Writing Prompt 13

[Tommie Lyn]

Ok, let's see what you do with this one....

Your brother just told you he's leaving his wife and children, because he doesn't love his wife and he's bored with his life. He's taking off for a six-month adventure on a merchant marine ship, will sign on tomorrow. You just learned from an overheard conversation that his wife has a fatal condition and has three months to live -- she doesn't know yet. You don't know how you should tell him because you have a history of telling tall tales, and people tend not to believe you any more, plus, her doctor wants to break it gently to the wife that she's dying, and you're afraid she'll find out in a way that will be shocking to her if you tell your brother.

For this one, you'll get extra recognition when you look in the mirror if you include these words:

game
shed
nose
leaf
jump

[jacks girl]

I'm doing this in first person cause you said this is from our pov. Man you really wanted to make this hard. LOL.. I think i did it.

Three Months

I woke up in a cold sweat Tuesday morning. My world was upside down. My brother was signing up today to leave with the Merchant marines and I'd found out the day before at work that his wife, my sister in law was dying. What was the children going to do with Janie dying and Bob leaving.

I watched Janie shed so many tears over my brother that I was really glad he was leaving her. Bob had beaten her several times even broken her nose once. Now I found out that he was leaving and the doctor had said Janie had only three months to live. Could I have heard him wrong. I doubt it, he'd only been in the next room.

Her test results had came back that day and she didn't even know yet. Bob was going to be gone for six months she'd be buried by the time he returned. I was going to speak to Joe my employer today and I know he'd want to tell Janie he always wanted to break the news as gently as possible.

I had to go find Bob and tell him that he couldn't leave just yet. I didn't care if he was bored with his life and that he didn't love Janie anymore he had children to think of. I stopped and looked into the mirror. I'd been drinking a lot lately and I wasn't really sure if I did tell Bob would he believe me.

The drinking had caused me to not tell the truth all the time, and if I did tell Bob would he just go to Janie and blurt it out hurting her even more. What did I do, how could i solve this problem. Life was such a game at times I thought as I watched another dead leaf fall from the tree. I was so melancholy on top of everything else.

When Puppy came in the dog door he made me Jump. I knew I had to do something. I'd take a shower and go talk to Joe before I spoke with Bob. I wanted to just crawl back in bed rather than face what was before me. Only time would tell what would happen and it made me realize that I really needed to get my life back on track and though it had been weeks I bent on my knees and prayed crying my heart out to God to forgive me and help me through the next three months.

[melw]

Marriage is work

WORDS 465

“Jack how can you just leave? You always were selfish. Hasn’t the time with Holly meant anything? What about Kelly and Danny?”

“Thanks for you concern Lisa, but I have to get away.”

“Life isn’t a game, neither was the decision to marry. I know you said you don’t love your wife, but what about your kids.”

“I got married too young. I want more than just a shed in the backyard. That is the only thing that is mine. Can’t you understand?”

I couldn’t understand, Jack was my big brother, and thought he had his whole life together. I breathed deeply. Could I tell my brother what I had found out?

“Lisa, can you keep an eye on the kids? I just can’t do it. Holly just doesn’t understand me.”

“Jack, Marriage is for life, you can’t just jump ship when you feel like it.” I was livid.

“You always said that once the love has gone, it’s hard to get it back. Holly has not been loving to me. No intimacy, no touching, almost no words. It’s gone.”

“Jack, there is something I have to tell you.” I breathed deeply. “Holly is sick, it’s serious. The doctor doesn’t know how to break it to her.”

“Lisa, I am not going to stay because of what you say. Your lies won’t work this time.”

“Please believe me this once. I wouldn’t lie about something like this.”

“You don’t think I should leave, so you would say anything.”

“She has cancer, it’s terminal.” I had tears in my eyes. “They think about 3 months.”

“How did you find out?”

“It doesn’t matter; I overheard a conversation with a few doctors. Look please stay.”

“Lisa, just leave me alone. I have to pack a few things.” Jack left for home.



4 months later.

Jack stood watching the wooden coffin above the grave. A leaf fell and he brushed it away. He picked up Kelly and felt her cold nose against his neck. His other hand had Danny’s hand. His two girls were as silent as he was.

I tried to hold back the tears through Holly’s funeral. From that day I never, ever told another tall tale. Jack talked to Holly that day and asked her what was wrong. Holly didn’t take it well, but they found out it was true.

Jack now knew a marriage needed work. It was both his and his wife’s responsibility. His love and devotion had allowed Holly to live an extra month. She died with Jack holding her hand.

Jack turned, “thanks Lisa. Holly gave me so much joy; I can’t believe she is gone.”

“Jack, let’s go home.”

“Thanks for telling me to work, that is what Holly thanked me before she left. Marriage is work, but worth it.”


MEL

[melw]

Jack
I think you put a Stan instead of Bob there. But i didn't read yours until i did mine.

MEL

[jacks girl]

Great Job Melw, and you are right i did have a Stan in there LOL!

This one was kind of hard for me to do since my friend just lost her husband of 15 years. it hit home I guess you could say but it also helps to put things into perspective. Life does go on and things change sometimes not for the good but we still must trust in our God and our heavely home.

In the end our soul and the souls that we can take with us is all that matters.

Jacks

[Tommie Lyn]

Jacks and Mel, good job. This a thought-provoking prompt, and you both did well with it.

[jacks girl]

thanks Boss. LOL

Now it's your turn He He.

See you in chat at 1?

[Tommie Lyn]

Here ya go, Jacks:


The Eavesdropper


Word Count: 500

What should I do? I gnawed my lip.

Wendell leaned on the rail, elbows propped, hands dangling, staring across the inlet at the big ship, wrinkles plowed into his face like furrows on a new-turned field.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked again. I'd try to talk him out of it, change his mind about leaving without telling him the truth. Besides, he wouldn't believe the truth, would think I was lying again. "What about the kids? They'll miss you."

"Nah. They'll get over it. Nobody'll miss me, least of all Tricia and the kids." He rubbed his chin. "Only thing they'll miss is the paycheck. But I'll see to my responsibilities. I'll send money back for them. I'll make plenty with the merchant marine. Lots more than at the hardware store."

"No, they need more from you than just a paycheck, Bubba."

"Hah! What game are you playing, Wanda? You never start with the 'Bubba' unless you're trying to wheedle me out of something."

He was right. But this time, what I wanted was not for myself, it was for him. For Tricia and the kids. If he knew, he wouldn't leave her. But if I blurted it out, and if he believed me, he'd jump up, rush to his house, to Tricia's side, pour his heart out to her. Then she'd know. And it could kill her.

My sneakiness had finally landed me in a place I didn't want to be. Mama always told me I'd be sorry if I didn't turn over a new leaf, quit poking my nose into other folks' business, going around eavesdropping. But I never listened to Mama. Now, I wished to goodness I had. I wished I didn't know.

“This is no game.”

“Listen. I've been stuck in that hardware store since high school, and I'd like to see something of the world before I get too old to enjoy it.” He barked out a humorless laugh. “All those responsibilities will be waiting for me, if I come back.”

“But what if . . . your life here changes while you're gone? What if they aren't waiting for you?”

He shrugged. “I'll just take what comes.”

“Bubba, I gotta tell you something. And you have to just listen, not do anything about it, hear me? Don't go running off to Tricia the minute you . . . know.”

“You're serious, aren't you?”

“Serious as a heart attack.” I grimmaced. How callous! How could I say something like that? “It's about Tricia. Something I heard when I was in Doc Jones' office this morning for my check up.”

He stood straight and turned to me, interested now. Tricia'd been having lots of appointments with Dr. Jones lately.

“It's her heart, Bubba.”

“Yeah?”

“Doc's planning to break it to her gently. He's afraid the shock of hearing about it could kill her.”

“What shock?”

“She has, maybe, three months.”

Wendell looked at the ship. And I watched his face shed the look of excitement, take on realization, loss.

[jacks girl]

really good Tommie. I like it. It amazes me how we all can write the same story in different ways. So cool...


jacks

[Laina]

BIGGER THAN CANCER
Word count: 497

As Wally scooted his chair he scraped the wooden floor. He snatched the few poker dollars on the table.

“Mack, want to play again, or a different game?”

Mack flung his hand and slapped the cards on the old wooden table. “You shed me of twenty bucks, that’s enough. We need to get the leaf back in the table.”

Wally grinned like a kid, stuffed the money in his faded jeans pocket, took a sip of Coke, whirled his chair backward and sat to face Mack. “Yeah, okay, sore sport.”

Head hanging forward, he rested his elbow on the table, Mack squeezed the brim of his nose. “I need to make me some money, Wally.”

“What for? You’ve got this here cabin your parents left you and a beautiful house. Your kids are doing well and you’ve got a good paying job.”

“I just do. I’ve been thinkin’ about joining the Merchant Marines.”

“What? That’s pretty drastic don’t cha think? You’ll be gone at least six months.”

Mack wondered if he should tell Wally. Lost in thought he became melancholy. Did he love Dora? He didn’t think so, or was he just angry?

“Wally, promise me you’ll take good care of your sister. Dora will need you while I’m gone. I’m just going through some things and this will clear my head.”

There was a knock at the door. Mack jumped.

Wally walked towards the door and pulled the curtain back. “It’s your sister, Ruthy.”

Ruthy entered before either one had a chance to open the door. “We need to talk brother. I can’t believe you’d just go off and leave everything you hold dear, your wife, and your kids. You’ve got so much going for you and your throwing it all away for what – the Merchant Marines?”

“It’s more than that. I found out today that I’m not really married to Dora. She was married before me and they never divorced. I’ve got the marriage certificate. Plus, I confronted her and she didn’t deny it.”

Wally’s walked up to Mack and looked him straight in the eye. “You idiot. It was annulled before you even met Dora.”


Ruthy sighed. “There’s no other way to tell you except straight out. And don’t use my history of lying to reject what I’m about to say. Mack, Dora is dying. I overheard her nurse on the phone. She’s got cervical cancer and she’s at stage five with three months to live tops.”

Mack plopped on the couch. The past couple of months he judged Dora wrongly. Some husband he turned out to be. Mark grabbed the phone and dialed.

“Hey Pastor. It’s me, Mack. Can you come over to the cabin? Dora’s got cancer and they say she won’t make it, but I know our God is bigger than cancer. I’d like His wisdom right now. And I need forgiveness. After hanging up the phone Mack walked over to the desk and tore the Merchant Marine application in shreds.

[Tommie Lyn]

Good job, Laina!

[Laina]

Thanks Tommie

You, Mel and Jacks did great too. Gosh, there are so many ways to tell a story. Just goes to show you that stories will never grow old. There's always a different slant.

[jacks girl]

I liked yours to Laina i really liked the ending where he turned to God seeing answers we could all learn a lesson there.

Jacks