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.
1 вин вход в личный кабинет 1 вин вход в личный кабинет
Hello! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok. I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.
вин 1 1win5522.ru
онлайн школы для детей shkola-onlajn2.ru .
онлайн ш http://shkola-onlajn2.ru/ .
Unm Pharm: order from mexican pharmacy online – isotretinoin from mexico
my website https://mundotecnologia.info/6b61489d54e313a459f47ecf4f561103-domains.html
школа онлайн школа онлайн .
дистанционное обучение 11 класс дистанционное обучение 11 класс .
SpookySwap staking
приложение сукааа казино
курсы стриминг http://shkola-onlajn5.ru .
онлайн-школа для детей http://www.shkola-onlajn5.ru/ .
потолочкин самара http://www.natyazhnye-potolki-samara-8.ru .
потолочник http://www.natyazhnye-potolki-samara-7.ru .
потолки потолки .
поталок https://www.natyazhnye-potolki-samara-7.ru .
Modern Curated Space – A modern curation where everything feels placed with intention.
фирма натяжные потолки http://www.natyazhnye-potolki-samara-6.ru .
натяжной потолок фирма http://natyazhnye-potolki-samara-6.ru .
онлайн обучение для школьников онлайн обучение для школьников .
Design & Lifestyle Picks – Lifestyle picks displayed clearly with a pleasant browsing rhythm.
Curated Living Hub – A thoughtful mix of pieces presented with calm visuals and easy flow.
школа для детей школа для детей .
натяжные потолки недорого самара цена http://www.natyazhnye-potolki-samara-5.ru/ .
потолочкин ру натяжные потолки natyazhnye-potolki-samara-5.ru .
Clean Curated Living – Clean presentation helps the curated items stand out naturally.
Unm Pharm buy cheap meds from a mexican pharmacy Unm Pharm
Because the admin of this website is working, no hesitation very shortly it will be renowned, due to its quality contents.
Magnificent site. Lots of helpful information here. I am sending it to some buddies ans additionally sharing in delicious. And of course, thank you for your sweat!
mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs: reputable mexican pharmacies online – pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa
https://nyupharm.xyz/# canada drugs online
BrightMoon Deals – Found several appealing items thanks to the simple, structured layout.
sykaaa casino сайт регистрация
BrightMoon Styles – Really liked how neat everything looked, easy to navigate and enjoy.
The Moonridge Store – A refreshing browsing experience with well-arranged items.
можно проверить ЗДЕСЬ зеркало водка бет
Moonridge Collection – Impressive selection with a smooth flow, browsing felt effortless.
homeandstylehub – HomeAndStyleHub features a variety of items that made exploring feel smooth and welcoming.
https://unmpharm.xyz/# medicine in mexico pharmacies
зарегистрироваться sykaaa casino
link https://prlvnote.com
веб-сайт зеркало водка бет
онлайн сукааа казино регистрация
Sân chơi QQ88 hội tụ đầy đủ game cá cược hot hiện nay với giao diện thân thiện, dễ chơi, phù hợp cả người mới và cược thủ lâu năm.
homefindshub – HomeFindsHub presents a curated range of products that felt inviting and thoughtfully selected.
онлайн обучение 11 класс онлайн обучение 11 класс .
регистрация в sykaaa
онлайн школа для школьников с аттестатом онлайн школа для школьников с аттестатом .
Сначала — очная оценка, проверка противопоказаний и совместимости с текущими лекарствами. Далее — инфузионная терапия для коррекции водно-электролитного баланса, поддержка печени и сердечно-сосудистой системы, мягкая анксиолитическая и снотворная поддержка по показаниям. Визит обычно занимает от 60 до 120 минут; при необходимости капельницы проводятся медленно, с наблюдением. После процедуры пациент получает понятные памятки: что и когда пить, когда спать, какие признаки считаются тревожными и требуют повторного осмотра или перевода в стационар.
Разобраться лучше – narkolog-besplatno-moskva