Sunday Photo Fiction⇐this is the link if you want to participate.
Thank you to Alistair at Sunday Photo Fiction as always for providing this prompt! To read more stories for this prompt, click here.
Concession and Compromise
Twelve years ago, two people seconds from splitting, a broken condom, oxygen siphoned from a room.
“Go,” she told him.
He’d been itching to go for weeks, get back to auditioning. She’d been a nice diversion, but it was time.
She thought of keeping secrets, but feeling her body change, changed her.
He landed a role in a revival of a Sam Shepard play.
She called.
He visited, pressed his palm against her belly, felt a kick.
He went to work, playing a cowboy, dispensing wisdom in someone else’s words. When he spoke, “…his face changes. It becomes his father’s face.” He almost stumbled over the monologue, thinking her face could be his face.
He bought a dragon mobile from a craftswoman on the street because he’d read that they symbolized strength and fortitude. Maybe he could bring that to his daughter. Maybe he could be someone she would admire. Maybe he could finally like himself.
She felt huge, embarrassed to have this boy/now man see her fat ankles, but his face, his eyes were like entities she’d never seen before.
He was so proud of the dragon. She found it off-putting, but hung it anyway. Concession.
end 2/19/2017
S. Darlington
Well, Sascha, it seems that there are layers beneath layers here.
Intriguing tale, nicely told.
Thank you so much for reading! I do appreciate it. 🙂
Nice tale of people who were never going to see each other again. Amazing the difference a broken condom can make lol
A story told beautifully though full of intrigue. Well done, Sascha
Thank you, Neel, so very much for reading! 🙂
The style of writing gives the story a sharper edge.
Thank you, Steve. I was a bit worried that the staccato-sound might sound too simple, but I’m very, very glad to hear it worked. 🙂 Thanks for commenting!
An awful lot packed into so few words. Good writing.
Thank you, Iain! 🙂
A child changes everything.
Thank you. 🙂
Beautiful story of a child making a man becoming who he is destined to be.
Thank you so much, Angie! 🙂
There is probably quite a back-story here! Interesting, different, clever.
Click to read my story
Thank you, Keith! I appreciate the feedback so much. 🙂
I like how they both dealt with the coming if the baby in different ways as you would in real life, it isn’t always just joy and flowers. I’m happy he in the end, wanted to help this baby, even if the dragon was a bit odd, but it was a good symbol from strength and protection. I loved the description of “the broken condom splitting” it definitely literally and figuratively split. They went their directions but both came back.
Thank you, Mandi! I do love the prompts for how they get us to dig a little deeper. Yes, the mum thought the dragon a bit odd too. 🙂
Very nicely done Sascha – loved the title. Isnt that what life is all about?
Thank you, Dahlia! Yes, I agree. I think some people forget though.
True 🙂