This is a little story I wrote a few years ago.  At that time, I was a coffee addict, too.  Um, I did mention I wrote it a few years ago, right?  It's decent, but for a 14 year old (that's how old I was then), not for me now.  Ok, enough babble... ENJOY!!!!

"You're going to do WHAT!!" asked Andrew, surprise showing in his green eyes.

"Tomorrow, I'm giving up coffee for the day. No coffee for me," said Monica with a look of confidence on her face.

"Let me get this straight, Angel Girl. You are giving up coffee for a day? After you said that you couldn't even think about going without it for an hour?" asked Tess, surprise obvious in her mocha colored face and dark brown eyes. She looked at her fair-skinned friend, shaking her head.

"Well, it's not that big of a deal," said Monica, as specks of light seemed to bounce off her Irish lit.       

"It is for you, Angel Girl. I'm prayng for you big time. You sure need it. I'm watching you all day tomorrow to make sure you go through with this promise," said Tess, with an almost devious grin on her face. "This I have to see," she said under her breath.

When Monica went to the restroom of the tiny diner the trio was sitting in, Andrew turned to Tess and said, "Did she just say that she is giving up coffee for a whole day?"

"I think so. I'm just as wowed as you are. I think that she is trying to prove that she isn't as addicted to coffee as she thinks she is. I just hope that she isn't thinking too much," she said with a slight shake of her head, making her dark brown and silver streaked hair move ever so slightly.

"I just hope she knows what she is doing. Can you imagine her without coffee for 12 hours, much less a whole day?" he said, as sunlight suddenly fell on his short spiky blonde hair, making him glow. He chuckled, which made Tess chuckle, and soon after they were laughing so hard, that they had to hold their stomachs. They stopped when Monica came back.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"We were just thinking about you and this no coffee thing. Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked as he wiped away his tears from his giggle fest with Tess.

"Yes, I know what I'm doing. Why do you doubt me? Have you no faith in me?" she said as tears threatened to fall from her beautiful brown eyes.

"Oh, Angel Girl. We didn't mean to hurt your feelings," said Tess, giving Monica a big hug.

"You'll see that I can make it tomorrow without coffee. I promise you, you'll see."

"Monica, come on. Wake up!" said Andrew cheerfully to a grouchy Monica.    

"What is it, Andrew?" she snapped at the angel.

"It is just about eight o'clock, and it's time to get up. It's not me saying that. Tess's orders," he said cautiously to Monica.

"OK. OW! My head hurts, and I'm so tired. Need coffee," she said fatigued.

"No coffee. Remember your promise," said Andrew with a smile.

"Oh yeah. No coffee," she said pathetically.     

"Get up, Angel Girl," said Tess slightly more cheerfully that Monica felt.

"I am up!" yelled Monica. "I'm sorry I yelled at you Tess," she said when she saw her friend's hurt face.

"That's OK, baby. I knew you'd be cranky, but I guess that I have to get used to you being THIS cranky," tsked Tess.

"Like I said, I'm sorry," said Monica, close to tears. "My head hurts, and I feel so tired!" wailed Monica. "I need coffee so bad. Why did I think that I could ever go without my heavenly brew in the mornings?"

"Listen, Angel Girl. You don't need to prove anything to Andrew or me. Just prove it to yourself. You can have coffee if you need it," said Tess gently and encouragingly to Monica.

"Yeah, Monica. Do you want a cup of coffee?" asked Andrew.

"No. I promised that I'd make it. No coffee," she said, knitting her brows together and crumpling her face together. She wasn't thrilled about it, but she knew she had some reason for going without coffee.

It was noon, and Monica was grouchier than ever.

"It's the Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland," said Tess under her breath, referring to a favorite movie of one of her previous assignments. Monica was practically falling asleep whenever she got the chance.

"Monica, wake up," said Andrew shaking his friend ever so slightly.

"What! What! I'm up. Why won't ya let me sleep? Need sleep," said Monica dozing off again.

"Monica, I'm going to keep you awake even if you hurt me physically. Like punching me on the arm, but that won't hurt me too much. You're too tired to put all of your strength in the punch," said Andrew winking at Monica.

"GGRR!" growled Monica. Her eyes were dark and surrounded by rings. "I'll have you know that I can be strong when I'm tired." She reared back and gave Andrew a punch with all she had. "YOW! My hand!" she said as she started to cry. "I need coffee!"    

"Oh Monica! Sh. Come here friend," said Andrew, looking at his friend with pain at his heart. He gave her a huge hug. Monica wept in Andrew's arms.

"I just can't do it, but I need to!" wailed Monica. "I have a feeling that I'll need this expertise for a future assignment, but I can't even do it," she said, crying harder.

"Shh, Monica, it's all right. Yes, you can give up coffee for a day," said Andrew.

"No I can't!!!"

"Did you pray to the Father for strength?" asked Tess with a scolding tone in her voice.

"No. Oh Tess, I'm so ashamed! I knew that I should've done that this morning instead snapping at you two like a turtle," she said, lowering her head like a hurt puppy.

"Ok then. We're going for a ride," said Tess. "That is what we need to do."     

"Ok," said Monica, looking worse than ever.

Tess drove the heavenly trio to a park in the city.

"Here we are," said Tess.

"Hey guys, I'll be right back," said Monica.

"Ok, baby. Just take your time," said Tess with a huge grin on her face. Monica went off by herself to a secluded place in the park.

"Dear Father. Forgive me for forgetting the one most important person that I needed to survive this day. Please, Father, give me the strength to survive without coffee today. Thank you. Love, Monica. Amen." she finished her prayer with a renewed sense of happiness and strength.

"Hey guys! I'm back. Who wants to go out for a late lunch?" asked Monica with a grin on her face.

"Are you going to get coffee?" asked Andrew. 

"No, I don't need it. I will tomorrow morning, but now I just want something to eat. I'm hungry!"

"Now that's my Angel Girl!" said Tess with a contented sigh as a dove flew from a beautiful magnolia tree.

~*~*~*~

Peace be with you!