The Apple Doesn’t Fall Too Far...

“Charlotte! What happened to your eye?!” exclaimed DiDi.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” said Charlotte nervously. “I’m just clumsy… I tripped on the area rug when I got out of bed this morning and banged my head on the armoire when I tried to catch my balance.”

“Wow, that’s quite a shiner,” said DiDi. “How do you feel? Have you been to the doctor? Do you need me to take you? Would you rather cancel the meeting for another time?

"In answer to your questions," said Charlotte: “Fine...Yes...No... and NO!”

“So you’ve been to the doctor?

“Well, not exactly,” said Charlotte. "Clive called her right after it happened and I’m following the instruction she gave him...to keep ice on the eye and just ‘shake it off’.”

“Shake it off?” asked DiDi. “That was her professional advice? What does that mean, exactly?”

“Oh, you know," said Charlotte, “Not to take it – or myself – so seriously...to just get on with things as normal.”

“Un, hunh...” said DiDi, trying hard not to sound suspicious, “you said Clive talked to her...did you get to talk to her at all?

“I talked to her and that was enough,” said Clive, suddenly appearing from around the corner.

Without missing a beat, DiDi checked her concerns and turned on the charm.

“Oh, Clive, I’m sure you attended to Charlotte as devotedly as any husband could, but it’s a MOM thing, you know? We Moms tend to be very protective...even of other people’s children.”

“Well, no, I don’t know, actually, since I was sent to off to boarding school at a very early age...but I do look forward to finding out someday, soon, when Charlotte becomes a mother.”

“Charlotte! Are you...?” asked DiDi.

“Oh, no...not yet,” said Charlotte shyly.

“But it’s certainly not for lack of trying, is it, darling?” said Clive with a smile (that looked almost like a sneer), as he kissed Charlotte on the forehead.

“Well, ladies, this morning’s incident has already made me late for my meeting, so let me say ‘adieu’ and be off. DiDi, I trust that I’m leaving Charlotte in good hands with you since you’re a...mother.

Somehow “mother” lost all its maternal feelings when Clive said it.

“Sure thing!” promised DiDi, attempting an ingratiating smile.

Clive turned to DiDi to shake her hand. Suddenly DiDi saw an opportunity...

“I hate to be a ‘mother’ again, Clive, but hold still for a minute; it appears that in attending to Charlotte, you were unable to properly attend to yourself.”

“What?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, just a few stray hairs on your shoulder...here, let me brush them off for you. We can’t let Skye and Raven Whitney’s son-in-law go to a meeting un-groomed.”

Before Clive could protest, DiDi swept into action...literally.

Sweeping two stray hairs from Clive’s shoulder, DiDi quickly linked arms with him and began walking with him to the door.

“There you go...now you’re perfect,” said DiDi, as she opened the door and ushered Clive out. “And don’t give Charlotte a second thought, I’ve got everything under control.”

Closing the door, DiDi leaned against it and pulled a plastic sandwich bag out of her pocket. Tucking Clive’s two stray hairs carefully inside, she gingerly tucked it back into her pocket and strolled confidently back into Charlotte’s library, assured that her true mission had been accomplished.

“Now, Charlotte, m’dear...where were we?”

To be continued...

***

Mariann Aalda played DiDi Bannister-Stoner on Edge of Night from 1981 to its final episode on December 28, 1984. She also played Grace Battles on Guiding Light and Lena Hart on Sunset Beach on daytime and starred in the primetime series The Royal Family and First & 10 and recurred or guest-starred on such shows as Designing Women, Grace Under Fire and The Parkers, among others. With a penchant for comedy, she's also done stand-up in clubs across the country and is the co-creator of M.O.I.S.T.! -- the "sex-istential" comedy-with-music celebrating the seasoned woman -- which she co-wrote/produced/performs with Iona Morris (ex-Fiona Griffin, As The World Turns).

Fruit from the Poisonous Tree

Despite not wanting to, DiDi, Chris and Mitzi believed what Alicia Van Dine just told them…that her brother, Louis, had had some of his cellular DNA cryogenically preserved before he died in the hopes that he could be someday cloned…and that that day had happened 28 years ago.

Science had finally caught up with science fiction…the timeline was even documented when they went online to do some research on cloning.

Cloning Milestones:

1938
Cloning envisioned. Dr. Hans Spemann (Germany) proposed an experiment to remove the nucleus from an unfertilized egg and replace it with the nucleus from a differentiated cell.

1953
Structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) discovered by Francis C. Crick (U.K.) and James D. Watson (U.S.).

1970
Dr. John B. Gurdon (U.K.) clones a frog by transplanting the intestinal cell of a tadpole into an enucleated frog egg, which develops into an adult frog.

1973
First successful gene splicing (recombinant DNA) by Paul Berg and Stanley N. Cohen (U.S.). A major breakthrough in genetic engineering.

1978
Birth of first child, conceived by in vitro (literally “in glass”) fertilization to Leslie Brown (U.K.).

1980
U.S. Supreme Court rules that a genetically created new bacterium (a non-natural man-made microorganism) may be patented.

1984
Dr. Steen M. Willadsen (Denmark) clones a lamb from a developing sheep embryo cell. His experiment is repeated by other scientists who clone a variety of animals.

1994
Dr. Ned First (U.S.) clones calves from cells of early embryos.

1995
Drs. Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell (U.K.) create the world's first cloned sheep, Megan and Morag, from embryo cells.

1996
Dr. Ian Wilmut and his team clone the world's the first sheep from adult cells. The lamb born in July 1996 is named Dolly.

1997
Scientists at Oregon Regional Primate Research Center (U.S.) create first primates—two rhesus monkeys named Neti and Ditto—from DNA taken from cells of developing monkey embryos. They are not genetically identical because two different embryos were used.

1997
A team led by Drs. Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell (U.K.) create the first sheep with a human gene in every cell of its body. The genetically engineered lamb is named Polly.

1999
Dr. Gerald Schatten (U.S.) leads a team of researchers who become the first to create a clone (Tetra, a rhesus monkey) by embryo splitting.

1999
Dr. Xiangzhong Yang leads a U.S. experiment to clone calves from frozen cells taken from a Japanese bull. The experiment is successful and proves that cells can be stored for later cloning.

2000
The first patents for cloning are given to the scientists who cloned Dolly, giving their company, Geron Bio-med, exclusive right to the technologies they used.

2000
Japanese scientists clone a baby bull from a bull that was a clone itself, the first re-cloning case involving a large mammal.

2000
Five piglets are cloned by a company the eventually wants to reproduce organs for humans.

2001
Scientists at Advanced Cell Technology in Massachusetts clone human embryos for the first time.

2001
President Bush limits federally funded human embryonic stem cell research to stem cell lines that have already been created.

2001
A cat, called C.C. for “carbon copy” is cloned by a company that wants to go into business reproducing pets.

2002
California becomes the first U.S. state to approve a law legalizing the therapeutic cloning of embryos.

2003
Britain becomes the first country to issue research licences for human embryonic cloning to create stem cells. It specifies therapeutic, not reproductive, cloning.

2004
Britain announces the first embryonic stem cell bank.

2005
South Korea clones a dog names Snuppy, Dogs are considered particularly difficult to clone because of the complex reproductive biology.

Read more: Cloning Milestones — Infoplease.com

“And that’s just the stuff that was documented,” thought DiDi, driving over to Charlotte Whitney-Dosvanmangia’s house the following week, “God only knows what was going on that the scientists didn’t let us know about.”

The biggest doubt DiDi had was that the clone would have been delivered to full term around 27 years ago, however Charlotte’s husband – the alleged clone – appeared to be much older. But, as Alicia had explained…

“Remember, it’s a COPY, so there’s bound to be some degeneration of the original DNA material.”

It made sense...it also made the prospect that much more terrifying. Because if the exterior was so noticeably degenerating, what was happening on the inside? In particular, what was happening with his mind?

What happens when the mind of a crazed degenerate degenerates? DiDi shuddered at the prospects.

So, now, here she was, driving over to Charlotte’s, ostensibly to interview her about the upcoming Valentine’s Day fundraiser benefiting the Heart Association, but in truth, to find something of Clive Dosvanmangia’s that might have his DNA on it that she could get to the lab to verify Alicia’s story.

Charlotte was spearheading the event and DiDi was going to do a feature article about it for her column in the Monticello Gazette, the newspaper that Skye Whitney owned. She‘d asked Charlotte if she could interview Clive, as well, since he was making such a large financial contribution to the project and Clive had agreed.

DiDi took a deep breath as the gates opened to the exclusive Wonderland Estates. She would have to draw on all her skills as a former attorney, whenever she had to call a lying witness’ bluff in the courtroom.

“Calm and composed…just stay calm and composed,” she kept telling herself as she walked up the stairs and pressed the doorbell of Charlotte’s mansion. Within seconds, an unnerved Charlotte opened the door.

“Charlotte! What happened to your eye?!”

To Be Continued…

***

Mariann Aalda played DiDi Bannister-Stoner on Edge of Night from 1981 to its final episode on December 28, 1984. She also played Grace Battles on Guiding Light and Lena Hart on Sunset Beach on daytime and starred in the primetime series The Royal Family and First & 10 and recurred or guest-starred on such shows as Designing Women, Grace Under Fire and The Parkers, among others. With a penchant for comedy, she's also done stand-up in clubs across the country and is the co-creator of M.O.I.S.T.! -- the "sex-istential" comedy-with-music celebrating the seasoned woman -- which she co-wrote/produced/performs with Iona Morris (ex-Fiona Griffin, As The World Turns).

For Auld Lang Syne -- Will She “Tak’ a Cup o’ Kindness“…Yet?

The ringing in of New Year’s Eve had seen DiDi making a toast to Chris Egan and Gavin Wiley in celebration of their marriage… and pondering what to do with the information Alicia Van Dine had presented her just a few short weeks before.

She was glad that Chris and Mitzi had been with her to witness what Alicia had to say, otherwise no one would have believed it…

FLASHBACK TO…

“So, basically, that’s it, ladies,” said Alicia contritely (and seemingly sincerely). “I take full responsibility for my nefarious activities of the past and I’m trying to make restitution not only for my sins, but also for my brother's, with what I have to tell you now.

“Before his death, my brother Louis had some of his DNA frozen in anticipation of the time when the technology for cloning humans would be perfected.”

Transfixed by what they had just heard, DiDi, Chris and Mitzi sat there speechless… a highly unusual state for this usually talkative trio.

“I’m not quite sure how to read the looks on your faces,” said Alicia, “but it’s imperative that you believe me.”

Chris was the first one to snap out of it: “Are you kidding me? After all the havoc you reeked on this town…”

“And with all of your lies and deceit…” interrupted Mitzi.

“Do you REALLY expect us believe you?!” concluded DiDi.

“In all honesty, no I didn’t,” said Alicia. “That’s why I brought you proof.”

“Oh, this oughtta be interesting,” Chris chortled.

“Are you trying to tell us that modern technology has unleashed a baby Louis Van Dine on us somewhere?” asked DiDi.

“Oh, I saw that in a movie once!” exclaimed Mitzi. “It was really scary… couldn’t sleep for days afterwards. John Rubinstein was in it, though… I had the biggest crush on him ever since I saw him on Broadway in Pippin…but it still gave me nightmares.”

In unison, Chris and DiDi both admonished: “Mitzi!!!”

“Sorry, I just got a little carried away,” said Mitzi. “Alicia, please, continue.”

“Nooooo,” said Alicia slowly, “he’s not a baby.”

“What are you saying?!” DiDi asked anxiously.

“It was almost thirty years ago that Louis embarked on a quest to clone himself when he discovered that he was infertile and would never be able to have children the regular way. Every couple months he would go to Switzerland where he’d have cells scraped from the inside of his cheek so that scientists could begin experimenting. He was hoping to see himself cloned before he died.”

“And?” asked Chris.

“It didn’t happen.”

“Thank God,” said DiDi.

“Before he died, that is.”

Again, the women were transfixed.

“Shortly after Louis’ death, cells were successfully cloned and impregnated -- or I guess ‘incubated’ would be a better term -- into seven young women. Six of them miscarried… but one of them carried to full term.

“Fortunately, I was able buy off someone in the lab to destroy the remaining cloned cells so that there could never be a second go-round at it,” said Alicia, “but unfortunately, I lost track of the woman who gave birth. Louis left instructions to a cadre of his followers on what to do once a clone was born…and more than enough money to have his wishes carried out.

“These people were all as crazy as my brother…just waiting for the “reborn” Louis Van Dine to reach adulthood so that he could fulfill the ’original’ Louis’ plan of world domination. I’ve spent my life trying to track this woman down. She died last year…but the boy…or rather, the man now lives in Monticello.”

“Yikes” squeeled Mitzi, “this is even scarier than the movie!”

“Yes, it is,” said DiDi, suddenly very calm -- as the before an impending storm -- “because it’s real.”

“You said you had proof,” said Chris, “where is it?”

“I want you to swab the inside of my cheek for DNA and take it to a lab so that you have your own results. Meanwhile, you need to collect a sample from my brother’s clone and take them to a lab so that you can compare the results. They should be a match and prove to you that I’m telling the truth.”

“And from whom exactly are we supposed to collect this sample?” asked DiDi

“You met him the other night, DiDi…you were in his home. He’s Sky and Raven’s son-in-law…he’s married to their daughter, Charlotte.”

TO BE CONTINUED!

* * * * *

Six-Degrees-of-Separation Trivia: Irving Allen Lee, who played Det. Calvin Stoner on EON co-starred on Broadway with John Rubinstein (who appeared in the movie, The Boys from Brazil, that Mitzi refers to) when he took over the role of “Leading Player” from Ben Vereen in the Pippin.

Mariann Aalda played DiDi Bannister-Stoner on Edge of Night from 1981 to its final episode on December 28, 1984. She also played Grace Battles on Guiding Light and Lena Hart on Sunset Beach on daytime and starred in the primetime series The Royal Family and First & 10 and recurred or guest-starred on such shows as Designing Women, Grace Under Fire and The Parkers, among others. With a penchant for comedy, she's also done stand-up in clubs across the country and is the co-creator of M.O.I.S.T.! -- the "sex-istential" comedy-with-music celebrating the seasoned woman -- which she co-wrote/produced/performs with Iona Morris (ex-Fiona Griffin, As The World Turns).