《Life By The Hour》


 Chapter One: Anne

    Anne Rickman sat cross-legged on the couch, glued to the TV. Only moments before, she got a phone call from her elderly mother''s care home telling her to turn on the news. Apparently, something huge had happened, and the tech on the other end wouldn''t disclose her details.


    "Just turn on the news, Anne. It''s important to your mother." Then the tech hung up. It was odd for her mother to call her out of the blue, especially now that she was almost 94. Sighing, she turned on the TV and switched it to the news. A man with perfect blonde hair and pearly white teeth sat behind a desk, his face flushed with excitement and his tie crooked.


    "Once again, we have received word that Dr. Prince, an up-and-coming geneticist from New England, has discovered a way to make humankind live forever. He says that his new serum, LyfeX, can make you practically immortal! That''s right, folks! The cure for aging has been found! This new ''miracle drug'' can stop the aging process. Let''s go to Dr. Prince now for a demonstration." Anne rolled her eyes. Indeed, this was a joke, but there the news anchor was, with a story that dwarfed any other Anne had witnessed in her lifetime.


    So there she sat, mesmerized as the screen switched to show a middle-aged man wearing a very expensive-looking Armani suit. He tapped on the microphone, testing to ensure it was on, and then flashed a gleaming smile at his audience. Anne thought the smile was a bit cheesy, but she sat on the couch, enraptured by the topic.


    "Hello, my name is Doctor Kirby Prince, and for the last sixteen years, I have been working on, to say it bluntly, a death cure. And today, I am proud to announce that my team and I have found just that!" As he spoke the last words, a curtain fell behind the doctor, revealing a large laboratory. Several people in white coats and masks worked diligently in the background. Anne thought the staged lab was also a bit cheesy - the length TV producers would go through to pander to their audience - but in the prop laboratory was an older woman sitting on a small stool. Anne gasped. It was her mother! Anne sat there, dumbfounded, as the man began to speak again.


    "I would like to show you how it works. If you follow me to our lovely guinea pig, Mrs. Mindel, we can begin the process." The camera panned over to her mother''s face; she looked every bit her 94 years. The wrinkles were deep, and her light skin was almost translucent under the laboratory lights. Anne could see fear and confusion in her mother''s expression, but that wasn''t abnormal.


    Anne''s mother, Charmaine Mindel, was diagnosed with dementia over ten years ago, and in the past two years, it had progressed to a point where she and her brother Robert had needed to put her in a care home for her safety. The disease had eaten away at her brain, slowly eroding her mother''s personality until nothing but a confused and scared woman remained in the husk she used to call mother.


    The doctor made his way over to a table beside the stool. The needle''s size was intimidating. It glinted menacingly in the harsh light. Anne watched with a mixture of anxiety and disbelief. What is she thinking, going on national TV promoting a miracle drug? Anne''s thoughts were racing. Before she could think another thought, the doctor began talking again.


    "Now, if you will turn your attention to the syringe in my hand. This is the LyfeX Serum. With one dose, you turn back the clock one year. With the amount in this syringe, Mrs. Mindel here will reverse ten years of aging in just a few days.


    "The way it works is simple; it works with the cells in your body, giving them a patented, secret formula to reverse cell decay! What''s the secret? I''ll never tell!" He winked at the camera as the other scientist laughed and rolled their eyes. "This potent formula also stimulates regrowth of the myelin sheath surrounding the neurons in the brain, reversing damage and promoting brain health. No more worries about Dementia and other brain diseases! With this all-in-one miracle serum, you can be young again or stay young virtually forever!"


    "Yeah, right. Mom, what have you gotten yourself into?" Anne sighed, rolling her eyes. She was sure this must be a scam her stupid brother had fallen for; he had always been a hopeful fool. A flash of anger that her brother hadn''t contacted her before deciding to put her mom through this charade.


    Sure, she wasn''t in charge of their mother''s care; that was reserved for her brother because Anne couldn''t be bothered. But despite herself, she couldn''t look away. Something about the promise of eternal youth kept her eyes trained on the screen. Dr. Prince prepared the syringe, flicking it twice to get the air out of the comically large hypodermic needle. Her mother looked forward, her eyes clouded due to her failing mind. Two seconds later, Dr. Prince put his free hand on her shoulder.


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    "Alright, Mrs. Mindel, are you ready?" Her mother nodded in response, too nervous to speak. Dr. Prince expertly administered the shot into her mother''s arm, into the atrophied muscle. Anne leaned in closer; was it her imagination that the skin around the injection site seemed firmer? No, it couldn''t be. This had to be a joke. But watching her mother as her eyes cleared, an understanding dawned on Anne; maybe this wasn''t a joke.


    A sudden wave of jealousy overtook Anne. Her mother had just received something life-changing, and no one even thought to tell Anne it was happening; it was almost too much. Her mother had spent the last of her lucid years taking everything she could from Anne. Her mother''s divorce from her father left the woman with little income, and begged for Anne to help support her finantially even though her brother Robert was more stable on that front. She had manipulated Anne by telling her she was too embarrassed to ask her son because he held her in such high regard and she didnt want to dissapoint him.


    Not long after, Anne found out that Charmaine had begun to purchase items off of the internet and the Home Shopping Network. As she began to slip into her illness she would buy unnecessary things and put it on Anne''s credit card. Her house had been filled with useless crap, piling up in large piles around her home. Anne hadnt caught it right away, which lead to thousands of dollars being lost. It took her four whole months to return the items she could and there were still a multitude of items that needed to be dealt with. Remembering the mess her mother made with her finances, resentment began to bubble up and threatened to boil over, but the front door opened just then.


    It was Anne''s husband, Frank, coming home from the store. He held in his hands some plastic bags filled with groceries. Knocking Anne out of her head, she looked up and smiled.


    "Oh, honey. Mom''s on TV getting some brand new anti-aging thing. Did you get any info about this?" The man threw his keys into the bowl by the door and shut the door, carrying the groceries into their small, well-organized kitchen.


    "Your mother? No, no one said anything about getting anti-aging anything. Is it real?" Anne shook her head.


    "I don''t know. I think it''s just a bunch of nonsense. But... She does look a bit brighter, doesn''t she?" The cameraman did a close-up of her mother; she looked more alert, and her eyes seemed to have more life than Anne had seen in them in years. But that could be special effects. Anne sighed, resentment rising again in her chest. "I can''t believe she wouldn''t tell me that she was doing some experimental treatment for aging! She could have shared this news."


    Her husband just sighed. "You know how her mind is; she probably forgot. Please don''t be too hard on her. Plus, if this does work, maybe her mind will return to her."


    "Oh sure, that''s exactly what mom needs. To be around even longer so she can nag me forever." Anne sighed, her eyes still on the screen. "And what about Robert?! He had to have agreed to this! He can''t even call me to consult? They probably took the most pitiful-looking woman from the nursing home. That doctor is taking advantage of my mother! I should call Robert and give him a piece of my mind." Anne reached for her phone and began dialing the number, but something caught her attention again.


    "Why not try a little something for me? Before this injection, we gave Mrs. Mindel a test to determine her mental capabilities. She tested to be in the late stages of dementia, not remembering anything about her life. Now I have a few questions, Mrs. Mindel. What is your son''s name?" Surprise came over her mother''s face, but she thought for a moment. The audience was quiet, hanging on the edge of their seats, waiting for Charmaine''s answer. In a shaky but confident voice, Anne''s mother answered the question.


    "I named him Robert after his late father. He has been caring for me for the past few years, but the memories of that time are¡­ fuzzy. I feel like I just woke up from a long dream."


    "As you can see, the serum works very fast. She will continue to improve for the next few days; her muscles will revert to a more youthful condition, and she look a decade younger." One last shot of Anne''s mother appeared before switching back to the news anchor, her face looking more youthful and full by the second. "Mrs. Mindel will be given LyfeX each week for the next six weeks, essentially reverting her body and mind to that of a woman in her thirties! We will update you on her progress if Mrs. Mindel agrees." The doctor looked at Charlamaine with a knowing smile on his face.


    "Yes! Yes, I want that very much!" Her mother almost yelled at the doctor in her excitement. She got up without assistance, something she hadn''t been about to do for four years, and hugged the doctor exuberantly. "Thank you, Doctor!"


    "Well, that is it, folks! We will check in with Mrs. Mindel in a few days to see her progress. I certainly am excited to see what a few days can do! That''s all the time we have today, tune in ne-" Anne shut off the TV and dialed her mother''s phone number. It was time for some answers.

 Chapter 2: Riley

    Riley Perez raced through the shopping plaza, a sandwich in one hand and a Coke in the other. They could hear the footfalls of security behind them, calling out for them to stop. This wasn''t the first time they had to run for their freedom. And all because they fell through the cracks of society. Now, the community sees them as a no-good thief, another reason to pull funding from helping the poor. They knew the large man huffing behind them wouldn''t catch up to them. It was almost funny how the security guard chasing them could barely breathe, and he had only been chasing them for two blocks. Laughter bubbled from their throat as they ran, punctuated by deep, even breaths.


    Once again, the security guard yelled across the ever-growing space for them to stop. "You really should do more cardio, man," was their only reply. With a sudden burst of speed, Riley made a hard right into a back alley. Just before them was a fire escape, just as they had planned, and they quickly scampered up and into an open window. Before they could turn around and see the confusion on the guard''s face, a hand grasped their shoulder and spun them around.


    "What did I tell you about stealing from the mini-mart?" The Pastor''s low, rough voice released the tension of the moment. Realizing that they were safe, Riley just shrugged.


    "I was hungry, Scott, and it''s not like the store can''t spare a few sandwiches. You should have seen the cop that was chasing me!" They laughed, but the Pastor frowned deeper. Scott Heather had taken them in when they were nine, giving them the first safe place to sleep they''d ever had. All he asked in return was for them to listen and follow his teachings, which was easy. In their opinion, Scott had the right ideas for making the world a better, fairer place. His clothes were threadbare and nowhere near as warm as they needed to be during the windy autumn season. He released Riley''s shoulder and moved to the window, pushing the tattered curtains to the side and checking the alley.


    "I understand that Riley, but what have I told you? I dont want you to get arrested for something as stupid as shoplifting when we have bigger fish to fry." As he finished his sentence, there was a loud chime from the old TV. Both of their heads snapped to the television in alarm. It was a breaking news bulletin, interrupting the quiet melodies of the public television''s Music Hour. The news anchor shuffled some papers in front of him; a bored look on his face changed to a large, fake smile as soon as he realized he was on air.


    "Good evening, folks. Tonight, we bring you an update on Mrs. Mindel. Many of you tuned in to see her get the first-ever dose of LyfeX given to a human on live TV just a few weeks prior, but now, we are pleased to say she is doing well. Let us go to Megan Stanley, at the retirement home where Mrs. Mindel currently resides. Megan?" The screen transitioned to a young woman, her brunette hair blowing in the cold Fall wind. She smiled, a smile Riley thought was just as fake as the anchorman before her. A woman was sitting next to her in a comfy-looking armchair. She was, at most, 70 years old, her long silver hair pulled back into a neat bun to show off her round, freckled face. She looked alert and ready for the interview, her pale blue eyes alight with life.


    "So, Mrs. Mindel, you received your first dose of LyfeX exactly two weeks ago. Would you say it works?" The older woman''s mouth lifted in a grin, and her kind eyes focused on the reporter.


    "Oh, yes, Megan. I haven''t felt this young and spry in 20 years!" A picture of an older woman appeared in the top left-hand corner, the word ''BEFORE'' written under it. The woman in the photo was undoubtedly the same person, except she was much older. The contrast was startling, and Riley couldn''t bring themself to turn the channel, even though they knew what would be coming next.


    Scott had been grumbling about discovering the death cure, and Riley was utterly fed up with it. They readied themselves for the tirade they had memorized because he constantly went off about it.


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    "That woman. She is asking for trouble. No one should mess around with death, especially those with money. Mark my words, Riley, they will ruin this world." Riley turned away from the TV and the now younger older woman, rolling their eyes as they did.


    It may be a good thing. It''s not like-" But Scott raised a hand to quiet them.


    "No, there is nothing good that can come from this. We already have difficulty feeding the majority of the planet. Without people dying, how will we ever meet the demand? No, Riley, this will only end in pain." Having enough of the broadcast, Scott made his way over to the TV, pushing the power button more aggressively than he should have. The button on the old TV made a feeble ''click'' and fell out of its casing. "Damn this old thing!" The pastor cursed, picking up the cracked and beaten button off the floor. "I''ll get the super glue." And with that, Scott stomped out of the room.


    With the TV now inaccessible for the moment, Riley turned their attention to the couch, walking over and flopping down to rest from their big day. They remembered they had food in their hands and, without a second thought, began to open the can of Coke and the wrappings of the sandwich they had successfully lifted from the mini-mart.


    "Living forever, huh? Sounds exhausting," They muttered to themself as they took a big bite of the ham sandwich. Living the life Riley had to live was already hard enough without the prospect of living forever on the horizon. It''s not like they would be able to afford it anyway. Oh, people would still die, alright; Pastor Scott wouldn''t need to worry about that.


    Still, the prospect of having longer in this world was not one that Riley could fathom, and who would get the shots? Who would be eligible for such a crazy concept? Riley knew the truth; Pastor Scott was right. The rich would live forever, and the poor would suffer and continue to die, oppressed by those in power.


    That was the whole point of Pastor Scott''s plan: to equal the playing field. But now what? Would their mission change? Would they be able to get the cure? So many questions still needed to be answered. Riley''s head swam as they contemplated the new world dawning on them, whether they liked it or not, and a slight fear began to bloom in their chest. What did this mean for them?


    Scott returned with a superglue bottle, cursing again under his breath. "Damn bottle is clogged. Riley, could you get me the scissors?" Riley sighed halfway through their sandwich and placed it on the table. They went into the old battered kitchen to find the scissors, noticing the empty pantry and shelves that once held plenty. Their heart hurt, knowing it wasn''t just them that Pastor Scott looked after. Maybe he was right. The older man could sometimes be a bit much, but Scott was wise. He knew more about this world than Riley, and they looked up to him.


    Retrieving the scissors from the drawer, Riley returned to Scott. Handing them over, Scott gave them a worn smile. The smile he wore when he had terrible news.


    "Oh, Riley. This world is in trouble." The smile faded as fast as ice in summer. His worn, rough face betrayed his worry. Riley touched him on his shoulder.


    "That''s what our work is for, right? To correct the world and the lost to the right path? I know we can do it. We have you." Scott looked Riley square in the eye.


    "That''s exactly right. But it''s not just me that will make this plan succeed; we need more people to spread the word. After you finish eating, I have a mission for you. Get ready; this new development will make our job harder." Riley pumped their first in the air, excited to finally be able to do something for the cause.


    "You can count on me, Pastor! What do you need me to do? Hold on." They ran over to their sandwich and quickly scarfed it down, barely swallowing between bites, making Scott laugh despite the gloomy air around the apartment. "Okay, ready! What''s the mission?" Scott filled her in as Riley finished their soda.

 Chapter 3: Anne

    Anne sat in her recliner, busying herself with researching the new cure, when her phone rang. Closing her laptop, she picked up her phone, seeing that it was her mother calling for the third day in a row. She sighed, a bit agitated, and clicked the answer button.


    "Yes, mom?" She said shortly, Her forehead creasing in annoyance, knowing her mom was calling to brag about the regular doses of LyfeX she received once a week.


    "What a way to talk to your mother. Honey, I have good news! I just got word that LyfeX wants to open its first facility. Do you know that rundown building downtown, the one used as a community center right now? They''ve bought it and plan on renovating the whole building. And guess what else! I can give two people a year''s worth of treatment once it opens."


    Anne''s heart stopped. This was good news! With her breath coming a little faster, she asked one question. ¡°Who are you going to choose?" She knew her mother understood how much she wanted to try the new miracle cure; surely her mother would give that to her.


    Her mother had gone through quite a transformation over the past month. If Anne was correct, and she usually was, her mother had de-aged almost 30 years. She now looked like she could be Anne''s sister, not her mother. And once more, her mind was as sharp and witty as it was when Anne was just a kid. It had solidified in Anne''s mind that the cure worked, and she wanted it.


    "Well, of course, the two people I chose were my lovely daughter and her husband! Why do you think I called you? Just to gloat?" Her mother''s melodic laugh rang through the phone. Her mother hadn''t laughed like that in years. It was almost enough for Anne to be moved to tears. Almost.


    "When will they be open?" The words came out harsher than she had meant them to, and Anne tried to adjust her tone from anxious to curious. "They must have told you! I need this as soon as possible!" She could feel the minutes pass as she waited for her mother to answer. The nerve of that bitch to dangle the cure in front of her like a carrot. There were sounds of papers shuffling on her mother''s end, and then there was a quick sound Anne couldn''t quite place. Her mother exclaimed and began to speak.


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    ¡°They are starting construction next week and plan on opening the LyfeX clinic in the next three weeks. They need to inspect the building, and you know that dump isn''t up to code.¡± Anne sighed, her exasperation making the sound harsher than was necessary. She told herself her mom deserved it for causing her so much anxiety.


    ¡°How many times do I need to go through the year? Will it hurt?¡± Anne''s mind raced with the implications of this. She would soon have fewer wrinkles and the ability to do things she thought were lost to her long ago. Maybe I''ll go skydiving, she thought wistfully. A wry smile spread over her face. Her mother laughed again, and Anne could hear her smile through the phone.


    "It will be a weekly injection for a year. I was told it would take twelve to fifteen years off of you, depending on how sensitive you are to the shot. And no, it doesn''t hurt, just like getting a flu shot without feeling sick afterward." Even though the idea of getting fifteen years back was very appealing, something made her stop short. She was happy, sure, but the number was much smaller than she wanted. She knew her mother had already gotten three decades younger, and it had only been a month; why would she only de-age 15 years at most? That didn''t seem fair. She pursed her lips angrily.


    "How is that fair? I only get 15 years off in a year, and you get an entire 30 years back in just one month? Why can''t I get 30 years back?" Her mother sighed through the other side of the phone.


    "Anne, you want your husband to be able to get some years back, right? To get the serum for both of you, I had to split the 30 years between both of you. It''s the best I could do for you both. I thought you''d be happy!" Anne ground her teeth together in frustration. Mom gets 30 years, and I get a measly 15? How is that fair?! She bit her lip as her ire grew towards her mother. She knew she would need to hide it, though, if she would be the one to get the treatment and not her brother.


    "Of course, that makes sense. Well, 15 years is better than nothing, I suppose." She managed through gritted teeth. "Thank you, mom. When will we be able to start treatment?" She tried to keep her voice light and grateful, though resentment still raged through her veins.


    "As soon as the new facility is open. You will be the first on the list, along with Frank. They will call you to schedule a time for you when they are certain of the grand opening. Like I said, it should be in the next three weeks." During that time, her mom would de-age even more, and Anne would be wasting away in her house, waiting for her turn. Her stomach tightened with anger and jealousy, causing her to bring her arms across her belly.


    "Fine. That''s just fine." She said to her mother, deciding that fifteen years was enough to start with. Now, she had to figure out how to keep getting the cure after her time was up. She had a whole year to figure it out. "I have to go tell Frank the good news, Mom. I will talk to you later." She hung up the phone without another word and tramped with heavy steps to find Frank.

 Chapter 4: Riley

    Riley sat on a bench before the bus stop, contemplating their mission. Sure, it was something they had done before. Listening in on the conversations of passersby and collecting information from the passersby as they gossiped was a common pastime for Riley. No one would notice them; they never did. Why would anyone pay attention to a homeless teen panhandling for money? Their time on the streets taught them no matter the situation, people''s eyes always turn away from people like them. It was like they didn''t want to acknowledge their existence; they were much more content in the cozy world they made around themselves.


    The bus pulled to the stop, opening its doors with a metallic screech. Wincing, Riley stood up and crossed the distance to the bus with a few quick strides. The bus driver tipped his hat at them.


    "Miss," Riley flashed a short smile at the man and paid their fare. They walked down the aisle, looking for a free seat by a window so they could watch the city pass by as the bus traveled down the busy streets.


    "Go down to the community center, see what you can find out. You know people will be talking about this new development. I want to know where our people stand on this new ''death cure.'' You''ll know what''s important. You''re a smart kid." Scott said this last bit with a slight smile and a pat on the back. Riley knew they had to return with something so the Pastor would be pleased with them. The Pastor''s smile and kind words made them more helpful and significant, only increasing their need for his approval.


    Riley sat on the bus and popped their earbuds in to make the time pass quicker. They didn''t have a working phone, but they had music on the old hunk of crap, and the library had many free audiobooks. They listened to ''Brave New World'' by Aldous Huxley. The audiobook started in the middle of the book.


    Getting lost in the story, they looked out the window and watched as the buildings went from decrepit, run-down slabs of concrete and steel to the rising skyscrapers and well-kept office buildings of downtown. The place they were headed to was a mixture of old and new. The squat building was smack dab in the middle of two towering buildings, making it seem more diminutive than it was. The cement foundation was spiderwebbed with cracks, and the walls were graffiti-covered. Tags and clever taglines such as ''FUCK YOU'' and ''MIKE WAS HERE'' gave the building an almost abandoned look.


    The city had a unique and quirky style that Riley couldn''t help but appreciate. It was their city; after all, they hadn''t ever lived anywhere else. There was the one time Riley had gone to the neighboring town for a school trip before they dropped out to visit a community college they could not get into. The small college town was nothing compared to the bustling city, and it didn''t even have any high rises or office buildings. Just a few apartment complexes where the students lived while attending the college.


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    Riley much preferred the city. There was so much to do, even for a poor high school dropout, and there was always some kind of event going on, making it easy for Riley to make money through different odd jobs. It might be a challenging and dangerous life, but it was the life they had.


    The bus finally arrived at its destination, rumbling to a halt in front of the community center. Taking in the building from up close, it was nothing special on the outside. The inside, however, was a different ball game.


    The brick walls were painted a calming and welcoming blue-green color, and a huge sign above the reception desk read, "All Who Wander Aren''t Lost." It always made Riley smile; they had a special place in their heart for J.R.R. Tolkien''s work, which helped ease their spirit.


    The boy behind the desk welcomed them in with a short wave. "Heya, Riley! How''s it goin''?" He asked cheerfully. "Did you see the news? That old lady is practically our age now!" A mirthful laugh erupted from his lips as he leaned farther back in his seat. "Now, if only we could get our hands on some of that miracle elixir. We''d be young forever!" Riley smiled back, taking their earbuds out of their ears before answering.


    "Hey, Jamal. Yeah, that would be something, huh? Who''s all here today?" Riley walked over to the counter to lean closer to the boy.


    "Oh, you know, the regulars." Jamal was friendly but would talk your ear off if given a chance. "Plus, this posh chick from the city is talking to people to get their opinions on the cure. I told her I''d sign up for a decade''s worth of life if I had money. Now that it''s proven to work, you know they''re gonna try to get our hard-earned cash."  Riley nodded but was much more interested in getting into the facility and listening in on this strange woman. She grabbed a blue raspberry lollipop from the candy bowl and unwrapped it, popping it into her mouth as she turned away.


    "You know, living forever is a curse. At least that''s what Pastor Scott says." The boy just scoffed at her and returned to playing on the computer.


    Riley took in the giant room that comprised the community center''s bulk. In one corner was a seating area full of comfy, if not run down, couches and armchairs. On the wall next to the seating area were four giant bookcases filled with different books. It was Riley''s favorite spot and ran on a take-one-leave-one policy. They had read so many books from this small library that Riley had hardly anything left to read. On the opposite side was an old foosball table and a ratty pool table. The foosball table was missing some of the little people on its poles, and the pool table was missing the eight ball, stolen many years ago by someone who thought it was a funny joke.


    The other side of the community center was full of tables and board games, all missing pieces. However, most people who came didn''t mind and just used bottle caps and other trash as their pieces. It had been a long time since Riley had played a board game with anyone, and it would be a long time before she did again. Not after Jamal cheated at Monopoly, Riley raged against him for almost three months afterward, and Jamal swore he would never play a game with Riley again. What could they say? They hated cheaters.


    ''Alright, time to get to it,'' Riley thought to themself. Cracking their knuckles, they entered the building proper, looking out for this woman Jamal mentioned. ''It''s almost too easy.'' It wasn''t hard to spot her, with her neat black bob and expensive-looking high heels. Riley went to the lounging area near the woman to hear her conversations. ''This should be good,'' Riley mused, popping in their headphones but not turning on the music. They pretended to bob their head to a non-existent beat while covertly keeping their ears and eyes open.

 Chapter 5: Anne

    Frank was in the kitchen, slowly working his way through a ham and cheese sandwich he made for himself. She looked at him for a minute, taking in his features. He wasn''t the young man she had fallen in love with anymore; thirty-eight years together had robbed him of his youth. His ashen face creased with wrinkles from a hard life of labor, and even though it had been two years since he had worked as a mechanic, his hands were still calloused and dry from years of abuse. His clothes were nothing special; he wore his trademark plaid long-sleeved shirt and torn blue jeans, stained from the oil and grime of his old trade. Anne sighed quietly, wondering why she had spent so many years with this simple man. She went to the table and pulled a chair out to sit.


    "Hello, my dove. Would you like a sandwich?" The corner of Franks''s eyes crinkled with his smile, making Anne cringe inwardly. Knowing that some of the wrinkles would go away in the next year instead of increasing gave her a little hope for her marriage. If he couldn''t improve enough to start working again, she would need to find another person to provide for her. Putting on a smile, she touched his hand with her fingertips.


    "Mom just called. She got us a year of that LyfeX serum. Isn''t that wonderful! We will be able to get up to 20 years back! You could return to work, and I could start school again." Frank''s face didn''t change, his gentle smile lighting up his face.


    "That''s great, Anne, but I don''t really care about such things. Im an old man, and I have lived my life. I will try it for you, but I dont need to be younger to be happy. I have you, my love. That''s all I need." He set down the sandwich with his free hand and placed his rough hand on Anne''s. "Though I will admit, having a few more years to work would be good for us in the long term¡­" He lifted his hand from Anne''s and scratched his chin. Anne knew that look; her husband was planning something. You can''t be married for over thirty years and not learn each other''s expressions. Anne smiled.


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    "What are you planning, old man?" His eyes flashed with a mischievous flare. Frank took a bite of his sandwich and chewed for a moment. Then, the thoughts came together, and he looked again at his wife.


    "We have a little bit saved up. If we can keep living the way we have been and start working again, it could allow us to live comfortably in a few years. I might even be able to get my old job at Calvin''s place. As long as it''s not too expensive, we could have a few more decades in us after all." He scratched his chin again, a slight grin lifting the ends of his lips.


    This is the man I fell in love with, she thought as she smiled in return. She could see her new life falling into place. She would have her youth back and spend her second youth doing things for her instead of toiling away trying to help kids who didn''t care a lick for what she had to say. Yes, it would all be different, and she would be the one to come out on top.


    "I''ll let Mom know we accept the offer! If it''s anything like what happened to Mom on the TV, we should be young in no time!" Her excitement burst out of her like an overfilled balloon. She returned to the living room to grab her phone, texting her mom that they would happily accept the offer. Her mom texted back three seconds later, a simple smile emoji. Now Mom''s using emojis!? She barked a laugh and shook her head. It truly was a miracle drug if her mom was catching up with the times.


    "I have a few errands to run before nightfall. Would you like me to pick up the dry cleaning? I think they said it would be done today." Frank had appeared in the living room, his gnarled hands working together absent-mindedly as he waited for his wife''s answer. She looked at him again and took in the sight of the man she had spent a lifetime with. He was supportive and caring and cared for her the best he could, but he wasn''t rich. Anne sighed and nodded at her husband.


    "Yes, if you could. Oh, and pick up some salmon from the store. We are celebrating our good fortune!" She put on a brighter smile than she''d worn in ages and clapped her hands. "And some white wine. Let''s splurge a bit." Frank laughed, a warm, low sound, before walking over to the mantle and grabbing his keys.


    "You''re the boss! I''ll be back shortly. Don''t get too young without me!" He teased her as he crossed the space between them to plant a kiss on her cheek. "Love you."


    "Love you, too." She purred. Once he had shut the door and heard his old truck start, she sat back on the couch. She grabbed her tablet to look at the latest news stories regarding LyfeX and spent the time reading obsessively about the new miracle drug.