Copyright Valerie J Barrett
I’m wearied by her constant soul-searching.
“You’ve never loved me, have you?” she says.
Never enough, clearly.
“Other mothers…” she begins, but I reach for my coat.
I’m done here – I’ve a train to catch.
Had I been her father, I’d have demanded a DNA test, but there’s no disputing her birth. She was difficult, temperamental and needy from the start. There could never be enough of me for her, and confrontation was only ever a heartbeat away.
“You just didn’t have the “mother” button, did you?”
Maybe not… or if I did, perhaps you pressed it just too often…?
There’s something intriguing about the relationship between mothers and daughters, and this traditional domestic scene prompted a different take on the traditional mother-daughter relationship. Thanks to Rochelle, for her continued leadership of Friday Fictioneers.
castelsarrasin 
Linking those old utensils to DNA testing was a master stroke.
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Possibly a bridge too far… 🙂
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A great little tale Sandra. I particularly liked the idea of the overused ‘mother button’. Wonderful!
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Thanks, Mike.
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This type of relationship must be extremely tiring!
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Thoroughly exhausting, I should imagine.
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Dear Sandra,
I’ve never had a daughter. But I have three sons who’ve been adept at pushing the mother button a few too many times. Very well written, which is never a surprise.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It was interesting to write about the relationship from the other end of the spectrum. I enjoyed doing so. Thanks for reading, Rochelle.
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A difficult relationship indeed, and as a father of daughters, one I can only imagine.
Rosey invited me to lunch!
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Thanks for reading, Keith.
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I am surprised and somewhat saddened by the revelation that mother-daughter relationships can be so fraught.
Exquisitely portrayed, as always.
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Don’t get me started, CE. And thank you.
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Some mother’s do ‘ave ’em it seems. I imagine this is a more common scene than we imagine.
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I’m certain it is, Iain. Thanks for reading.
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That is a truly marvellous story, Sandra. Absolutely first class. The emotions are so subtly nuanced – and you even include humour with “Had I been her father, I’d have demanded a DNA test, but there’s no disputing her birth.”
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Thanks Penny. I’m not sure about the second half of that sentence, but I found it hard to encapsulate that in few words.
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I thought the second half of that sentence was great. I could hear the tone of voice very clearly!
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I enjoyed this, and the way you used DNA, bravo
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Thanks for reading, Michael.
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a DNA test. people of the same DNA are difficult to get along. the objects in the photo prompt weaved effortlessly into the story.
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Thanks for reading.
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Marvelously done. And, yes, the relationships between parents and children – and between mothers and daughters and daughters and mothers and mothers who are also daughters and daughters who are also mothers …
Well done!
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Endless scope within that complicated framework, I agree.
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🙂
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I simply love the dialogue… it sounds so very realistic… I wonder if they will ever find the right balance. No a mother can never escape like a father.
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So true, Bjorn. Thanks for reading.
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Difficult question to answer. Mother button got desensitised or absent?
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I guess we’ll never know.
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Great representation of an increasingly-strained relationship. I loved the line “Had I been her father, I’d have demanded a DNA test” – what a thing to say about your kid 🙂
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What a thing to have to say. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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Gloriously unsentimental, Sandra
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Thank you, Neil. I’m aspiring to have that as my epitaph. 🙂
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Sandra,
This was brilliantly nuanced and dealt with one of the most complex of relationships.
I have been the child in that relationship who has never really been able to reach my mother and also the product of a very difficult birth. I’m an extrovert with a rather theatrical personality where my mother is more on the introvert side and doesn’t like to stand out in the crowd. My daughter is very much like my mother and sometimes I feel that it’s been hard enough to go through this once let a lone twice. However, I’m overcoming all of this. Mum and I are slowly connecting through music as she accompanies me on the piano while I play my violin. It’s been funny because even this was fraught. We’d have the same piece of music but in different keys. You wouldn’t think it possible but we’ve worked through this. We’re playing Chopin’s Tristesse.
Meanwhile, I’ve been researching tutus for my daughter and taking up adult ballet classes for exercise and fun for myself but also to be a part of her world.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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That’s an interesting scenario, Rowena, mother, daughter, grandchild. Food for thought there. Glad you’re making your way through it as a family.
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Thanks, Sandra. It’s more of a case of me working through it. I don’t think mum or my daughter are particularly aware of how I feel. There’s an acceptance on my part that they can’t connect with me at this level and it’s no one’s fault. Indeed, I tend to joke about who God puts together as parent and child.
BTW when you consider that for many couples opposites attract, it’s understandible that you get these mismatched pairings. We caught up with my very introverted nephew and he’s extroverted wife. Both their kids are very extroverted, chatty, posed for the camera and the sort of kids you’d put in ads.
Anyway, hope you have a great week.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Ungrateful children are the worst – I have one of those.
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Good luck with that then, Liz. 😦 Thanks for reading.
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Can identify with this story! Story remains the same in all parts of the world? Very realistic.
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I guess it probably is a universal theme.
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A great different take on the needy mother trope, Sandra. It goes both ways, I’m sure. Great story.
-David
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Many thanks, David. Glad you liked it.
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like they say, it’s the pot calling the kettle black. blame goes both ways.
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Always the case, or almost always. Thanks for reading.
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You got a lot of layer and depth in an amazingly short span. Excellently done!
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Many thanks! 🙂
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I only had boys but my mother only had girls. I’ve heard of those difficult relationships between mother and daughter (we never could understand that). You capture it perfectly.
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Thanks Dale. You were lucky not to have to understand the complexities of a blighted mother-daughter relationship. And I’d say your boys know just how lucky they are, with you. 🙂
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I was/am. Yeah well…maybe one day they will be! Or know it, rather!
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A good change of pace. We so rarely see this off spring as cause for angst. Too many times it is the mother. As a mother, thank you.
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My pleasure, Dawn. 🙂 And thanks for reading.
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Big sigh here – I have two daughters and one of them is quite contentious. Not an arguing one, just non-communicative one. You definitely brought out a real slice of life.
https://authorshutterbug.wordpress.com/2019/06/13/fridayfictioneers-the-fortuneteller/
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The family dynamic is a wonderful source for creative writing, I’ve always found. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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There’s no doubt when it comes to mothers. They know who their children are. It appears these two had a poor beginning and it never ended. A good story, Sandra, and well written as always. —- Suzanne
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You write powerfully & with insight into the ‘mother button’ dynamic – such a descriptive term, through dialogue between them. Good writing.
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Yes, I understand this “mother button”. I remember my daughter when she was about twelve and she wasn’t getting her own way. She blurted out, ‘Am I adopted?’ (I don’y know why, she is not.)
I replied, ‘Really, I wished, then I could give you back.” We became the best of friends since.
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Sounds as if the girl has a case of Borderline Personality Disorder. Forgive me. I’ll take my therapist hat off now 🙂 Truly, this is a classic case of a person never getting enough. Hard to live with that.
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Since I sympathize more with the daughter I’d say that there have to be good reasons for the behaviour of both. Temperaments are so different sometimes and cause pain and misunderstandings and two headstrong people have a hard time finding common ground. But I might think differently if I had kids, I guess. 😉 Great thought-provoking writing, Sandra.
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The daughter sounds needy. I would think that would be a tiresome relationship. I loved your subtle humor.
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Wow! This has such impact, Sandra. Those bitter words, the mother’s bitter thoughts. You can feel the tension between them. the resentment. Children so often blame their parents for their faults, parents chide the children for not being as they’d imagined. Love can be chilling. Insightful and wonderfully written
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Brilliantly told, you’ve touched the real nub of the situation here Sandra. I’m in awe of your craft
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