The Truth - Sunday Scribblings # 258

"When I'm big, I'm going to go to all these places."  She smoothed the map on the floor, pointing to every single country in turn, "... and I'm going to have a house by the sea ... and swim with dolphins!"

Her face was alive with smiles and possibilities.

Feelings flooded over me, prompting memory after memory.

"I can't wait to be grown up!"

She turned her face to mine, eyes wide.

"Is it going to be as good as I think?"

There was a seriousness in her tone, the question was real. It required an answer. I'd promised never to lie to her, to always be honest. She knew she could trust me to tell her the truth.

I hesitated, causing her brow to flicker.

I couldn't tell her, I just couldn't. I felt a knotting pain deep in my stomach.

"Mummy?"

She stood, tilting her head to one side, a smile creeping across her face. I felt my breath ease, and the pain in my stomach lift with relief. I smiled back, a huge smile that spread ear to ear.

It was her truth she was asking, not mine. Hers.

I leant down and picked her up, tears in my eyes as I swung her around and around.

"Yes, Amy ... it's going to be the best thing ever ever, EVER!"


Written for Sunday Scribblings prompt 258 - Big.

Food - Sunday Scribblings # 255

She stared down at the bowl of the toilet, eyes red, knuckles sore, back aching, and looked at the food.
Food that had moments ago been the answer to everything.
Reaching for some tissue, she wiped her mouth and threw it on top, then flushed it away.
It was done.
She took a deep breath that quivered as she exhaled, then headed down the stairs to the kitchen, to start all over again.


Written for Sunday Scribblings prompt 255 - Food

Lilac - Sunday Scribblings # 245

Written for Sunday Scribblings prompt 245 - Limits

She was never sure where she ended and others began
she was grey,  beige at best
never a colour, yet for a few moments when
she became fully present
and it was too much
for her
preferring the safety of shadows
blending, invisible
playing a part and doing it well
in her boundless prison
but there came a day
when she found a key
to her imaginary doors
and opened them to a gentle shade
but a colour never the less
and she began anew
and she found where she finished and others began
and  it was there
dressed in lilac
that I saw her last.

Flashback - Sunday Scribblings # 235

Written for Sunday Scribblings prompt 235 - Flashback

I walk in the room

not knowing anyone

but I smile and I chat

I'm confident
now

and all is well

then through the crowd

I see a face

a face I knew

that knew me
how I was

back then
and I remember

and I stop smiling

and chatting

and all is not well

and once more
I'm a child

and I wish I was invisible

all over again.

Love - Sunday Scribblings # 234

Written for Sunday Scribblings prompt 234 - Love

I walked into the bathroom and there it was, toilet seat up, toothpaste spray all over the mirror and the toilet roll on the sink.
I then picked up his 'dead' socks off the landing and put them in the washing basket before heading down stairs to make a cup of tea.
The kitchen is how I always find it after he's used it, tops to the coffee and sugar jars off and left on the side, and of course the empty milk carton placed back in the fridge.
I make myself a tea and walk into the living room and there he is on his fourth slice of toast with marmite all over his chin.
I sit myself down and look over at him, thinking of all the annoying things he does like this every single day, and I just know as a smile spreads across my face
... I'd miss every single one of them.

Who Needs Clean - Sunday Scribblings # 232

Written for Sunday Scribblings prompt 232 - Clean

He knew how Jenna was about mess, she was determined to be the perfect mum and keep the house pristine.
She prided herself on her grooming and capableness, she was strong, it was part of why he loved her.
When he arrived home after her first day alone with little Lucy, he smiled.
Miss clean-freak, together-pants was slumped asleep on the sofa, her hand resting on baby Lucy in the moses basket by her side.
The house looked as if it had been ransacked and as she woke and stumbled to her feet, he could see various substances down her baggy jumper and her hair was everywhere.
She half smiled and then looked uncomfortable.
"I didn't want you to see me like this, I fell asleep, let me just go and clean myself up."
"Don't you dare," he said pulling her close.
"You've never looked more beautiful."

Wait - Sunday Scribblings

Written for Sunday Scribblings prompt 231 - Wait

I weathered your uncertainty

your clumsiness

your youth

the words that never came

then one day it happened

and you saw me

and I breathed again

and I basked in your smile

and your eyes

and the warmth of your touch

and I knew 

at that moment

 that all of my waiting

had been

worth it.

Faith - Sunday Scribblings

Written for Sunday Scribblings prompt 230 - Faith

She sat peacefully at the core
and smiled her own smile

as the storm raged about her

she had learned
she had learned it would pass

as weather did
and that she would remain
her soul unscathed

she was sure now

and her faith never wavered
for she knew

who she was.