Torrents of April rain battered the hospital windows.
“Jennie, my paperwork didn’t go through…I’ll get those three months no problem, but I’ve got to figure out how much they’ll let me take on top of that—”
If Wes was on his phone (on top of what he was already doing), I am fairly confident he’d be stuck in the doghouse for a solid year or two, ha! 🤣 I wouldn’t put it past him. The births of my children were two of the happiest memories of my life.
Superb, Scott! Love the opening paragraph and the two demands. Wonder if they’ll end up romantically involved? It would be fun to see where this story goes.
Even the squirrel 🐿️ I want to feed a bit of Snickers bar. But cute, got to remember who has teeth and sharp nails. I would not be able to see them coming.
While there are times when my pen moves with the rhythm of a drum solo on steroids, or flows deep and easy, like a river over smooth silt, there are times, like this, when I am pushing against a headwind of a stark blank page. Let’s get past this first.
Thank you, Justin…as I like to say, “I’ve been around the writer’s block a time or two”….lol
But it’s writers who I respect, like you, Sharron and others here on Substack, that inspire, and encourage me to do my best. It’s a great place to grow!
Couldn’t agree more with you, Sharon. We’ve all been up against writer’s block before. That’s very kind of you to say! Thank you. We are all learning and growing together. 😊
Shelly was already suffering from a back injury when she fell and broke her ankle. Crying, she wailed at why was she so accident-prone and what could possibly happen next.
Her husband responded, “Lets get past this first.”
Flooded with guilt, she rolled over and tried to sleep.
Martha listened as he listed all the things they needed to pay off before he could retire. He wanted to make certain they only had daily expenses and could live without hardship. The fact was, their hard-earned nest egg depended upon benefactors who were talking about taking it all away.
Violet looked at the ring he placed tenderly on her finger. She had promised to wait for him, but it would be two long years. Meanwhile, the time was hers to get her life in better order, but what might happen between now and then might change everything. Or nothing.
Perhaps we’ll end up friends. I would like that. But I can’t easily shift my mind from what we've had to what might be. You have your reasons; you must be true to yourself. Better to face the truth than to live a lie.
I love this one! When I gave birth to our older son, my husband developed a migraine, and the doctor and attending physicians (It was in a teaching hospital) all took care of him, giving him tips to alleviate his pain! LOL! I started feeling left out!
Love this and Mark’s response, which I accidentally deleted from my Substack somehow. I had to go into the app to even comment here, I screwed something up in my settings and now have to sign in to comment from my own email! 😡
Not Now, fiction
Torrents of April rain battered the hospital windows.
“Jennie, my paperwork didn’t go through…I’ll get those three months no problem, but I’ve got to figure out how much they’ll let me take on top of that—”
“Wes…not now!”
Jennie pushed. Wes passed out.
The baby’s head began to crown.
Nice. Bang on form, Maestro.
Ahh, thanks for that, Barrie. Too kind. Truthfully, I felt pretty rusty. It felt good to stretch those fifty-word limit muscles again!
I need to do the same. I’m on trains back to France today so I’ll see what emerges.
Safe travels—looking forward to it! 😀
Wes is standing in the wrong place. He should look over the OBs shoulder so he can get in tune with reality.
Ha, I agree. This story could have been titled “what not to do while your wife is giving birth”.
Getting past it is the whole whole wonder of birth!! wwell written!
Thanks, Jill. Wes needs to get it together!
Wes! Snap out of it! Love this.
Wes made a few gaffes here, didn’t he? Thank you, Sharron!
Masterful how you did not need to use the words from the prompt
Thanks so much, Scott. It felt good writing a fifty-word story again. It had been a while!
I got woozy when I saw my first daughter being born. That was before cell phones so I was giving the birth my full attention. 🤣
If Wes was on his phone (on top of what he was already doing), I am fairly confident he’d be stuck in the doghouse for a solid year or two, ha! 🤣 I wouldn’t put it past him. The births of my children were two of the happiest memories of my life.
Yes, amazing, but also gory. 😂
Ha! Can’t argue that point. 🤣
You tell him, Jennie! Love this. I could see this happening!
Jennie probably had a few other choice words for him, but I ran out of words! Thanks for reading, Sharon!
Partial Withdrawal/Fiction
He was half handsome behind the mask. She did love a man with a gun. The note he slipped her had two demands.
Empty the till.
Have dinner with me Friday.
She handed over the cash toot suite but as to the second request suggested, “let’s get past this first.”
Superb, Scott! Love the opening paragraph and the two demands. Wonder if they’ll end up romantically involved? It would be fun to see where this story goes.
The Half Handsom Robber. Sounds like a great novel title.
Hopefully the handsome half was not the part behind the mask!
🤣 Yes!
Alarm bells should be ringing.
With a "meet-cute" like that, I am thinking wedding bells. Not exactly the stuff of Hallmark movies, but..
And they have a nice nest egg to start out
Literally , lol!
😊
First things first. ..love those bad boys!
He didn’t even say please
I love a good romance.
Shotgun wedding
(This is a 50-word version of a longer piece I posted last year.)
TAKE HEART, free verse
Come early morning,
the sun will rise again
as it has for four billion years!
And we will rise with it
and go about the endless quest
for our daily bread and shelter.
Our lives have always been precarious!
But, somehow,
through good fortune
or through grace,
we will endure.
Well this was much more needed than I realized. Thanks for this, my friend.
A gentle reminder. Yes. We all need a dose of optimism, these days, Sharron. Thank you.
making a goodly piece of a piece!
Day by day. Nicely put.
Fired up, Fiction
“Fired up?”
“Sure am.”
“How’s come?”
“One darned minute. Why you askin’ me? You’re fulla fire!”
“Youse the one getting bucked off. Bronc’s not busted.”
“I’m tellin’ ya, you’re the femme fataliy. More balls than falls.”
“Jest let’s get past this guy-gal thang first. K?”
Skill is skill. The rest doesn't matter.
Youse got the nail hit right on the head!
Sight to see. Fiction
"Open your eyes."
Chrome clamps widen lids. Dilation drops, numbing dew drops of fog follow.
"Eyes will tear, let them fall, don't touch your eyes."
A tiny hair thin needle is prepared to slow macular degeneration. I flinch.
"Don't move! Let's get past this first."
The injection enters my iris.
Man oh man, this one gave me chills.
Yikes! Gave me the willies.
Yeah. In another month same ordeal.
Ugh!
The medical techs are cute. Blurry, but visually appealing before treatment.
Everyone is cute when you get old. Or your vision is blurry. 🤣
Even the squirrel 🐿️ I want to feed a bit of Snickers bar. But cute, got to remember who has teeth and sharp nails. I would not be able to see them coming.
My nightmare. Yikes!
Wake up. Only a dream.
I went through these eyeball injections six times. Terrifying, but absolutely painless.
Depends on if you don’t move. Would not say absolutely. Until I had some vodka.
Writer's Block, CNF
While there are times when my pen moves with the rhythm of a drum solo on steroids, or flows deep and easy, like a river over smooth silt, there are times, like this, when I am pushing against a headwind of a stark blank page. Let’s get past this first.
Feast or famine: the writer’s constant state. I agree with Sharron. You’ll get through this!
Thank you, Justin…as I like to say, “I’ve been around the writer’s block a time or two”….lol
But it’s writers who I respect, like you, Sharron and others here on Substack, that inspire, and encourage me to do my best. It’s a great place to grow!
Couldn’t agree more with you, Sharon. We’ve all been up against writer’s block before. That’s very kind of you to say! Thank you. We are all learning and growing together. 😊
You have so many stories to tell, Sharon. You'll get past it.
Been there...
Injury Prone- Creative Fiction
Shelly was already suffering from a back injury when she fell and broke her ankle. Crying, she wailed at why was she so accident-prone and what could possibly happen next.
Her husband responded, “Lets get past this first.”
Flooded with guilt, she rolled over and tried to sleep.
Poor lady! What a miserable experience.
Yes, it really was! It wasn't her fault, of course, yet she felt such guilt. I know her personally.
It seems that way sometimes. "If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all."
Me too, also -unfortunately!
Poor Shelly...I, unfortunately, can relate. ):
Two for the price of one:
Let's Get Past this First
Martha listened as he listed all the things they needed to pay off before he could retire. He wanted to make certain they only had daily expenses and could live without hardship. The fact was, their hard-earned nest egg depended upon benefactors who were talking about taking it all away.
Violet looked at the ring he placed tenderly on her finger. She had promised to wait for him, but it would be two long years. Meanwhile, the time was hers to get her life in better order, but what might happen between now and then might change everything. Or nothing.
Double trouble.
LOL
Both excellent examples of forethought. Looking ahead, and taking care of business that would, someday, decide their fate.
Just Friends- fiction
Perhaps we’ll end up friends. I would like that. But I can’t easily shift my mind from what we've had to what might be. You have your reasons; you must be true to yourself. Better to face the truth than to live a lie.
But let’s get past this first.
I love the conversational tone here. It’s hopeful and honest…just beautiful!
Treasure Hunter Woes • Fiction
“Two steps forward, four left, three backward, six forward. Duck!”
Bill and Jane ducked as several spears flew over their head, sticking into the cave wall beside them.
“How many more booby traps are there?”
“Six more. Why?”
“I really have to pee.”
“Well, let’s get past this one first.”
Uh oh…I’m not sure if she’ll make it in time. Ha!
The funny thing is, in my head, Jane was the one who had to pee. But it could go either way. I never designated who was talking.
Doh! I edited my comment…yes, that makes much more sense, doesn’t it? Ha!
I think they both probably had to pee. 🤣
I love this one! When I gave birth to our older son, my husband developed a migraine, and the doctor and attending physicians (It was in a teaching hospital) all took care of him, giving him tips to alleviate his pain! LOL! I started feeling left out!
Haha, no way! I hope you remind him of this every now and then. (Just kidding!) Too funny. 🤣
Once a year!!!
🤣🤣
Love this and Mark’s response, which I accidentally deleted from my Substack somehow. I had to go into the app to even comment here, I screwed something up in my settings and now have to sign in to comment from my own email! 😡
Anyway, I will respond with mine ASAP.