"Hey, um, nurse?" Lindsay asked.
"Yes." Came Gloria's reply.
"Where did all of my friends go?"
"They left."
"Left? Where did they go?"
"They said something about the beach, I…"
"I guess they just don't care."
"Well, actually they left you a note." Gloria said, handing her the note.
Lindsay began to read, as she did so a sad look spread across her face.
"What happened Lindsay?" Tessa put her arm on her friend's shoulder.
"They don't want to be my friend anymore, they don't want anything to do with me, or Tyren. Apparently we are both too weak for them."
"I'm sorry." Tessa hugged her as she began to cry.
"What am I going to do now?"
"You chose God, remember?"
"Yeah, I did didn't I?"
"Yes, you did."
"Well, I guess this was a good thing then, if it is part of his plan then…"
"It is."
……………………
As Tessa was dealing with her assignment, her mother was dealing with the heat. It was late, late for her to be at school grading papers anyway, it was eight o'clock at night, but it was still light outside. And it was hot. Monica had her classroom windows open and she had taken her shoes off. And despite just how miserable she should have felt, she felt kind of nice. In general she had felt a lot better that day, no aches, no pains, nothing of the sort. A gentle breeze cooled her as she sat at her desk. It was quiet; the only other presence that she felt was an occasional baby kick. They were all alone in the school with the exception of Sophie who was in her own classroom across the hall. The night was pleasant, and the only thing that could make it more pleasant was the company of her beloved husband, wherever he was. He had a few assignments that day, but he had assured her that he would be back at the house before she would. As for Adam, he was home with the twins and Gloria was on her first assignment since the twins were born, Monica hoped that she was having a good time. Her dear friend had missed casework.
'Finally the last one!' Monica sighed with relief as she finished grading the last paper and put everything in order on her desk. She slipped her shoes on and was ready to go, she got up and began to walk towards the door. But then she felt something and then she stopped. Her right hand clung to the desk beside her and her left instinctively went to her stomach. Suddenly the pain became too much for her, she cringed and dropped to her knees, slowly and carefully propelling herself to the floor.