Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything from Joan of Arcadia. Just me having fun and passing the time.

Summary: Two jobs, summer vacation and a new boyfriend… How can one girl cope?

Author's Note: Wow, thanks for all the reviews! I loved them. I'm glad you're liking my story thus far. This chapter is the end of Saturday, and the beginnings of Sunday. It's been four days since Helen and the five students have left for New York. Please Read and Review. You know I love it

Alexandri: Thanks. . Reactions for Iris will probably fluctuate with this story. You're going to feel sorry for her, or want to kill her. When I first came up with the idea, it just sort of popped into mind. What would I have done if I could get away with it… Voila. I hope you will like what I do with the love-triangle throughout this story.

AL: Here you go. . For keeping my JoA obsession alive with your stories… I give you an update.

"Hey, sweetie, how'd your day go?"

"It was completely horrible! On my first day, I get in a disagreement with the Activities Director. She was being completely unreasonable. And did I mention that the lady who does the hiring is an ogre?"

"What'd you get in an argument over? Something serious? Oh Joan, did you get fired on your first day?"

"Geez, mom, I'm not that bad, am I? I just didn't like how she was handling today's activities. She chose an activity that excluded those with eye problem. Bingo? Can you believe that? I asked this one lady if she wanted to join in, not realizing that she was blind at the time…. When I found out, I figured I could help her maintain her cards. When we got to the meeting room, my boss went off the handle. I didn't say anything wrong… Just that they should have activities that everyone could enjoy."

"Good for you… Maybe tomorrow things will be better."

"I hope so. I don't know why I feel like I did something wrong…"

"Well, don't think that way. You were doing what they hired you to do – help the residents have some fun. I don't see why one person should be kept from enjoying the same things that the others do…"

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too. Anyways, how are things there?"

"Oh my, they're going better than I expected. We're cramming a lot into each day, but so far no complaints from anyone. Tomorrow, we're going to visit some historic sites; take some pictures of the architecture, any art forms we find, or anything of interest. We're also going to meet with the owner of an art gallery. He's letting us have a special night to show off their art work – either new or old, and any sales go straight to the artist. I'm looking to schedule it at the end of our stay. That'll give some of the students a chance to work on some new pieces. You know, develop things to represent this trip. An artist friend of mine is allowing us to use her studio while we're here."

Joan sat on her bed and listened to her mom ramble on, nibbling her bottom lip. She had an idea pop into her head, and she waited for her mom to finish talking before she blurted out, "Do you think it'd be alright if I came to the gallery night? You know, as a surprise?"

"I don't see why not… As long as you get the time off from your jobs. I'll let you know the dates of the show. Listen, I hate to cut this short, Joan, but I've got to get some rest. We're getting up pretty early tomorrow, and I need to be awake for it."

Joan said goodnight and hung up, wishing she had a chance to ask her mom about Adam and Iris. She sighed and curled up on bed, crying herself to sleep at the thought of Adam leaving her for Iris… Now she knew how Iris felt that day in the gym.

The next morning came too early for Joan's liking, as she dragged her weary body out of bed. She grimaced at her reflection in her vanity mirror, staring at the disheveled girl viewing back. Her hair stuck out at various points around her head in snarls, and the clothes she had worn the previous day were wrinkled and twisted about her. She made a face at her image then turned to her closet to find some clothes for another day at her new job. She selected a boring pair of khaki shorts and a pink, sleeveless t-shirt and went to the next room for a shower.

After the invigorating shower which cleared the fogginess from her mind, Joan made her way downstairs to the kitchen in time to see Kevin gather his bookbag to head to work. He mumbled a quick goodbye around a slice of toast dangling from his lips and wheeled himself outside towards his car. Joan barely acknowledged his hasty retreat before sticking her head inside the fridge for a quick breakfast of her own. She had a couple more hours before she had to work, but she had promised her brother the previous day while they were at the mall to help him with his 'win a date with Grace Polk' scheme. She hoped that all the trouble both she and him were doing would be worth it, that the dweeb would finally get Grace to admit to liking him. If not, then the summer and the upcoming school year would be a miserable time of Luke pining for Grace and Grace sarcastically rebuffing his every move. It had been amusing the first month or so, but now it was getting on Joan's nerve. She wondered if this is what Grace had meant when Adam and she first got together.

When her brother finally put in an appearance, twitching from nervousness, she asked him if he was ready and that they had so little time to do all of this before she had to work. He agreed, and they both went and gathered the shopping bags from the previous morning and left the house towards their destination. (A.N. at bottom)

The few hours that Joan spent with Luke flew by faster than she anticipated, leaving her dreading the short time she would have to go into work. She dropped him off at the house and then pulled away to go to work. She parked in the same spot she had Saturday and climbed out of her vehicle. She squared her shoulders and walked into the building looking left nor right. She went through the double doors, pausing a moment in the fear that Mrs. Johanon would be standing in the hallway waiting to slay her on the spot. When she didn't hear the cantankerous voice, she breathed a small sigh of relief then entered the unit. Like the day before, the unit was brimming with noise and activity. The nurse aides were coming and going from the residents rooms, cleaning them up after their lunch and getting them ready for the rest of the day.

Joan watched the head nurse make her rounds, dispensing various medications to each resident she checked off the list. Joan stopped in the doorway to take it all in – the residents who were already finished with medication and clean up wandering around the common rooms, chatting with friends, watching the television or reading magazines and books provided by donations from the library or the staff itself. Joan smiled when she saw Phyllis in the same position as she was before, and she walked over to say hello. She didn't know what it was about the older woman that drew her in, but she had the same aura that she had felt when dealing with God. The only difference was that Phyllis didn't push her buttons like God did, but then again, Phyllis was more tangible.

The old woman must have sensed her approach for she turned her head in Joan's direction with a questioning smile on her face. "Why, is that the nice Miss Girardi?"

"Yeah… How'd you- Ah… sorry."

"Oh dear. Don't you be guarding your words to me, now… How'd I know it was you? Well, you've got the same perfume that you wore yesterday on. Plus you have an unique way of walking."

"You can tell all that?" Joan's eyes widened in surprise and interest. Although she may be without sight, it didn't seem to bother her much. Joan wished the same could happen for her brother. Although he was dealing with his handicap better these days, she knew it still bothered him. She wondered if someday he would get to the point that Phyllis was at. She hoped so.

"That I can… that I can. So what brings you by? Working today?"

"Yeah… I'm not sure what is planned. I haven't seen Mrs. Mayers yet."

"She's probably still in the room with Betsy cursing up a storm for yesterday."

"I was afraid that she would…"

"Don't let it bother you none. You don't worry about a thing like Christine Mayers. That girl isn't impressing nobody with her haughty airs, let me tell you. I never did like the girl and the way she acted since she first started working here. She stays out of mine, and I pretend that she isn't there most of the time."

Joan couldn't contain the laughter at Phyllis' words, liking this woman immensely. She had come to work in a bad mood, but the short while in Phyllis' company, and her outlook changed dramatically.

"Ahhh, does a body good to hear young people laughing. Always brightened my day to hear my Angie laughing and playing with her friends or toys. Kept a body alive, it did…."

"If you don't mind me asking… where's Angie now?"

"She's with her father now… She's gone home. But I'll be seeing them both real soon. She was a beautiful girl. Full of promise and spunk. She took after me more than she did her father." Phyllis chuckled to herself at only something she could see. "Poor man, having to put up with the two of us. I'm surprised he didn't run for the hills at the first chance he got. He was a good man. A fine man."

Joan stood there listening to the woman talk about her dearly departed loved ones and felt envious at what this woman had. She wanted all of that some day… a husband, children, happiness. She sighed, her thoughts drifting to Adam and their precarious relationship.

"Now dear, why don't you pull up a seat and you tell me what's on your mind. No body sighs like that without having their soul in turmoil."

Joan grabbed a nearby chair and brought it to rest next to Phyllis' wheelchair. She sat down and paused a moment before speaking.

"I don't know… This past year has been confusing. I met this boy at school… and at first, I didn't really know him. I just thought he was this stoner kid at school. But then we had a similar class and became friends, and I realized what he was really like. Some bad things happened and I lost his friendship for awhile. Then we made up, but I messed it up again by refusing to date him when he asked me. So, he started dating this other girl… And it made me realize how much I cared for him. I thought I would never get the chance to be with him, but over two weeks ago, him and I talked and he had broken up with his girlfriend and wanted to be with me. I said yes, and I thought we were happy together. But I'm plagued with so much doubts now…."

"It seems that way. What's causing you to doubt him, child?"

"He went away for a month on this art thing with my mom and four other students. One of the other kids is his ex-girlfriend. He's only been gone four days, but I miss him so much. I tried calling him, but he was never in his room. Last night, I thought I'd give it one more try, but instead of getting him, I get his ex-girlfriend. It was late, and I don't know why she was in there… But I can't help wondering if they're together while I'm stuck back here not knowing-"

"Stop right there… Has this boy ever said or done anything to make you think he would leave you? You've been through so much from the sound of it… So why do you think he would just drop you for this girl? The girl he had before but left FOR you. My dear… I may not know the boy or what all the circumstances you are in, but I can tell that you're all twisted up inside with this issue that you aren't thinking clearly. Now, I remember a time when my William and I were having such problems. It was quite a long time ago, back when you had to have your daddy's permission before you could come court a girl. William, bless his heart, he came calling to my daddy to court me. He was just out of highschool, and I was couple years younger than he, and my daddy thought it was best that we wait a bit. He wanted to make sure that William was stable enough to support me, and that I had a bit of an education behind me to rely on. That way I wouldn't be depended on no man to make my way."

"William agreed and went off to college, but he wrote me everyday. He told me how things were at school, and how much he missed me. Well, I couldn't take the separation for very long, so I decided to make a visit to him. I didn't tell my pa or anybody, because I didn't want them standing in the way of me and William. I rode the bus the few hours to the neighboring town where William was going to school. I wandered around asking people if they knew where he was. They told me to try the dining area, and I did… And you know what I saw? I saw William and a girl sitting side-by-side at a table, laughing and talking as if they were lovers. I ran from that room without saying a thing to him. I cried all the way home on the bus, and I hid myself in my room for a few days. My pa found out I had left without leaving a note and told me I could have no contact with William for awhile. At that point, it didn't bother me none. I was all heart-broken at what I had thought I had seen that I didn't want to speak to him ever again."

"What happened?" Joan was sitting at the edge of her seat, her hands gripping Phyllis' wheelchair arm.

"William sent letter after letter, and after my grounding was over, my father gave me the notes. I didn't read them for awhile, and by then William was home on break. He came around to the house and convinced my daddy to let him sit a spell and talk with me. I reluctantly agreed, deciding that I was going to tell him what I saw and that I didn't want nothing to do with him. I'm glad I talked to him, because it was all a misunderstanding. The woman he was talking to was a friend of his. That day that I saw them, she was announcing her engagement to him. She was marrying his roommate… I was so happy, that despite my father's protests that we wait, we got married that weekend. I have never regretted that time at all."

"That was… beautiful…"

"Thank you, dear. All I'm saying is that give that boy a chance. It may not be what you think it is… Now, you best get ready. Mrs. Mayers is coming."

Joan stood up and returned the chair, and waited for the Activities Director to enter the unit. In no time at all, Christine appeared with Betsy Johanon trailing behind. The look on Christine's face made Joan worry… This couldn't be good.

A quick note. I have a feeling that this story will go on pretty long with chapters, etc. So, I'm deciding whether or not to create an off-shoot of this story with what Grace and Luke do while Joan is dealing with her summer problems. Let me know what you guys think. If you want it within this story, I'll elaborate further in the next chapter on Luke's plan.