This is in response to Charli Mill’s Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge. The theme is riptide.
Here’s my entry:
The Riptide Suitcases
The riptide hid in two shallow suitcases. Foreign tee-shirts lay crushed against jumpers, jeans pressed unfolded next to sandals and boots. I lifted my daughter’s larger suitcase up; it was heavy but not as heavy as my swirling heart.
No traffic impeded our journey. The ripples began early, too early. We shared coffee but didn’t eat. The departure gate beckoned. The riptide began. It burst out of me. I cried, no I wailed. Guilt crashed against waves of sadness. Sadness wrestled and drowned my heart. Never again will I feel such depths of emotion. My adventurer, daughter had gone.
Recently my daughter left the UK for at least a year (perhaps more,) to work abroad in South Korea, teaching English as a Foreign Language. I couldn’t be happier for her but I couldn’t be any sadder either at her departure. I cried and cried! Such emotions, perhaps I’d been keeping them in for a long time? I didn’t cry when she went to University, and now I made up for it, spectacularly. What an outpouring!
To enter Charli’s challenge respond by September 19, 2017 to be included in Charli’s compilation (published September 20). Rules are here. All writers are welcome!
https://carrotranch.com/2017/09/15/september-14-2017/
Perhaps you have had similar experiences when your son or daughter has left home? Do comment below.
Bye for now,
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Twitter: @curseof_time
Fellow Administrators of our Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club #ABRSC on Facebook, myself, my good friends Colleen Chesebro and Debby Gies. Click on Colleen’s and Debby’s photos to be directed to their awesome blogs. These ladies rock!
Every mum will understand this post…
It is so hard!! 💜💜
Yes indeed, I found it so overwhelming! Not unexpected but the emotions were powerful nonetheless. And the guilt – because I made her cry too and my youngest too! Still, it’s all good now I know she is happy and that is all a parent can ask for. 🙂
Yes it’s true you want the best for your children. We have to let our emotions out or we will make ourselves ill. 💜💜
I loved reading this.
Thank you. 🙂
Yes, Alex goes on Wednesday next week 😢😢😢😢 lovely post 💕xxx
Thank you Samantha. Good luck to Alex, hope all goes well for his new beginning. Exciting times ahead for our sons and daughters. My youngest is now looking at Universities too. Goodness knows what I’ll be like when they have all flown the nest. Hate to think. At least you have your lovely cats to cheer you up! xxx
Ha ha true, never a dull moment with them around…had to remove a tick from Lily yesterday…bleuchhh
Ahhhh, that I don’t long for! LOL… 🙂
Are you sure? I can send her round to you…
Pleased to hear your daughter is settled in – blog up yet?
I’d love to see her but not so much the ticks! Natasha hasn’t mentioned her blog yet, too busy going out to parties! I’ll ask her about it in a little while… She has a week off in October and is going to do a bit of exploring then.
Lol…no…ticks are…horrible.
Pleased Natasha is having fun and will look forward to her blog 😺💕xxx
Marje, this was lovely and made me cry! I loved it. <3
Ah, thank you! Boy did I cry most of the day… dear me it was intense. But, back to normal now no more crying. So glad to see her settled, and enjoying her new home. 🙂
It’s hard letting them go. I know… <3
What a stunning flash fiction, and one that is a BOTS, too! !
Thank you Charli. Showing my ignorance here but what is a BOTS?
The memoirists who write flash fiction use BOTS based on a true story. I didn’t know the term either! I love learning from all the different writers.
Oh I see. Yes true life tears! Learning new things all the time! Wonderful, many thanks. 🙂
I enjoyed the story, Marje but understand how heart-wrenching it must be having your daughter going away for a year. Sending you some hugs x💖💖
I totally get it, I was the same when my daughter left home. xxx
Got the younger one still at home but it won’t be long before she spreads her wings too! xxx
They don’t write a manual for these feelings do they? My daughter is in Edinburgh and is loving it, am so pleased for her. xxx
Edinburgh is a wonderful city I love it. Only downside is the weather! So pleased your daughter is loving it there. xxx
<3