The following day, Olivia just finished teaching some of the children the English language when she heard familiar voices in the hallway. Her heart lifted with joy as a smile curved her lips.
“All right, children. Let’s say our closing prayers,” she announced to the noisy children.
They, too, had heard Annie’s voice and were eager to go and see her.
They all closed their eyes as they waited for her to lead the prayer.
“Thank you, dear God, for our lessons today. Help us not to forget what we’ve learned. Be with us whenever we gather to learn. Amen.”
“Amen,” the children chorused and opened her eyes.
Before she could stop them, they rose and ran out of the classroom.
“No running,” she shouted but she might as well have been talking to herself as the happy children didn’t listen.
Olivia laughed and cleaned the board. She couldn’t blame them. She, too, was eager to see Annie who had become a dear friend to her.
Olivia was a little surprised that Annie was there. She had expected her friend to be flat on her back, waiting for the birth of her firstborn.
She counted in her mind, waiting for the children to have enough time to spend with their former teacher. But then she couldn’t wait any longer.
With a smile on her face, Olivia exited the classroom. Annie was no longer in the hallway, but Olivia was able to guess her whereabouts from the noise coming from outside.
Olivia found Annie and Stephen surrounded by excited children who were all talking at the same time.
Olivia stood at the threshold for a moment staring at Annie’s lively face and her nicely rounded stomach. Stephen had an arm around her shoulders.
When will I have this, Lord?
She longed to have a man who loved her the way Stephen loved Annie. She also wanted a large family. Being an only child, she had been lonely sometimes.
She didn’t want that for her children. She reckoned that having five children who would talk and play with each other wouldn’t be bad.
Initially, as she told Cora, she had thought she wasn’t ready for marriage and a family. But being with Annie and Stephen and surrounded by children, she had had a change of heart.
She let out a small sigh. There wasn’t even a man in sight, so she was simply daydreaming for nothing.
What about Adam?
Olivia blushed fierily at her inner voice.
“Olivia.”
She jerked at the mention of her name. A fond smile was plastered on her face when she walked down the steps to Annie.
Annie clapped her hands. “Children, please go inside. I need to talk to Miss Olivia. I’ll come and visit again whenever I can.”
The children, who had been touching her stomach and trying to hear the baby in Annie’s womb move, nodded and ran back inside the house.
Olivia and Annie looked after the running children with fond smiles. Olivia turned around and threw her arms around Annie. She also hugged Stephen.
“How have you been? You look wonderful,” Olivia said with a wide smile.
Annie laughed and pointed at her extended stomach. “With this?”
“Yes.” Olivia nodded. “You’re glowing.”
Stephen grinned. “Thanks to me.”
