Margot’s Good Samaritan

Photo Credit: CE Ayr

She was dressed in a grey sweatsuit with the hood covering her head. Chestnut hair framed a heart shaped face slightly smudged with dirt. People saw and pitied her, shaking their heads and criticizing the government for not doing anything about the homeless problem. Some gave her money or scraps of food while others ignored her entirely.

He saw her every day. She reminded him of his sixteen year old daughter. Today, he was going to give her his breakfast.  He found her going through one of the bins.  She started when she saw him.

“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you. Here, take this.” He held out the paper bag.

She stared at it for a moment before grabbing it. She eagerly reached her hand in. In a matter of minutes, she devoured the sandwiches. When she was finished eating, he gave her the orange juice.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. What’s your name?”

“Margot.”

“What are you doing here, Margot?”

“My mother kicked me out.”

“Why?”

“She doesn’t want me around anymore.”

“That’s rough. You can’t stay here, though.”

“Where can I go?”

“There’s a shelter at the corner.”

She looked unsure.

“I’ll take you there.”

She shrugged. “Okay.”

 

199 Words

This was written for Sunday Photo Fiction hosted by Susan Spaulding. For more details visit Here.  To read more of the stories based on this week’s prompt, visit Here.

Playmates/Clouds #writephoto

Photo by Sue Vincent

 

“You’re in love with my grandson, aren’t you?” Mrs. Walker’s unexpected question startled Marlo and for several minutes, she was at a loss for words.  They were sitting in the drawing-room in front of a roaring fire.  The older woman had invited her to spend the afternoon with her.  She was rather fond of her, ever since she was a child.  She had watched Marlo play with her grandson, William and had watched her blossom into a lovely young lady.

There was a pregnant pause, interrupted only by the chiming of the clock and then, Marlo admitted, “Yes, I’m in love with William.  I have been in love with him since I was a teenager but how–?”

“How did I guess?  My dear girl, I may be old and feeble but my mind is as agile as ever.  I have watched you and seen the way you act around him.  These eyes don’t miss anything.  So, what are you going to do about it?”

Marlo stared at her in surprise.  “What can I do?” she asked.  “He still thinks of me as that little girl he used to climb trees and gallivant about the countryside with.”

“You are mistaken, my Dear.  The way I have seen him look at you, he’s not thinking about that little girl at all.”

Marlo’s heart began to race.  “What do you mean?”

“It’s quite clear that William is in love with you.”

“But, what about Louisa Parks?”  She had seen him with the pretty brunette on more than one occasion and it had aroused a fierce jealousy in her.  She couldn’t help but recall the afternoon when she had returned from a walk to find them together in the garden.   They were sitting on the bench, talking and laughing and she stood there watching them for a while before they even noticed her.  Louisa was wearing a pretty sundress and hat.  She glanced self-consciously down at her tee shirt and jeans.  Her gaze shifted to William and their eyes met.  He looked handsome in the white shirt and tan colored slacks, his dark hair slightly tousled from the cool breeze.

He got to his feet now and walked over to her.  “Where did you go off to?” he asked.

“I went for a walk,” she said.

“You went alone?”

“Yes.  You weren’t around so I decided to go by myself.”

“Where did you go?”

“I went to the drugstore—”

“Did you see Tom?”

“Of course.  He works there.”

“You know he likes you, don’t you?”

She glanced over at Louisa who was watching them curiously, looking a bit put out.  “Why don’t you go back to your guest?” she asked and was about to walk away when he caught her by the arm.  Her eyes flew up to his face and she swallowed when she saw his expression.

“Do you like Tom?”

“Why does that concern you?”

“It does,” he retorted.  “Do you like him?”

She tugged her hand away from him.  “No, I don’t like him.  Can you say the same thing about her?”  She demanded before she turned and stalked away.

She ran to her car and jumped into it.  All the way home, she fumed. What right did he have to question her about Tom when he was seeing Louisa?  He acted like he was jealous but in order for him to be jealous, he would have to have feelings for her.  No, he couldn’t have been jealous.  He was just being overprotective like he used to be whenever a boy showed any interest in her.

The sound of Mrs. Walker clearing her throat brought her back to the present.  “I’m sorry,” she said, embarrassed.  “I was remembering something that happened between William and me.”

“You mentioned Louisa Parks.”

“Yes, I saw them together in the garden a week ago.”

“They are just friends.”

“It seemed to me that Louisa wants to more than friends.”

“Well, I’m afraid it won’t do her any good.  William is in love with you.”

“But, how do you know that?” She wanted to believe it so badly.

“He told me.”

Marlo gaped at her.  “He did?  But, why would he tell you that?”

“Since he was a boy, William has always confided in me and some time ago, he stopped by, looking very agitated.  When I asked him what the matter was, he mentioned that Tom, the Pharmacist, was asking after you.  He said that Tom was interested in you.  And the way he carried on about it, it was clear to me that he was besotted with you.  I asked him plainly how he felt about you and he admitted that he was in love with you but he wasn’t sure how you felt about him.”

Marlo shook her head in a daze.  “I never would have guessed?”

Mrs. Walker’s eyes twinkled.  “Is that so?” she remarked.  “Now that you know, what are you going to do about it?”

“What do you think I should do?”

“Well, I suggest that you take a walk across the Moors.”

“The Moors?”

“That’s why you’ll find him.”

Marlo glanced through the windows behind her.  Dark clouds hovered ominously in the sky.  “It looks like it’s going to rain.”

“Then, you’d better hurry before it does.  And even if you’re caught in it, I’m sure there’s some place where you can find shelter until it passes.”

Marlo stood up and went over to her.  She reached down and hugged her.  “Thank you, Mrs. Walker,” she said before leaving the room.

She ran across the Moors, her heart racing.  Overhead more dark clouds gathered but she didn’t care.  As soon as she spotted him, she called out to him.  He turned.  When she reached him, he asked, “What are you doing out here?”

“Your grandmother told me that I would find you here.”

“It’s going to rain, you know.”

“I know and it doesn’t matter.”

“You’ll get drenched.”

“We’ll both get drenched.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

She smiled. “You’re right.  We got caught out here in the rain one summer.  Your mother was furious when we ran back to the house and got the floor all wet.”

“I seem to recall that it was your bright idea to go back to the house instead of finding shelter in those rocks over there.”

“It would have been a very tight squeeze and I don’t like being in small spaces.  I’m claustrophobic, remember?”

“Yes, I remember.”  His expression grew serious now.  “I remember a lot of things.  I remember the way you looked when you came towards me as I stood right here.  The sun caught your hair and it looked like it was on fire.  Your cheeks were flushed from running like they are now.  You’re still the most beautiful girl I know, Marlo.”

Marlo moved closer to him.  Her green eyes met his hazel ones.  She reached up and brushed the dark brown curls from his forehead.  “I remember a lot of things too,” she said.  “I remember how handsome you looked standing here, with your curls blowing in the breeze and the way you smiled at me.  Your grandmother told me how you feel about me, William.”

“Is that why you’re here now?”

“Yes.”

“Well, she guessed and I merely confirmed.”

“She told me about Louisa.”

“You don’t have to worry about her.  I never wanted more than friendship with her.”

“And you don’t have to worry about Tom.  I was never interested in him.”

He smiled.  “I was so jealous of him.”

“And I was so jealous of Louisa.”

“We were two jealous fools.”

She laughed.  “Yes, we were.”

He took her in his arms.  “I love you, Marlo.  I always have.”

She put her arms around his neck.  “I love you too, William.  I always have.”

He lowered his head and kissed her just as the rain began to fall.

Sometimes your childhood playmate can become your mate for life.

This was written in response to the Thursday Photo Prompt at Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo.  For more details click here.

Safer

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

I huddled under the blanket two kind strangers brought for me along with a coffee and sandwiches.  I was very grateful to them.  They stayed and chatted with me for a while.  They asked me questions about myself and then talked about God.  I listened and before they left, they promised that they would return to check on me.  They left a pocket-sized Bible.  Their visit encouraged me.

It’s been a year now since I lost my job and was evicted.  I went to a shelter but left and came here where I feel safer.  I reach for the Bible.

100 Words

This was written for the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields For more details, visit Here. To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit Here.

Danny

Photo Credit: Susan Spaulding

I stood before the shed where they found my friend, Danny.

We used to hang out every day, daydreaming about how we were going to change the world.  He wanted to be a lawyer for the poor and disadvantaged while I dreamed of being a social worker.

Danny was more than a friend to me.  He was the older brother I wish I had.  I am the youngest of three girls.  My sisters didn’t have much time for me.  They were too busy with their friends and social engagements but, I didn’t mind because I had Danny.

He and I were thick as thieves.  We were inseparable.  That’s why his sudden change in behavior was a shock for me.  The sweet, easygoing guy I loved so dearly had become a stranger to me.  He had mood swings, was hyperactive and seemed to have trouble concentrating or staying on topic.  He became withdrawn and spent most of his time in this shed.  I learned later, that he was taking Crystal Meth.  It claimed his life and his dreams.

This morning, I wanted to stop by on my way to the Centre where I run a Crystal Meth Addiction Treatment Program.

199 Words.

This story was inspired by a program I watched last night on CNN about a mothers addicted to Crystal Meth.  The story that really touched me was that of a young man whose mother was taking it.  On the wall of their home hung framed photos of him as a boy and as a promising football player.  All those dreams of a bright future were dashed when he became addicted to Meth and if convicted of selling it, he faces life imprisonment.  What a waste of a young life.

This was written for Sunday Photo Fiction hosted by Susan Spaulding. For more details, visit Here.  To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit Here.

Source:  Serenity Acres

Sue’s Customers

To passersby, it appeared to be a regular shop but its innocuous façade concealed something far more disreputable. Men lingered at the display of slippers at the front until the owner went out, talked to them and then invited them inside. Once inside, these “customers” were shown into another room where Sue was. Like an automaton, she got undressed and lay down.

Orphaned at twelve, she was taken in by her uncle who was kind to her, unlike her aunt. When he died five years later, her aunt kicked her out of the house, telling her to stop freeloading and find work. Sue found odd jobs here and there but the money wasn’t enough. Then, she came to this shop and begged for a job. She got one all right but it wasn’t selling slippers.

The owner was arguing with one of the “customers”. This was her opportunity. Slowly she backed away and then bolted. She ran to a nearby shelter. Shortly after, the shop went out of business and the owner was arrested.

174 Words

This was written for Aspiring Writers hosted by Priceless Joy. For more information visit Here.  To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit Here.

The Funeral

It was a gloomy day with intermittent spurts of rain.  It was as if nature itself was mourning the loss of a great woman.  Tracy was not surprised at the large turnout. The church was packed as many came to pay their respects and pay homage to Mrs. Gladys Townsend, the dear lady whom she had nursed for over five years.   She was a remarkable lady with a magnetic personality.   Although her body had succumbed to the Parkinson’s, her mind was still alert.  In the end, she had died in her sleep.

Tracy remembered how Mrs. Townsend had loved it when she read to her before she went to bed.  She loved Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.  Tracy enjoyed reading to her and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next in the story.  She had Aiden to thank for the position which had been a tremendous blessing for her.  Aiden was Mrs. Townsend’s son.  It was his idea to have his mother remain in the comforts of her home but be attended by a live-in nurse.  He contacted the live-in care agency a friend had recommended.

Tracy was selected for the position because of her experience and qualifications.  It also helped that she and Mrs. Townsend hit it off right away.  Whatever misgivings Aiden might have had, they were squashed when he saw how his mother received her warmly, remarking, “What kind eyes you have.”

Aiden.  Her gaze moved exactly where she knew he was standing.  Tall and regal in the black coat, his expression somber as he watched the coffin being lowered into the ground.  He seemed oblivious to the rain that was falling.  His dark hair glistened in the pale light.  She wanted to go over to him and shelter them both with the umbrella but she remained where she was, off to the side like an onlooker.

At the church, they hadn’t spoken to each other.  He was flanked by family and friends and Caitlin Brown.  Caitlin made no secret of the fact that she wanted to be more than friends with Aiden.  Tracy saw her tuck her arm in his and rest her head against his shoulder.  She looked away, feeling ashamed of the jealousy that stirred in her when she was supposed to be mourning the lost of a dearly departed one.

It was no use denying that she was in love with Aiden.  It might have happened the first time she met him or during those visits to his mother’s home on the weekends. He lived in London close to his office and work kept him busy.  So, visiting during the week was not feasible.  She found herself looking forward to those weekends.  Over the years, feelings developed between them but Tracy had to keep things on a professional level because of her job.  She could get fired if she were to become romantically involved with a family member.

Mrs. Townsend was very fond of Tracy and knew that she and Aiden had feelings for each other but she understood Tracy’s reasons for not doing anything about it.  So, to be on the safe side, Tracy avoided being alone with him as much as was possible. She had watched him throughout the funeral service and when she saw him and Caitlin get into his car, it stung.  She got a ride with a friend.

Now, here she was watching him and Caitlin huddled together.  The coffin was being covered with dirt as the priest said the final words.  Then it was over.  She turned and was walking back to where the cars were parked when she heard Aiden call her name.  She stopped and turned.  Her fingers gripped the handle of the umbrella tightly as she tried to appear untroubled at the sight of him and the beautiful redhead at his side.  She noticed the look of disdain Caitlin gave her and how her long red nails curled into the sleeve of his coat.

Aiden was looking at Tracy who met his gaze, wondering if he could tell how much she wished that the two of them were alone.  Her fingers itched to reach out and run themselves through the thick tresses of his hair.  For his part, his expression was drawn.  “How are you holding up, Tracy?” he asked.

“As well as expected,” she said, touched that he was concerned about her when he must be going through hell.  He and his mother were close.  Mrs. Townsend adored him and was always singing his praises.  “How about you?”

“I’m coping,” he said.  He gently disengaged his arm from Caitlin’s, removed his coat and draped it over his arm as he stepped closer to Tracy.  “Will you let me take you back to the house?” he asked.

She nodded.  It had stopped raining.  She closed the umbrella.

He took her arm and was about to walk away when Caitlin, who looked rather put out, exclaimed, “What about me?”

“Jake will give you a ride home,” Aiden told her before he turned walked away, taking Tracy with him.

“I don’t think she likes me,” Tracy commented as they walked to his car.  She had to almost run to keep up with him.  It seemed like he wanted to get out of  there and fast!

Aiden didn’t answer.  In fact he said nothing all the way to the car or even when they were leaving the cemetery.  It wasn’t until they were a good way from there, that he spoke.  “Tracy, what Caitlin thinks is of no importance to me.”

She looked at him in surprise.  “But, I thought that you and she—”

“How could you think that there is anything between Caitlin and me when I have waited for five years for you?  I haven’t dated her or any woman since I met you.  I know that your job prevented you from getting involved with me but now you are not longer employed by me.  So, what is stopping us now from being together?  I love you, Tracy.  And I know that you love me.”

She nodded.  “I do.  You don’t know how hard it was for me to push my feelings aside all these years.”

“Let’s go away,” he said.  They were at a stop light.  He turned to look at her, his eyes intense as they met hers.  “I want to be alone with you somewhere far away from here.”

“Where would you like to go?” she asked.

“It doesn’t matter as long as we are together.  Perhaps somewhere tropical.  It would be good to get away from this dreary weather and the cold.”

“When would you like to go?”

“As soon as possible.  Perhaps as early as Friday.”  Friday was four days away.  “No one will object, and even if they did, I really don’t care.  It’s what Mother would have wanted.  She was rather fond of you, you know.  She knew how I felt about you and always encouraged me to hang on.  I would have waited for you, Tracy, no matter how long it took.  My only regret is that I couldn’t be with you while my mother was still alive.”

“I know.  I also know that we have her blessing.  Jamaica.”

“Jamaica?” he looked puzzled.

She smiled.  “You said somewhere tropical.”

He laughed.  “Jamaica, it is.”  He reached over and kissed her before the light turned green.

It was on the Friday, their first evening in Montego Bay, as they stood on the beach, watching the setting sun as it hovered over the ocean when Aiden proposed to Tracy. As he got down on his knee, Tracy’s hand flew up to her face as the sound of a sob mingled with a gasp rose from her throat.  Aiden took out the box and opened it, displaying the exquisite ring he had bought the year after they met and which he had shown his mother the night before she passed away.  He had kept it hidden in a drawer just as he had kept hidden in his heart the hope of one day putting it on her finger.

And here they were, on a beautiful beach, bathed with the crimson glow of the sun and the sound of the waves as they rolled on to the sand.  It couldn’t have been more romantic.  As he looked at Tracy’s face which glistened with tears, he thought he had never seen her look more beautiful and his heart swelled with the love he felt for her.

He took the ring out of the box and reached for her hand.  He slowly slipped the ring on, savoring the moment.  It was a perfect fit.  He stood up, his eyes held hers for a moment before he took her in his arms and kissed her just as the sun disappeared into the sea.

Sources:  Christie’s Care; Hilary’s Agency

Nepal Needs Our Prayers

We were on our way to deliver some relief supplies to a more rural area.  We had stopped for a rest, and just as we were getting out of the car, we heard screaming. I said, ‘It’s another earthquake. Run!’ We all ran to the first open space we could find and stayed there until it stopped. People were screaming and crying.

Kathmandu now looks like a ghost town, with only 25 percent of the shops remaining open. People are afraid to enter any buildings. Restaurants are mostly closed. Many have stopped coming into Kathmandu to work. They are too afraid – Raahi, a Gospel for Asia-supported photojournalist in Nepal

Once at my workplace, my co-workers and I experienced a tremor.  It felt it as if someone had taken hold of the building and was shaking it.  It was a scary feeling.  I don’t remember how long it lasted but the memory has stayed with me to this day.  I can’t imagine how terrified the people of Nepal felt when disaster struck them.   My heart breaks when I think of those who have lost their loved ones and their homes.  All around them is devastation, death and despair.  How do you recover from such a violent, destructive force?  How do you pick up the pieces again?  What about the grief that takes hold of you and won’t let go?  How could you get past the pain of losing a loved one–especially a child?

The Nepalese people lived in fear of aftershocks that would bring more destruction and death.  Sadly, their fears came true.  On May 12, Nepal was struck by another earthquake just 17 days after the 7.8 magnitude quake, considered to be the worst since 1934, devastated the country, killing more than 8,000 people and injuring nearly 18,000.     The last time I heard the news, at least 37 people were killed.  According to News sources, 40 people have lost their lives in the aftershock and 1,000 are injured.

The people of Nepal are living in fear, uncertainty and despair.  All they see is utter devastation.  Hopelessness and helpnessness cling to them.  However, God has not forsaken them.  Through the Gospel for Asia missionaries and Compassion Services teams He is ministering to them.  The teams are providing them with food and medical relief. The World Health Organization (WHO) is setting up a new field office in the Gorkha district of Nepal so that they could extend health care to the people.  From the field office they will combine efforts with the Nepalese government and other humanitarian partners who are also setting up operational bases in the city.  WHO and the national authorities will also coordinate land and air support so that they can get the medicines, health care professionals and other life-saving resources as soon as possible to some of the most remote regions impacted by the earthquake.

Care of children and pregnant women is also a priority at the hospital. In a welcome initiative, the emergency medical specialists from Switzerland, deployed as part of the WHO-coordinated foreign medical team surge response, are shifting their skills to looking after these patients, including newborn babies.

“It is very important to take care of the most vulnerable population, and that is the children,” explains Dr Olivier Hagan, of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit, whose team is planning to remain at the hospital for at least one month. “That is why it is so important to focus on them, and to ensure safe deliveries. In the time we have been here, we have delivered 10 babies in the past four days. What this shows is that life goes on.”

Pray for Gospel for Asia, WHO and all of the other humanitarian agencies that are working to help the Nepalese survivors.  Pray for:

• The people of Nepal to find comfort and help in their time of need.
• God to protect and shelter His people.
• Gospel for Asia-supported workers as they minister and bring aid to survivors.
• Safety for search and rescue teams as they travel.

At times like these, we see the selfless acts of love, compassion and generosity of people.  We see the world reaching out to help the helpless.  And we see God’s grace working overtime.  One story that really touched me was the rescue of a 4-month old baby boy from rubble.  He had been trapped for at least 22 hours.  The Nepalese army had left the site, believing that he had not survived but his cries were heard hours later so they returned and pulled him from the underneath the debris.  God was watching over this child.  He was covered in dust but otherwise unharmed.  He was taken to the hospital and tests showed that he was fine, just dirty and dehydrated.  Imagine the joy his parents must have felt when the soldier brought him to them.   God still works miracles.

Help to bring hope to the Nepal earthquake victims by joining Gospel for Asia in their efforts to bring relief.  Help Nepal to recover and rebuild.  To find out more visit their link.  Continue to pray for Nepal.

And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed – Deuteronomy 31:8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:  Gospel for Asia; The Guardian; CBC News, WHO; The National Post; abc7