Scene 1:

-In the before and after care auditorium, Maya and Grace sat in front of each other at a table while working on an art project together.

Grace: That is so awesome that your wife is getting better Miss Maya. Is she gonna get out of the hospital and come home today?

Maya: Well, not today. When people come out of a coma they don't just get up and start walking around. But with that being said… the doctors have told me that Riley's condition has improved faster than anything they've seen before… and she may be up and about pretty soon. It's all one amazing miracle really.

Grace: That is so nice. I'm so happy for you Miss Maya.

Maya: Well let's not make everything about me right now. How was your weekend Grace?

Grace: It was nice. I read stories to the little kids at the orphanage for six hours straight.

Maya: Six hours? Wow. That's pretty impressive. I bet all of those leaders where you live really appreciate your help.

Grace: Well I know Ms. Wilson does. I don't really know any of the other people that work there.

Maya: How could you not know any of the other people that work where you live?

Grace: It's just a bunch of different volunteers every day. Ms. Wilson is the only person that's there all of the time. Most days she only has one or two helper adults.

Maya: One or two helpers? For all of those kids!?

Scene 2:

-In a hospital room, Riley was sitting up in her bed while Maya was taping a picture to the wall near the bed. As Riley watched Maya tape the picture to the wall, she made a small smile.

Riley: You know Maya, you don't have to decorate every square inch of the walls in here with these amazing drawings. I should be getting out soon.

-Maya then finished taping the picture to the wall and then sat in a chair facing Riley.

Maya: But my students had heard about how you were doing and just really wanted your room to look nice.

Riley: When you say students, are you sure you're not referring to just one particular student who I know has done every single drawing in here?

Maya: Uh… what makes you say that Riley?

Riley: The art style in every picture is similar, the way the coloring strokes match up… the fact that I see the name Grace in the corner of every picture.

Maya: Oh. I guess that would give it away.

Riley: She's a really nice girl to give me these pictures. But she can't be giving me all of these pictures just from what she's heard about me. She must've done this because she adores you a great deal. Why don't you talk more about her?

Maya: Oh… because, I… didn't want you to feel uncomfortable. I didn't want you to feel weird with me talking on and on about some other woman and…

-Riley began to laugh and then spoke.

Riley: You are too cute. Yet another reason why I'm glad I married you. Maya, I am not jealous about you spending so much of your time to make the life of a little girl a little better. During the entire time I was in that coma, it was the kind of thing I wanted you to do. And… it's what I know Erika would've wanted you to do.

-Riley looked downwards with a sad face for a moment as Maya noticed.

Maya: Are you going to be okay Riley?

-Riley then lifted her head up and looked right at Maya.

Riley: I'm never going to be completely okay ever again Maya. But that doesn't mean I won't stop loving those around me. Just like you haven't stopped with those amazing kids you've come to know. And if it's ever possible, I'd like to meet this amazing Grace and the other children you've gotten to know, and if I can: do something nice for them too.

Maya: Well… there is. You remember how before and after care now takes care of a bunch of kids from the local orphanage?

Riley: Yeah, I remember setting that arrangement up. I'm glad it's worked out.

Maya: Well Grace is one of those kids. And she was just telling me recently how there's barely any adult help there. I checked with the woman in charge: Ms. Wilson and she confirmed that. Their funding is incredibly low and with barely any help to take care of the children, they've had no way to let more people in the community at large know about these many kids who need help and need families. And to help them out with their needs, they require your help Riley.

Riley: And what kind of help can I give?

Maya: You were able to set up a grant from the county to get those kids into the before and after care program. So use your connections and skills to get some kind of bigger grant to help out the orphanage as a whole. Get them more workers, and more connections to people that can find those kids some parents or at least some kind of good foster care arrangements.

Riley: Maya, I can't just start bossing around government leaders and tell them where to send their money.

Maya: Come on Riley… who can say no to a woman who just came out of a coma with a dream to improve the world?

Riley: I… I… I think you're starting to turn into one of the most influential people I know Maya. Okay… I'll do what I can. But if I make this happen, we don't just give these children more money and resources. I want us to give those children a chance to feel like children.

Maya: Sounds good to me.

Scene 3:

-In a large room at the orphanage, many children of different ages were sitting together as Ms. Wilson stood in front of them.

Ms. Wilson: I have some wonderful news children. We have two new volunteers that promise that they'll be here to help us every weekend from now on. Let me introduce you to them now.

-From a doorway, Maya then walked into the room with Riley. From the crowd of children, Grace jumped up.

Grace: Miss Maya!

-Grace then ran over to Maya and gave her a hug. Maya hugged Grace back.

Maya: Hey Grace. Good to see you.

Grace: I usually never see you on the weekend. This is so awesome!

-Maya smiled as she then looked at all of the other children.

Maya: And hello to all of my other friends here I recognize from before and after care. For those that don't know me, yes: my name is Miss Maya. And this is my wife Riley.

Riley: Nice to meet you all. We'll be here every Saturday and Sunday afternoon from now on. And today, we actually brought you all some nice presents.

Maya: We were able to get our hands on a bunch of new sports equipment, and overnight we were able to install a brand new basketball hoop in your yard. It's all outside right now if you're ready to play some games.

Riley: And for those that aren't the biggest sport players, we also have a ton of new books for you all to read.

Maya: All right. If you're ready and wanna play outside, follow me!

-Maya then began to head outside as many of the children began to follow her. Riley meanwhile took out a bag full of many books and put them on the ground. Many of the other children began to crowd around the books as Grace stood near Riley. Riley then looked at Grace and motioned to her to come closer.

Riley: Hi Grace. Maya has told me a lot of good things about you. Thank you for all of those pictures you made for me while I was in the hospital.

Grace: Oh. You're welcome.

Riley: By the way, there's some new art supplies in the back pack behind me. You can grab whatever you want. Just make you share some of them, okay?

-Grace then looked in the backpack hanging on the floor and her eyes lit up with excitement as she saw the art supplies in the bag. Out of excitement Grace immediately hugged Riley.

Grace: Thank you Miss Riley! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

-Riley smiled as she hugged Grace back.

Riley: You're welcome Grace.

Scene 4:

-Maya was standing in the kitchen of her home as she hung a drawing on the refrigerator. The drawing was a picture of herself and Grace standing together near a basketball hoop. From nearby, Riley walked into the room and sat down near Maya.

Riley: How was your day?

-Maya turned to look right at Riley as she smiled.

Maya: Good.

Riley: So I see we have yet another picture for our refrigerator. Or should I now call it the Grace Givens Movable Wall of Art?

Maya: Oh? Well at least I didn't take all of the socks out of the drawer and turn that into an art collection depository.

Riley: Well I had to after you re-purposed my filing cabinet.

-Maya and Riley both began to laugh but after a moment of laughter they immediately stopped. Maya suddenly sat in a chair facing Riley as Riley began to speak.

Riley: Was that the first time we've laughed together since…

Maya: Yeah. It was.

Riley: Are… are we allowed to enjoy life like that again?

Maya: Well… yeah. I… I think she would want us to.

Riley: Maya, I… I don't ever want to forget the good days we had with Erika but… as much as I wish she could've had more with us… I don't want to let that stop us from having new good days with each other.

Maya: Riley… no matter what kind of day we have, I'm glad I get to still share more with you.

-Tears began to come out of Maya and Riley's eyes as they hugged each other, while the day came to a close.

END OF CHAPTER 8

Upcoming Chapters For the Series:

-Chapter 9: Happy Mother's Day (Coming 5/11)

-Chapter 10: Finally Home (Coming 5/13)