Reward

He sits in silence, intently watching, eyes locked in rapt attention, scrutinizing every detail, every laborious step, processing the images before him in rapt anticipation. This is the culmination of a day's toil and labors come to fruition...

This is the reward that he saw in his mind as he worked to clean up the most minuscule scraps of paper and ensuring that everything was returned to its proper place. This is the prize he envisioned as he combed the back yard to eradicate it of every last concealed weed and fallen leaf.

As he watches her prepare his well earned reward his eyes become fixated on the mound of sweet treasure being placed before him. She pours on hot syrup which trickles down the sides like slow candied lava. Almonds are sprinkled on-top like a drizzling rain. As he finally takes his first bite he closes his eyes and allows himself be consumed by the mixture of tastes and textures assailing his palate; the hot syrup on the cold vanilla, the hard almonds melted into the soft cream. All the work, the anticipation, the waiting have built up to this moment. And in this moment, the world could have stood still because the only thing that mattered to that one little boy... was the spoonful of ice cream slowing dripping down his freckled face.