The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[mariez]

From yesterday's prompts: 

Unfulfilled Hopes

She walked slowly as she climbed the steps, carrying the small box up to the attic.  She'd given Bobby his prize belt buckle and his pocket knife, but hadn't been quite sure what to do with the rest of his things - his wallet, a stack of old postcards, letters from his mama, old birthday cards, some yellowed programs from his bull riding days, other odds and ends. 

She scanned the small room and her eyes fell on her old hope chest sitting in the corner, smiling sadly as she thought of how much time her mama had spent trying to teach her the needlework skills that she'd insisted "every young lady should know," and remembering all the colorful skeins of embroidery floss that had sat unopened.  Fayette had ended up filling the cedar chest herself with the beautiful bed linens, intricately embroidered tablecloths, and colorful quilts that were now old and worn, some long gone. 

She shook her head and shivered slightly as the cold, damp air woke her from her reverie.  She laid the box down gently and turned out the light, quietly leaving her dusty hope chest to sit in the corner, long empty, but no longer alone.

~~~~~~~
200 Words

[mariez]

For any Saturday drabblers, let's try:

• idyllic
• intimate
• interlude

 

Marie

[fernly]

He wouldn't have known to call their times together idyllic.
Side by side crossing the cold rivers, their collars turned up against the bite of the wind, him just looking at Jack's face, hearing his voice, finally real. Then skin to skin in the tent or, even better, he'd come to admit, out in the firelight, or the noon sun.
He just knew the way the light painted Jack's skin with gold and shadows, was beautiful.

Jack knew to call it that. Knew what it was, every minute, every second they had together.
And then every week they lost. Weeks and months that added up to years lost. A life lost.

[mariez]

He wouldn't have known to call their times together idyllic.
Side by side crossing the cold rivers, their collars turned up against the bite of the wind, him just looking at Jack's face, hearing his voice, finally real. Then skin to skin in the tent or, even better, he'd come to admit, out in the firelight, or the noon sun.
He just knew the way the light painted Jack's skin with gold and shadows, was beautiful.

Jack knew to call it that. Knew what it was, every minute, every second they had together.
And then every week they lost. Weeks and months that added up to years lost. A life lost.

Ah, Fern, that's wonderful.  The juxtaposition is so true and so wrenching.  Thanks.

Marie   

[mariez]

Hi everyone!  How about we try:

• Sunday shoes
• pennies
• hollow

Marie

[mariez]

Make-Believe

He couldn't resist those tiny voices, standing quietly outside the door as his little darlins pretended to be mamas to their baby dolls, Junior wearing her patent leather Sunday shoes and one of Alma's aprons, Francie shuffling around in Alma's slippers and robe.

He knew he'd been that young once, but he couldn't remember those times.  The days when he'd played happily - blissfully ignorant of tire irons and fear, death and grief, sorrow and shame, worry and guilt.

He looked on longingly as he watched his girls.  That land of make-believe seemed like a pretty nice place to be.

~~~~~~~
100 Words

[fernly]

Unfulfilled Hopes

...  She'd given Bobby his prize belt buckle and his pocket knife, but hadn't been quite sure what to do with the rest of his things - his wallet, a stack of old postcards, letters from his mama, old birthday cards, some yellowed programs from his bull riding days, other odds and ends. 

...
She shook her head and shivered slightly as the cold, damp air woke her from her reverie.  She laid the box down gently and turned out the light, quietly leaving her dusty hope chest to sit in the corner, long empty, but no longer alone.

So very, very sad...

Make-Believe

He couldn't resist those tiny voices, standing quietly outside the door as his little darlins pretended to be mamas to their baby dolls, Junior wearing her patent leather Sunday shoes and one of Alma's aprons, Francie shuffling around in Alma's slippers and robe.

He knew he'd been that young once, but he couldn't remember those times.  The days when he'd played happily - blissfully ignorant of tire irons and fear, death and grief, sorrow and shame, worry and guilt.

He looked on longingly as he watched his girls.  That land of make-believe seemed like a pretty nice place to be.

Such a clear image of the girls playing...

With that father of his, it's hard to imagine he ever had the carefree days he should have had as a child, even before the trip to that dry ditch, and all the sorrows that came after.

Thank you, Marie, two lovely drabbles, and both heartbreaking.

[Rogue]

Jack had just come out of the bedroom after putting on his suit and sunday shoes to go to church, as he entered the living room adjusting his tie he noticed Ennis bent over the couch looking under the cushions.
"What are you looking for now, Ennis?"
"Pennies," stated Ennis.
"Why?"
"The collection plate at church."
“Oh, so have ya found any?”
Ennis stood up and held out his hand which contained almost a dollar in Pennies plus a few other coins.
“So are you ready to head out then, cowboy?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
Both men put on their hats and coats and headed out for a Sunday morning at church.

[mariez]

Jack had just come out of the bedroom after putting on his suit and sunday shoes to go to church, as he entered the living room adjusting his tie he noticed Ennis bent over the couch looking under the cushions.
"What are you looking for now, Ennis?"
"Pennies," stated Ennis.
"Why?"
"The collection plate at church."
“Oh, so have ya found any?”
Ennis stood up and held out his hand which contained almost a dollar in Pennies plus a few other coins.
“So are you ready to head out then, cowboy?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
Both men put on their hats and coats and headed out for a Sunday morning at church.

Rogue, you make my day with your drabbles!     They're so dear and so true.  I can so perfectly picture Ennis looking (and finding!) those pennies.  Thanks!

Marie

[mariez]

I'm not even sure what day it is today, so let's try:

• confusion
• delicate
• pride

 

Marie