Terminal

21. Starting Anew

Summer

"Riah, come help me with these cookies you asked for?" My mother's voice yelled out to me from the kitchen. I was in my room playing hospital with my Barbie dolls, but I also want to bake cookies too.

"Coming Mama." I yell back as I walk out of my room and head down the hall to the kitchen.

"What were you doing, sweetheart?" My mama asked as she mixed the cookie dough slowly.

"Playing hospital, I am going to be a nurse one day, Mama, and then I can cure you and the whole world." I say, smiling at my mama as I drop in the chocolate chips.

"That will be wonderful Riah, you are a smart girl, and I know you will perform miracles one day. Okay, roll these out and place them on the cookie sheet, Mama is going to sit down for a second." My mama says as she sits at the table by the window.

My mama told me two days ago that the doctor said she has something called cancer. Albert Goodshall grandma had cancer last year, and she died. I don't want my mama to die, but Albert said there are stages before death.

His grandma lost all her hair and grew tired. Then she started forgetting things, and she was cold. Maybe his grandma was just old, and that's what happens when you are old. My mama is young and beautiful. After I roll the cookies out and place them on the tray, I turn to look at Mama.

She was humming a song she always hummed, leaning on her hands with her eyes closed. My mama's wavy brown hair is still full and everywhere. Maybe because my mama is young, she won't get all of the symptoms that Albert's grandma has gotten.

"Mama." I say, patting her soft hair. I noticed a few strands ended up in my hand.

"Hm....Oh, Sariah. Please don't tell your father about this. There goes the hair, and I am going to get a scarf baby girl. You stay right here for a second." She says, walking off, and I get nervous.

"Please, god, save my mama." I whispered to myself, hoping just like when he saved the little boy who was run over three months ago. I am hoping he saves my mama......

Present Day

Michael's Point of View:

"Good morning, class." I say as my students filled into my classroom. It felt good coming back doing what I love to do, and that is teach.

"Alright, after attendance, we will discuss your first assignment." I say, looking at my roll call sheet. Westchester Prep is a small classroom like experience that gives me a chance to get to know each of my students and monitor their progress.

"Henry Adams." I say, looking to see if he was present.

"Yo." This blue eye blond kid with a snapback on and a Justin Bieber haircut says.

"Alright, and no hats on in my classroom. Angela Baker." I say seeing a girl with pink highlights and dark eyeliner makeup raise her hand.

"Okay, Montgomery Caulsen?" I say, looking around the classroom.

"The name is Monty, chief." Montgomery says. He had a slick back hairstyle, and he seemed to be popular from all the high fives he was getting.

"It's either Montgomery or Mr. Caulsen, in my classroom, I don't do nicknames. Now, which one do you prefer?" I say to him, and he glares at me.

"Mr. Caulsen."

"Alright, Mr. Caulsen, it is. Rebecca Davis." I called, and soon a brown hair clumsy girl stumbles through my classroom door.