Derek nudged Sally and she looked up to see the fancy poster.
“It’s our only chance. Forget the kids. Just chuck everything into the air and let’s go. Nobody’ll know.”
Sally gazed at the dream cruise pasted on the wall above their heads, outside an inconspicuous store.
Smiling, she nodded, ‘I’ll book the tickets tonight.’
Grinning, Derek turned, looked down the railway platform and his watch. Looking back at Sally, he asked, ‘Hon, where are we?’ Sally took his wrinkled hand in hers and whispered, ‘We’re here to welcome Sean home.’
The vacant look in his eyes wrung her heart.
©Shailaja V
Word count: 100
Written for the Rochelle Weisoff Fields’ Friday Fictioneers-
Click here to read the prompt and
here to read the other entries in the link-up.
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Such a beautiful and touching story.
Nicely done, Shy!
BTW, you’re getting pretty good at this.
Dear Shailaja,
Sally’s a good caretaker. I’m sure her heart is breaking.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Shailaja: I am most impressed!
Why thank you, Mick! I am honoured 🙂 Welcome to my blog 🙂
Oh my. Such strong emotions here, both in the story and for us readers. Well done.
Thank you, Miss TIffany!
I am glad too that you didn’t spot the garlic! This is a heart-wrenching tale that rings far too many bells in my life for comfort. Well done.
It does ring those bells in mine too. It just came to me when I saw this picture. Thank you Liz!
That’s heartbreaking. But it’s also heartwarming, because I think in some of these moments, she still can make him happy. Great story.
Twin emotions, right? Much like life I suppose. Thank you!
Such a sad tale, and terribly true today.You captured it brilliantly!
Thank you so much, Yolanda!
I wonder if they had been on such a cruise before, and he’s remembering it in a way.
True. It could have been a memory.
So succinct and beautifully put…so meaningful in so few words
Thanks Alok!
Ouch! What pain and yet so beautiful!
You are a master of weaving emotions.
Thanks my darling :*
Such a sad state for family members and friends. Forgive me: I am not going to like it (this time and perhaps this time only) because of that, though of course you wrote the brief story well (as usual) Shailaja! 😉 <3
Perfectly understand, Elly 🙂
Amazing one! The last line just got the whole story in line for me.. And the effect was super amazing! <3
Thanks Mithila 🙂
Thank you so much, Nan <3
Dear Shailaja, Great story and I know people who go through this every day. Very well penned! Nan 🙂
Shantala is so right. Your words make us jump from one emotion to the other.
Thank you Tulika 🙂
You are SO good at this. My mind just leaps from one scenario to another, drastically different from each other. 😀
Your words warm my heart, Shantala <3 Thank you!