There was a twenty car pile up on the expressway and Celia was stuck in traffic. A car jam stretching three miles long. Her car hadn’t moved at all for over fifteen minutes. She knew because she kept looking at her watch. The radio said there was at least one casualty. They were still in the clearing stages. Celia sent up a silence prayer for the family of that victim.

She glanced at her watch again. Kaleia had been let out of school five minutes ago and Caleb would be getting out in twenty minutes. She wasn’t worried about Kaleia cause she knew to wait, but Caleb was another matter all together. He would be running to the main office and ringing her phone off its clip as soon as he stepped out the building and didn’t see her car.

Maybe she should call his teacher and have her keep him in class until she could get out of traffic.

She looked at her watch again as the car inched forward a few feet. At least they were moving. She strained to see over the other cars; to see if the exit sign was near.

She decided to go ahead and call. There was no way she’d make it in time.

She put her earpiece in and requested Greater Grace Elementary on the voice activated system.

“Can I have Ms. Wilkes room?” she asked the office secretary.

“I believe she is getting some of the children on the bus. Would you like her voicemail?”

“Yes, please.”

Celia waited while she was transferred to voicemail. She checked her watch yet again. “Hello, Ms. Wilkes. This is Mrs. Alexander, Caleb’s mother. I am stuck in traffic. If you could keep Caleb in your room until I get there I would greatly appreciate it. The time is now 3:20. I should be there in about fifteen minutes. Please give me a call on my cell phone if you have any questions.”

She set her phone in the clip on her visor and rest her head on the driver’s side window as traffic inched forward.

Her phone rang.

She unclipped it and checked the caller id.

“Hey Justice, how are you doing?” Celia asked.

“I’m blessed. The question is how are you?”

“I’m pressing through,” Celia said with honesty.

“Celia, I have Monique on the other line, hold on while I click her in.”

Celia listened to the double click of the phone.

“My Sista in Christ, we miss you at church. We want you to know you are loved despite whatever you are going through,” Monique said.

A small smile crossed Celia’s face. She hadn't been back to the church since her and Khalil's altercation. Celia was too ashamed of her behavior to go back.

“You are a divine daughter of the highest king, don’t let the devil have the victory. We just wanted to let you know we are here, and when you need to talk without fears of judgment, please call one of us. You don’t have to press through by yourself,” Justice said.

Celia phone beeped as another call came in. “Somebody’s on my other line. Ya’ll hold on.”

“Mrs. Alexander?”

“Yes. Please hold for a second” Celia said clicking back to the other line. “Justice…Monique. This is my son’s teacher. I’ll have to get back with you.”

“We’re still praying for you,” they said in unison before Celia clicked the phone.

“Are you still there?” Celia asked.

“Yes, this is Ms. Wilkes returning your call.”

“Thanks, were you able to get Caleb? I didn’t want him worrying when he didn’t see the car.”

“Your husband picked him up half an hour ago.”

“He did?” A sense of dread covered her.

“Yes, he came to my class and got him. Caleb was very happy to see him.”

“Oh…” she said flatly, “Thanks for letting me know.”

She hung up and quickly dialed Kaleia’s school with trembling fingers. She misdialed twice before getting it right.

“Could somebody go see if Kaleia Alexander is standing outside by the front entrance of the building? This is her mother and I am running late to pick her up.” Classical music began to play as they put her on hold. She prayed, “Lord, let her be there. Please Lord, let her be there.”

Traffic was still inching forward but it seemed to not be moving at all.

Celia hollered at the cars in front of her. “What’s taking so long? I have to get off this expressway.”

The person on the other line came back to the phone. “I’m sorry, there is not a student named Kaleia Alexander standing at the front entrance.”

“Are you sure? She is light brown, about five two, and petite. She is very petite. And her hair is dark brown…shoulder length.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. There is no one at the front entrance that fits that description.”

“Okay,” Celia inhaled deeply. “Thanks anyway.”

She had to get to that school and check for herself.

Laying her hand on the horn she yelled, “For God’s sake move!”

The couple in the gray car on her driver’s side stared at her like she had lost her mind as they conversed about her. The driver of the blue sedan in front of her flipped her off. She didn’t know what she was doing. Shouting at traffic wasn’t going to make it move any faster.

“Don’t panic. Kaleia probably went to the bathroom. That’s why she wasn’t where she was supposed to be,” Celia tried to convince herself.

The only thing to do was wait.