Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

I check my watch for the third time in 5 minutes. 2:53. Has it really only been two minutes? It feels like ten. I try to occupy myself with anything and everything - cooking, cleaning, watching TV, reading, even re-doing my hair. Nothing works. Time keeps passing too slow for my liking.

I take my watch off. Pace. Pace some more. Glance at the watch. I finally give up and put the watch back on. What time is it now? 3:04. Really? That's it?! I groan. I have sixteen minutes until I have to rendez-vous at the meeting place that we agreed on.

I wander over to my room and lay on the bed. I look at the ceiling, counting the amount of bumps. 432, 433, 434... I glance at my watch again. 3:12. I groan louder this time. How could I have lasted this long? I've waited all day.

Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

I get up and walk over the dresser. I pick up a photo, my favourite. It was my wedding photo. My husband and I, two thinner, more attractive versions of ourselves, are kissing. My arms are wrapped around his neck, and his are wrapped around my waist. I close my eyes, trying to remember the magic of that moment. And for a few seconds, I lose myself in a happy memory. It was almost as if I could feel his arms around my waist...

I glance at the watch. 3:20.

A-ha! I can finally go. The moment I've been waiting for all day has finally arrived. I prance down the stairs, singing my wedding song along the way. I pull on my rain boots as fast as I can and grab my jacket as I head out the door.

The rain splashes down on my face, matting my hair. I lift my face to the sky and let myself feel young again. I'm still walking, and I feel myself start to waver towards the grass at the edge of the sidewalk. I snap out of my memory and continue walking, remembering what I'm walking towards.

There are other women here. A few men, even some teenagers. We're all waiting for the same thing. I look down the road and see the bright yellow bus driving towards at a snail-like pace.

The bus stops in front of us, and my son, looking as ecstatic as ever, steps off.

"Oh, honey," I breathe. "How was your first day at school?"