Photo © 2011 Gerald Pereira CC BY 2.0
Something a little different today. I signed up to take part in Tony Noland’s Great April Fool’s Day #FridayFlash Blogswap. Tony paired me up with Danielle La Paglia, who has in gracious silence endured my haphazard attempt at keeping to a deadline.
(Oy. Just be thankful you’re not my publisher.)
Danielle and I both wrote a story around the same prompt. I’m posting hers here, and she’s posting my story over on her blog. Tony gave us the following prompt to inspire our stories: “three free tickets to a movie.”
-TimK
Substitute
Sandy fingered the tickets in her coat pocket, sliding their slick backs together as she stared at the house. It had seemed like such a good idea when she’d stopped by the theater two days ago, but the thin slips of paper felt inadequate and meaningless now. What good were three free tickets when they’d lost so much? She thought of putting the car in drive and heading home, but John stepped onto the porch and waived. There was no turning back.
A gust of wind whipped her hair across her face as she stepped from the car. The icy blast beat against her exposed cheeks and sent a flurry of snowflakes into the car before she could slam the door shut. Even the wind knew it was a bad idea.
She ran to the shelter of the porch, hoping to sneak a quick hug from John, a small shot of courage and comfort to push her through. But Maddy shoved the screen door open and ushered her siblings onto the porch. Sorrow hung on them like a heavy cloak, paling their skin, darkening the shadows in their eyes. Even seven-year-old Emily had lost her sparkle. The bright pink smile she used to wear was a soft peach line tugged down at the corners.
Sandy knew she was a poor substitute for the mother they’d lost. She wasn’t trying to replace her. She only hoped to give them a break from the reality that had been forced upon them, even if it was only for a few hours. But seeing their somber expressions, she felt the sting of her mistake. Only time would make it better, not her, not this. She wanted to run, make a hasty retreat and leave them to what was left of their broken family, but John spoke.
“You girls behave and try to have a good time.” He hugged each one in turn then Maddy hustled them down the steps. “Thank you,” he said and squeezed Sandy’s hand. They’d been dating nearly a year and, despite the three-year-old divorce settlement, it was still hard on the girls. Sandy gave a weak smile then jogged to the car.
They rode in near silence to the theater. Each of Sandy’s attempts at conversation were shut down with a one-word answer or a half-hearted nod. Resigned to their silence, she turned on the radio and let the music try to warm the stale atmosphere instead.
As they stepped into the lobby, Emily and Sarah’s faces brightened. At seven and nine, they were amazed at the beauty of the grand theater, pointing to heavy velvet curtains held back with gold ropes and the scrolling wood ornaments decorating the walls. Then they lifted their faces in wonder at the elaborately painted ceiling. The knot in Sandy’s stomach loosened until her eyes met Maddy’s. The fourteen-year-old’s face was set in a cold stare. It took all of Sandy’s strength to stand her ground and force a smile.
An usher finally led them to their seats where they once again sat in silence with only the occasional whisper from the little ones pointing out some new discovery. The house lights eventually dimmed and a hush fell over the audience. The first bars of music filled the room. The curtain rose, and the ballerinas took the stage.
Emily and Sarah were spellbound. Their eyes glued to the dancers—children twirled across the stage, tin soldiers came to life, and a sugar plum fairy enchanted them all. The glow in their eyes raised a lump in Sandy’s throat. She’d done the right thing. And as the saying went, two out of three wasn’t bad.
Emily and Sarah’s giggles and high-pitched chatter filled the car on the ride home, a warm contrast to the start of their journey. When they pulled into the driveway, the wind had died, leaving a peaceful blanket of snow across the yard and roof top. The younger girls clutched their shiny red nutcrackers and hugged Sandy goodbye. Again Maddy ushered them through the door as John and Sandy stood on the porch.
“Thank you for this. Their smiles…” His voice cracked; tears glistened in his eyes.
“You’re welcome.” He kissed her cheek then followed the girls inside. She was almost to the car when the screen door slammed behind her. She spun to find Maddy jogging down the steps.
“Sandy?” Her face was softer, her eyes wider, more innocent somehow.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.” Maddy gave a soft smile then ran back into the house.
Sandy stood beside her car letting the words of a child warm her. Today wasn’t a substitute, but it had been a welcome reprieve, and that was more than enough for her.
Ich bin verblufft von NV Casino, es erzeugt eine Energie, die suchtig macht. Es wartet eine Fulle an spannenden Spielen, mit Slots im innovativen Design. Der Support ist von herausragender Qualitat, bietet klare Antworten. Der Prozess ist unkompliziert, ab und zu zusatzliche Freispiele waren toll. Zum Abschluss, NV Casino bietet unvergesslichen Spa? fur Casino-Enthusiasten ! Nicht zu vergessen die Navigation ist kinderleicht, was jede Session noch spannender macht.
https://playnvcasino.de/|
http://medicosur.com/# mexican farmacia
Публикация предлагает читателю не просто информацию, а инструменты для анализа и саморазвития. Мы стимулируем критическое мышление, предлагая различные точки зрения и призывая к самостоятельному поиску решений.
Давай разберёмся досконально – http://thinkppe.co.uk/post-format-standard
Ich bin absolut hingerissen von NV Casino, es erzeugt eine Energie, die suchtig macht. Der Katalog ist reich und vielfaltig, mit Slots im innovativen Design. Die Mitarbeiter reagieren blitzschnell, mit praziser Unterstutzung. Die Gewinne kommen ohne Verzogerung, manchmal zusatzliche Freispiele waren toll. Zusammengefasst, NV Casino ist definitiv empfehlenswert fur Fans von Online-Wetten ! Daruber hinaus die Oberflache ist intuitiv und stylish, was jede Session noch spannender macht.
playnvcasino.de|
вывод из запоя круглосуточно краснодар
narkolog-krasnodar019.ru
вывод из запоя круглосуточно краснодар
buy amoxil online pharmacy order medicine discreetly USA
I’m not sure why but this website is loading extremely slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a issue on my end? I’ll check back later and see if the problem still exists.
регистрация leebet casino
Fiquei fascinado com BETesporte Casino, sinto um rugido de emocao. O catalogo e vibrante e diversificado, com slots modernos e tematicos. Eleva a experiencia de jogo. O suporte ao cliente e excepcional, sempre pronto para entrar em campo. As transacoes sao confiaveis, de vez em quando mais apostas gratis seriam incriveis. Resumindo, BETesporte Casino oferece uma experiencia inesquecivel para amantes de apostas esportivas ! Adicionalmente a navegacao e intuitiva e rapida, tornando cada sessao mais competitiva. Outro destaque os pagamentos seguros em cripto, que impulsiona o engajamento.
Ler mais|
Guzellik s?rlar?n? ve trendlerin ard?ndaki detaylar? kesfetmeye haz?r olun.
“Eviniz Icin Zarif Mobilya ve Dekorasyon Onerileri” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin oras? tam bir bilgi hazinesi.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://evimsicak.com
Trendlere ayak uydurun ve cevrenizde fark yarat?n.
Sou totalmente viciado em BETesporte Casino, leva a um universo de apostas dinamico. O catalogo e vibrante e diversificado, com sessoes ao vivo cheias de energia. 100% ate R$600 + apostas gratis. O acompanhamento e impecavel, acessivel a qualquer momento. Os saques sao rapidos como um contra-ataque, no entanto ofertas mais generosas dariam um toque especial. Resumindo, BETesporte Casino vale uma aposta certa para entusiastas de jogos modernos ! Adicionalmente a interface e fluida e energetica, tornando cada sessao mais competitiva. Igualmente impressionante o programa VIP com niveis exclusivos, fortalece o senso de comunidade.
Ir para o site|
online stream
futuremindscollective – The brand’s mission aligns perfectly with my values.
Fiquei fascinado com BETesporte Casino, proporciona uma aventura eletrizante. A variedade de titulos e impressionante, incluindo apostas esportivas que aceleram o coracao. 100% ate R$600 + apostas gratis. A assistencia e eficiente e amigavel, acessivel a qualquer momento. Os pagamentos sao seguros e fluidos, as vezes promocoes mais frequentes seriam um plus. No geral, BETesporte Casino garante diversao constante para entusiastas de jogos modernos ! Vale destacar a interface e fluida e energetica, aumenta o prazer de apostar. Outro destaque as opcoes variadas de apostas esportivas, que impulsiona o engajamento.
Encontrar os detalhes|
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you could do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but instead of that, this is wonderful blog. A great read. I’ll certainly be back.
казино банда
discovernewpath – Love that they keep the site simple yet meaningful.
welcher wettanbieter hat die besten quoten
Also visit my webpage Internet wetten schweiz (Vancouvercanadahomes.com)
лечение запоя иркутск
vivod-iz-zapoya-irkutsk012.ru
вывод из запоя круглосуточно иркутск
mostbey mostbey
Cilt bak?m?na dair dogal guzellik s?rlar?n? ogrenmeye haz?r m?s?n?z?
Cilt Bak?m? ve Guzellik: Trendler ve Ipuclar? hakk?ndaki yaz? ozellikle hosuma gitti.
Asag?daki linke bakabilirsiniz:
https://bakimruhu.com
Dogal guzelliginizi koruyun ve her zaman en iyi versiyonunuz olun.
newhorizonsnetwork – I bookmarked several pages already, very promising platform.
Helpful information. Fortunate me I discovered your website accidentally, and I’m shocked why this accident did not came about in advance! I bookmarked it.
официальный сайт риобет
Yeniliklere ac?k ve her daim cekici gorunmek isteyenler icin tuyolar.
Modern Modada Stil Ipuclar? ve Trendler hakk?ndaki yaz? ozellikle hosuma gitti.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://modakasifi.com
Umar?z bu trendler, tarz?n?za yeni bir soluk getirir.
mostbet uz promo kod mostbet4182.ru
I personally find that fast onboarding, seamless withdrawals, and a team that actually cares.
mostebet mostbet4185.ru
findyourfuture – Clean visuals and easy navigation make browsing enjoyable.
вывод из запоя круглосуточно
vivod-iz-zapoya-orenburg012.ru
лечение запоя оренбург
strategicgrowthalliance – Appreciate the straightforward navigation and clear headings.
uniquefashionstyle – The minimalist approach makes finding items quick and easy.
trustconnectionnetwork – Regular updates keep the store fresh and engaging for return visits.
nextvision – If you like, I can try dig up more info whether it’s safe or not.
Cilt bak?m?na dair dogal guzellik s?rlar?n? ogrenmeye haz?r m?s?n?z?
Bu arada, eger Moda ve Stil Rehberi: En Yeni Trendler ve Kombinler ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya bir bak?n.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://modaruhu.com
Cildinizin dogall?g?n? ve sagl?g?n? korumak sizin elinizde.
discovernewpath – Friendly vibe, makes you feel welcomed as visitor.
сколько стоит проект перепланировки квартиры в москве https://proekt-pereplanirovki-kvartiry16.ru/ .
trustedbusinesslink – The layout is clean and navigation feels seamless and intuitive.
mostbet a android https://mostbet4185.ru
mostbet com site oficial mostbet com site oficial
futureopportunitynetwork – Excellent platform for discovering new opportunities and insights.
growstrongteam – Navigation feels intuitive, found what I wanted without hunting.
mostbet ilova http://www.mostbet4185.ru
проект перепланировки жилого помещения proekt-pereplanirovki-kvartiry16.ru .
futurevisiongroup – The site feels futuristic but grounded, very nice aesthetic.
mostbet uz haqida http://www.mostbet4182.ru
сделать проект перепланировки https://www.proekt-pereplanirovki-kvartiry16.ru .
заказ перепланировки квартиры http://proekt-pereplanirovki-kvartiry16.ru/ .
mostbet uz bonus kodi mostbet uz bonus kodi
learnsharegrow – The layout aligns well with modern styles, fresh and coherent.
online buchmacher
Feel free to visit my homepage … sportwetten Paypal
happylifestylehub – They share wonderful tips, always something meaningful to read.
findyourfuture – I’ll keep this bookmarked, appears to offer real value.