Lydia's Decision

Lydia stood in the foyer staring at the calendar hanging by the door. In two days she would be sixteen and she would have to choose whether to remain on Earth with her mother or join her father at Lunar Base One. Pulling her eyes away from the calendar, she looked down at the letters laying on a small oak stand. The letter on top was addressed to her, she opened it and a white linen napkin fell out. Picking up the napkin she saw her name embroidered in pink thread.

Looking in the envelope, she found a one way ticket on a shuttle to the moon, but there was no indication as to who sent the letter. At that moment, her cell phone rang. "Yes," she frowned.

"Tomorrow afternoon!"

"Yes, confirm the reservations."

"Who was that," her mother called from the kitchen.

"It was the spaceport," she went into the kitchen. "They wanted me to confirm reservation on tomorrow's Lunar shuttle."

"Did you," the fire alarm near the oven went off. Lydia's mother reached up, turned the alarm off, and opened the oven door.

"Yes," Lydia said watching her mother remove a burnt piece of meat and blackened roasting pan.

"Good!" She carried the pan to the stove top and began to slice the meat. "Do you want a piece of this pot roast, Lydia?"

"No, Mama, since I'm leaving tomorrow, I have to pack."

Going to her room, Lydia took a bag out of her closet. Odd, she thought as she opened the bag. I don't remember packing this. Laying on top of her clothes, was a deflated plastic globe.

"Lydia," her mother came into her room. "I hope you don't mind me packing for you."

"No, Mama," Lydia studied the relieved expression on her mother's face.