"What's going on Aunt Gloria?" Tessa asked when she caught up to her.

"Where, here or home?"

"Both now that I think of it."

"Well, this is my first assignment since the twins were born, I am so excited."

"Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"How is my Mom?"

"Oh, that?"

………………….

Forget having an assignment to take her mind off of having the baby, how about just having the baby? It was, after all August and much, much to hot for much more of this. But what could she do but pray and endure? After a few more days had passed Monica was beginning to suspect that, in fact, once again, Sophie was her assignment. And one morning as she was preparing for class she received an answer. The answer surprised her. As it turns out, she did not possess an assignment at all, and like she had first thought, she was just here to ease her mind before the baby came.

Then there was the school carnival to consider. She had to work at that, her job was to make lanterns out of paper, and she could do that. Thankfully they had not asked her to hang the lanterns. She was hoping that she did not have to attend this swaree but unfortunately it was a requirement for all teachers. Even so, she would somehow endure that too. At least she didn't feel like she was alone, that was for sure!

………………….

"Are you a friend of Tyren Smith?" The doctor asked, shaking Tessa's hand.

"Yes, I am." She supposed.

"Were you there when…"

"No, I was not."

"Oh, well you are going to be the first one to get to see her." He lead Tessa from his office down the busy hallway to a small room where Tyren lie in a deep sleep.

"Is she in a coma?" Tessa asked, shocked by the severity of the issue.

"No, she is just knocked out, she should wake up in about and hour or so, then you can all come and see her."

"But she'll be out of the hospital tommarrow, right?"

"That's where you're wrong. I have contacted her parents and I am afraid that she must stay her for a few days and then go into therapy and then drug rehab."

"I'm glad, that's just what she needs." Tessa told the doctor. 'It's what they all need.' She thought.

……………………

"What happened?" They all asked anxiously upon Tessa's return to the waiting room.

"Well, they called her parents, they are on their way, and we can see her in an hour or so, she'll be awake by then, so all we have to do now is wait. Hey, where is Lindsay?"

"She went to the chapel."

"What good is praying going to do?" Sabrina laughed cruely.

"A lot." Tessa replied to the rhetorical question as she headed to the chapel, leaving them dumbfounded.

………………….

Tessa stood at the back of the chapel waiting for the right time. Now was the time, when the full truth would be revealed to Lindsay and she would choose between the darkness and the light. Lindsay was praying.

"If you are real, if you love us, if you…"

"He does love you, and he is more real than you can ever imagine. Also he cares about you and Tyren."

"How, how did you know what I was going to say?"

"Because I'm an angel Lindsay." Tessa said as she began to glow with the light of God. Lindsay gasphed. "And, I have a message for you, from God."

"From God, to me?" She asked, shocked.

"From God to you." She reassured her. "You see, God loves you, very much. He wants you to stop trying to be like other kids and just be yourself. He wants you to use your mind, your very good mind and do great things with it and improve it. He has big plans for you, and they don't involve being part of the crowd."

"Tessa." She laughed. "You just don't understand how hard it is…"

"Sure I do, I have been with all of you for a few days now. I know how hard it is to have them as your friends when you are not like them. I know how hard it is to be alone with no friends too. But God wants you to make a decision. And that decision is them the way they are now or him and a wonderful life to look forward to. You must choose between the darkness of addiction and the light of God."

"I must?"

"You must."

Lindsay put her head down.

"Okay, I, I choose him, I choose God."