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Chapter Twenty
Five Minutes
"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation
is from Him."
~ Psalm 62:5 ~
 zumi
awoke the next morning, to find herself in bed. John lie fast asleep beside her,
snoring softly. Izumi smiled, and put on her robe. When she opened the door, she
saw Terry sitting at the kitchen table, eating some of last night's dinner.
"Good morning, Izumi!" he greeted, pulling out a chair for her to sit in.
"Thank you," she smiled, happy to find that the clouds had parted.
"Feeling any better?"
"Yes, much. Do you like it?" Izumi asked, pointing to his plate.
"I'd be hard to please if I didn't," Terry said. Izumi was just about to
comment that she had heard John say the same thing before, when the urge to run to
the bathroom returned. She left hurriedly, and without explanation. Terry ran to
the bedroom, and pulled John out of bed.
"John, John! Wake up!" John stood up, sleepily. "It's Izzy! She's
doing it again!" John quickly ran to the bathroom and opened the door. Izumi
sat on the floor, as white as a sheet, but still conscious.
"I don't understand," she whimpered. John picked her up and carried her
to the bedroom. Terry stood in the doorway with a strange look on his face.
"John, I'll be right back." John turned to say something, but he had already
disappeared. Six minutes later, Terry returned with a grocery bag, breathless from
his morning jog. John got up from the bed to meet him, puzzled by his friend's odd
behavior.
"Do you think she has stomach flu?" asked John, expecting to see Terry
pull out cold medicine from the bag.
"Not exactly," he smiled, handing John a small pink box.
"What's this for?" he asked.
"Read the label, silly," Terry chuckled. It read "Home Pregnancy Kit"
in big black letters. "I had the oddest looks in the checkout," he laughed.
John sat down on the kitchen chair, his mouth hanging wide open.
"Do really you think that's what it is?" he asked seriously.
"I hear it's a common enough condition," Terry laughed, slapping him on
the back. "I wouldn't start picking out names now, but I wouldn't be surprised!"
John suddenly felt dizzy. "Put your head between your legs," directed Terry,
suddenly realizing that his friend was about to pass out. After a few moments, John
recovered himself. Without thinking, he handed the pink box back to Terry. Terry
put out his hand and pushed it away. "Don't give it to me, I don't need it!"
"Right. Right. I give this to Izumi," he said shakily, trying to collect
his thoughts.
"Here, give this to her while you're at it," said Terry, handing him a
box of saltines.
"Right," John said, decidedly, "this will help." He opened the
box and ate a cracker. Terry doubled over with laughter.
"For Izzy. Those are for Izzy!"
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