31. The Scientist's Wife

Mary sits by the window. She misses John. John is in Antarctica. He is a scientist, and he studies the ice and animals there. Mary is proud of him, but she is lonely.

Every day, she thinks about him. She remembers his smile and the fun they had together. She wishes he could come home soon.

John sends emails to Mary when he can. The internet is slow in Antarctica, so she waits a long time for messages. When she gets one, her heart is happy.

John writes about the cold and the snow. He tells her about penguins. “There are so many penguins!” he says. “They are funny. They waddle on the ice and dive into the water. They don’t mind the cold.”

Mary smiles when she reads about the penguins. She imagines them playing on the ice. But she still misses John. She wants to be with him, not just hear about his adventures.

At night, Mary looks at the stars. She thinks of John, far away with the penguins. “I hope you are safe,” she whispers. “I miss you.”

Mary knows John loves his work, but she hopes he will come home soon. Until then, she waits.