Mercy looks quietly at his room ceiling, his bed feeling too soft.
A gentle knock lands on his door. "Can I come in?" Amanda asks.
"Of course."
Amanda enters the room, a soft smile on her lips. "Are you okay now?" She asks.
"Yeah..." He trails off, turning to look at her. "I'm sorry."
Amanda sighs and walks to his bed. She lies down besides him, facing him. "It's okay." She says with a calm tone. "I saw the flashbacks too." She sighs.
"Principal Andrew said he isn't going to tell mum." Mercy says with a satisfied sigh.
Amanda sits up quickly. "Really?!" She shouts happily.
"Yeah." Mercy answers with a wide smile. He looks back at the ceiling. "And I met with Josh's mum."
"Really?! When?! Where?!"
"In the boardroom. The woman that left before you arrived. Maybe you might have seen her on the way?"
"I see." Amanda laughs out. "The tall woman in a blue gown?"
"Yeah. So, you saw her." Mercy turns to Amanda. "Why are you laughing though?" He asks, confused.
"Well, she came up to me and was nice." Amanda says as she looks up at the ceiling. "She asked how I was doing and asked about you. But, I didn't think much about it since she asked about others too."
"I see."
The door opens gently. Mercy mum walks in calmly. "Hi, loves."
Mercy and Amanda both sit up. "Good evening, mum." They both say.
"Good evening." She smiles. "How are you two doing?"
"We're good mum." Mercy replies.
"Yeah, mum." Amanda answers. "How are you doing? How was work?"
"Good. Good." Their mum replies, entering the room. She walks to the bed and sits down. "Sorry I've been busy."
"It's okay, mum. It isn't your fault. It's one of the problems of being a nurse." Amanda says.
"Yeah, mum. We're good, as long as don't forget us or over stress yourself." Mercy says.
Tears begins running down her face, as a soft smile appears on her lips. She rushes forward and hugs them both tightly. "Thanks..." She trails off as she begins sobbing. "Thanks a lot for understanding me." Her sobbing intensifies.
Mercy and Amanda hugs her back, tears running down their face. "It's okay, mum." They both say.
She releases them, sniffing. "How about we go on a little outing." She says excitedly.
"Really?!" Amanda shouts happily.
"Yes." She answers with a soft smile.
"Are you sure mum?" Mercy asks, worried. "You just came back. You need some rests."
Amanda nods in agreement. "It's true mum. As much as I want to go. You need your rest."
Their mum laughs. "I already got enough of that." She sighs gratefully. "I am grateful. But a little outing with my kids isn't bad now, is it?"
Amanda and Mercy shake their head sideways in unison. "No." They both say.
"Good." Her smile widens. "Now go prepare, before it will be late." She gets up, Amanda following her.
They both leave the room, leaving Mercy alone.
Mercy sighs in satisfaction. "I'm glad we are happy now."
He gets up, goes to shower and then changes into outing clothes and shoes. He sits down, waiting for the signal.
After some minutes, he brings out his phone and turns it on. A dialogue box appears with the question:
"Turn it on
Or
View animation?" appears.
"I guess watching it now isn't bad." He says and taps on View animation.
The screen turns off, then turns on, flashing a bright white light. The white light begins dimming until it becomes very low. After some seconds, a handsome animated smiling man with the iconic Jesus look, appears. He raises his hands up, raising his first finger above the rest. The iconic peace dove flies down and lands on his finger, cooing. After some seconds, the dove flies away, leaving Jesus who closes his eyes and joins his two hands together in the prayer pose, his lips moving. After some seconds, a dove lands on his shoulder, then flies away a few seconds later. The screen flashes the bright white light again, dimming gently until it becomes low. Then a hand appears and writes "PEACE PHONE: JESUS EDITION" boldly with it's finger. After some seconds, it flashes another bright light that begins dimming until it becomes low. Then the phone finally turns on.
Mercy smiles in satisfaction. "It never gets old." He says in a satisfied tone. "Wonder how they pulled it off."
"Mercy!" His mum shouts from outside. "Are you ready?!"
"Yes, mum!" Mercy shouts back and stands up, leaving his room.
Whispers fill his room as a shadowy figure appears in a corner of his room. "Tomorrow is finally the day." The figure says and disappears.
Mercy walks to the living room, his mouth dropping. "My oh my!" He says dramatically. "You sure are looking like an angel from heaven, Miss Emmanuella!" He says in a dramatic tone.
His mum laughs. "Stop being such a drama king." She says, she and Amanda chuckling.
"What about me?!" Amanda says with pride as she spins around in a lovely pink princess-like gown. She closes her eyes, waiting for an answer with a proud smile.
"Nice try, Cinderella. But mum's lavender gown is killing it." Mercy answers with a grin, knowing fully well what he did.
Amanda eyes shoots open. "Excuse me?!" She says, pissed. "Cinder- What now?! Who's that?!"
"Calm down, Amanda." Their mum says with a chuckle. "He's just messing with you." She says, she and Mercy laughing.
"Exactly, mum." Mercy says, his grin widening.
Amanda gives him the look of 'I eat twins for desert'.
Mercy gulps, feeling uncomfortable. "Okay. Fine." He says in defeat. "It's just a princess. A very beautiful one indeed." He says with innocence. "You know you are a princess." He adds with more innocence.
A wide smile appears on Amanda lips. "Really?!" She shouts in pride, running forward and hugging him tightly, Mercy reciprocating. "Thanks." She tightens the hug. "I also see you as prince Mark." She says with a smirk.
Mercy tenses. "You mean the cheap prince from Your Alpha Prince series?" He asks in disgust. "The one you and millions of girls swoon for?"
Amanda releases him and smiles sweetly. "Yes." Amanda says with an innocent tone, trying her best not to laugh at Mercy's facial expression. "That one." She nods in pride.
"No. Thanks." Mercy says dryly.
Their mum stands still, a wide smile on her lips. "After all they have been through, they still behave like normal kids." She mumbles and sighs in satisfaction. "I am truly blessed by God." She checks her watch, her eyes widening in shock. "Oh my!" She says aloud.
"What mum?" Mercy and Amanda both ask in a state of panic.
"It's almost time. Let's pray now." She says and they all kneel down. "Dear God, thank you for all you have done. For there is none like you. We pray you accept our thanks. In Jesus name."
"Amen." Amanda and Mercy chorus.
"We pray you keep us safe in this outing. In Jesus name."
"Amen." They chorus again.
"Father we thank you, for we know you have answered our prayers. In Jesus name."
"Amen."
They all say The Grace, Surely and Psalm Twenty Three (23). Then they all get up.
The sudden sound of a loud horn startles them.
"She's finally here." Their mum says happily.
"Who?!" Mercy and Amanda shouts in excitement.
"My boss." She answers and goes into her room.
"Wow!" Amanda shouts in excitement. "We are finally going to see her boss!"
"Yeah." Mercy says dryly. "I hope she isn't a gut wrenching type." He sighs tiredly.
Amanda sighs. "Don't be such a bore bro."
"Hey! Stop calling me that!" Mercy says quickly. "I'm not boring."
Amanda rolls her eyes with a soft smile. "Of course you are not."
Their mum comes out. "Let's get going."
They all walk out, their mum being the last. Their mum locks the door behind them.
Amanda and Mercy stare in awe at the hovering car before them.
"Mum boss sure is very rich." Mercy whispers.
Amanda nods in agreement. "Very very."
The car window pulls down, causing Mercy and Amanda to stand still, frozen and in shock.
'It's....' Mercy trails off in his mind.