Dream

Wisps of hair fluttered through the breeze, as Sheila turned the wheel of her new boat. The wave pattern behind her looked like inverted V’s and continued rippling larger toward the shoreline. Puffs of white were scattered like splattered paint across the deep, blue sky. Sheila was so grateful to be taking a holiday break of her own… a mini-retreat from her world of being a mom of three young kids and a weekend nurse in the ER. Life had become overwhelming for her, after her husband took his dream job of computer consulting which required much travel. She felt like a single mom, Monday through Friday, and then worked 12-hour night shifts during the busiest times in the ER on weekends, when he was usually home. When he wasn’t, she was grateful for the elderly couple or a babysitter who would watch her children when she had to work, since they were sleeping most of the time.

Now, she was glad that her parents were willing to take the kids for a week or a day, here and there. They were finally willing to get to know their grandchildren. How nice, after all these years of estrangement between her and them, since she left home and went out on her own.

Something flew into her eye and Sheila tried to wipe it out quickly. As she rubbed her eye, she realized, she was lying in bed and her parents were no longer around.  They had died a couple days ago and tears flooded her eyes.  

This was written during my Practice Writing group with a prompt of “daydream” for 10 minutes. I chose to write about “dream.”

Precious Linda, c. 2013

The Piano Movers

Mandy was distraught. Her husband of forty-three years had died. She was struggling with being responsible for everything in her life.

She spent most days grieving, losing the love of her life.  Their marriage hadn’t always been great, but then, as he had worked through his post-traumatic stress disorder, it was as if the shackles holding him prisoner, after the war, had fallen away – one difficult piece, at a time, until that one day when he was finally free again to be the wonderful, amazing man he always wanted to be.

“Oh, John! I miss you so… your loving touch, your tender embrace, your ‘I can’t catch my breath hugs,’ our laughter; your funny jokes that weren't so funny, but we laughed anyway.” She sat there, as the clock ticked and the room became dark. She missed him so much.

“Bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong!”

“Oh! The piano movers were coming at six to move the old piano out. They will be here, any moment!” She didn’t play the piano. Only John’s fingers could tickle the ivory and create such beautiful music.

“Oh, John! Why did you have to go so early?”

“Ding! Dong!” The piano movers were at the door and introduced themselves. Joe and Shane came in and covered the piano in a quilted blanket.

Joe noticed her eyes begin to glisten. “Are you sure you want to get rid of this piano? Perhaps, it would be good to wait a month or so.”

“No,” Mandy said. “It’s time. I got rid of his clothes and books, so it’s time to get rid of the piano, too.”

Shane added, “You can always call and ask for it back, if you change your mind.”

“And if no one has bought it,” Joe added.

Joe and Shane rolled the beautiful piano up onto the truck.

Joe said, “Please call, if you change your mind.”

Mandy walked back inside and saw the empty wall. She collapsed in tears.

Five minutes later, she called the truck drivers. “Could you please bring it back? I’m not ready yet.”

Joe said, “Sure!”

They drove back into her driveway and set up the piano right where it had been… as if it had never been moved.

“What do I owe you?" Mandy asked.

Joe smile. “Nothing, Ma’am. There’s no charge.”

“Really?” Mandy replied, surprised.

Joe and Shane just smiled. “No charge! Enjoy your piano and your cherished memories.”

“Thank you,” Mandy whispered, with a tinge of a smile.

This was written during my Practice Writing Group, with a prompt of: piano movers, for 10+ minutes and edited slightly.

Although this is a piece of fiction, it was based on a true incident described in Twenty-Eight Snow Angels: A Widow's Story of Love, Loss and  Renewal by Diane Dettmann, Outskirts Press, c. 2011.

Precious Linda, 2013