Question

the mail, is it?
i gave mom an unapologetic smirk to let her know that
it was.
\ill take that, thank you very much,\ she said, holding
out her hand. \if you need magazines, check the recycling
bin.\
\yes, maam,\ i said, and saluted before i handed her
the copy of bon appétit.
i put my headphones back on and grabbed a blank
sheet of paper. i had to get this zine done before dad
came to pick me up....
mom made it seem like this move was no big deal
because wed be back when her new job contract expired.
but two years might as well be forever. two years meant
all of middle school. and i couldnt even imagine what two
years away from dad would feel like. it was a very big
deal. so for the next hour i wrote and cut and pasted a
final plea to mom. i glued the last letter onto a page just as
the doorbell rang to signal that my time was up.

Explanation:

The text indicates that two years (the duration of Mom's job contract) is a long time for Malú. It means all of middle school and being away from Dad for that period. These factors make the job contract seem like forever.

Answer:

"Two years might as well be forever. Two years meant all of middle school. And I couldn’t even imagine what two years away from Dad would feel like."