It is her fifth birthday. Sheila runs behind her mother, excited as ever to see her favorite chocolate fudge cake being put on the table and five candles being put on it.
Her friends come soon, and in their hands, are the gifts that they have brought for her. Her mother has dressed her like an angel by then, in a frock of pretty pink. As she blows the candles out and they sing happy birthday, she feels happy. She gives the first piece of cake to her mother, putting it in her mouth. Secretly, she wishes for something.
The doorbell rings. She wonders who it is at that time. Her mother opens the door to find a delivery boy there, holding a gift wrapped in green and blue paper. She sees a card on it, and as her mother puts it on the window sill, she runs up and takes it. She can’t read it fully, but a big smile comes on her face as she reads the last two words. She gives it to her mother, who reads it, then starts to cry.
“Read it aloud please, Mummy”, she asks.
“My little darling”, her mother reads aloud in between sobs, “I hope you are fine and smiling today. I wish I could be there with you as you cut the cake, but I can see you smile as you put it in your mummy’s mouth. This is the first time I’ve missed your big day. I hope I can see your pictures soon. I love you a lot, and miss your hugs and kisses and love so much here. See you soon. Love, Dad.”
Sheila claps her hands, excited again as she opens the first gift today, her dad’s. She laughs, as she finds a piggy bank there and some money already in it. As her friends watch on, she kisses the letter box bank and says out loud, “Oh Daddy, I love you sooooo much!”
Her mother looks on, but there is no surprise. Sheila is too little to understand separations, and she doesn’t have to. To her, her father is just many miles away, in a land that she dreams of every day. As Sheila looks at her and smiles, she mirrors it. The love for her father fills her heart, and that love, has no borders.
Photograph by Aame
© Leo 04/August/2011
Vinay Leo R.
Poetry & writing to me are to me, a breath of fresh air in a life that is sometimes covered by the smoke of sorrow or self doubt. They also become the sweets I share to celebrate when life offers me a reason to. But most of all, they are to me, my life. For each word I write is a piece of my heart, a thought that just had to find its way into the world.
Leo, this was bittersweet. My little girl was two when I separated from her father. He never wrote sweet letters like this, and it was not amicable. This story gives me hope that, even when things don’t work out between parents, there can still be moments of lightness and beauty for their children. Thank you so much! Amy
My 3WW: http://sharplittlepencil.wordpress.com/2011/08/04/crucifixion-texas-style/
I hope your little girl has strength now, Amy 🙂 It is sad for children to experience that split too, even though sometimes, a split may be for the child’s best. That love for the child goes and grows past boundaries set by both parents, doesn’t it? 🙂
You wove a good story around the prompt and it could be a true life situation!! The child in this story comes alive! Well done!! 🙂
She should be alive too, Nanka 🙂 That way, she can be strong when she realizes the truth. Glad you liked it 🙂
Beautifully woven !
Thank you very much, Ann 🙂
wow… wonderful story. well written 🙂
Thank you very much, Kirti. 🙂
You reeled me in with chocolate in the first paragraph, and this is a very heart warming piece!
Hahaha 🙂 Chocolate does attract a lot I guess, Sharon. 🙂 Thank you.
Beautifully written Leo, I can almost visualise the scene and the cute little girl;
Thank you, Animesh 🙂 Glad you could visualize it. Cheers.
Such a well written story….And I really liked the blog theme 🙂
http://chintangupta.blogspot.com/
Thank you for liking both my story, and the theme of the blog, Chintan 🙂
That’s beautiful.. and sad… but well written Leo. The chocolate, the pink dress, the friends and gifts .. it’s all so my daughter. Touch wood we’re both there for her.
🙂 I’m glad for that, Tulika! Hope she enjoys all the chocolates without spoiling her lovely toothy smile 😉 Glad you liked the story.
Must have been one of the best posting’s i read in a while Leo..stunning cud almost have clean visual ..mind blowing
Yes, Arvind 🙂 That ease to the imagination is quite what I intended as well. Thank you..
very touchy story & the happiness of that little child is always countless 🙂
Yes, it is, Sowmya 🙂 priceless indeed..
A lovely story Leo.
Kids are too innocent at that age to understand what separation entails. It is only when they grow up that they realize the dream land was just that – a land of dreams, with no common area with reality. Well, all in good time.
Yes, too little to understand it, and it is perhaps a good thing too, Deboshree. A childhood should have some good memories too, and that hurt won’t be helpful in memories right?