Dib looked outside the window, waiting for the familiar car to pull up. He always loved seeing that car. It meant that his mother was home. But he knew something was wrong. She was ten minutes late. He wasn't worried about his dad; his dad was always late. He looked outside, his little face pressed against the window. Won't Mom be proud? He had already showered and gotten into his pajamas, all by himself! Nobody helped him. Oh, his mom would be so happy to see that her little "baby" was growing up. He was now four. He had also made sure Gaz was in her pajamas and fast asleep. Suddenly the phone rang. He looked at the caller ID. It was his mom's office. He memorized the number by heart. He could say it with his eyes closed, backwards, even with the numbers mixed up. He picked up the phone "Hello," he said cheerfully. But the lady on the line wasn't his mom. "Um… well, your dad will be coming home earlier because… there was a lab accident." Dib couldn't understand why the lady sounded so sad. "Um okay," Dib said then hung up the phone. Dib wondered what kind of accident it was. Maybe his mom spilled some chemicals on the floor and had to stay late to clean them up. Yeah, that's what happened. After all, accidents weren't bad, right? Dib was happy to see that his dad was home. "Hi, Daddy. Mommy had to work late 'cause she spilled chemicals on the floor." Professor Membrane had received the message five minutes earlier than Dib. "Um… no, Son, nothing spilled," he said wearily. "Perhaps she broke a beaker, then," Dib suggested. "Er… Mom's not coming home right now." Dib's eyes widened. "When will she be home then," Dib asked innocently. Professor Membrane gave a heavy sigh. "Let's just say… you'll see her again, Dib." Dib could not understand why Dad's voice sounded heavy, like his giant alien book. "Uh, okay, well good night, Daddy." Dad ran upstairs. Dib sat up in his room, waiting for the car. His dad had said that he would see his mom again. His dad knew almost everything. So he kneeled down, his little chin on the windowsill, waiting for that car, because Mommy will come. Wow this is the saddest thing I've ever written. Well, this story is supposed to express childhood innocence. Yes, Dib is four in this story. Dib doesn't realize that the "accident" was really a death. Poor Dib. T_T