top of page
Search
Writer's pictureLisa Horner

In the spirit of NaNoWriMo

Updated: 1 day ago

I am sharing a short and sad story. I have an ultimate aim to one day write a novel or perhaps a children's book. As you know I've written two local history books. But, as for creative writing, I have written quite a few short stories so far, one of which I will share with you. It was prompted by the picture below, a prompt given by one of the organisers of Basildon Writers' Group.


Before I do I have just recently discovered that November is National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo is an American young writers' programme that apparently is known worldwide. You can find out more here https://nanowrimo.org/



The Bench


It was a cool September on a Sunday afternoon when I found the doll on the grass in my local park. Perhaps it had fallen out of a child’s pram? I decided the thing to do was to place it on the park bench so that if the owner walked past it would grab their attention. As I placed the doll down, I started to read the inscription on the plaque. It said,

    “If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, we’d walk right up to heaven and bring you back again. Forever six, our darling daughter, Tia.”

    I gasped, perhaps the doll belonged on the bench in the first place and had got knocked off? That was a definite possibility. Those poor parents. I couldn’t help but shed a few tears, I often empathised and felt people’s pain and this was so very sad.

    On my walk home I was mentally putting my life into perspective. I was 32 and I’d had a few relationships but nothing too serious. I sometimes felt envious of couples with children, thinking that I would be a good mum but the situation never materialised. I would rather be childless than have had experienced the wonders of motherhood for it to be all taken away from me when my daughter was only six years old, I couldn’t even imagine the pain.


Over the next month on a Sunday, I walked past that bench and saw the baby doll was still there. One Sunday I saw a young lady sitting there, she must have been in her twenties. She looked very sad and I put two and two together and guessed she was the mother. I sat down, turned to her and said, “I’m making a big assumption here, but I really am so sorry for your loss.”

    She turned to me with big pale blue eyes and tried very hard to give me a little smile, then said, “thanks”. We both looked down for a while and I wasn’t really sure how the conversation could progress.

    “It happened two years ago; we realised after we’d had the bench put here that we didn’t put a date on the plaque. It’s still so raw!” Tears cascaded down her cheeks.

    That was it, I was crying too. “I’m so sorry,” I said. “Tia is such a pretty name.”

    “Thank you”.

    She was very slim and wearing a pale pink tracksuit. Her dark hair was tied back in a pony tail and it showed off her cheekbones.

    “Can I ask what happened? Don’t tell me if it’s too painful.” I looked at the poor young woman, immediately regretting that I’d asked.

    “Meningitis. It also ended our relationship, we couldn’t carry on, the pain was too much for both of us. He’s met someone else and they’ve got a baby. I think he was desperate to try and bridge a gap. But sometimes we meet here at the bench and we sit and remember Tia together. He loves his new baby but he will never forget Tia.”

    I put my hand on the young lady’s arm and ask, “what’s your name love?”

    “Joanne, and you? What’s your name?”

    “Marina. I hope in some way it has helped to share this with me. I’d put the doll back on the bench about a month ago, it had fallen off, that’s when I read the inscription. Can I ask you a question?”

    “Yeah sure, go ahead.”

    “No, actually don’t worry. I don’t want to cause you more pain. I’ve got to go now as my parents are coming round to tea. It was nice to meet you.” I get up to go. Joanne gives me a knowing look.

    “If you were going to ask if I regret having Tia the answer is no, I will always cherish those precious times with her and with Gary, her dad. As much pain as I’m going through now, there is no regret in having her.” Then that brave young woman gave me such an amazing smile.

    “My gosh! You must have read my mind!” I said.

    “It’s been asked before. Take care and thanks for the chat.”

    I smile and wave and walk on. The light is dimming and as I’m walking away, I turn around, concerned about Joanne. Just for a moment I feel that I see a little girl sitting next to her, hugging the doll and leaning on her mother. It must be my imagination. Wishful thinking perhaps?



 

 


29 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

コメント


bottom of page