Matilda goes to university

'Mum,' Matilda began that day of her seventeenth birthday, 'may I go to university?' Matilda was a beautiful young lady, with long straight black hair, and deep inquisitive brown eyes. She was the smartest of her class, and always had been. Having studied English language and English literature at school she had been the top of every class and had passed every exam with flying colours. And now, the smart but shy student was wondering whether or not she would be good enough for university.

'Of course you may Matilda,' Jenny Honey said as she finished up the cooking of Matilda's favourite breakfast meal which was, of course, pancakes. 'In fact once you've finished up here you can begin to apply for it on the internet, I'm sure it's not too late,' she ended. Jenny Honey was the kindest adoptive mother a child could ever have. She delighted in everything about Matilda and had ever since they'd met twelve years ago when she was only five years old. Jenny had long, natural, blonde hair which she always wore in a ponytail and bright blue eyes which she always hid behind her spectacles.

'Thanks mum,' Matilda said, as she accepted her pancakes and drizzled honey all over them, not too much, after all too much was bad for her health, and her teeth.

'If you need any help filling in your form, do not hesitate to ask for some,' Matilda's mother asked to which the daughter nodded. Not that she'd need any help. 'I'll be teaching tomorrow so we've got the whole day together and I can help you,' Jenny finished to which Matilda smiled wide as she finished up her breakfast and turned to the presents her mother had bought for her. Some looked very big and some looked very small. Matilda would be grateful for the utmost love and care had been placed into each and every pick.

'I think I'll be okay,' she replied in a tone that said she was grateful for the offer, but that she could manage it all by herself without any trouble.

'Okay, time to open up your presents,' Jenny said and her beautiful daughter nodded as she made her way into the dining room and sat on the floor between her presents.

The biggest present had turned out to be a bookshelf that she was in desperate need for. Every week, every month, every year she seemed to purchase or borrow more and more books and she was quickly running out of space for them all. And she didn't like having her books put under the bed where she couldn't see them, and where they might feel neglected.

'Thanks mum,' Matilda said when all the presents had all been open. There were five books, some that she had already read through and some that she had not. The latter was always a tricky feat for as a child she had read many books, if not all she could lay her hands on. However her mother had kept her own romance novels from her. So this year to have a romance novel was good. She had always wondered about them, as other girls her age had been known to read them.

'That is not all yet,' mum said and Matilda's brow crinkled. But she had had so much spent on her already, surely there could not be even more presents? 'I have bought you a laptop and a printer all of your own, as I know full well how fond you are of writing.' As a child Matilda had been a fastidious reader so it came as a surprise to no one that she would become interested in writing. Again there was no surprise that she had become a very good writer. Her AS creative writing pieces were graded A's every time.

'Oh thank you so much mum,' Matilda cried jumping up to hug her mother tight, before accepting the two extra gifts.

'You have made me so proud with everything you have done, not only through your genius but what you have done for me. Nothing could make me more proud to see your name on a book someday. You deserve it my child.' Jenny was close to tears and so she helped her daughter set up the laptop so she could apply for university. It gave her something to do and distracted her from the tears threatening to spill. She could not have asked for a better daughter than Matilda. She felt as though Matilda was the daughter she could have had if she'd ever had a partner or even been married.

Yes Matilda could have been one of those children to ask why Jenny wouldn't marry or date men, but she was not. She was a sensitive child, who understood that between teaching classes and looking after Matilda, she didn't have time for dating.

Maybe when she goes to university I will have time Jenny Honey spoke selflessly. She had devoted the past twelve or so years to the upbringing of Matilda; she needed some time to herself.

'Hey mum, where should I apply for?' the daughter in question asked, tearing Jenny from her own thoughts.

'You could go anywhere you wanted Matilda, Cambridge, Oxford, even Princeton.' The latter was suggested because Matilda too had studied law at college, and found it quite interesting.

'Do you think I could take a double at university? Creative writing and law?' Matilda asked and her mum nodded.

'You are most definitely bright enough to juggle both subjects, I only wish I'd had the chances that you've been given today,' she replied making Matilda hug her again, this time, tighter.

'I'll write a book for you mum,' she vowed as she made her way to the laptop and logged onto the website so as to apply for the universities. Could she take a double? Where did she want to go?