“I’d like a cup of hot chocolate, please.”
She’d walked out of the nursing home, no interest in the craft for the day. She couldn’t handle origami and hated working with glitter.
So here she sat on Christmas Eve day. Across from a young couple who chatted quietly, packages beside them. She remembered those kind of stolen moments with Ben. Their kids home with the sitter, last minute shopping done.
She sipped the sweetness, eyes closed, remembering.
“Mrs. Ambrose? You need to come back now.” She pulled the old coat closer to her chest and walked back across the street.
Word Count: 100 Photo credit: Jean L Hayes. Story motivated by Rochelle Wisoff-Field’s Friday Fictioneers photo. Thank you Rochelle, for your work this past year and here’s to an inspirational 2016!
lillian the home poet 
Aw, a bittersweet holiday when you’ve lost the one you love. I wish she could have stayed longer to enjoy her hot chocolate and memories.
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Me too. 100 words cut her visit short….but somehow, I think she is happy and carries her wonderful memories with her. She is also and independent woman — even in that nursing home. Hence the refusal to work with glitter! 🙂
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I liked the part about not working with glitter — way to stick up for herself and her preferences!
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Ah, the tyranny of the nursing home with its crafts and rules. At least she had a glimpse of happiness on this occasion.
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I agree and a sweet glimpse it was.
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In 100 words….sweet is a good compliment! 🙂 Glad you liked it.
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You’re welcome 🙂
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Yes. I wanted to create an independent and feisty woman….even though she’s past her prime. She sips hot chocolate….and even when back at the nursing home, I suspect she’ll still refuse to work with glitter!
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Great flash fiction. So complete and so thought provoking. 🙂
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Many thanks, Jules. I do enjoy the challenge of creating the complete story in so few words! Happy new year!
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A wonderful new year to you too!
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Dear Lillian,
You told a lot of story in few words. A beautiful novel in a flash. Very well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ah Rochelle…..your complimentary words are those most treasured. Many thanks for helping me start the new year off in such a positive way! I do enjoy the group and am so glad I found it! 🙂
Happy new year and again, many thanks for your work with Friday Fictioneers!
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A very nice portrayal of Mrs Ambrose. I feel for her predicament. What a shame they can’t leave her in peace to enjoy her memories.
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Thanks for the read and kind words. Yes — she must leave the cafe … But I get the feeling Mrs. Ambrose sneaks over here quite a bit. She’s an independent one! (I had fun creating her!)
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I like Mrs Ambrose and good for her for walking out of the nursing home – hot chocolate and a memories is far better than imposed glitter and origami. I liked how you developed this character, a great read.
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Thanks so much! All the replies have brought her to life even more than my words on the page!
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You know, I think you’ve got a point there, you might be able to really develop something more around her after all the interesting feed back you’ve gotten.
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I have my mother in a nursing home so I can relate to this a lot… Though I think her memories are very strange sometimes..
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In some ways, I think we all have selective memories. And as we get older, I suspect our memories become more blurred and creative too!
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Too bad she could not have stayed a little longer and enjoyed the memories…
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ah….for 100 more words….:-) Thanks for stopping by!
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