Pushing up, she grabbed the phone on the bed next to her, her jaw dropping when she saw the time. An hour and a half!
“Can I come in, please? I have to tell you something.”
It was Tessa, she realized, shaking off the fog of an unwelcome afternoon nap. Mustering her energy, she pushed to the floor and walked to the door, opening it slowly, as if she didn’t know what would be waiting on the other side.
“I have to show you something.”
She stared at the other woman, something shifting in her heart. Tessa had tried with Nolie—her techniques were questionable, but she got an A for effort.
“You have to look at this.” Tessa held her iPad out.
Still a little confused, but awake now, she stepped back, silently inviting Tessa into the room. “What is it?”
“Are you okay?” Tessa frowned. “I mean, I know you’re upset but you look…”
“I fell asleep,” she said. “I just conked out for an hour. No clue why.”
“Stress,” Tessa said. “But this might help.” She held the iPad out again, showing a form that Crista didn’t recognize.
“What?” Crista frowned at it, trying to make sense of the words…
Georgia State Department of Education…Elementary School Placement Exam
She instantly recognized the name of the test from research she’d done earlier and shared with Tessa.
For Practice Only ~ Results Not Official
“Oh…” She looked up at Tessa. “She took it?”
“Twice. Both times the same result.” She pointed to the form, sliding her finger over the name Magnolia Merritt, the date, and the test type—Third Grade Readiness Evaluation.
“Oh, my.”
“Keep reading,” Tessa said, tapping the screen so it went to the next page.
Overall score: Pass
Pass? Crista closed her eyes, literally swaying.
“You okay?”
“I’m just a little…dizzy.”
Tessa giggled. “I know. I was, too. This happened twice, Crista. I have both scores. Look at these numbers!”
“I can’t…” She felt woozy again. “I just… Read them to me.” She took a few steps back to the bed, so overwhelmed by relief and emotion that she felt her entire body vibrating.
“Reading Comprehension,” Tessa said. “Eighty-one-beautiful-percent.”
“No!”
“They call that, ‘Meets Expectations,’” Tessa said. “I call it a massive victory! And get this! Math was even higher! Every single category, Crista—exceeds, meets, or approaching grade-level expectation. She passed with flying colors!”
Crista put her hand over her mouth, not even able to comprehend all the feelings ricocheting through her body.
“Does Nolie know?” Crista asked.
“I didn’t even tell her it was a test,” Tessa said. “I told her it was a game. A game she aced! Our girl isgoingto third grade!”
