Fan clangs in the ceiling,

Children’s voices from the hall,

Seven more minutes before ceremony,

Seven more minutes of quiet,

Seven more minutes of bubbles tickling the hair on my legs,

Six more minutes to worry someone’s going to knock on my door,

Six more minutes to worry I forgot to push in the little button behind the door,

Five more minutes to dry my body, brush my teeth, put on my jammies,

Five more minutes to say goodbye to the last no talking space until I close my eyes tonight.