Off-the-cuff writing on a given topic for 30 minutes (give or take a few). Sad, sappy, silly or serious. Always clean. Read, comment, join the fun and post your own.
Tatia missed her big sister Shana. Missed her so much she had trouble swallowing her Shreddies at breakfast, so much that sometimes she just couldn't play after school, so much that she would like awake at nights staring at Shana's empty bed.
Shana was happy though. Her words, when she called, were fast and happy like when you were on your way to a birthday party. She liked college. She liked her classes, her friends, her dates.
Tatia liked hearing about the dates because she loved the excitement in Shana's voice when she talked about them. But it was scary. Shana could fall in love with one of those boys. She might get married. And then, she would never come home to live again. Not even during the summers.
Mama said not to worry. She said Tatia had big things ahead of her, too. But Tatia didn't want any big things. She wanted comfortable, normal things, like Shana laughing at the breakfast table, Shana giving her makeovers, Shana reading in bed with a nightlight that was too bright to let Tatia sleep.
Mama said, "Let's go to the mall. There's a movie we could watch together and then I'll buy you some earrings at Claires just like Shana used to do."
They watched Lion King in 3D. It was great. Mama looked funny in her 3D glasses and tossed popcorn at Tatia for giggling at her.
Then they went to Claires for earrings, and Tatia found a pair of big pink roses just like Shana's.
"Look, Mama!" she pointed. "These are the ones I want."
Mama smiled. "They're too big for your face, hon. Maybe we can find some smaller ones."
"Please," Tatia said. "I don't care how big they are. They're just like Shana's. Little ones wouldn't be the same."
Mama opened her mouth to say something. Then she closed it again. She gave Tatia a long look and then a hug.
"Okay, hon." She finally said. "But you can't wear them to school. Just at home."
Tatia was so excited to put them on that she didn't even want to stop for ice-cream. When she looked in her bedroom mirror, she could see that Mama was wrong. They weren't too big for her face. She looked just like Shana. Except that Shana never wore T-shirts with monkeys on them.
Tatia rummaged through her drawers and found a pink lacy blouse Shana had handed down. Normally, she didn't like lace, but for today it was perfect. She looked in the mirror again, and she was just right.
That night, she wore one of Shana's nighties. P.J.s were more comfortable but the nightie smelled like Shana. And since she was sleeping in Shana's bed, it seemed right to wear it.
She slept and dreamed she was at college, getting ready for a dance.
Next morning, she asked Mama to please pass the Special K. Mama looked at her funny.
"Tatia. When did you start straightening your hair?" she asked.
"This morning," Tatia grinned.
"Isn't that Shana's old blouse you're wearing?" Mama asked. "I thought you hated Shana's hand-me-downs."
"I used to," Tatia admitted. "When I was little. Would you please pass the Special K?"
Mama gave her another long look and all of a sudden she had her arms around Tatia.
"We miss Shana, honey babe," she murmured. "You and me, both. But I'd hate to be missing my Tatia, too. Go put on your monkey shirt, baby. I'll have those special dried strawberries you love in your Shreddies when you get back."
(couldn't let it go at 30min. Took another 10)
ReplyDeleteTatia missed her big sister Shana. Missed her so much she had trouble swallowing her Shreddies at breakfast, so much that sometimes she just couldn't play after school, so much that she would like awake at nights staring at Shana's empty bed.
Shana was happy though. Her words, when she called, were fast and happy like when you were on your way to a birthday party. She liked college. She liked her classes, her friends, her dates.
Tatia liked hearing about the dates because she loved the excitement in Shana's voice when she talked about them. But it was scary. Shana could fall in love with one of those boys. She might get married. And then, she would never come home to live again. Not even during the summers.
Mama said not to worry. She said Tatia had big things ahead of her, too. But Tatia didn't want any big things. She wanted comfortable, normal things, like Shana laughing at the breakfast table, Shana giving her makeovers, Shana reading in bed with a nightlight that was too bright to let Tatia sleep.
Mama said, "Let's go to the mall. There's a movie we could watch together and then I'll buy you some earrings at Claires just like Shana used to do."
They watched Lion King in 3D. It was great. Mama looked funny in her 3D glasses and tossed popcorn at Tatia for giggling at her.
Then they went to Claires for earrings, and Tatia found a pair of big pink roses just like Shana's.
"Look, Mama!" she pointed. "These are the ones I want."
Mama smiled. "They're too big for your face, hon. Maybe we can find some smaller ones."
"Please," Tatia said. "I don't care how big they are. They're just like Shana's. Little ones wouldn't be the same."
Mama opened her mouth to say something. Then she closed it again. She gave Tatia a long look and then a hug.
"Okay, hon." She finally said. "But you can't wear them to school. Just at home."
Tatia was so excited to put them on that she didn't even want to stop for ice-cream. When she looked in her bedroom mirror, she could see that Mama was wrong. They weren't too big for her face. She looked just like Shana. Except that Shana never wore T-shirts with monkeys on them.
Tatia rummaged through her drawers and found a pink lacy blouse Shana had handed down. Normally, she didn't like lace, but for today it was perfect. She looked in the mirror again, and she was just right.
That night, she wore one of Shana's nighties. P.J.s were more comfortable but the nightie smelled like Shana. And since she was sleeping in Shana's bed, it seemed right to wear it.
She slept and dreamed she was at college, getting ready for a dance.
Next morning, she asked Mama to please pass the Special K. Mama looked at her funny.
"Tatia. When did you start straightening your hair?" she asked.
"This morning," Tatia grinned.
"Isn't that Shana's old blouse you're wearing?" Mama asked. "I thought you hated Shana's hand-me-downs."
"I used to," Tatia admitted. "When I was little. Would you please pass the Special K?"
Mama gave her another long look and all of a sudden she had her arms around Tatia.
"We miss Shana, honey babe," she murmured. "You and me, both. But I'd hate to be missing my Tatia, too. Go put on your monkey shirt, baby. I'll have those special dried strawberries you love in your Shreddies when you get back."
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