Old Mrs Bergman’s roses were the envy of the village. The bushes bloomed in a congregation of scarlet and coral, sun-flare yellow and delicious tangerine. They spilled over the walls and lit up the pavement with their scattered petals, like delicate wishes skipping along the breeze, destination unknown.
Mrs Bergman plucked and preened, watered and fed. She whispered sweet nothings. She told the roses all that she would have told him if he were here. And they bloomed.
At night she would take the fading telegram from the drawer: Missing in action.
And she waited to meet him again.
***
This piece was written for the Friday Fictioneers hosted by the lovely Rochelle Wisoff-Fields – Addicted to Purple.
Each week a photo prompt is given and the challenge is write a flash fiction piece of no more than one hundred words.
Find other Friday Fictioneer stories here.
So very sad.
I loved the petals like delicate wishes
Thanks Neil! 😊
This made me choke up… really a very bittersweet tale, you have really managed to put so much story in very few words.
Thank you so much Björn! I’m glad you liked it, sorry for making you sad.
You put over so well what has been a sad reality for to many individual,
Thank you Michael. It is sad, lots of people live many many years after their loved ones are gone.
So very sad, beautifully written.
Thank you Iain.
Beautifully written story. I loved the play of colours and the vivid petal carpet on the walls and pavement and how the ‘delicate wishes’ and ‘destination unknown’ relates to the sad ending.
Very well done!
Thank you so much Moon!
Dear Jen,
I loved the congregation of scarlet and coral….beautifully written descriptions. Sweet and poignant ending.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thabk you very much Rochelle.
Oh, this was so touching! Wonderfully vivid description of the flowers, and then to realize that she’s throwing all her energy into them as a tribute to her lost love, and still holds a torch for him — made me choke up.
Thanks so much Joy! Sorry for making you choke up but I’m really glad you liked it 😊
Don’t be sorry, I love the stories that make me cry. I just have to remember not to read them on breaks at work, because they’ll smear up my mascara!
Ha! I’m the same.
Lovely descriptions – I could just picture the colours in the garden. Nothing worse than missing in action. Death is easier to deal with than the unknown. Beautifully done.
Thanks so much Dale! I agree, not knowing would be torture.
All that love and devotion channeled into her roses–what a shame he never made it back. Well done.
Thank you. She has a lot of love to give.
You tell that moving story with such delicacy and poise. The descriptions of the roses are a delight. The way you show how she pours all the love and care that her missing lover would have received into her roses is masterly. Beautiful writing!
Thabk you so much for those kind words Penny!
Awwe, that was such a touching tale.
Thank you.
Wonderful as usual and makes you emotional x
What a lovely thing to say. Thank you x
Lovely. Wonderful description!
Thanks very much!
Oh this is just beautiful! Lovely descriptions …just bursting with colour and love. It’s so poignant how her love helps her flowers bloom – she places it in other places until her time comes to be with her love again. I love how we the readers are let in on the story behind the beautiful Roses 🙂
Thanks so much Anna! Glad you enjoyed it! 😊
Beautiful, Jen – wonderful description x
Thanks Kath x
spilled over the walls and lit up the pavement with their scattered petals, like delicate wishes skipping along the breeze, destination unknown Oh! what a delicious line among so many. I do believe this might be my favorite story this week. Thank you.
And you have just made my week! Thanks so much for the lovely comment, glad you enjoyed it!
Gorgeous, sensuous description of the roses and the garden, a love letter to spent life. Really lovely
Thanks so much Lynn.
My pleasure
I never saw this here but I read it somewhere!!! 🌸
Ha! Yes, in The Drabble ❤ x
That was it 👏🏼👏🏼💫