a mother's g i f t

A stool scraped across the floor. The girl was pulling it to the sink. She stood at it's peak and retrieved a glass. The milk was already sitting on the table. No chocolate, she was too old for that. A big girl, her mother would say. After setting the glass on the table, she replaced the stool. The kitchen television was blaring when she again took the glass in her hand. She tapped it lightly, holding it bottom up to rid the cup of excess water.

The news was on.

"Today ends the trial of the century," said some boring male monotone.

I wonder when Mother will return.

"A great mind has been sentenced after the accusation of illegal testing on a human subject."

She should be home by now. It's been days since she went on her vacation.

"Her experiments have been proven to leave the subject in a suspended stage of youth."

Maybe a month since she left... Or perhaps three?

"Though the body of the subject remains frozen in time, the mind grows and expands as anyone else's might."

Maybe this is all a big plot for my birthday.

"The scientist herself seems to consider it a 'fountain of youth' though in truth it has no restorative qualities."

It must be, and then Mother will come home just as we start singing.

"Tomorrow, the sentence will be carried out."

She'll come home and everyone will be happy again, just wait until tomorrow and Mother will come.

"Professor Taylor will be put to death."

Just wait for tomorrow...

"Those surviving her are her mother-"

Tomorrow I'll be 17...

"Her father-"

A big girl...

"And her daughter, the subject of the tests."

Like Mother always said...

"The child has been in her grandparent's custody since these experiments were discovered."

Almost an adult...

"She is still a minor and the family refuses anymore than blood tests."

Tomorrow, she...

"And now for today's weather-" The television screen cracked and the sound stopped as a glass flew against the set.