“Anton is dying.”
The note from Hortense is terse, the icy subtext clear. His former lover, Sasha is not welcome at the bedside.
Sasha would like to think Hortense has extended a courtesy; more likely though that Anton’s insecure young wife intends to perpetuate her rival’s suffering indefinitely.
She gazes out over the rooftops of Charmes. The colourfully glazed tiles of Anton’s house glow vibrantly in the morning sun.
Will she sense when it’s over? How could she not?
Suddenly a gentle breeze stirs. Cinnamon cedes to brown, dandelion dulls to ochre as emerald ebbs towards sage.
And Sasha knows.
Happy little soul, ain’t I? Well, I did warn you about me and November. On the move again today, driving back through France after a brief visit to ‘winterize’ the boat and prepare her for sale in the spring. 😦 The photo prompt this week was taken on one of our cruises a couple of years ago, in the pretty little town of Charmes, situated in the Vosges region of le Grand Est, between Nancy and Epinal. Happy times! Thanks to Rochelle as ever for her leadership of the Friday Fictioneers over the last four years. The girl done good.
castelsarrasin 
This is just beautiful, Sandra. Dark umber tones of melancholy and Sasha’s ambigous tease – will she know when it’s over. I know you meant Anton’s death, but I like to fancy she might mean the marriage, so her suffering will indeed be eternal
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Thank you Neil. I love the word ‘umber’. 🙂
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Dear Sandra,
Here’s hoping your moving ordeal is soon over. Cheerful little piece. Nonetheless, breathtaking and well written. Thanks, as always, for your support.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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My pleasure, Rochelle. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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This is very beautiful Sandra. Hoping you feel better soon x
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I usually start picking up after 21 December, when I feel I’m heading in the right direction again. 😉
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It’s a strange old time, winter.
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Suits the mood of November, especially today! Well written and poignant.
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Yes, even darker today, I fear. Thanks Iain.
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The beauty of your writing is indescribable and undeniable. I bow to the master of words.
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Awww thanks. 🙂
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The only problem I have with your writing, Sandra, is my own lack of superlatives to communicate my admiration.
This piece is subtle and moving, illustrating perfectly the power of love and loss.
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Thanks CE. So glad you’re in my corner. 🙂
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Brexit writ large. Nice story. Most of these are pretty dark.
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Dark days indeed. Thanks.
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Very melancholic, and beautiful. Odd how yours and Neil’s (the only two I’ve read so far) and mine have people suffering in bed.
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Well I was suffering in bed when I woke up this morning and switched the TV on, so I can understand that, Claire. 😉
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As Claire has said…melancholic and (achingly) beautiful
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Thank you Sue. I appreciate your reading it.
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You write so well, Sandra
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Simply beautiful!
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Thank you Clare. 🙂
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Hauntingly beautiful, Sandra. The descriptions were so poetic and lyrical. Loved it.
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Thanks Dale. Get well soon!
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Thanks Sandra!
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Gorgeous, sad and wistful writing Sandra. It’s a sad fact of life and loving that the feelings don’t always die with the relationship. Lovely.
Good luck with selling the boat – the end of an era?
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Thanks Lynn. Glad you liked it. Yes, it’s looking like the end of an era. Hard to describe what that feels like. 😦
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Difficult for you. My mother in law is set to sell her canal boat soon and after years of dreaming of it, owning and using it, it’s a huge wrench for her.
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It’s a dark piece, that’s true but it is so peaceful, there is light in it.
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Thank you, Dawn. 🙂
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I could read the last two para’s over and over again. Perfect feel to the close of this piece.
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Thank you Paul. Glad you liked that.
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Totally enjoyed the sights and feelings in this: the fading colors, the feel of a breeze. They add such depth to this piece.
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Thanks Alicia. 🙂
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The heart needs no presence. It has its own innate sense. Great, especially the changing colors!
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Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
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I feel for Sasha. It is hard to grieve openly for someone you have loved in secret.
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So true. That was the essence of the piece as I started out trying to write it, but the word count changed its direction. Thanks for reading.
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Beautifully written, all the colour has gone out of her world.
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Thank you! 🙂
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See, that’s what I mean when I speak about the beauty of November. I love how everything comes together here. The older lover’s remaining love, the vengeful young wife, and Anton’s spirit visiting where he feels most loved. The colour change makes it perfect.
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It’s lovely that you see so much in the piece. Thank you.
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Thanks for the colorful picture prompt this week, Sandra. Thanks also for explaining where it was taken. I’m always curious about that. Lovely story with its descriptions of the various colors. Grand writing as usual. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thanks for reading Suzanne. Hope all is well with you.
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A beautiful piece of writing Sandra. So much said in so few words. A great read. Thanks.
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Thanks Mike, glad you enjoyed it.
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A touching story. I would like to believe that Sasha did feel the lose loss of her lover.
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Thank you!
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An entire epic story, in these few words; it’s fantastic! “Cinnamon cedes to brown, dandelion dulls to ochre as emerald ebbs towards sage.” Oh, it blows me away.
But no, how can you sell the boat? I dream of your adventures and travel along! Will you get a new boat, or are you done barging in? 😉 Wonderful story and photo, Sandra!
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Glad you enjoyed it Dawn. As for the boat… “there is a tide in the affairs of men…” And for us the tide takes us in another direction. We’ll hire a boat as and when we feel the urge from now on. Thanks for visiting Dawn.
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Beautifully written, love the control of tone, sad but not mawkish and the imagery with colours? Fab!
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Thank you Poppy!
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You pack so many emotions in your short stories and always leave me wanting to read more. Well done, well done!
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Thank you, glad you liked it.
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Pingback: Trouble At The Lollipop Guild – Honie Briggs
Dear Happy Soul,
This prompt is terrific. Your story is magnificent. The intensity and release are pitch perfect.
With Gratitude,
Honie
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Aww, thanks Honie. Good to see you here. 🙂
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you tell so much more of the story than just these 100 words. Elegantly told, especially Anton’s passing. I know how it feels to know the moment a loved one has gone, despite not being there and you captured that perfectly
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I was torn between telling two stories to this prompt. One was the issue, which I’ve always found so hard to rationalise, of not being able to sense when the love of your life is gone. And the other was the ‘irrelevance’ of the other woman at such a time, and the grief associated with that. I wasn’t sure I’d done either well, to be honest. Thanks for your reassuring comment.
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You did capture both very well.
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I love how you wove the colours into the story.
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Beautifully Autumnal on all levels. The dying of the light springs to mind.
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Hello, and sorry to be late commenting… last week was exhausting… I especially love the way you dull the colors.
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Bjorn’s beat me to it. I love the fading colour images too. The whole story is superb. Poor Sasha – but I feel a sense of acceptance at the end, and I suspect that Sasha is more at peace than Hortense. So much in your hundred words!
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