Butterflies

She finished the dishes and walked into the living room drying her hand on the dish towel. There her sixteen-year old daughter sat playing video games.

It's hard to believe that she'll be gone in two years, she thought as her eyes teared up.

She walked back into the kitchen for a cup of coffee, then took it out with her to sit in the garden. She enjoyed the sights and smells. Watching the butterflies coming and going to the cone flowers, she thought about her daughter going off to college. First she needs to decide where she wants to go. Then we have to help her understand how much in debt she'll be putting herself. She wants to attend college way out in California, but how could she afford paying back eighty to ninety thousand dollars? Acting is a tough business to break into.

Her husband is beside himself that she truly wants to embark on this journey. He doesn't feel that she'll be successful. Beth, on the other hand, didn't have a lot of concerns that she wouldn't do well. There's just something about her daughter that people are drawn to and Anna's acting skills are good and she sings well. Personally, Beth feels that Anna would do best on Broadway or doing that kind of theater. It seems to be in her blood.

She'd like Anna to consider colleges in Chicago or Oklahoma as opposed to California. Anna wants to attend college in a warm climate. She doesn't like the Midwest weather, so that would cut out Chicago. Plus Chicago probably isn't the safest city. Although crime is everywhere.

Beth knows Anna will be disappointed that her parents won't be able to help a whole lot, financially. Beth wishes that she could help more but they were just beginning to not live paycheck to paycheck, like they have most of their married life.

She took a sip of her coffee and focused again on the butterflies frequenting the flowers. Every once in a while she'd see a hummingbird or two hanging out at the red hot pokers. She moved her face up to soak in the sun's rays for a moment.

It's time she accepted the fact that her daughter was going to leave for college and begin her new life on her own. It's a tough pill for a mom to swallow. But, alas, it's what would happen.

Just then a butterfly alighted on her knee. Beth watched it wondering if it was a sign. A sign that indicated that all would be well and that this would be just another chapter in each of their life books.

She drank the last bit of her coffee, stood up and stretched. We raised a smart girl. She'll be all right.

Beth went back into the house feeling that she had a plan. They'd sit down and talk with Anna about her options and help her to make the best decision possible. Hopefully their smart young lady would weigh all of her options and choose wisely.