Founded 2015 by students of “How To Think Sideways: Career Survival School for Writer’s,”
writing course created by writer and teacher Holly Lisle.
Hello and Welcome to the Storytime Blog Hop! You're probably expecting a story titled "Oh Baby!" I changed my mind and decided to share this story, "Hello Again."
Take some time to escape from reality by visiting writers participating in this blog hop filled with stories to enjoy. I'm always amazed at the variety of genres and the imaginative characters and plots in the offerings. Click below on the bloggers links to hop around cyberspace and explore these talented writers. You're invited to leave a comment and share your experience with friends.
January Storytime Blog Hop
White rose
Hello Again by J.Q. Rose
Valerie removed
the enclosure card from the vase filled with exotic greens and stunning white roses. Her eyes narrowed as she studied the
signature, “With love, T.B.” Replacing
the card in the holder, she turned to her daughter, Rebecca. “Do you know who
T.B. is? I can’t think of anyone who would sign a card with those initials.”
Her beautiful Rebecca,
dressed in a stylish black suit and white silk blouse, slipped her arm around
her mother’s waist.
“I don’t recognize
the initials either.” Rebecca’s brown shoulder-length hair flowed around her
face when she shook her head. “Come on,
Mom, they’re waiting for us in the family room.
The service will begin soon.”
Valerie turned
from the display of floral tributes and smoothed her simple black dress that
snugged her trim figure. She was thankful her daughter and son were by her
side.
Tears surfaced
in her eyes. How could she have any more
tears left? She had cried for days. .
How was she going to say good-bye forever to her husband of thirty-five years? Her best friend. Her lover. Her life.
She dabbed her nose and wiped her eyes with a
tissue. Taking a deep breath to strengthen her for the difficult day ahead, she
squared her shoulders vowing to make it through this service, the cemetery, and
luncheon after.
Sitting at her
kitchen table a few days later, Valerie stared at the enclosure card enclosed with
the white roses. She couldn’t find a
clue to the identity of T.B. This was
the only acknowledgement card left to be written, but she had no idea where to
send it. No one in her family could help
her. The local floral shops had no record of the flower delivery. Mr. Mc Grady, the funeral director, told her
he had found the vase sitting on the table in the entryway. He had seen a man leaving
the building, but Mr. McGrady only caught a glimpse of his back.
Valerie couldn’t
explain why, but she felt close to the sender. She couldn’t stop thinking of
the beautiful roses and the card simply signed T.B. There was something very special about the
sentiment, she knew. But what was it?
* * * *
Spring
eventually emerged after the dark days of winter and death. Valerie had endured. Seeing the snow melt, the daffodils bloom,
and the earth green up helped to lighten her heart.
That spring
afternoon Valerie felt the warm sun’s rays on her back as she dug into the soil
to plant pansies in the flower bed by the front door of her house. A large white limousine pulled up to her
neighbor’s home and out jumped a teen-age boy in his fashionable tuxedo. Behind him two young couples piled out.
The boys seemed
so young with their fresh haircuts and fine looking tuxes and the girls dressed
in elegant evening gowns of red, black, and deep purple. Their long, thick
tresses were cleverly styled in up-do’s for that traditional evening event in
high school, the prom.
The teens’
nervous laughter and banter echoed through the neighborhood. Residents gathered to watch as the young
people posed for photos with the neighbor’s daughter under the flowering crab
apple tree in the front yard. Soon the
three couples entered the limo again and were off to make memories.
Valerie returned
to planting her flowers remembering her high school proms, dresses, and
friends. She smiled as she tamped the soil down around the colorful flowers. Suddenly
she threw down her trowel, ripped off her gardening gloves, and raced up the
front steps to her house. When she
entered the family room, she didn’t stop to wash her hands or remove the floppy
straw hat on her head. Instead, she grabbed
the phone book and turned the pages to a number that she deftly punched into
her phone.
“Hello,
Valerie.” A man’s voice greeted
her. Her eyes sparkled as a smile spread
from cheek to cheek. It was the same voice she remembered from forty years ago
when they had attended her senior prom together.
“Hello, Teddy
Bear.”
# # # #
Storytime Participants
Click on the links below and hop on over for more great stories.
7. Hello Again by J. Q. Rose
Buy Links for Dangerous Sanctuary |
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Storytime Blog Hop: Oh Baby! by J.Q. Rose
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12 comments:
Interesting story.
Thanks for stopping by and reading, Amy.
Nice. That was definitely a great surprise ending. Very cute. Give me hope she's going to find some happiness.
Awww. That was sweet (a tad creepy with an old prom date knowing your husband died and apparently waiting by the phone x_x But I'm ignoring that! It was sweet!)
Thanks, Jessica. Pretty sweet story for speculative fiction, but I didn't think about that when I added it to my blog. Thank goodness for small towns and caller ID's!!
LOL that is true to life. When my dad died ex's and unknown women called for him not ever two days after the funeral. Good story. Enjoyed. Liked the suspense. Hopefully, this will let me comment. I have been having commenting problems, It lets me on some blogs and not on others Grrr.
https://jessicakruppa.wordpress.com/2017/01/24/veronica/
Glad you liked the story, Juneta. It was fun to write.
Bittersweet. Well done.
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