Europa

March 5, 2048

Am I a bad person? Of course, I am. The fact I am even considering this makes me the worst mother on the planet.

Sure I haven't accepted the mission, but by saying I would consider it I've left the door open. I was just caught completely off guard. I'd proposed this mission to the higher-ups at NASA years ago, back when I didn't have much to lose. I wasn't even aware they were still considering it, they haven't reached out once since the day I pitched it until today. It would be rude not for me to not at least act like I was considering it.

No! The answer should have been a definite no the second I got the call. Thank you for the consideration but I have obligations to my family here on Earth. NASA would understand.

It's okay, there is a simple fix. When they call me in the afternoon tomorrow I will tell them I can't accept. As a single mother, I have an obligation to be here for my son. I should know that over anyone after the way Mom left us.

Still, even if I can't be a part of it, it's incredible that NASA is finally committing to a mission to search for life on Europa. After doing years of research on the icy moon of Jupiter it feels good to know that all that research did not go unnoticed. In fact, the fact that they had chosen me out of countless candidates shows how much they value my work in particular.

If I had gotten this call years ago, before Diego, I would have said yes without a second thought. Now it's different. Sure the mission to Europa is a dream come true. Not only is it an opportunity to go to space, but it's an opportunity to be the first humans to discover alien life away from Earth.

I have to stop thinking about it. The more I ponder it the more I get excited about the idea of joining the mission. The answer has to be no. I don't have a choice.