He had apologized profusely to his mother, horrofired that he had harmed her so, and insisted that he make it up to her by composing a poem for her. He did so immediately and called it “The Master of the World.”

To this day he doesn’t know why he chose that title, but instead of it referencing some nebulous scoundrel intent on overlording all of creation, it was about a simple baker who fell in love with a beautiful seamstress and built a capsule to fly to the moon so that he could fetch a Moon Flower to heal her melancholy heart.

His mother had been so touched by the poem, that she had broken into tears. Fearing he had upset her further Wells made as if to leave the dining table, but she had stopped him and gathered him into her arms and tenderly held him. She said nothing, but just held him the longest of times.

The next morning when he awoke it was to the sound of weeping. Lady Jennifer, his mother’s sister, had arrived late last night while he slept to attend to his mother, who had been complaining of pains in her heart. That morning she had passed away with a smile on her face and a copy of Wells’ poem clutched in her right hand.

He stood there at her bedside, hot tears streaming down his face and uttered, “Now, you are Mistress of a Greater World, dear mother.”

He knelt before her bed and prayed for the Good Lord to welcome her into his kingdom and keep her safe from all harm. At that moment he imagined a great white light opening up and he saw his mother look back at him from within the light. Beside her was his father, much younger, like when Wells had been a child. His mother had the blossom of youth as well. They held each other’s hands. They both smiled at Wells and waved good-bye, their lips saying they loved him, as they turned and walked into the light, soon to be swallowed up and lost.

Later, he was told he had blacked out from his grief, as he had awakned in his bed, with worried relatives all about him, fearing the worst. Even the local Priest stood there over him, reading from a very heavy, black and gold bible with huge flowery script hanging from its sides like a curtain of lace around a bridal bower.
Wells sat up and his stomach growled like a lion. “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.” Wells announced.

Immediately, everyone in the room fell into utter silence for a moment, and then burst into peals of laughter.

“Then I shall feed you cake!”  Jules cried out from the back.