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.
Modern Wardrobe Hub – Easy-to-use site with plenty of fresh fashion selections to look through.
Этот информативный текст отличается привлекательным содержанием и актуальными данными. Мы предлагаем читателям взглянуть на привычные вещи под новым углом, предоставляя интересный и доступный материал. Получите удовольствие от чтения и расширьте кругозор!
Изучить эмпирические данные – https://www.maison-moomoons.com/offers/golf-for-beginners
Hub of Fashion Trends – User experience was smooth, and I found several attractive pieces.
TrendLoversHub – Quick shipping, the stylish products exceeded my expectations.
orchardcollectionstore – Well-structured pages with neatly displayed items, shopping was effortless.
TAB Trend Picks – Stylish and varied selection, moving around the site was quick.
выполнение курсовых https://www.kupit-kursovuyu-21.ru .
City Picks Corner – Browsing felt effortless thanks to the simple layout and clear product display.
TAB Product Hub – Great selection of trendy items, site loaded smoothly and fast.
Trend Buy Online Store – Loved the modern selection, browsing through pages was effortless.
Rainy City Goods – The site ran well today, and everything looked organized and appealing.
wildorchardlane – Fast navigation with tidy pages, browsing felt natural and quick.
wildorchardboutique – Smooth interface and well-arranged items, browsing felt natural.
QQ88 là điểm đến cá cược hiện đại với giao diện mượt, tỷ lệ thưởng cao và hệ thống bảo mật chuẩn quốc tế. Nhiều ưu đãi dành cho thành viên mới. Sân chơi cá cược an toàn, minh bạch và chuyên nghiệp. Tận hưởng slot nổ hũ, bắn cá, casino và hàng trăm ưu đãi dành cho hội viên.
Vavada gaming club operates legally and guarantees fairness of all gaming processes. At https://museo.precolombino.cl/ you’ll find working Vavada mirrors and bonus codes. The Vavada loyalty program includes cashback and exclusive offers for active players. Vavada support consults in multiple languages without days off. The Vavada mobile platform works stably on all devices.
City Trend Market – Products were easy to view and the layout was nicely structured.
Этот обзор предлагает структурированное изложение информации по актуальным вопросам. Материал подан так, чтобы даже новичок мог быстро освоиться в теме и начать использовать полученные знания в практике.
Тыкай сюда — узнаешь много интересного – https://cabinet-de-shiatsu-reunion.com
гидроизоляция подвала проникающая http://www.gidroizolyacziya-podvala-samara.ru/ .
аренда экскаватора погрузчика стоимость аренда экскаватора погрузчика стоимость .
аренда экскаватора москва и московская [url=www.arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-6.ru]www.arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-6.ru[/url] .
ваг сервис спб ваг сервис спб .
обмазочная гидроизоляция цена работы за м2 http://www.gidroizolyacziya-czena1.ru/ .
гидроизоляция подвала инъекционная http://gidroizolyacziya-podvala-samara.ru/ .
стоимость услуг экскаватора погрузчика стоимость услуг экскаватора погрузчика .
ремонт бетонных конструкций трещины ремонт бетонных конструкций трещины .
экскаватор заказать цена https://www.arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-6.ru .
ремонт бетонных конструкций технология ремонт бетонных конструкций технология .
Uwielbiasz hazard? nv casino: rzetelne oceny kasyn, weryfikacja licencji oraz wybor bonusow i promocji dla nowych i powracajacych graczy. Szczegolowe recenzje, porownanie warunkow i rekomendacje dotyczace odpowiedzialnej gry.
устранение протечек в подвале http://www.gidroizolyacziya-podvala-iznutri-czena1.ru .
аренда экскаватора погрузчика http://www.arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-6.ru .
написание курсовых на заказ [url=https://www.kupit-kursovuyu-21.ru]https://www.kupit-kursovuyu-21.ru[/url] .
сайт для заказа курсовых работ https://kupit-kursovuyu-21.ru .
заказ курсовых работ https://www.kupit-kursovuyu-21.ru .
выполнение курсовых работ http://www.kupit-kursovuyu-21.ru/ .
услуги экскаватора в москве arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-6.ru .
Uwielbiasz hazard? nv casino: rzetelne oceny kasyn, weryfikacja licencji oraz wybor bonusow i promocji dla nowych i powracajacych graczy. Szczegolowe recenzje, porownanie warunkow i rekomendacje dotyczace odpowiedzialnej gry.
гидроизоляция подвала снаружи цена гидроизоляция подвала снаружи цена .
где можно заказать курсовую работу http://www.kupit-kursovuyu-21.ru .
стоимость инъекционной гидроизоляции http://www.inekczionnaya-gidroizolyacziya.ru/ .
I’ll immediately grab your rss as I can not in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or newsletter service. Do you have any? Please let me understand so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
написание курсовой работы на заказ цена https://kupit-kursovuyu-21.ru .
Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it is really informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
аренда экскаватора погрузчика в москве [url=http://arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-5.ru/]аренда экскаватора погрузчика в москве[/url] .
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it is really informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future. A lot of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
гидроизоляция подвала цена гидроизоляция подвала цена .
GFC Fashion Hub – Fresh looks everywhere, and the site structure made exploring easy.
ремонт бетонных конструкций антикоррозия ремонт бетонных конструкций антикоррозия .
For the reason that the admin of this website is working, no hesitation very shortly it will be well-known, due to its quality contents.
аренда погрузчик экскаватор arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-5.ru .
аренда экскаватора погрузчика jcb цена arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-5.ru .