Soon Monday came, and hope of a better, brighter, and fuller day filled the air.

Monica hoped that this would be a much more progressive week than the past one had been. She had to admit that she was anxious to get over this last assignment. When she arrived at the school the next morning; she realized that there was a plethora of people around her. She hoped that she had not arrived late, for she had forgotten her watch. Carrying several large textbooks was proving quite difficult for her, and like so many others fighting the traffic in the same halls; she found herself constantly running into people. First she was walking, her books secure in her hands, and then suddenly she found them scattered all over the floor. She tried to bend down to pick them up, but she couldn't. But she discovered a pleasant surprise. Someone had leaned down to help her pick them up. She glanced at her, somewhat surprised to find that this person was not a student or a teacher, but someone she knew very well.

"Sophie!"

"Monica!" They hugged.

"What on earth are you doing here?"

"I'm teaching history. Right now we're discussing, what else, the Kennedy Assassination." Monica laughed.

"So what brings you here?"

"I'm not exactly sure. I am to be on the lookout for my assignment, but I haven't been told anything else. I think that I'm just here to pass the time until my baby comes."

"And how long will that be?" She asked as they walked along.

"Any day now."

"Well, I'm glad you're here."

"Me too."

"Is this your first?"

"No, this is my third."

"That is great Monica, I'm so happy for you." She said as the bell rang and the two parted until lunch.

……………………………

"So," Monica asked over lunch, (which she'd really been looking forward to by the way), "what brings you to New York?"

"I became a teacher and I always wanted to see New York, so why not move here?"

"But, what about the house, and the town, and.."

"Oh everything is going great there, the town is reestablished, everyone is doing great, but I needed a change of scenery."

"I understand."

"Anyway, where have you been all these years? I haven't seen you in about twelve years or so."

"Oh, I've been around, I've been here, there, everywhere!" She laughed.

"What about your children? Do you have pictures of your children?"

"Oh, yes," Monica said, pulling a small photo album out of her wallet. "Tessa is fifteen, Zoe is nine…"

"You had a family the last time I saw you? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it didn't seem fitting, and there was never really an opportunity for it."

"Do you want another girl?" Monica smiled and nodded a little.

"I really don't have a preference, but if I could choose I'd want a girl."

"Are you going to work on the school's homecoming carnival."

"Oh, I wasn't aware there was one."

"Oh, well you must."

"I don't know if I…well, I suppose I could." She smiled.

"Are you nervous about the baby at all?"

"What, you mean about having it, kind of I mean this is my third time, it isn't as though I don't know what to expect. But yes, I am a wee bit nervous as I suppose most people are."

"Well I sure am glad I won't be there when it happens, but I'd love to see the baby and meet your whole family."

"That would be lovely, but just out of curiousity, why are you glad you won't be there when I have my baby?"

"Because I'm sceared of people in pain."