Copyright Randy Maize
Friday Fictioneers are gearing up for their weekly get together, sharpening their quills, filling their inkwells or simply powering up their computers.
Thanks once again to Rochelle for orchestrating the weekly get-together at her place.
Here in Spain the sun is shining, the sea is shimmering and my writerly muse has yet to join me. This will have to do for now… the sea shore beckons.
No Small Wonder
“Relax Helen, it’s just a temporary placement. It would take a minor miracle for that kid to let down her defences.”
Helen switched off the phone, detecting a movement at the doorway. Monica held out a limp sparrow, her impenetrable gaze fixed on her foster carer.
“Make it better.”
Helen’s heart sank as the bird’s tiny body was placed in her hands.
The first words Monica had uttered in six weeks and Helen would have moved mountains to make them worth while. She closed her eyes.
A sudden stirring, a tiny flutter.
Not exactly a miracle, but no small wonder either.
castelsarrasin 
A surprise happy ending–well done! (Particularly well done, for being museless.)
Enjoy the sea shore!
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Thanks for reading Jan. I assume you meant ‘surprisingly’ for me! 🙂
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Aww,how sweet!The fragility of life vis-a-vis the fragility of our emotions/relationships!Loved it Sandra:-)
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Thank you, glad you liked it.
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🙂
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Foster carers are never a small wonder – the work they do is incredible. Seems like Helen is going to find a way to get through after all and, in my view, that’s a miracle right there. Happy sea-shore-ing!
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Thanks for reading Jennifer. I’ve practically walked my feet off today!
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Dear Sandra,
I am amazed how you can find the time to give us nearly daily such a stream of information, at the same time travelling between Eingland, France and Spain. Very interesting! No, you are not talking to yourself! You are lucky with the weather in Spain now. Here in the Netherlands temperatures are below zero now at night.
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Hi Dick, glad to see you on here. We drove down here the week before last but had to fly back briefly to the UK mid last week for a meeting. Now we’re back in Spain we’re looking forward to slowly winding down for Christmas. And staying in one place for a while. Hope all is well with you, and that the temperatures improve. I doubt they will though. 😦
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The interaction between these two, and the broken bird, speaks of trauma. My mind wanders and seeks to concoct a back story for Monica — how you did that with a mere 100 words is not exactly a miracle, but no small wonder, either.
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Thanks Helena for dropping by, reading and commenting. Hope all is well with you.
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Wow, Sandra. This one was so beautiful. I read it twice and held back tears. Lovely work.
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Thanks Lisa, glad you liked it. 🙂
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museless? really? this is beautiful. 🙂
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Thanks kz. I thought I might not make it this week. Sometimes it’s hard just to string the words together… 🙂
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Beautiful piece, I was praying the bird would move, and released a breath when it did 🙂
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Thanks Helen, glad you liked it.
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A lovely Christmas story of love and hope, Sandra. Enjoy your sunshine!!
janet
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Thanks Janet, I’m doing just that. 🙂
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Very, very, good.
AnElephant loves it.
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Thank you!
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This made my heart smile.
Thanks, I needed that.
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Thanks Dawn. 🙂
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A heart-warming take on this week’s prompt.
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I don’t do heart-warming very often – back to murder and mayhem next week I think. 🙂
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Very sweet ending to an intriguing story, Sandra. Well done! (Dig the snow too.)
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Thanks Perry. Yes the snow mysteriously arrived with the new month. I think I opted for it last year, and it seems to be lodged in WordPress’s memory.
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Dear Sandra,
Methinks the lady doth protest too much. Your story brought me to tears, in the literal sense. So many layers of story in few words. There’s a reason that child hasn’t spoken and a small wonder could be the key to unlock her heart. Beautiful.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks for commenting Rochelle. Don’t be sad. 😦
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Definitely a miracle, a rebirth. Moving piece.
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Thanks Patrick. Glad you liked it.
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A very touching story. I’m not so sure it wasn’t a miracle.
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Thanks Roger 🙂
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Sometimes the miracle is all in the timing. Hopefully it’s the breakthrough she needed. 🙂
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Hopefully. Thanks David, loved yours this week.
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Lovely. In so few words I am still able to see and feel Monica’s new hope.
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Thanks Eena! 🙂
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The mountain has started to move. I enjoyed this story, Sandra.
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Thanks Mike, glad to hear that.
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very lovely take on the pix…
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Thank you!
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Lovely! I hope Helen will stick it out and make it more than a temporary placement. Well done!
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Thanks!
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I’m happy for your story.. thank you.
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Thanks Bjorn. 🙂
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Very nicely done. Great for renewing optimism.
Here’s mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/bffs-not/
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Thank you Maggie.
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Are you filling up your inkwell? I hope you’re enjoying the shimmering sea. I am so jealous! It’s freezing here. I enjoyed your story, Sandra. Nature has special powers and doesn’t see poverty. Very nice!
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My inkwell is filling up nicely! Thanks for reading Amy.
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Wonderfully done – so many layers in so few words. My mind is racing with all the whys and wherefores behind her mute state…
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Thank you Freya. 🙂
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Great use of the bird to parallel the girl’s condition and hint at her future restoration. I have a story I’ve been trying to finish (for years) that’s similar. You might have just helped. It’s called ‘The Finch’ and I might take you up on your offer to read when it’s ‘resurrected’. Don’t panic, it won’t be before Christmas. My husband had to dash off to Portugal in the deep of the night, friday/saturday. He says the weather’s good – same as in Spain, it seems. Ann
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Thanks Ann. Not the first time you’ve seen something in a story of mine that I hadn’t intentionally included. 🙂 Sure I’ll read your Finch when it’s ready to fly! Another lovely day here, but oooh those nights are so cold…
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So sweet and good!
Scott
Mine: http://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/ff-friday-fictioneers-keeping-watch-rated-pg13-1262013/
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Thanks Scott. 🙂
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miracles are all relative to their moment, be they great or small. well done.
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My schmaltz-monitor was twitching nervously as I wrote this Rich. Thanks for commenting.
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You are very welcome.
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