"One scoop chocolate one scoop..." the blonde girl behind the counter moved almost mechanically as she expertly balanced four scoops of smooth ice cream on a giant waffle cone.

"And some sprinkles, please." The girl cast a tired glance in the direction of the little curly haired boy staring up at her expectantly. A smile made its way onto the girl's face as she dusted the last scoop with colorful sprinkles and handed it to the boy. His eyes lit up as he looked at the wonderful treat in his hands.

"Don't drop it," The warning came from over the counter as the little boy walked to the door and pushed it open, his brown curls bouncing. The blonde girl allowed herself a rare smile at the sight of this childlish joy at a simple scoop of ice cream. Her mind flew back to a time when a young girl with blonde ponytails walked out of an ice cream shop, eyes sparkling, hand in hand with her father. The ponytail girl had looked up into her father's smiling face, the tired lines in his forehead finally disappearing for a fleating moment.

But the she had grown up so much since that day. Now she knew how foolish that childhood joy really was. It, just like her father, couldn't last forever.