Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Daddy Knows Best


          He taught me how to read other people’s eyes.  It has been so useful throughout my life, especially once I perfected the gift.  I was able to discern who was lying and who exactly was being sincere.  Many times I saw things I didn’t want to see like the brutal honesty I would have happily chosen to ignore if only to enjoy mind boggling, curl your toes sex, just a bit longer.  He always knew what was best for me.  Looking through the windows of the soul straight to someone’s heart isn’t always a gift.  Oftentimes over the years it has proven to be a curse.  For example, it is like being able to read Jon so very well just by glimpsing his eyes and knowing he was only there for sex, no more, no less.  My feelings didn’t matter to him, only the earth shattering quickies.  He quickly forgot me and our daughter Megan as soon as Theresa crossed his path.  Obviously she was the real deal, and I simply wasn’t.  Not for him anyways.

             When my heart laid in shatters around me, your quiet strength and unconditional love took me in.   I fell into your arms as I always did and you, being you, comforted me and helped me to forget how much Jon mattered.  You always believed in me.  With no questions asked, you allowed me to move back home and bring Megan.  You became the father figure she desperately yearned for and reminded me what a wonderful Dad you had always been.  A lone tear drifted down my face as I quietly held your hand willing you to open your eyes so I could understand, make peace with my heart, and tell you to fight to stay.  Except for the solitary lamp lit by your bed, the room was dark.  Still I could see the Escher lithograph that had hung on your bedroom wall ever since I could remember.  I had always been fascinated by the building and the steps leading to it from somewhere far off in the imagination sight unseen.  I always imagined that perhaps those steps led to the heaven where Mama had resided since I was nine.

       Your breath caught, pulling my eyes to your face as your eyes fluttered opened.    Your normally brilliant blue eyes seemed abnormally big as you took me in.   You struggled to speak…but you had taught me well.  I saw the finality of goodbye in your eyes and the sadness that etched your features.

      “Always remember what I taught you Emma.  You will always find whatever you need to know within people’s eyes.  I know you can see the end in mine.  Don’t be sad for me.  Be strong.  Your mother is waiting and we will finally be together again.  Live your live passionately, my dear Emma.  Be happy.  Know that I love you, and we will be together again.”  The ghost of a smile crossed his features.  He gasped another shallow breath, and then all was still.  I gazed into the vacant vessel that had once housed one of the most precious souls that ever touched my life and knew.  He was gone, and I was now alone with the rest of my life before me. Wiping the flood of tears that fell unchecked, I thanked God for blessing me with this soul who had impacted my life so much and prayed for the strength to continue living without his guidance. 

              I knew what I needed to do now.  No one must ever know!  They could never suspect…ever.  I hurried down the hall to the bathroom where I quickly shaved my head, changed my clothes, and perfected my disguise.   School let out in approximately 15 minutes.  I had already laid the groundwork letting the school know that Megan’s long lost father would be picking her up from school this afternoon.  With my hair shaved, I could easily pass for a man.  I hurried out the back, dropping a match as I went.  The gasoline quickly did its job, engulfing the house into an inferno of flames.  I slipped out the back gate and hurried up the sidewalk two blocks where a car awaited.  I hurried into the back seat, nodded to the driver, and the black BMW sped off to pick up Megan.     I vowed to look forward  to our new life in France. It is long past time to make dreams into reality. Daddy always did know best.







       This story was written for the Speak Easy writing prompt where we were to start our story with "He taught me how to read other people's eyes." and to make a reference to the picture that I have shared with the post.  The story was to be 750 words or fewer.  My story is 743 words.  The story was adjusted from the original  June 19, 2014 in the effort to clear up any confusion about the fate of Megan that several readers had.  I hope you enjoy my story.



42 comments:

  1. Poignant and sad...with hope for the future. Well done Miss Kathy!

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    1. Joe, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story, took the time to read it, and tell me so. Thank you so much for stopping by and for your kindness! ♥

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  2. Wow, that ending really took me by surprise!

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    1. textwall, I am pleased you enjoyed it!! Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  3. So beautifully written. We do find as we get older that our parents were much wiser than we realized as kids!

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    1. Stephanie, very true!! Thank you so much for stopping by and for your kind comments! ♥

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  4. Wait...what?! Did she pick up the kid on the way to France or did the dad really come back & she just left???

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    1. JoJo, actually she shaved her head and dressed like a man so the school would assume she was the long lost Dad. She wouldn't leave her child and the so called "Dad" had been out of the picture for a while. Thank you for stopping by to read my story and for your always helpful comments. Because of you I chose to rewrite the ending in an attempt to clarify that she in fact picked up her daughter and took her with her. Writing can be ever evolving just as a piece of art can be. It never is truly done. It can always be perfected or added to. The story can always go on. ♥

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  5. Oh, wow! Once again, Kathy, you blow me away with your clever, inventive twists and turns in your writing. I NEVER saw that ending coming! Here I am, tearing up at the loss of the daddy, and you kick me to the fast track of an unexpected sequence of events. Kudos to you! And, of course, blessings!

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    1. Martha, I am so pleased you enjoyed my little story! Thanks so much for stopping by to read and for your lovely comments! ♥

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  6. Sad emotional story, Kathy. We never listen to our parent's advice until it's late. I like the twists and how you were able to capture the woman's feelings so nicely. Now I'm left wondering what happened to the daughter, and love that suspense.

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    1. Michelle, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. She took her daughter with her to France to start a new, better life. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  7. As a growing kid I never realized that I would handle things much differently than what i do now and more often than not, I notice doing it the way that my parents did (not necessarily taught me!) So involuntarily our sub conscious knows how to manage stuff like our parents (more often than not!)

    I loved this little story, the ending was a surprise though but you weaved it so well, Kathy!

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    1. Kajal, I am so pleased you liked my story. Thank you so much for stopping in and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  8. Oh my. I totally didn't see that end coming. I loved the emotion, the evocative inference of reading people... Wow. Just wow.

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    1. Crystal, I am so pleased you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  9. Always see a different side to things as we age

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    1. Pat, we sure do! Thank you so much for stopping in and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  10. oh! That was so sad!
    you have expressed the sadness so wonderfully Kathy!

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    1. pixie, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story! Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  11. Sad story, Kathy. Wiped my tears.
    Couldn't guess who picked up the child if the Mom left for France in a disguise...

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    1. Anita, I am so sorry I didn't make this obvious to you. I tried to rewrite the ending after your comment to make the end more obvious. The mom picked up her own daughter with her head shaved, dressed as a man. Thank you for stopping by to read my story and for your kind comments! ♥

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  12. Quite a story you have woven here, Kathy! Full of many different emotions, sadness, regret, love, self-doubt...but boy, the ending was quite a surprise. Enjoyed reading this very much. I hope Megan's Dad did pick her up from the school!

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    1. Beloo, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. In actuality her mom picked her up, dressed as a man. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments! ♥

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  13. Whoa, didn't expect that ending! I can't help but think the little girl needs a mom, too... and wonder how on earth she could pull that one off. At any rate, I do hope the change in plans is a positive one for both of them :)

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    1. jannatwrites, as I have explained previously...she will have her mom. Sorry if I made that unclear. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  14. Emotional and touching, Kathy. All your different emotions are very evidently etched out in this post, one of the best I have read so far...

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    1. Jayanta, I am so pleased you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your encouraging comments. They mean the world to me. ♥

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  15. Wonderfully narrated Kathy, we imbibe a lot from our parents, some things we pick up consciously and many without even realising... Not everyone gets a second chance like Emma.

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    1. Reshma, very true! Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! I am so pleased you enjoyed my story!!

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  16. This is such a lovely piece, Kathy. Very touching and sad. But I'm glad she decided to make a new life after he passed.

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    1. Suzanne, I am so pleased you liked it. Thank you for stopping by to read, your kind words, and your encouragement. I really appreciate it!! ♥

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  17. Great story, fascinating and unexpected ending. I bet it felt great to put forth the words, so therapeutic.

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    1. Patricia, it really did. Thank you so much for your encouragement!! I have been a bit down on my writing lately and wondering if I should even bother. Your comments here along with others, convince me that while I probably need a break...I need to keep plugging and keep trying. Thank you so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  18. wow the ending!! how you twist the ending... it's brilliant.

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    1. Rajlakshmi, I am so pleased you liked it and happy you enjoyed my twist. I have been working on my twists lately. :D Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  19. This is so heart touching ... beautifully written.

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    1. Amrit, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story!!! Thank you so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  20. That was a very vivid and a fabulous story, Kathy! Very imaginative and the twist in the end simply takes the cake. Loved this one a lot! ♥

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    1. Shilpa, I am so pleased you enjoyed it!! Your comments thrill may heart. Thank you so much for stopping by to read and for your lovely comments! ♥

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  21. Quite a story, Kathy. Explosive! I never could tell if someone was lying to me or being truthful

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/

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    1. Joyce, thank you for stopping by to read my story. I am so pleased you enjoyed it! ♥

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