Find the Rules at Rachael Ritchie’s blog: http://wp.me/p7rsge-cB
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Prompt: Cowboy
Words: 990
The Devil is in the Details
Anita picked up the cordless and counted down the speed-dial list with a finger. No wooing, nor scheming, nor monetary enticements had worked. She had made the effort each time with high hopes. Nothing had changed in five years. She drew in an unsteady breath. The phone chirped in her ear. Once. Twice. And again. A tired female voice answered.
“Hello, Grandma, that you?”
I’m not your grandma, darnit. Simmer down, Anita. She rolled her shoulders and pasted a smile on her face. Everyone knew a smile traveled through the telephone and out the other end. “That you, Sylvia? How are you? How are the boys? What about Emma?” Her face hurt but she maintained the smile though her jaw quivered and her eyes leaked.
A pause and an impatient sigh. “Everyone is fine. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?”
“You’ve been on my mind. Miss the kids like crazy.” Anita bit her lip. There, I’ve said it. “Haven’t heard from them in ages. Something wrong with your Skype? I guess everyone has things to do and places to go.”
“Grandma, they’re busy with homework, baseball, and ballet. You know how it is.” A door slammed. Rowdy arguing followed; a girl’s shrill voice sliced through her brothers’ booming power struggle. The sounds muffled a moment. “Quiet. Can’t you see I’m on the phone?” A muffled drone filled Anita’s ear, then the sound of footsteps clomping on ceramic.
“Are you there, Sylvia? Can I talk to Emma… please?” Anita’s heart thrummed. How can she refuse? I know Emma’s there.
“It’s just—alright but make it quick. She has ballet in a few minutes.”
“Before you go, I have an idea. It’s been so long, I thought I’d come up to see you all for a couple days. Save you fare and travel time. Don’t want to be any trouble. I’ll stay in a hotel. How about it?” She ran a sleeve over her eyes, the smile cemented in place.
“I’ll have to talk to Phil. See what his plans are.”
“I don’t mind staying with the kids, if you have special plans—save you a babysitter.”
In the silent pause, Anita pictured her daughter-in-law’s eyes roll. “They’re teenagers and Emma is ten now. Here she is.” A hushed drone and a young voice gushed through the miles between them. “Hi, Grandma. How are you? I miss you.”
“Bless your heart. I miss you too, and your sweet face. We haven’t Skyped for months. How about this weekend?”
“Maybe. Gotta go, Grandma. Mom’s waving her car keys at me.”
* * *
“She offered to visit again, Phil. I can’t manage it: me working, you never home, the kids with their lessons and friends.” Sylvia paced before her husband, each point punched onto the pads of her fingers with a lacquered nail.
Her husband threw his arms in the air. “What do you want from me? The guilt of turning her down is killing me. Guilt over making extra work for you is too. Can’t keep putting her off forever. Figure something out that works. Get it over with, okay?”
“She’s your mother and a lonely old woman. I’m not up to playing nursemaid. I work all day, too, and have a household to run. Will you at least be around to help out?”
Phil pulled out a chair. “Sit. You’re making me dizzy.” Hands shoved in his pockets, he paced.
* * *
Separated from foot traffic, a bird of a woman sat in a wheelchair. Dark, wraparound glasses too large for her, covered half her small face. She clasped a red carry-on on her lap. The airport attendant behind her held up a sign with two words: Anita Martin. Phil rushed through the Arrivals door, his wife took her time behind him.
“Mother? Are you all right?” Sylvia crashed into him at his abrupt stop. The attendant nodded and melted into the crowd.
“I’d recognized that voice anywhere.” Anita raised a hand for a shake. “That you, Sylvia? Good to see you both. You still have those cowboy boots you bought in Texas. The hesitation of your left foot since you busted your knee in football has always been a dead giveaway.”
“What’s with the chair, Mom.”
“Those are some ugly glasses, Grandma.” Sylvia made a face. She always spoke before thinking.
His mother-in-law ignored the affront, offering a weak smile instead. “It’s a long walk in today’s airports, sonny.”
“Gotcha. So… are you walking or riding?”
“Riding if you don’t mind. Too many people around and I’m slowing down these days.”
“You’ve lost weight haven’t you, Grandma? You’re not sick, or anything?” Sylvia studied her mother-in-law’s slight frame with a frown.
Anita clenched her teeth. “Don’t you worry about me. Let’s roll, sonny. Can’t wait to see Emma and the boys. Will they have classes tonight?” Leaning forward, she pursed her lips and hugged the case in her lap closer. “I can’t believe I’m here. The flight attendants took good care of me. Did you know they don’t serve free meals anymore?”
* * *
A supporting arm beneath his mother’s elbow, Phil guided her through the open door Sylvia had keyed open.
‘Powder room, Grandma?”
“Call me Anita. Please. Your timing is wonderful. Where…?”
“Around the corner and down the hall, first door to your right.”
The older woman toddled forward, a hand on the wall as if for support. Sylvia watched and sucked her teeth. She elbowed her husband’s ribs. “Something’s wrong with her eyes.”
“She’s fine. Just tired and shaky after the flight.”
“I believe she’s going blind, Phil. We’ll be stuck with her forever now.”
“Hush. If that’s true, we have to do right by her.”
Sylvia’s jaw dropped.
“Your mom and dad have each other. She can’t live alone—and so far away.”
“But…”
“She’s my mom, Syl. Oh my god. It just hit me. Being an only child is a curse.”
The End
© 2017 Tess and How the Cookie Crumbles
Images courtesy of Pixabay
February 14, 2017 at 11:13 am
Off to a great start with the internal dialogue protest, “I’m not your grandma…”which really popped the attitude off the page. And made me smile. Great way to hook the reader, Tess. 🙂
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February 17, 2017 at 12:59 pm
Thanks so much, Paulette. I sure don’t want to be in a similar position, ever. ❤
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February 14, 2017 at 12:11 pm
Oh no, Tess. that is so horrible. Parents are a gift and should be looked after in their old age. Very good writing to make me feel so sad.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:02 pm
Thank YOU. I families are scattered all over the map with busy lives of their own these days, and are frazzled. I especially feel for old parents without their partners to keep them company anymore.
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February 14, 2017 at 1:07 pm
You really caught the poignancy of growing old, Tess. So sad. Great writing though 🙂
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February 17, 2017 at 1:03 pm
Thank you, Thank you, Cathy. I feel for parents who no longer have their partners and are far away from their children who live frazzled lives with families of their own.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:40 pm
Oh absolutely, it must be so lonely.
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February 14, 2017 at 1:12 pm
I fear this is a common situation, you’ve described it well. Very thought provoking Tess.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:04 pm
Thank you, Gilly. You hear, “Not now, Mom (or Dad),” like in the song some years ago.
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February 14, 2017 at 1:16 pm
This is a poignant piece, well written and pulls at your heart strings.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:05 pm
Thank you, Darlene. Glad this pulled at your heart strings. ❤ ❤ ❤
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February 14, 2017 at 2:09 pm
Yes this really eats me up!!xxxxx
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February 17, 2017 at 1:07 pm
Yeah. I know, Willow. Kids have families of their own, live ‘just-in-time’ lives racing through their days with no time for Mom or Dad. 😦
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February 17, 2017 at 1:18 pm
Yes so true , have you seen my Loveuary for today very similar! 😧
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February 14, 2017 at 2:19 pm
Such a sad, sad story.
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February 14, 2017 at 2:40 pm
Sigh. Supposed to be true to life. XX
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February 14, 2017 at 2:43 pm
… and that’s what makes it so tragic.
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February 14, 2017 at 4:17 pm
How horrid. I don’t think I’ll end up there, but who knows. No wonder my mom insisted on her independence. Very sad.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:08 pm
What a busy world we live in. Families all over the map, rushing from home, to work and home, kids after school lessons, housekeeping and starting all over again the next day. Mom and/or Dad are put on the back burner. 😦
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February 14, 2017 at 9:06 pm
Just leaped off the cliff on this one. This couple needs a good horsewhipping. (I’m just sayin”) Good one, Tess.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:10 pm
Sigh. Yes, I agree with the horsewhipping. It’s sad to see so many families with children of their own living such busy lives they can barely get through the day and Mom or Dad are left on the backburner. 😦
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February 17, 2017 at 3:01 pm
🙂
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February 14, 2017 at 9:20 pm
Sad story well told. I think the daughter-in-law needs a peak at her own future.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:12 pm
I know this happens and it’s always the woman whether a daughter or daughter-in-law to whom care falls to. Most D-i-Ls can’t imagine their own mother’s care let alone M-i-L. Life is too fast-paced and full these days. 😦
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February 14, 2017 at 11:56 pm
Oh Tess it’s heartbreaking. You really pulled at my heartstrings.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:18 pm
Sorry about the heartstrings, Sue. Thank you for reading. I;m sure situations occur where families with children are too busy for anything. 😦
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February 15, 2017 at 2:36 am
This is so horribly sad, Tess. But so well written.x
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February 17, 2017 at 1:18 pm
Thank you, Judith. Your support mean the world to me. ❤ ❤ ❤
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February 15, 2017 at 3:57 am
You did a great job of showing how lonely it is to get old, especially when the only family you have finds you a burden. This one is a heart breaker, Tess.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:23 pm
Thank YOU, Sharon. Pleased I pulled off the showing. We live in a busy world where frantic parents race from one day to the next and live miles apart. I especially feel for only children because they have all the responsibility with no sibling with whom to share care. 😦
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February 15, 2017 at 6:25 am
Another great story, Tess. Really tugs at the heart, and the anger. There’s too many parents out there in similar situations.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:24 pm
Thank so much, K.L. I especially feel for only children on whose shoulders full responsibility falls. Must be hard not to have sibling with whom to share care. ❤
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February 20, 2017 at 7:23 am
One of my good friends is an only-child. I may have wished for that from time to time while growing up, but when you come from a large, crazy family, it’s hard to imagine it any other way.
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February 15, 2017 at 2:56 pm
Thank YOU for the reblog, Sally. {{hugs}}
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February 15, 2017 at 1:53 pm
Bloody hell Tess I really don’t know what to say. It has left me dumbfounded. Superb…. anything more would simply be a waste of air!
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February 17, 2017 at 1:33 pm
Wow. Kind sir. You have made my day. 🙂
I do feel for only children. Several siblings can share the responsibility of care. Then again, one might be forced into the task with no help from the others. It’s a terrible world sometimes.
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February 15, 2017 at 2:40 pm
I could picture this scenario so well, Tess. It is sadly getting more and more common .
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February 17, 2017 at 1:35 pm
Sigh. Our lives are too full, filled to the brim with no time to spare for the important things like Grandma or Grandpa.
You have seen this, Judy? I am only imagining because there are lots of lonely people out there with or without grown children and growing grandchildren. 🙂
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February 17, 2017 at 2:24 pm
Oh yes, I have seen this kind of thing a lot, sadly! 🙂
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February 15, 2017 at 4:57 pm
Wow, a blast of realism. Well done Tess.
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February 15, 2017 at 5:41 pm
Thanks so much for your kind support. ❤ ❤ 🙂
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February 16, 2017 at 9:42 am
😃
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February 15, 2017 at 5:49 pm
A reality for so many. This made me sad, Tess, but is so well written.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:38 pm
Thank YOU. So many seniors never see their grown children and/or grandchildren. Some have no one at all and I especially feel for the senior who has lost a spouse or may never have had one. ❤
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February 15, 2017 at 6:10 pm
Kind of a sad story, Tess. Different from what you usually write. ❤
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February 17, 2017 at 1:40 pm
Thanks for reading, Glynis. This genre is new to me. I couldn’t get any more realistic than this in a fiction piece. 🙂
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February 15, 2017 at 9:31 pm
Good writing, Tess! Sad but true theme! Felt badly for Grandma in that debilitating state! Hard for son & his wife to deal with this! Happy Wednesday! 🎶 Christine
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February 17, 2017 at 1:41 pm
Thank you, Christine. I feel for only children as well as seniors who have lost a spouse or who never had one. Our world is too fast paced and filled to the brim, I think. 🙂 ❤
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February 16, 2017 at 8:13 am
Thank you, Rachael. 😀 ❤
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February 16, 2017 at 10:52 am
Good reminder of what it’s like to be merely tolerated (if that) by the ones you love best. I wish more people realized what kind of heartrending pain they cause by their indifference.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:45 pm
Thank you for reading and commenting, Cathleen. On the other hand, only children have no one to help shoulder the responsibility and families, whether scattered all over the map or in the vicinity, live lives which are much too full.And then there are daughter-in-laws… Sigh. Care always falls to the women, right, whether her own mother or M-i-L. ❤
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February 16, 2017 at 11:49 am
Beautifully written and a sad sign of our times. Most of our aging parents need to be looked after to some degree, especially if they live alone. Poor Anita, going blind. Sounds like her son has some heart left for her in spite of his shrew of a wife.
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February 17, 2017 at 1:47 pm
Indeed. At least Anita’s son has some heart. I believe a lot of the problems stem from living all over the map and leading too busy lives. 😦
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February 18, 2017 at 7:05 pm
I can’t even describe what I’m feeling right now. All I can say is that I’m thankful I’m not an only child. Oh, and one more thing … You hooked me with the title 🙂 ♥
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February 22, 2017 at 12:24 pm
That wife is a real piece of work!
I enjoyed this.
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