(Photo: Adam Nieścioruk on Unsplash)
She was shaking when I entered the room. Hands wringing, lips trembling, her eyes a shade of numb I had rarely seen.
Mary had called me. She had come to check on her and bring a midday repast. Mother being too proud to ask for help, even though her legs no longer held her sturdily or long enough to cook herself a decent meal.
Appearance and stoicism were Mother’s barometers of standing.
Socially and otherwise.
Not that you’d know it from her mascaraed cheeks.
She pointed to the antique book I had gifted her the previous evening.
“I understand, therefore I’ll live,” was scribbled in the cover. “R.B. 1941“
Mother pressed a notepad on me. Scribbled on it were the same words. Same letters. An older hand.
“I forgot,” she whispered, caressing her initials. “But reading what I have just written, I now believe.”
Prompt quote: “Reading what I have just written, I now believe.” (Afterward by Louise Gluck)
For the dVerse prosery challenge
Oh, this is so beautiful!
I’ve been trying to get my story going and have flushed it twice already!
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Thanks, Dale! I’m so glad you liked it! I’m sure the right story for you will ‘stick’! Will be on the lookout when you’re ready! xx
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I love your stories. You are such a lovely story-teller!
And, as you know… I found one 😉 xoxo
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Yes, I saw you found one! And … I’m glad to say that I love yours stories, too! It’s such an enriching thing, to read each other’s stuff! 🙂 xx
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You so sweet. It really is enriching to reach each other’s stuff! xoxo
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xoxo 🙂
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xoxo
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This is a wonderful write! This line “Not that you’d know it from her mascaraed cheeks.” says so much about her. Just an amazing line.
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Thank you, Lillian! I’m glad this fleshed her out and helped the visuals in this short short. 🙂 Lovely prompt leads to tickled muses. 🙂
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The phrase “her eyes a shade of numb” is strikingly descriptive. A well penned write.
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Thank you, Beverly! I’m so glad this communicated. Sometimes metaphors can fall flat because they are too idiosyncratic. I’m happy this didn’t. 🙂
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“Hands wringing, lips trembling, her eyes a shade of numb I had rarely seen.”
This is a wonderfully descriptive sentence.
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Thank you! I’m glad this spoke to you! Thank you for this lovely comment. 🙂
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