Copyright Ronda del Boccio
Yesterday’s festivities have left Clemmie fractiously tired, and now she dozes in her pushchair, her flushed face dappled by the shifting leaves of the sycamore tree above.
Will and I nestle in the lush grass, picnic remains littering the tartan blanket, a second half-empty bottle of wine propped drunkenly against the hamper.
The sun beats down, the river slaps lazily against its banks, and bees drone as we too succumb to sleep.
When we awake, in this special place where Clemmie’s journey first began, we will find it has ended, two years, nine months and one day later.
A minor miracle that I have anything to submit today, with three builders excavating the back garden, one kitchen fitter hammering away indoors, and a random array of heavy vehicles reversing up and down our drive. Thanks to Rochelle, who is returning from a week on the coast – for finding the time to keep the wheels of Friday Fictioneers turning.
castelsarrasin 
Lush description and the hammer blow of a terrible outcome. Masterful, Sandra (despite the diggers)
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Thanks Neil, I’ve got 10 weeks of this disruption. 😦
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Nooooo! But very well, succinctly told….
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Thanks, Sue.
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Ohh! You deliver it suddenly, but beautifully…
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Thank you Reena. Your link isn’t taking me to your story. I’ll pop back later.
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Thanks! I checked. It works on my device.
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A tragic story.
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Thanks for reading, Jilly.
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Brilliant ending!
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Thanks, Lisa.
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That ending is such a blow! But so well told.
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Thanks for reading Jennifer.
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I was having such a nice time drifting off with them, lying in the sunshine. Quite a terrifying shock at the end. Well done Sandra.
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Thanks, Iain. Sorry for the rude awakening.
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A very languid quality and the bang__ the staccato blow at the end. Superbly written, Sandra.
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Many thanks, Neil.
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Oh, Sandra, thanks it is a fiction. Beautifully written.
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Thanks for visiting, Indira.
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Oh, you lulled me with your gorgeous descriptions and then you slammed me with that closing line!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Sorry! 🙂
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beautiful description with a sudden end..
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Thanks for reading.
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Love the layered prose in this piece. A delight to read.
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Thanks Josh. I’ve tried to comment on your story but the ‘post comment’ button isn’t working right now. At least not for me. I’ll come back later.
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Horribly tragic, especially given my granddaughter is a tad older than three (and thankfully quite healthy).
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I was thinking more of misadventure – with the river. But either outcome is more than tragic. Thanks for reading.
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What a sad end. Those parents will never forgive themselves.
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I guess not, Penny. Thanks for reading.
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Brutally blunt ending. Poor Clemmie. Poor everybody.
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Indeed. Long time no see, Paul. Hope all is well.
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I read into the story, that the child died from sun stoke, due to parental neglect. What ever, Sandra it is a fine and interesting piece of writing,
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Thanks Michael, the idea was that she strayed into the water, but it works anyway. The clue was in the name, Clemmie for Clementine as in the song where Clementine falls into the ‘foaming brine’. Glad you liked it.
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I wasn’t surprised, but only because I’ve read many of your stories before. I was afraid the sleepy mood would lead to something bad. You expertly lead us to the place of horror.
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Thank you! I’m afraid I am getting a bit predictable. 😉
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Oh so terrible! It started off so idyllic. I particularly liked how the wine was drunkenly propped up against the hamper. The sin of succumbing to sleep in the presence of a baby ( and water).
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Every parent’s nightmare. Sleep is such an insidious thing, the way it creeps up on you when you really should be doing something else. Thanks for reading.
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Somehow I knew, when the couple fell asleep, that the ending was going to be horrid.
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Yes, there is no such thing as ‘down time’ in the world of parenting, is there?
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Nope. Especially in a public place where there are lots of people. Radar on, ALL the time.
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Geez, now you’re killing off toddlers. Did C.E. put you up to this?
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I’m told he’s not about. We all have to shoulder the burden, you know, keep the ship on an even keel and all that.
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Dear Sandra,
Back at my desk after a day of traveling and crashing myself. But I digress, rather than making this comment all about me. 😉
Your story lulls us into a pleasant stupor only to deliver a sucker punch to gut with a tragic ending. As always, you set the bar high for the rest of us. Beautifully told.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So glad you’re back safely. And I’m always glad to hear about you. 😉 At any length you like…
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Reminds me of a Hindi movie where the couple loses their only son during a picnic.
His father makes an effort to rescue his son & son’s friend who have fallen in the lake. But, sadly he manages to rescue only his son’s friend…his own son meets a watery grave.
Somethings are meant to be in a particular way.
Can we change them? Could we have changed the happenings?
Whatever will be, will be…
Here’s my story- The Garden View – Anita
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Oh no, I was just getting into the idyllic mood too…
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How terribly tragic but oh so very well penned.
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It was all going so well, and then…
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Wow. How horrible for them. Of course the ghoul in me wants the details.
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Baked or drowned? Poor child. The responsibilities of parenthood aren’t light. I sympathise with your upheaval – we are trying to so three months’ worth of work in a cottage in the month we have before we must vacate our present flat!
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Very well written tragic tale. I enjoy that I never know what to expect in reading your stories. Sad for the child, sad for the parents.
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A powerful write, Sandra. Life’s full cycle ending as it should; although, we’d prefer it not be.
Brilliant writing, as always, a masterpiece.
Isadora 😎
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Really sad, I was not expecting that.
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It ends with a big bang 🙂
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The story was so relaxed and peaceful, it set up that ending so well. I feel gutted. Nicely done!
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I now know why I was so confused by the ending: Pushchair=Stroller. I’ve never heard them called that. My original thought that she was an old woman in a wheelchair. Now I see where it went lopsided for me. Not a scene any parent wants to happen.
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How incredibly sad!
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Beautifully told and tragic ending! I sympathize with the hammering and construction noise, never easy to find space to hear in that.
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OMG. Those descriptions of their lazy afternoon gave this such a restful feel before that hammer blow, as Neil put it – such a dramatic and powerful, and sad, ending. The guilt will stay with them forever.
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Dear Sandra,
Languid. Serene. Idyllic. Then the hammer falls and we wake with the lovers to grief and madness.
I see you. You’re a wicked good writer.
The new life is truly an adventure. Never been more aware of the beauty of each passing moment.
Cheers,
Doug
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Thanks for visiting, Doug. And I’m so pleased for you – truly. I can just imagine the life you’re living in that beautiful country, probably the only one I’d have ever given up my own for.
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