*SERENA*

So far I’ve kept to my promise and have called Nico every day.  It’s been another month since Matthias moved back home, and though he seems happy enough and is trying you can see sadness about him when he thinks no one is looking.  As for Nico, I can sense some of the energy and hyperness that must have attracted Mattie to him in the first place.  Not to mention his kindness, but yet there is still that lingering sense of resignment, like he’s resigned himself to his fate.

I don’t like it.  I’ve come to like Nico a lot.  I’ve recently found out at the lease is up on his place in a couple of weeks and I don’t think they are going to let him renew it.  He’s looking for a place to stay, but I have a plan if it will work.  He doesn’t belong alone.  He belongs here with Mattie and the boys.  He’s almost like part of the family.  Elijah still asks about him all the time.  As for Zainey, well he still has a ways to go, but Zainey’s always been a bit stand-offish with others anyways.

Speaking of Zainey, I’m getting worried about him.  He’s been acting a bit off.  I hope it’s not what I think it is, but if it is he wouldn’t let us know until it was too late.  He likes to act tough and hates being seen as weak.  It’s part of the reason he acts like he does.

As I’m getting ready for a day out to myself, the phone rings.  I pick it up wondering who would be calling the house right now.

“Hello?”

“Um, yes.  This is Mrs. Kincade; I’m the nurse at Andrew’s Elementary.  I’m calling regarding a Zainey Ryan?  To whom may I ask am I speaking to?”

The phone clangs to the ground as I realize that what I just feared has happened.  I’m too shaky to stand so I slip to the ground.  I have to get myself together.  Maybe it’s not as bad as I fear, I at least need to talk to the nurse and then call Matthias at work.  I hate to make him take off from work again, but I’m sure someone will need to be there to pick Elijah up from school, not to mention Zainey.  Oh wait, Zainey.  That’s right; I don’t even know for sure yet what’s happened.

I shakily grab the phone and hear the nurse asking if I’m okay.

“Yes, sorry I’m here.  I’m Zainey’s mother, now what seems to be the problem.”  Please God, don’t let it be what I think.  He’s been doing so well too.  I’m not sure we can handle this on top of everything else that’s been going on.

*NICO*

I love kids I really do, it’s just I’d forgotten how observant eight-year-olds can be.  I’m just finishing up a simple math equation on the board for the kids.  After this I’m going to hand out some worksheets for them to work on after lunch.

“Okay so anyone have any questions before I hand out your work?”

A little boy in the front raises his hand.  He’s one of the smaller kids in class and gets picked on a lot because of it.

“Yes Devin?”

“Why do you always look so sad now?”  See what I mean about observant.  I must say though Devin has always been one of my favourites.  I try to smile convincingly as I think about how I’m going to answer that.

“Well Devin sometimes adults have things in their lives that need to be worked through and that don’t always end up the way they’d like.”

“Something happened with you?”  I sigh.  I’m not quite sure how to answer that to an eight-year-old who’s also my student.  Thankfully I don’t have to.  The bell rings just as I’m opening my mouth to respond with something, though I didn’t know what.

“Sorry, but that’s the bell.  Class it’s time for lunch.  I’m not on lunch duty, so I’ll see you afterwards and we will go over your sheets then.”

There is a collective chorus of yes around the room as the kids jump up eagerly ready to eat and get out of their seats.  My happiness or lack of it has been temporarily forgotten.  I have almost an hour to eat.  I need to get out of here for a break, so I think I’ll head to that little coffee shop where Nico and I first talked.  I go there a lot now-a-days.  There are a lot of good memories there.

I’ve just locked up my classroom door when I turn around and run into someone.

“I’m so sorry!  I didn’t mean to run into you.  I should really start looking where I’m going.”

I hear a chuckle at my rambling, one I definitely recognize.  My head snaps up and I stare in shock at who I see.

“T-Thias?  What are you doing here?  Why aren’t you at work?”  He looks stressed out and that worries me.

“Something came up and Serena needed me to pick Elijah up.”  I notice the lack of Zainey’s name which worries me.

“I hope it’s nothing too serious.  Is there anything I can do to help you out?”  He gives me this longing look.  I really wish I could help, but as we stand now there is probably not much I can do.  I’m still kind of in shock about running into him right now.

“Don’t you have a class to teach babe?”  Babe, he called me babe even after everything.  He looks startled like he just realized what he did.

“U-Um, yes, but they are at lunch right now.  I was about to head out and grab something myself.”  If I didn’t already know something was up I’d be begging him in my mind to go ahead and invite himself to lunch with me.  I’d even enjoy seeing the boys too.

“Then go enjoy your lunch, I’m sure if we need you I know how to get ahold of you.” 

That stings, but I guess I deserved it.  I bet he doesn’t know Serena and I have been talking everyday for the past month.  It hasn’t slipped my notice that he didn’t mention what was wrong either.  That’s okay, knowing him he probably doesn’t want to worry me too much.  It’s how he usually is.

“O-okay, just Thias?”

“Yes?”

“Just remember that I’m here and I still love you.”  I whisper that last part, but I know he heard it.  He just nods at me before he heads off to find his son.

The rest of the day went by in a fog.  My mind was too pre-occupied by my encounter with Matthias.  Not for the first time, I’m starting to rethink my decision.  Maybe I will give him a call soon.  Serena would love that.  Since that first day she hasn’t pushed or mentioned it again, but I know she still wants me to.  We talk about anything and everything else but Thias after she gives me the initial run-down of how he’s doing.

I’m lucky I have a well behaved class or else I’d be in trouble.  They are doing fine with their work on their own.  Only a few of them have needed my help.  This leaves me open to ponder all this and more.  The bell rings signaling the end of the day.

“Okay class, I’ll see you tomorrow.  Be sure finish any work you didn’t get done today and turn it in tomorrow.”

With that I head out to the parking lot.  It’s as I’m digging out my keys that my phone rings.

“Hello?”

“N-Nico?”  I hear Serena whisper on the other end.  Her voice sounds shaky.  Okay now I’m really getting worried.

“Serena, I ran into Matthias earlier when he was picking up Elijah.  Did something happen?”  After I ask her this I hear her break down and start sobbing.

“It’s Zainey, he-he…. we are at the hospital.  Please, we need you here.  I need you, I’m not sure we can handle this without you.”  She’s still sniffling on the other end.  She’s so upset that I barely missed the part where she said she needed me.  Awe.

“I-I w-waited till I knew you were through teaching to call you.  You are done now right?”

“Yes I am I would have come even if I wasn’t.  Just told them I was sick or there was an emergency or something.”

“Okay, Nico.  Please come.”  I think she can hardly speak.  I’m starting to freak out; she doesn’t need to stress herself or the baby.  Not when she’s already been getting sick a lot anyways.

“Shh, sweetie I’ll be there as fast as I can.  Just tell me which hospital and where I can find you and I’ll be on my way.”

“Thank you so much!”

After she hangs up I head out of the parking lot with a sigh.  This has been one long day, and I have a feeling it’s about to get even longer.  The two of them have had to deal with so much in the past few months it’s a wonder they are dealing as well as they are.