Silence

Joanna smiled as she closed the door to Ada's room. Ada had been crying for hours it seemed, and just now had fallen asleep. Joanna began to run through all the other tasks in her head that she had yet to finish that day, and was discouraged to discover that it was already five o'clock.

"What can you get done with only, " She counted in her head with the use of some fingers, "four hours until bedtime?" She thought hopelessly. At the prospect of bedtime she began to smile, remembering the new pajamas she had bought that were pink and white flannel.

She began to fantasize about that delicious moment when she could turn on the radio, crawl into bed, pull the sheets over her head, and not have to get up when Ada started to cry. Her husband could and would take care of that tonight.

At the thought of Steve, Joanna remembered that she needed to defrost the Macaroni and Cheese she had made last week. That would be the first thing to tackle on the to-do list.

After throwing that in the oven Joanna watered the Christmas tree and began to edit the week's editorial that was due Friday for work.

She kept her ears alert for any sound from Ada as she worked, but they were met only with a peaceful silence. Finally.