Please Forgive Mom.

Lauren closed her eyes and pinched herself hard.

Wincing from the pain, she opened her eyes again and reality still stared her cruelly in the face.

"Who did I offend to be punished this way?"

With a sudden surge of emotions, she sprang to her feet and dashed out through the door.

As soon as she stepped out of the room, she leaned heavily against the cool, hard wall in the brightly lit corridor, overcome by emotion, her tears overflowed without stop, streaming down her cheeks.

Sarah and her husband happened to be returning from home and saw Lauren in this state.

Without hesitation, they rushed to her side, their hearts pounding with worry.

"Lauren, what's wrong?" Sarah asked, her voice filled with urgency.

David placed a comforting hand on Lauren's shoulder, his eyes searching her face for answers. "Is Steffan okay? Did something happen?"