Friday Fictioneers – Those We Leave Behind
Here is my story for Friday Fictioneers on this Armistice Day. Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle, and this week’s photo was kindly supplied by J. Hardy Carroll.
Click on the blue frog for this week’s other stories.
Copyright J Hardy Carroll
Cynthia watched, eyes damp, as her twin daughters scampered over to the grave. She saw them solemnly place the flowers before heading back.
They’d never met their father – he’d been deployed overseas while they were still living safe and unaware beneath her heart. This year they were old enough to place the flowers. In a few years’ time they would understand the sacrifice their father had made. They’d understand why he wasn’t there, why he’d never been there for them. Why he’d had to go.
Cynthia understood. But that didn’t make it any easier. There were some wounds even time couldn’t heal.
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draliman on life 
Thank you, words do not truly convey that emotion, I fear. I was one of those children born of a service man I never met. Didn’t even know until a few years ago. I met him at the wall, and old photo in hand. 🙂 I would have liked to have known him, but I feel in some sense I do. I was raised by his brother.
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Thanks for sharing that, I don’t even have second-hand experience of how it would really feel. Your real-life story is really touching.
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Made me cry this time. Good post.
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Thanks 🙂
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Very true, doesn’t always heal, so times it just ceases to hurt so much.
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I don’t think time ever really heals completely but as you say, the pain fades.
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🙂
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Wow, powerful story. ❤ Good job, Ali.
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Thank you 🙂
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Happy Veteran’s Day. Seems so odd to say ‘happy’ when it’s at the cemetery we all gather. The perfect flash for today!
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I was planning on writing something humorous this week but when I saw that photo prompt on Armistice Day…
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The images in your story are so hard to digest…cna’t imagine the pain the family would go through. Nicely done.
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Me neither, I’m not writing from experience on this one. I’m glad it worked, though.
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When I thank our veterans I am always sure to include their families. When a man or woman serves, the whole family serves.
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Very true, and the families don’t have any “control” either, all they can do is sit and wait and pray.
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That was a very, very moving piece .
❤️❤️❤️ Beautiful tribute.
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Thank you.
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safe and unaware beneath her heart. LOVELY.
Wonderful 100 words. Thank you.
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Thanks, I fiddled with that line a bit to get it just right.
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How tough that would be to never know your father and be so young when he died. Very moving story, Ali.
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Thanks. I can’t even imagine what it would really be like.
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Quite a turn for you, doc. In my story, too, one questions how much small children understand about death. Probably more than we know…and now a brave mother must carry forth their father’s memory. This is so sad to imagine.
My own father was an Army Paratrooper. It didn’t kill him during the war, but his iunknown injuriess did – eventually – cripple and kill him. When I think about him – especially on Veterans Day – i remember his ironic sense of humor and thank him for blessing me with it.
Ellespeth
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Yes, something a bit different given the photo and day.
I can’t even imagine how I might feel in this situation.
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This bought tears to my eyes.
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It’s a very sad situation, thanks for reading.
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Dear Ali,
Beautifully written. I loved ‘safe beneath her heart.’
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Thanks, I’m glad you liked that line. I changed it a bit to get it right.
Ali
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Lovely story presented as a remembrance of all those who gave their lives so that we could be safe and free. Let us never forget. Well written, Ali. —- Suzanne
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Thank you 🙂
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Very beautifully written, and moving. Great!
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Thanks 🙂
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Sad that this is true for too many families.
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It is sad.
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:0(
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Oh my, such a touching piece, especially for you 😉 I particularly loved the line ‘while they were still living safe and unaware beneath her heart’ great job 🙂
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“especially for you” heh heh :-). I thought that photo on that day required something a bit more sombre.
I’m glad you liked that line – I fiddled with it a bit until it sounded right 🙂
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great story told with emotion. and it fit the photo prompt very well, too. well done.
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Thanks!
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Nicely done.
Randy
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Thanks!
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Perfect story for Veteran’s Day. Many people do not understand how enduring the sacrifice is for some families.
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Thank you. It must be terrible, waiting at home only to hear that terrible news.
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I can’t even begin to imagine…
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Very good Ali.
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Thanks 🙂
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Powerful story which builds consistently right to the end. Nice job!
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Thanks!
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Very poignant and a nice stretch from your usual – I hope you don’t mind me saying that. A well written sad read.
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Not at all. I felt with that photo and on Armistice Day something a little different was called for. Thanks!
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