On Friday, April 8, 1910, the sun exploded. The Earth was destroyed. All of man's knowledge was lost. A fifteen-year-old girl in the far eastern corner of Montana in the postage stamp sized hamlet of Eagle Creek was obliterated the worst of all. She never knew true love. Her time as a mortal was an all-consuming burden of sorrows; an endless web of woes.
The End.

"That is the dumbest opening to a book I have ever read," said Emily.

"It's the truth!," replied Sarah.

"Sarah, if anyone ever reads that paragraph they are going to know for a fact that the world did not end!"

"Trust me Emily, this afternoon, at 12:08, in Plentywood, when I stood up in a room of fifty of my peers and enunciated the letters P-L-U-T-T-A-C-R-A-C-Y, at that moment, everything ceased to exist. When I lost to Lynn Watson, my archenemy, the sun exploded. When I tumbled and tackled some buck toothed fourteen-year-old from Westby, then there was naught for me but sheer oblivion."

"Sarah, you came in second place. So Lynn Watson gets to go to the State Spelling Bee in Great Falls, who cares? Your life is perfect."

"It is not, that's ridiculous!"

"Your life is perfect. Let's take a look around your room.
Number 1: You have a humongous house with a big yard while I live over a bakery.
Number 2: You have more Straight A certificates than anyone in our school.
Number 3: You have no acne.
Number 4: Your mother unlike mine does not hate you.
Number 5: You have a walk-in closet.
Number 6: You have a boy who truly loves you."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "That was a dream, Emily. Kevin does not love me, he barely knows I exist."

"Sarah, you love him that's what matters most." Emily walked softly to Sarah's bedroom door and gently closed it. "Ok, we're all alone. Are you ready to see my special gift?"

"My best friend missed the worst moment of my life. Emily, I don’t know what you've got in there but it'd better be good."

Emily smiled. "Believe me Miss Conrad, someday, Mrs. Hines, it is very good."

Emily walked over to the bed. Sarah was leaning against a pile of pillows.

"Drum roll please." Sarah chuckled and pantomimed hitting drums.

“Ta-da!”

“Em, oh, wow! That’s a nice corset.”

“Just look at the frills. Notice the tiny rose petals on the bodice? While you and Lynn were at each other’s throats spelling stupid words that no one ever uses in real life I snuck out of the auditorium. Mrs. Grayson was none the wiser; she was too caught up in keeping score. I high tailed it out to the catalog store and purchased the corset. While there I picked up this month's Vogue.

Sarah, this corset is our ticket down the aisle. The Saturday after next, when we have our Sweet Sixteen party, I will spend exactly thirty minutes with the shapeliest body imaginable. The secret is tight lacing, an ingenious system whereby my usual girth will be instantly fixed. With this corset I will make Pete Jackson fall madly in love with me. And then we will go upstairs, I’ll get out of the corset and you will wear it, but only long enough to have Kevin Hines’ attention.”

“Wait a second, Pete Jackson? Emily, just Monday you said he was a milk toast dolt.”

Emily hemmed and hawed. "Well, Pete is not my first choice for a boyfriend but he'll do."

Sarah chuckled, "That is so romantic."

"Ha-ha you're a barrel of monkeys, what I mean is he can be my stepping stone to greater things. If I date Pete then I can spend time with Tommy Grossman, the boy I love more than… than chocolate."

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "More than chocolate?"

Emily swished her mouth. "Ok you got me. I love Tommy more than caramel."

"And Pete?"

"I love Pete more than… strawberries."

"Well, I think I love Kevin more than chocolate."

"And you two were made for each other."

"Says you."

"Says everything. Sarah you are at the pinnacle of female success. Kevin Hines is at the pinnacle of male success. You two are not only destined for each other, I will state unequivocally, that you can do no wrong."

"Emily, that is by far the silliest thing I've ever heard you say."

"It's the truth." Emily said as she mimicked Sarah's earlier passion.

"You have it all… almost. The one thing you lack is true love and you can get that too if you do things differently."

"How different?"

Emily opened up her copy of Vogue and sat on the bed next to her. Emily opened the front cover. They looked at an advertisement for the corset Emily had purchased. She sighed. “I will never look like her.”

Sarah moaned. "Nor will I."

"Yes, you will! Sarah Conrad all you have to do is put your fate in my hands and I will snare you a man."

Sarah nodded. "Ok. I believe you. We've been best friends since we were five and I know you have a perfect record about the surety of your pronouncements. I was thinking about that just the other day as I was losing my lunch."

"Sarah! Smoking makes you thin! You're just going to have to get used to the taste of the cigarette that's all. Why do you have to be such a goody two shoes all the time? You drive me up the wall."

"Why? Is it because I try to be safe?"

"Because you try to be boring! You live a dull, vapid life. If it weren't for me and my schemes you'd forever have your head stuck in some stupid book and what can you learn from a book?"

Sarah began counting on her right hand. "From a book I can learn: English, Math, History, Art, Geography."

Emily grabbed Sarah's hand and used it to playfully bop Sarah in the nose.

"Wrong, wrong and once again wrong. You can't learn anything from a book. You can only learn from real life. You can memorize facts and write them on paper, but, in the end that ain't doing you much good."

"I'm not so sure that I agree with you. I can learn that you don't say 'ain't.'"

Emily made a monkey face and bobbed her head.

"Whatever. My point was reading about something in a book and doing it are two different things."

Emily got off the bed and went to the dresser. She pulled out a pack of cigarettes and stood beside the bed with Sarah. She gave one to Sarah.

"If you want to be thin; if you want true love; if you want Kevin Hines then you must do what I say."

Sarah made a sour face.

Emily took out a cigarette and plopped it in Sarah's mouth. "Get used to the taste."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I'm heading straight to perdition because of you, Emily Jean Clementine."

Emily lit a match.

Sarah became nervous.

"Oh knock it off, Sarah. Your mother is downstairs. She'll never find out."

Emily took a few puffs and put her hands on her hips. "With each breath I am becoming…," she began coughing.

Sarah laughed at her. "You're becoming… healthier?"

Emily struggled for a breath. "I am becoming sinner, Thera!"

"Thera?"

"Sarah! I am becoming thinner, Sarah. Now if you'll excuse me, I must adjourn to the ladies lavatory."

Emily walked to the bathroom door in Sarah's room and shut it.

"You're nuts Emily!"

"I know."

Sarah shook her head and looked at the magazine. An ad caught her eye. A beautiful, exotic woman was sitting on a brick wall smoking a cigarette. A dashing young admirer was by her side. They seemed so carefree. "Want it all? Risk it all." Above them the clouds had formed the words Maybelle Cigarettes for women.

Sarah snared. "That's stupid."

She turned the page and began reading her horoscope.

Aries: The day is yours. Will you take it?

Sarah rolled her eyes and said to herself: "That is so general and meaningless. Why do people read these things?"

She started to turn the pages forward but she turned it back instead and, once again, examined the ad.

The Maybelle Cigarettes girl did look happy. She was thin. She had a dreamboat with her. She had the world on a string. Sarah looked at the cigarette and considered her options.

Somehow, mysteriously, Emily knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Just do it Sarah! So what if you're breaking rules? It's not like your mother is going to throw you to the curb."

"Fine!" she whined. "I'll do it for you." She muttered, "That way, if I get in trouble it'll be Emily's fault."

"I heard that."

"No you didn't."

"Ok then." There was a pause. Emily yelled again, "I heard it the next time!"

Sarah laughed at her and went back to the magazine ad. She took the book of matches and fumbled with a match. "I shouldn't be doing this," she told herself.

Sarah looked to the bathroom door. "But then again, if Emily is doing it, how can it be that bad?"

Sarah lit up the cigarette. She began coughing.

"Don't inhale. Just hold it in your mouth and you'll be perfectly…" Emily stopped talking. Sarah tried not to laugh when she head Emily bout with tobacco induced sickness.

Sarah stuck her tongue out. "You got caught. You got caught."

Sarah heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Oh no." She started to put the cigarette out on the magazine but with only seconds to spare and a risk of setting the periodical aflame she decided to hide it in her mouth instead.

Paula Conrad came through the door.

"Is something burning up here?"

Sarah shook her head and put on an innocent face.

Paula raised an eyebrow. "Are you certain?"

Sarah nodded. "Mmm-hmm."

"Because it sounded like someone was throwing up."

Sarah's eyes circled the room as she frantically tried to locate a reasonable excuse.

"That was me," said Emily as she stood in the doorway of the bathroom holding an empty glass. "I wanted a drink. I used the faucet but well, I'm a city girl and you live a half mile from town. I just can't drink your water, so, I poured it into the toilet."

Sarah closed her eyes and prayed the excuse would work.

"We have city water."

Emily shrugged. "Which doesn't taste the same in the country."

"And you've drunk this water your entire life."

"I developed an allergy."

"When?"

"Three minutes ago."

Paula was amused by Emily's antics but she wasn't buying her explanation. "And… the smoke smell was…?"

Emily replied confidently, "L'odeur de vomi. It’s the latest rage in Paris. All of the sophisticated models reek of it this season."

Paula sighed and shook her head.

"Emily Jean, vous êtes une menteur moche."

Emily smiled. "Merci, Madam Conrad. Merci."

"I'll leave you two alone then."

She shut the door.

Sarah sighed and pulled the damp, mangled cigarette out of her mouth.

"Emily, one of these days you're going to get me killed."

Emily curtseyed. "You're welcomed."

Suddenly the door popped back open.

Sarah had no choice but to stick the cigarette back in her mouth.

"By the way, I forgot to ask, how'd you do at the Spelling Bee?"

Sarah held up two fingers.

"Second? You came in second?"

Sarah nodded. "Mmm hmm."

"Who got first?"

"Lynn Watson,"

Emily retorted before Sarah could reply.

"Oh, well, good for her." Paula turned her attention back to her daughter. "I'm sure you're just grateful that Eagle Creek High School produced such a fine winner. She's one of your friends, right?"

Sarah's eyes bulged. She sneered a smile and nodded.

"Sarah and Lynn Watson are like two peas in a pod Mrs. Conrad. Isn't that right, Sarah?"

Sarah gave Emily a look of disbelief mingled with sheer desperation.

Emily giggled at her. "As a matter of fact, what was the word you lost on, Sarah?"

Sarah struggled to maintain her composure. She mumbled, "Plutoagagraga."

Paula tilted her head. "Come again?"

Emily said, "Plutocracy, Mrs. Conrad. P-l-u-t-t-o-r-a-c-e-y: Plutocracy."

Sarah hid her face in her hands.

Paula clapped for her. "Good job Emily." She turned her head. "Sarah, if Emily could spell that word it must not have been too difficult."

Emily smiled and put an arm around Sarah's waist. "I'd like to think that I can always teach her something."

Paula returned the pleasantries. "Well, keep up the good work."

"I'll do my best, Mrs. Conrad."

As soon as Paula shut the door Sarah coughed out the cigarette.

Emily threw her hands over her mouth to keep from being too boisterous as she laughed but it was all for naught. She collapsed on the bed and went into hysterics.

Sarah got the cigarette off the floor.

"You goon! I could've…" Sarah began to laugh too. She joined her on the bed.

Emily sighed. "That was… exhilarating. There is no greater thrill than getting away with something."

"Tommy Grossman?"

"Ok, so there's at least one greater thrill than getting away with something."

Sarah flicked Emily's ear. "I hate you."

"You're welcomed." Emily stared at the ceiling. "So, what is to become of us? We have a few short days to be mischievous girls. Soon we must cut off these pigtails and be women."

"That's true, but, it can't be all drab. My mother seems to be… kinda… happy, I suppose. Your mother doesn't complain about the bakery as much as she used to. Mrs. Hines, the preacher's wife, said that we had a lot to look forward to when we reach adulthood."

Emily guffawed, "Mrs. Hines is a million years old!"

Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Sarah, she hasn't been our age… since the Civil War."

"Emily? Crystal Hines is in her forties."

"Exactly, she can't possibly relate to us. When she was our age everyone wore bonnets and rode around in horse-drawn wagons."

"And that's different than today because…?"

"We don't wear bonnets!"

"Oh for crying out loud."

"It's true Sarah. We are sophisticated women of the world. We read Vogue. We speak French. We've both kissed boys. My guess is Crystal Hines had never even heard of the birds and the bees until she'd been married ten years."

Sarah trilled her lips. "Her oldest son, Edwin is twenty-two. Her daughter Pam is twenty. Kevin, my beloved, is eighteen." She held her fingers an inch apart. "I think she might know a little bit more about men than us."

"Not a chance, we know it all. Do you feel love for Kevin?"

"Oh yes."

"Do you feel as though you can fly when he says, 'hello' to you?"

"I can soar like an eagle."

"And do you wish on a star every single night for him to be your husband?"

"Indubitably."

"Who uses words like indubitably?"

"Me!"

"Then knock it off. You sound like a dictionary salesman."

"You already know how I feel about Kevin. Why taunt me with these inquiries?"

"Because what Sarah Conrad feels about Kevin Hines will never even remotely match what Kevin Hines can feel about Sarah Conrad."

Sarah sat up in the bed. "How's that?"

"You are a woman."

"So that explains all those dresses in the closet."

"You are a woman and women feel emotions. Men do not have emotions."

"That's ridiculous!"

"That's the truth. Women care about men. Men care about having their needs met by women."

Sarah scratched her chin. "So all that love stuff is…?"

"A scam! Women want a provider, a priest, a prince. Men want cooks and curves; the rest of their heart is determined by those two animalistic appetites. Men may say they're in love but they're not. They just have to put on a show to keep the little gal charmed. As soon as a woman loses one 'c' the male of the species begins a quest for the other. If she can't cook he's looking elsewhere to… fulfill his hunger."

"You really think so?"

"It's true. Welcome to real life. You will win Kevin's heart by one of those two 'c's and, darling, you can't bake a cake like I can."

"You're so classy."

"I'm honest."

Sarah nodded. "You're really cheering me up here."

"Sarah, I'm just doing my job. You have to put yourself on the market. Look at the evidence. You and I read Vogue, a journal of contemporary fashions. My mother reads Ladies Home Journal, recipes and essays on first aid. Blaach! Who needs that tripe? And, do you know what my father reads? Montana Outdoorsmen. Hunters pose with dead animals! Elk, deer, fish, icky deceased critters are blasted for their pleasure. Men do not have emotions!"

"I don't believe you. A boy can fall in love with a girl and share precisely the same sentiments. Out there, somewhere, the man of my dreams is waiting."

"And he'll continue to exist in a fairyland, Sarah. Face it, Mr. Right is not going to knock on your door."

There was a knock at the door.

The girls screamed and rolled off of separate sides of the bed. They scrambled to the air vent which connected from the hallway downstairs to Sarah’s room. Sarah often used it to listen in on other people’s conversations.

Paula Conrad, Sarah’s mother, replied to the knock: “One second.” The girls heard footsteps. The door opened. “Oh, good afternoon, Tommy, what can I do for you?”

Emily excitedly whispered, “That’s him, there’s your suitor.” Emily sang in a soft lilted voice, “He’s come a-callin’ for you.”

"But don't you love Tommy?"

"You can break him in for me. Think of him as a wild bronco."

"Naaaaaay."

They giggled at each other.

"At this very moment, Tommy Grossman, the cutest boy in Eagle Creek is asking where he might find the lovely and alluring Sarah Marie Conrad."

Sarah shook her head, “Hardly, he just said the words, ‘bow and arrows.’ Beside, I have little interest in Tommy Grossman.”

Emily nudged Sarah, “Than this is fortunate for you. Go downstairs and talk to him. I want to do a little experiment.”

“What should I say?”

“Talk about school. Talk about the spelling bee, talk about anything. Go, go, go; I’ll back you up in a flash.”

Sarah left Emily and ran downstairs. She met her mother in the hallway, “Can I take the bow and arrows to Tommy?”

Paula shrugged and gave them to her. Sarah checked her hair in the mirror. Paula sat back down and returned to reading a book. Paula smiled and subtly chuckled, recalling what it was like to be Sarah’s age.

“Hello Tommy.” Sarah said as she leaned against the doorway.

“Oh, hello Sarah. Thank you for getting the bow and arrows for me. Well, have a good afternoon.”

With that he turned around and left the porch headed for his wagon.

Sarah panicked, “Um, hey, wait, wait, wait, let’s talk.”

Tommy placed the bow and arrows in the wagon. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Spelling. Mrs. Grayson took Lynn, Emily and I down to Plentywood today for a Spelling Bee.”

Tommy nodded. “Yup, I know. Lynn told me she won. She said you came in tenth.”

“Second!” Sarah replied.

“Oh. Sorry.”

“Wait, Tommy, please I am not mad at you.”

“I’d like to stay here but I'd best be going.”

“Hi Tommy!” said Emily in a husky voice. Tommy nervously smiled.

"Sarah was just telling me upstairs that it was you she should've gone to the Christmas Ball with."

Sarah snapped around to Emily. She furiously shook her head and mouthed, "No, no, no, no, no!"

"Really?" Tommy cocked his head.

Sarah silently screamed at Emily, "Liar!"

Emily asked, “Tommy, you are what… twenty?”

“Sixteen, Emily, you gave me a birthday present in January.”

Emily flipped her hair back. “Oh, fiddle Dee silly me.”

Sarah rolled her eyes at Emily’s antics.

“Sixteen? But, well, you look stronger than any older men I know. Well, I suppose you're strong. I mean, do you have muscles?”

Tommy nodded as he unrolled his sleeves.

Emily winked to Sarah.

He made fists and showed off his biceps.

Sarah quivered.

Emily said, “Oh, I do say, that is a most impressive set of arms you have there.”

Tommy smiled and shrugged. Sarah turned to Emily and fanned herself.

As Tommy was rolling up his sleeves he said, "I'll see you girls in church on Sunday."

Emily winced and put her hand on her lower back. "Ouch! My cicada is acting up again."

"Sciatica!" Sarah snapped back.

Emily closed her eyes. "Ouch! Ouch! Oh, however you say it. I'm in such pain." She popped one eye open. "If only there were some… well hewn man to rub my lower back."

Tommy said, "I could take you to the doctor and…."

"Yes, that's it. Tommy, you can rub my lower back and ease my brutal ache."

Sarah was dumbfounded by Emily's boldness.

"Well, I'd like to help, but I'm really not an…."

Emily rushed over to him. "'You'd like to help' you say?'"

"What I mean by that is…"

Emily stepped in front of him. She grabbed his hands and moved them to her lower back.

Sarah's mouth was agape.

Emily whispered, "Knead me."

"Knead you?"

"Like I'm a loaf of bread."

"Um… Emily, I'm not so sure this is a good idea."

"You're right I'll lose my balance." She threw her arms around his neck and pressed up against him.

Tommy gulped and dropped his hands. "Maybe I should be going."

"Oh the pain; oh the pain. I hate this accursed Schenectady."

"Sciatica!" Sarah replied.

"See? It affects the way I speak too." She moved in closer and said wistfully, "Perhaps a gentle massaging of my lips is in order."

"Emily Jean Clementine!" Paula used a motherly tone.

Emily dropped her head and growled, "That motherly tone shouldn't work on me because I am not your daughter!"

"What was that?" Paula asked.

Sarah spoke in her defense: "Nothing. Mother, Emily has a delicate back condition."

Emily looked to Tommy longingly and whispered, "Sciatica."

"Sciatica… oh, you got it right this time."

"I am familiar with Emily's illness. Tommy, you got the bow and arrows. Why don't you run on home?"

"Um… yes, ma'am." Tommy broke away from Emily. He climbed in the wagon and headed towards home.

He tipped his hat as he left. All three women waved goodbye.

"That was a shameful display." Paula said as he rolled out of sight.

"Can it!" Emily started for the porch.

Paula gasped.

Sarah angrily shouted, "Emily?"

"Excuse me?" Paula quickly walked behind her. "Young lady, I am a…."

"…shriveled up housewife overcome with jealousy."

Paula spun Emily around and smacked her so hard that she fell to the porch.

Sarah yelled, “Mother?”

Paula gasped, “Oh no.”

Paula bit her finger nails and paced around the porch. Emily leaned against the wall and started crying.

Sarah was in shock. “Mother? Why did you do that?”

Paula had tears in her eyes. “Oh no, oh no. Emily? Emily, I’m sorry.” She ran into the kitchen.

Emily tried to compose herself.

Sarah reached out a hand and picked her up.

Sarah, followed by Emily, walked into the front doorway. Sarah turned to her right. Her mother was at the kitchen table shaking. Emily and Sarah sat down on the opposite side.

Paula tried to calm herself down. “Can I get you girls some lemonade?”

“No thank you, Mrs. Conrad.”

“I’m fine, mother.”

Paula poured herself a long, tall glass of lemonade and drank it in one setting. She joined them at the table.

Emily looked dejected. Sarah had her arm on Emily’s shoulder.

“Sarah? How old were you when I last slapped your face?”

Sarah shook her head. “I was five, maybe, or, or six?”

“Emily, I have had the privilege of knowing your mother Jean since before you were born.”

Emily dabbed her eyes with a napkin. “I know, ma’am, I know.”

Paula leaned against the table and gently placed her hands on Emily’s hands. Paula kept her head down. “Emily, you are playing with fire. I love you like my own child. I don’t to see you get hurt. Emily, I love you.”

Emily slowly shook her head and spoke in a solemn tone. “That was a mistake. Sarah and I were talking about boys and, she just wanted to…" she shrugged. "We wanted to have a little fun with Tommy.”

“Emily, it is so difficult at your age to figure out what’s right and what’s wrong because you are too confused about what you want or don’t want at any moment. Some women struggle to be taken seriously by men. Little stunts like that can ruin your reputation."

Emily kept her head down.

Sarah shrugged. “We’re just doing an experiment.”

Paula drummed the table with the tips of her fingers. “Tommy Grossman is a human being not a lab rat. He is a person, not a toy for your amusement.”

Paula closed her eyes and scrunched her face. “Ok, here is what we will do. Emily, I am willing to forget this whole idiotic incident ever took place, if, in exchange, you do not tell your mother that I slapped you.”

Emily silently nodded.

Paula continued, “I want you to run on home. Spend time with your mother I am sure she needs some help down at the bakery. Learn from your mistakes so that you save yourself future pain."

Emily swallowed. “Yes ma’am. I made a mistake.” She raised her eyes. "I'm sorry I called you a shriveled up…."

"Apology accepted; now leave!"

Emily nodded. She stood up and walked out the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Em."

Emily walked out and carefully shut the door.

"Sarah, go clean your room."

Paula dried off the glass and spent several minutes at the table evaluating her parenting skills and making an inventory of her regrets. A few minutes later a wagon pulled up in the drive way. Paula mumbled, "Good heavens, can my day get any worse?"

Sarah was in the middle of cleaning her room when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. "Yes?"

Lynn Watson walked in.

Sarah froze.

Lynn looked to the floor.

Sarah put some clothes in a hamper.

"Well, you are specifically the last person I wanted to see today."

Lynn kept her head down.

"I made a mistake."

Sarah shrugged. "You're the second girl who's said that today. What are you doing in my room anyway? I have never even let you in my house!"

"My mother and Mrs. Grayson are downstairs talking with your mother about the Spelling Bee."

"Plutocracy has one T, I lost, I tripped on the steps and tackled some gangly stranger what does it matter?"

"Wait," Lynn looked to the side. "You think you tripped?"

"Lynn, how could you not see me? You were standing right there. As a matter of fact, you were the only one in the room laughing at me and...."

Sarah gasped. She shook her head. She pointed at Lynn. "You little mean spirited, foul tongued beast. I hate you so much Lynn Watson."

"You deserved it after what you said to me."

"I used words; you could have broken my leg!"

Knock-knock.

Sarah and Lynn snapped their heads to the door. "Sarah, Lynn we want to see you downstairs."

Lynn and Sarah nervously walked down to the parlor.

Peggy Watson pointed to the couch. They sat down.

Paula was sitting on a kitchen chair she'd moved to the living room, her face was sullen.

Mrs. Grayson was leaning against the far wall, tapping her toes.

Peggy Watson spoke forthrightly, "Lynn?"

"Yes, mother."

"You will not be going to the State Spelling Bee in Great Falls next week."

Sarah smiled.

Lynn was in shock. "But, but, but, I won?"

Mrs. Grayson added, "Sarah, you aren't going either. I sent a telegram to the Board of Education in Plentywood. Sheridan County's entry has been withdrawn."

Lynn collapsed her face in her hands and sobbed.

Sarah was confused. "But, if she lost why am I not the winner?"

Mrs. Grayson spoke in a stern voice, "Lynn, Sarah, I have taught you for 2 years and in that time I have not yet once seen you act civil towards each other."

Lynn spoke up; she was very animated, "Sarah never gives me a chance!"

"Quiet Lynn! Please continue Mrs. Grayson."

"Lynn, when Sarah collected her medal and went towards the steps of the stage you tripped her."

Lynn bit her lower lip. She shook her head.

Mrs. Grayson sighed. "Lynn? Lynn? I clearly saw you do it as did practically everyone else in that auditorium. Do you wish to call me a liar?"

Lynn shook her head and whispered, "I tripped her."

Peggy shrunk; she was very disappointed in her daughter.

"Lynn, honey, why can't you girls just get along? Paula and I are friends. We've had them to our house for bridge half a dozen times. You are both straight A students. You even go to the same church!"

Paula moaned, "I am having the worst day of my life."

Peggy whispered, "Everything will work out fine. My Lynn's a little high strung and hyper-sensitive sometimes."

Paula shook her head, "No, that's not it. I was having a rotten day before Sarah came home." She sighed. "Do you know how husbands can sometimes drive you crazy?"

Mrs. Grayson and Peggy Watson replied in unison, "Yes." The wives looked at each other and giggled.

Sarah and Lynn started to do the same thing but then their egos stopped them. They returned to their catty ways.

Paula said, "Lynn, I know you well enough to state unequivocally my belief that you did not trip Sarah without provocation. So, Sarah, what did you say to her when she received her award?"

Sarah sighed and groaned, "I'd best not repeat it."

Paula handed Sarah a pencil and paper, "Write it."

Sarah shrugged. "I'm in so much trouble already today that I just don't care any more."

She wrote something on the piece of paper, neatly folded it and handed it to her mother.

Paula cringed as she read it. "Sarah? Sarah? Why would you say something so obscene?"

Paula handed the note to Mrs. Grayson.

"Goodness gracious Sarah!"

Peggy Watson said, "Yup, I would've tripped her too."

Mrs. Grayson shook her head, "Ok, this is bigger than we thought. Ladies, let's step outside a moment and talk. Lynn, Sarah, I want you to stay on the couch and do not, repeat, do not say a word to each other."

The ladies spent fifteen minutes on the front porch. When they returned to the living room, Lynn and Sarah were facing opposite directions. Peggy stood in front of Lynn. Paula stood in front of Sarah. Mrs. Grayson sat in between the girls.

"Let's hold hands."

Lynn said, "What?"

Sarah said sharply, "I'm not going to hold anyone's hand."

Paula quickly grabbed Sarah's hand.

Mrs. Grayson bowed her head.

"Oh Lord, father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, forgive our foolish ways. Look down upon these two children, your servants and give them humility so they might live a blameless life in Thy holy sight.

Father, please be with your servant Paula Conrad, give her peace in her heart, we sometimes get upset and say things we shouldn't. She loves her husband Michael very much; she would never say anything to deliberately hurt him.

Father, I ask that you servant give Peggy an increased measure of wisdom. She needs your guidance in raising Lynn. She needs to be less concerned with grades and more concerned about her daughter's attitude.

Lastly, oh Righteous One, I thank Thee for Thy bountiful love and mercy which we will soon be manifested in the lives of these two young women. The world is a very cold and heartless place Lord, fill us with your truth, show us the way and let our hearts be warm with your compassion. In Jesus Name I Pray- everyone say it- Amen!"

When the prayer was over, everyone was in tears. The women hugged; the girls shook hands and for now, that was the best they could do. After twenty minutes of talking, Mrs. Grayson, Peggy and her daughter Lynn got in their wagon and drove off. Sarah and Paula had their arms around each other; they waved as the women disappeared out of sight.

While they were still on the porch Michael pulled up. Paula smiled. Sarah smiled at her father and then slipped into the house. Michael gingerly held up a bouquet of purple tulips. Paula ran towards him and they kissed.