If you spend your time hoping someone will suffer the consequences for what they did to your heart, then you’re allowing them to hurt you a second time in your mind – Shannon L. Adler
I thought that when George and I tied the knot twenty years ago, it was for keeps. Was I naive or blinded by love? I didn’t want to end up like my grandparents and parents whose marriages ended in divorce. As an only child and grandchild, I wanted to be the exception. I wanted my marriage to last until either George or I died. We were happy. We loved each other. We had so many wonderful plans for our future and our marriage. Before having kids, we traveled.
Unfortunately, three kids later, I found out that George was having an affair and when I confronted him, he didn’t deny it. He told me that he wanted a divorce. The word was a like a punch in the stomach. I never thought I would hear it. I stood there stunned as my whole world crashed down around me. This can’t be happening, I told myself but it was. The pain I felt and the expression on his face told me that it this wasn’t a horrible nightmare. It was really happening.
I pleaded with him not to end our marriage for my sake and the kids’. I told him that we could go for counseling. I was desperate. I was willing to forgive him for his infidelity although it hurt. But he was adamant. He wanted a divorce. Our marriage was over. He wanted to leave me for her. Then, he went upstairs and packed a suitcase.
I was served with divorce papers. The finality hit me and I broke down. My marriage was over. My husband whom I thought I would grow old with had left me for a woman half his age. I hated her. She had wrecked my marriage and my home. For years I was filled with bitterness and anger toward George and her. I longed to make them suffer for what they had done to me. I fought to prevent him from seeing our kids because I didn’t want them around her. I didn’t realize how my behavior was affecting them until my daughter became withdrawn and my son was hanging out more at this best friend’s house. Overcome with guilt and regret, I sobbed as I apologized to them and promised that I would get professional help. I kept my promise and went for counseling.
One of my friends who also went through a divorce lent me a copy of the book, The Divorce Recovery Workbook which she said helped her. I’m reading it. And I’m taking one day at a time. I’ve let go of my anger and all the toxic emotions that have held me prisoner, ruining my relationship with my kids. They are doing fine now. I let them sleep over at their father’s place when they want to. I’m civil to him whenever we speak and I don’t hate his new wife any more. I’ve learned, although it hasn’t been easy, to let go and to move on. Life is too short and I want my kids to be happy.
“When people divorce, it’s always such a tragedy. At the same time, if people stay together it can be even worse” – Monica Bellucci
This was written for the Ragtag Daily Prompt for today’s prompt, Knot. If you’re interested in participating, click HERE for more information.
I ran through the forest. The night was at my heels like a pack of dogs at ma skirts. It goin’ be dark soon. I’m supposin’ to meet Joe, a free negro who’s goin’ to help me escape to the North.
Afraid of gettin’ lost, I run faster and stumble. I fall and cry out as a shootin’ pain travel up ma leg. Ma ankle was throbbin’.
Tears stung ma eyes. How was I goin’ get through them woods on a busted ankle? Suddenly, a bright white light shone in ma face, almost blindin’ me. Then, an Injun man appeared.
100 Words
I read an article about black Seminoles who are descendants of runaway slaves who escaped from coastal South Carolina and Georgia into the Florida wilderness beginning as early as the late 1600s. The runaway slaves joined with various Indian groups escaping into Florida at the same period. The MC of my story is a young runaway slave woman who encounters a Seminole Indian.
This was written for the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields For more details, visit Here. To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit Here.
A timeto be born, and a timetodie – Ecclesiastes 3:2
Death is inevitable yet when it comes, it’s a blow. On Wednesday, I lost my father. Although we were expecting him to pass away, it was still a shock. We had hoped that he would hang on a little longer so that my son and I could visit him. He’s never met his grandson. He has photos of him and they have spoken but meeting face to face would have been wonderful. I am thankful that they got to know each other, though. My son is his first grandchild. He was recently blessed with another–my brother’s daughter. I don’t think he got to see her but he knew of her and was very pleased.
Death is our enemy. It robs us of our loved ones. It brings pain and sorrow. It leaves an emptiness that was once filled with our loved ones. It is like an intruder that breaks into our lives and takes away everything we hold dear. It is that part of life we don’t want to experience. It is a reality we don’t want to face. Yet, it comes.
Death doesn’t have the final say, though. It isn’t the end. It will be swallowed up in victory. And one day, we will ask, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” And we have this assurance:“God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (2 Corinthians 15:55; Revelation 21:4, KJV).
There is a time to die. My father lived a long life. And it was his time to die on the day before Valentine’s Day. I miss him terribly but I know that I will see him again when the Lord comes. Until then, I will cherish the memories I have of him.
The worst news for a woman to hear is that she will never be able to have children.
Before I watched the episode of Greenleaf where Sophia had a medical emergency which turned out to be Ovarian Torsion, I had no idea that condition even existed. What is it? It is a condition which occurs when an ovary twists around the ligaments that hold it in place. This twisting can cut off blood flow to the ovary and Fallopian tube. Ovarian Torsion can cause severe pain and other symptoms because the ovary is not receiving enough blood.
The symptoms are:
an adnexal or pelvic mass
nausea
severe pelvic pain
vomiting
fever
abnormal bleeding
For Sophia, it was a sharp pain in her side. She first experienced it when she was out jogging then twice on another occasion. The third time was very severe and she was rushed to the hospital where she was prepped with surgery because she was diagnosed with Ovarian torsion. While on an anesthetic drug, she was talked about how her boyfriend, Roberto wanted to marry because at lunch he told her that he respected her boundaries and could see a future with her. Before going under, Sophia was dreaming about weddings, houses with mailboxes, puppies, and babies.
In Sophia’s case, the cause of the torsion were two large ovarian cysts interfering with Sophia’s organs. The doctors fixed the problem but couldn’t preserve the ovaries. Sophia will never be able to have kids of her own. Her mother, Grace had to give her the terrible news which she did. The scene was heart-wrenching when Sophia broke down and cried. Grace tried to comfort her telling her that she could have children another way-meaning adoption and said something to the effect that God’s got her back. Sophia’s response was to wonder why God would let that happen to her.
As with any unexpected and painful life changes, a person’s faith will be tested and Sophia is no different. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Will she turn away from God or will she cling to Him? And how would her condition affect her relationship with Roberto? Hopefully, he will stand by her.
My heart ached for Sophia, a young, lovely girl whose dreams of becoming a wife and mother one day were crushed. How many Sophias are out there living with the painful reality that they will never be able to have kids of their own? What do you say to someone who found out that she can never have children? You don’t tell that this was God’s will. Let God tell her that Himself. Just tell her that you’re sorry and be there for her. If she gets angry with God, let her. He can handle it. Don’t quote scriptures to her, don’t try to explain why this has happened to her. Don’t be like Job’s friends. They were more comforting to him when they were silent. Just be there for her.
Sometimes, the best way to help someone is just to be near them – Veronica Roth, Divergent
He remembered the day he proposed to her as if it happened just yesterday. She was waiting for him on the train tracks where they met one fine summer day. As he approached, holding the wild flowers behind his back, she turned and smiled that smile that melted his heart. She looked beautiful in the sundress and her hair fell in thick, dark tresses down her back.
Slowly, his heart racing, he walked over to her. Still holding the flowers behind his back, he leaned down and kissed her. Then, he held out the flowers. “Happy birthday, Emily Rose.”
Her eyes lit up and she took them. “Thank you,” she exclaimed, reaching up to kiss him in delight. She breathed in the sweet, fresh fragrance of the flowers. “They are beautiful.”
“I have something else for you,” he said. He reached into his back pants pocket and kneeling down on the dry leaves in between the tracks, he produced a red, velvet box and opened it. He saw her eyes widen. “Emily Rose, I have loved you since we were children but that love changed to what it is now. You are the love of my life–my soulmate. You are my heaven on earth. When I look at you, I am amazed not only because you are the most beautiful girl I know but because everything I have ever wanted or dreamed is right in front of me. When I look at you, I believe that God really loves me because He blessed me with you. I want to spend the rest of my life loving and taking care of you. Emily Rose Carter, will you make me the happiest man on the planet by saying that you will marry me?”
Emily was crying now. In between sobs, she managed to gasp, “Yes, I will marry you.”
After he slipped the ring on her finger, he stood up and picking her up, he swung her around, making her laugh before setting her back down on her feet. He cupped her face and kissed her for several minutes. “Let’s celebrate over dinner,” he murmured after raising his head to gaze down into her radiant, tear streaked face. She nodded and they walked, arms wrapped around each other to their favorite eatery. It was a balmy afternoon.
Over dinner, they planned the wedding which they wanted to take place as soon as possible. They didn’t want a long engagement. They decided to have a fall wedding which was about three months away. Arrangements were made for a vintage country wedding in a church hall. The weeks went by quickly and the day which seemed a long way off was nigh. Then, the unthinkable happened…
Emily and her roommate, Rita were driving home from Emily’s bridal shower when a car ran a red light and slammed into the passenger-side of the car. Emily died at the scene but Rose was taken to the hospital in critical condition. When he heard the news, he was devastated, inconsolable and he lashed out at God. Emily was only twenty-five–in the prime of her life and looking forward to their future together. How could God have allowed this tragedy to happen?
It was the first day of Fall, just a couple of days before what would have been their wedding ceremony, was Emily’s funeral instead. He sat there, stone faced still bitter but no longer angry with God. He had reached the place where he could seek God in prayer and ask him to help him with his anger.
After the funeral, he went home where he remained until the next day when he forced himself to get up and go to work. He went through the day like an automaton, trying to keep it together but a couple of times, he had to go to the washroom and pull himself together as waves of emotions swept over him. He missed her so much. How was he going to function without her? Her beautiful, expressive face filled his thoughts and her winsome smile tugged at his heart strings, making him ache for her.
It was during one of these meltdown moments that he decided that he had to leave New York and move to another state where he wouldn’t be reminded everyday of his loss. It took months for him to get everything sorted out and before he left for Seattle, he visited Emily’s grave where he left fresh wild flowers.
Moving to Seattle was the best decision he made, although, it still took five years for him to recover from his grief. Teaching at the university, going to church and making new friends helped tremendously. His friends invited him out to different venues and he went. It was better than being cooped up in his apartment. However, he made it clear to them that he didn’t want to get fixed up with anyone. The idea of dating didn’t appeal to him. He was quite content to be single.
They say love finds you when you’re not looking. And it did one afternoon when he was walking in the park. It was a pleasant day. The sun was high in the cloudless sky and there was a slight breeze. He went to the lawn flanked by trees and sat on the bench. There was a group of young people playing Frisbee and he watched them. They seemed to be having a great time.
The Frisbee landed close to where he was sitting and one of the young women ran over to get it. She looked to be about twenty or twenty-one–attractive with long chestnut hair which streamed behind her as she ran towards him. She was dressed in a white tee shirt and denim shorts, exposing long defined legs. It was obvious that she worked out.
She stooped down and picked up the Frisbee. When she straightened up, she paused. For several minutes she just stood there, staring at him, making him uncomfortable and then, she approached him, an inquiring look on her face. When she stood in front of him, she asked, “Daniel Miller?”
He nodded. “Yes. Have we met before?” This close, she looked vaguely familiar now.
She nodded. “Yes. We met at my brother’s barbecue.”
“What’s your brother’s name?”
“Mark Brown. I’m his sister, Cheryl.” Just then her friends started yelling and waving.
“Oh, yes. I remember now. You were in charge of the bean darts.”
She laughed. “Yes, I was. And you got the highest score.”
“I got lots of practice from throwing darts. Um, I think your friends are trying to get your attention.” They were yelling and waving.
She looked over at them and then back at him. “I’ll be right back,” she said before bounding off.
He watched as she gave the Frisbee to one of the guys, say something to the group before walking away. It seemed that Cheryl would rather talk to him than continue playing Frisbee with her friends and for some reason which he couldn’t quite understand, that pleased him immensely. When she sat down, he asked, “Are you attending university?”
“Yes, Seattle Pacific University.”
“How long have you been attending there?”
“This coming semester will be my second year.”
“What are you studying?”
“Applied Human Biology. I’ve always wanted to find out how the human body works and why it works the way it does. Plus, I’m thinking of doing a therapy doctoral degree program after I graduate.”
“It sounds like you have your future well planned.”
“Yes, as far as my academic future is concerned. When it comes to my personal life, well, that’s a different story. What about you? What line of work are you in?”
“I’m a director of Communications and Marketing at Companier.”
“You’re from New York,” she remarked suddenly, startling him. “Sorry, don’t mean to be nosy. It’s just that I recognize the accent.”
“You’re right. I’m from New York. I moved here to Seattle almost six years ago.”
“How do you like it here?”
“I like its natural beauty, mild winters and the people. I have more friends here than I know what to do with.”
She smiled. “All very good reasons,” she said. “And I heard that it’s cheaper living here than in New York and other cities.”
He smiled. “That’s true.”
“Are you doing anything later?” she asked.
He shook his head.
“My friends and I are going to the Amusement Center to play their Ultimate Real Life Escape Games. This is my first time. It’s supposed to be a lot of fun. You get to solve real puzzles. Afterwards, we’ll grab a bite to eat. Why don’t you come with us?”
The idea of hanging out with a group of university students, most of them probably ten years his junior, didn’t appeal to him but he wanted to see her again. He enjoyed talking with her. She was so easygoing and he felt completely relaxed with her. “All right,” he said.
She looked pleased. “Great. We’ll be there for seven. I’ll wait outside for you.”
“I’ll be there.”
They talked for a while longer and then she returned to her friends. Shortly afterwards, they left the park. As he watched them go, he felt a flutter of excitement in his stomach when he thought about seeing her again that evening.
True to her word she was waiting for him and he couldn’t prevent the smile from spreading across his face as he quickly closed the distance between them. She looked great in a floral top and jeans complete with low heel sandals. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, making her look even younger. Her face lit up when she saw him and grabbing his hand, she took him inside to meet her friends. They turned out to be a rather nice bunch and he enjoyed interacting with them.
There were two games and they chose the Bourne Mission. The object of the game was to recover the documents and get out of the abandoned bunker undetected. No one should know you were ever here and if you got caught, there was no rescue mission. They had a blast even though they fell short of completing the mission. They made plans to try the Bio-Hazard Room the next time. They went to a family run Greek restaurant nearby where they enjoyed generous portions of delicious food. Lively conversation and laughter flowed late into the night.
Daniel offered to take Cheryl home and she readily accepted. On the way over to her apartment building, they talked animatedly about different things and by the time he walked her to her door, they had arranged to see each other the following day. It was a beautiful sunny day so they decided to go to Woodland Park Zoo where they spent the entire day. They bought food from the food truck and then went for a walk in the Rose Garden. They lingered at the Reflecting Pool and Sculptural Fountain. It was sunset by the time they left.
As they stood outside of her apartment, he knew that he was ready to be in a relationship again. “Have dinner with me tomorrow,” he said and she nodded. He gently brushed her cheek with his knuckles before he walked away. They began dating.
One evening, they took the ferry to Whidbey Island where they planned to have dinner. As they stood on the Deception Pass Bridge as it ran suspended over the swirling water, Daniel turned to Cheryl. He cupped her face between his hands and gazed down into her face. “Before meeting you, I never thought that I could ever fall in love again,” he said huskily. “We may not be each other’s first love but I want to be your last and forever love.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. “You are my first love,” she told him. “And my last and forever.”
“I love you, Cheryl,” he whispered.
“I love you too, Daniel.”
He smiled slightly before he lowered his head and kissed her. When their lips touched, he felt a fire stir deep inside him. He felt alive again. He had heard about people feeling fireworks when they kissed that special someone but when he kissed Cheryl, her lips set his whole heart on fire.
That night over dinner, he asked her to marry him. Five months later, they got married in the Woodland Rose Garden witnessed by family and friends. As he gazed into her shining eyes as they danced their first dance, thinking how true the words, God wants to restore everything that’s been stolen from your life. He wants to heal every hurt and every pain. It took five years but God had restored his life and now he was experiencing love and inexpressible joy once again. Very few people could say that they were twice blessed but he was–first with Emily Rose and now with Cheryl.
The woman in the painting with the thick, red curls, heart shaped face and whimsical smile bore a striking resemblance to his beloved Maggie. Maggie…memories of her death was still very painful for him. Ten years ago on the day before her 20th birthday, she drowned. They never found her body.
He would never forget the moment he first saw her. She stood on the Great Hall balcony, a vision of beauty.
“David.” A voice broke into his reverie and he turned around.
His face turned ashen. “Maggie?” It couldn’t be.
She shook her head. “No. Rachel. Maggie’s twin.”
99 words
This was written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. For more details, click Here.
To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s photo, visit Here.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ – 1 Corinthians 15:57
This Easter, I find myself reflecting on the victory we have through Jesus which He made possible when He died on the cross, taking away our sins and reconciling us to the Father. Through His death, He destroyed the devil who had power of death (Hebrews 2:14), our last enemy which will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). One day the righteous will be resurrected and come out of their graves to meet their Lord and those who are still alive when He comes will join them. This is only possible because of Jesus who “died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4).
He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken – Isaiah 25:8
Imagine the day when God Himself will wipe our tears away.
“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” – 1 Corinthians 15:54, 55
We have reason to rejoice and this Easter Sunday, we cab celebrate the empty tomb which could not hold our Lord. He rose on the third day as He promised.
‘God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death.’ Neither shall there be any more sorrow nor crying nor pain, for the former things have passed away” – Revelation 21:4
One day, we will meet Jesus face to face. What a glorious day that will be. Hold on to this blessed hope until He comes again.
