The Earring

Book 2 Part 7

"Both of you gave us a lifetime," Faith said softly. "The lifetimes were just too short."

She looked back at the front of the card and the tiny fetus curled in the center of the rose. It was cocooned and safe, protected by the defensive thorns.

"I wonder how Aaron felt when Kyra told him she was pregnant?" Faith thought. I guess I'll find out soon. She glanced at her watch. It was about time to head to Kyra's and the promised spaghetti dinner.

It was five minutes to six when Faith knocked on Kyra's apartment door. A shouted, "It's open," was her invitation into Kyra's life. She stepped into a crowded one-bedroom unit. Straight in front of her was a narrow table with two chairs shoved against the wall. Just beyond, she saw Kyra in the closet that doubled as a kitchen. A stove and refrigerator were on one side of the narrow divide where Kyra stood. The sink and cabinets were on the other.

"Hi," Kyra said with a grin. "Welcome to Nursing School Survival 101. When you've got a kid, a cramped apartment takes the place of cramped dorm rooms. Most of my peers live together in what they call 'nursing purgatory.'"

Her face was red from heat as she stood stirring a pot on the stove. Her blonde hair hung in damp tendrils. As Faith entered, Kyra took the spoon out of the pot and dropped it in the sink behind her. Grabbing the handle on a fridge that looked like it hailed from the 1980s, she swung the door into the kitchen opening, revealing a hodgepodge of childish drawings and scribbling.

"What'll it be?" she said. "I've got iced tea and water. You can put lemon and sugar in either one."

"Tea," Faith said.

As Kyra handed her the drink, Faith asked, "What can I do to help?"

"Stay out of the way," Kyra said, her grin taking the sting out of the terse statement. "As you can see, this is a one woman kitchen." She waved her hand toward the rest of the tiny apartment. "You wanted authenticity. Explore to your heart's content. It'll take you all of a minute – two tops."

Faith grinned back. "Maybe I can stretch it to five."

Sipping her tea, Faith moved into the living room. To her left, a large framed sheet of photo-covered tin dominated the wall behind a worn, faded couch that had probably once been a hunter green. Colorful throw pillows with beach scenes helped overcome its drab appearance. The curtains that covered the large windows to the right matched the pillows. A desk was centered under the windows. It held a computer. At the end of the desk, an entertainment center angled towards the table in front of the door, making a small entranceway behind it. A tiny TV sat on one shelf. A large stereo system, speakers, and stacks of CD's took up the remainder of the space.

Bookcases made from large cement blocks and colorfully painted boards lined the end of the apartment opposite the table. The top shelves were crowded with textbooks and a large number of volumes on abortion – both pro and con. The bottom shelf was haphazardly stuffed with children's books. A worn book lay on the floor in front. Faith smiled as she saw the title, "I'll Love You Forever."

She moved to study the picture collage held by magnets to the tin. A smiling Shandra dominated the space, but others framed the edge. Kyra in cap and gown stood with a middle-aged couple. Probably her parents, Faith thought. There were two older couples. Grandparents, she surmised. A hodgepodge of snapshots of peers straggled along the bottom. Tucked in a corner, Kyra stood in a formal. A tuxed beau had his arms around her. Neither of them smiled for the camera, their countenances far too serious for a prom shot. Faith held in her gasp. The hand holding her tea started to shake. "It was a younger version of her fiancée. His dark eyes seemed to hold the weight of the world."