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,
My social media links:
Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
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!
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M J Mallon YA Author and Poet 