Interesting Facts about Space

by Emily R. Austin

“How is your mom?” I ask. “My mom? Oh, she’s okay,” he says. “I have to check on her, you know. Like you do with your mom. Lately she’s been fine, but not great. She’s taking her medicine. I had to devote a solid four hours of my life to begging her to, but she promised she’s back on them. I’m sure it’ll be an issue again in a few months, but for now, she’s stable. But I think we’ll have to have this fight forever, until she dies.” Our eyes connect. The reality of having mothers like ours is that the only possible reprieve from worrying about finding them dead is them dying. As long as they are alive, the threat that they might die persists. Of course, anyone’s mother can die, but this is different. In this case, they might not have if we had just argued with them to take their medicine, or if we ran into their house faster and got inside in time. “How is your mom?” he asks. I look at him. “She isn’t wearing lipstick.” “I’m sorry to hear that,” he says.