is planted, in his mind.

9:15 a.m.  They are escorted again into the green room of Regis and Kelly.  Tany lounges on the big chair.  Rebecca ran to get her some gatorade.  So she doesn't dehydrate.  She is sipping her tea, when there is a soft knock on the door. Biff answers it.  It's Calvin.  He is in town promoting his new TV show.  Biff explains to Calvin that she is really ill and that Calvin may not want to get close.  Calvin doesn't care, Tany is a good friend of his.  He walks in Tany's eyes are closed and she seems to be concentrating.  He puts his hand on her hand.  She looks up, she smiles and then she sat up quick and threw up in her bucket.  Calvin makes a disgusted look but holds her hair back for her.  Sabrina rubs her back.  "Tany maybe we should cancel, hun?"  Biff agrees.  Tany slowly and precisly, "No, we have to get our names out there."  "Yes, but at what cost, Mouth?"  "I am the only one that is sick, and since I am the leader of the band, then I say NO!!"  she slumps back down.  "Tany, we can just reschedule."  She moans and then throws up again.  Calvin is up next, before he leaves Sabrina tells him not to say anything.

9:25 a.m.  Calvin was asked about his new relationship and he answered.  They asked him if he was still friends with Tany and he said "Of Course, we make better buddies than we do lovers."  Kelly asked if he saw her, "Yes, I saw that she was here and I went into her room. She looks great."  Tany and Jonny are now on set and ready to sing for the fourth time.  Tany is using ever ounce of her strength.  She sits on a stool and sings, yet again.

9:45 a.m.  They sign more autographs and take pictures.  Tany is exhausted and sick.  One fan sticks out in Tany's mind, he looks to be about sixteen or seventeen.  When asked Tany for her autograph and could her get a picture, Tany smiles.  "My name is Michael Lee and I am the owner of the Tany Connors website."  She smiles, she has never seen it. Actually she is just a little creeped out by it. But, after they take the picture.  She has Biff get his name and email address.  He also gives her a bunny.  Little did he know that bunny became very special in her life.  She hands the bunny to Biff.  She gets into the limo.  She ask Biff to give her the bunny.  He hands it to her and watches as she brushes it against her skin.  Some of her color is coming back.  

10:12 a.m.  They climb back into the limo and head to their last interview for the morning.  Tany holds on to Micheal's bunny.

10:35 am.  They pull up to studio, Tany hands Biff the bunny and tells him to take care of it.  She is still running a fever and is still very sick but she isn't as nauseous as before.  She thinks it's because she has no stomach.  Tany climbs out and Jonny follows.  Jonny is extremely proud of his sister and calls a Doctor to see her at their break.  

10:55 a.m.  Tany is escorted to where she will be singing Jonny again is right behind her.  Tany could see biff was talking on his phone.  She was wondering who he was talking too.  Al too was talking on his phone.  She is so nosey, she was trying to read their mouths.  She of course was loosing.  They were in the Sunny day studio, a New York state TV station.  Tany wasn't paying attention and the counter man, got to one, when Jonny tapped Tany on the shoulder.  She snapped a quick smile on her face.  Again they did an interview and again she sang.  Tom the shows anchor, shook hands with her and Jonny and thanked them for coming on the show.  Tany was starting to realize that this was a relationship she was building with the reporters.  This was new and yet very exciting to her.  Tom thanked them, when she should be thanking him.  Which Jonny did. That's why Mark put his hand around her.

You can watch "The Reason" video here !

Thanks for reading!!