SIMONE’S RIDE FOR LIFE:

 A red and tearful eyed Simone still fingering the Buddhist praying beads that Annabelle had given her while being taken away from not just the school, her students, but from the one love she thought she would never find. Annabelle was to be the love of her life, how could this have happen. She kept thinking over and over again, what could I have done differently, so things would not be in such a mess. Maybe I should demanded Mother Immaculata to move Annabelle to another dorm. Maybe I should had not gone to the dance, so many maybes and what ifs, deep down, Simone knew that things still would have been the same. Her and Annabelle would still have had that night of passion because it was their destiny.

The ride in the limo was like riding in a funeral procession, her funeral. God only knew where they were taking her to. No one was talking, well, the one good thing was at least they didn’t hand cuff me. Simone was thinking to herself that, I would rather be hand cuffed because then I would have been a criminal of the law which would have taken away some of the pain I am feeling in my heart.

Just then the limo came to a stop, the door opens and a uniform police is telling Simone to follow him. “Where am I” she says to herself, looks like downtown in the back of police headquarters or a court house. I guess they didn’t want the press to get a good shot of the school teacher who molest under age little girls at a Catholic school. With her head hung down, Simone begins to wonder if that’s what the world was going to be thinking of her? I know in my heart that is not true, but if only I waited till Annabelle turned 18 in a few weeks, I would not be here now, there I go again with those what ifs.” This way ma’am” coming from officer friendly, who don’t look so friendly to me.

As they enter the building, Simone see more police officers and a few suits as well. The officer escorts her down the hall to the elevators. He pushes the up button and Simone thinks well that’s funny, I thought the ride to Hell was down. Once inside the elevator, the officer pushes the button for the 3^rd floor. Now things really being to worry Simone, her heart is beating so loud and fast she just knew he had to hear it. The doors open and they get out and walk down more halls. Is this what they mean when you hear them say, “ dead man walking”. Because this had to be the place of her final resting ground. The officer tells Simone, “wait here”. Simone thinks to herself, “where would I go, I have no idea where I am”. The lady behind the desk looks like she could be a movie star or model, not the secretary of the person Simone was about to see, who was she about to see? Simone was clueless. Officer friendly tells Simone, “ it will be a minute, would you like any thing?” Was he serious, “sure I would love to have my life back, can you do that for me?’ Simone thinks to herself. With a soft whisper of “no” Simone and Officer friendly sits and wait for who or what? Simone so deep in thought about Annabelle and their night of passion did not see

the woman that just came down the hall. Officer friendly gently taps Simone on the shoulder to let her know that they were ready for her. Simone looks up into the greenness eyes she has every seen in her life. The woman’s hand is out stretch to shake Simone’s hand and somewhere in that fog did Simone hear right. “ Hello, Simone, my name is Nicole Tillman”.