Five-Four-Three-Ugh!

My eyes fluttered open at 10am. They began to close again, but I forced them to remain open and I leaped from my bed.

Ever so carefully I opened my bedroom door and slipped out. I swallowed my morning medication and turned on the coffee pot. I hushed it to be quiet as it rumbled to life.

Just five minutes, that's all I wanted.

I carefully opened the kitchen blinds and eased the windows open. The cool Florida air was instantly sucked into my lungs and a huge smile crept upon my face.

I tricked the microwave door open with as little sound as possible. Cookies. I placed two cookies, which were freshly baked yesterday, on a napkin and poured my first cup of coffee.

I snuck into the living room and again, opened the blinds with quiet precision and coaxed the sliding glass door open. The cool air unfolded like a blanket over my bare toes.

Five minutes, it was all I needed.

I sat in the recliner and took a bite from a cookie and sipped the coffee, marrying the two with perfection.

Five minutes. It was on like Donkey Kong.

I turned on my phone in preparation to read my email when I heard the click and creak of the door to one of the other bedrooms. I peered at the clock. Three minutes passed. Damn.

My oldest bid me good morning in his loud voice, and I returned it through gritted teeth.

Five minutes my ass.

I grumbled enough to make him go away as I heard the baby from behind me. He was mumbling something about a duck and a tiger. It didn't matter at this point.

Five minutes. I can never get just five minutes. An impossible feat.