30 January 2020

Day of Remembrance

Written by Sarah-Maree

This story was prompted by the Valentine’s Day prompt. It seemed appropriate for today’s blog post ^_^ Anyway, happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you enjoy this short story. It starts a bit sad, but it ends well.

Prompt: You're singe on Valentine's Day. You struggle through the day as you try to either ignore all the happy couples, or to cope with your loneliness. At the end of the day, you find a new meaning, reason, or way to celebrate Valentine's Day.
Some ideas for why you are single: By choice, spouse out of town, widowed, you're the spouse that's out of town, visiting a sick relative, etc.

An older woman turned away from the shop window with its display of heart-shaped cakes, of chocolate boxes with red bows, of red roses, of sweets with the offered desire of ‘Will you be mine?’ She’d said yes to that phrase a long time ago. Those shelves, with their promises of love, couldn’t account for the sorrows felt by those who had lost the ones they loved.

Now she spent her days and nights mostly alone. Her children, though grown and out on their own, would visit or call on occasion, but the loneliness remained.

As she made her way home, her thoughts turned to happier days, days spent beside her beloved. They used to fight about the holiday and its lure of sweets. How cruel it seemed, to have lost her love, her valentine.

She missed the fighting. She missed the cuddling. She missed the little expressions of their love. She missed the warmth at night. Night. It was getting late. She made it to her neighborhood, bruised of heart and sore in body. There were more cars in the street as neighbors had company over to celebrate the day. How many were dating? How many were married? Would they see the holiday as she did, when they lost their valentine?

She sighed a soul-felt sigh as she opened her front door. She let its oaken form swing open to reveal a warmly lit interior. The light, which she’d left on, wasn’t the only thing that greeted her. Her children welcomed her with open arms, warm smiles, and warmer hugs. Her grandchildren scurried around the house, unfazed by the day.

As her door swung closed behind her, her eyes brimmed with tears. Her family had made her their valentine.

About the Author

I may not be the nerdiest nerd you’ve ever met, but I still like to think of myself as a lover of science, video games, and of course, books.

CAFFEINE IS MY MUSE

Read plenty, read often

Copyright © Sarah Maree-Bendele Klein

Web Development by njp-mini-logo NJP