Here, in this hide-away, are the missing pieces of several jigsaws.
Letters I’d misplaced, whole bundles of them, and others which have never reached me… all here.
My diaries, the illicit gifts furtively unwrapped and hidden away, cherished photographs of my other life… all here in my daughter’s secret place.
Having sated herself on both the public and private aspects of my life, whilst destroying much of the latter in the process, she’s moving on.
“I have a right to a life of my own,” she says, “I need to be free.”
She was never burdened with a sense of irony.
Here in the UK the hot weather is set to break later tonight with thunderstorms spreading up the country. Love a good thunderstorm. Thanks to Rochelle for finding the time to lead the Friday Fictioneers every week.
castelsarrasin 
What a delightfully monstrous child
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isn’t she just?
LikeLike
She is a courageous girl, daring to live in such a place 🙂
A rebel in her private getaway with secrets!
LikeLike
Other peoples’ secrets though.
LikeLike
Courageous or monstrous? I haven’t quite worked it out
LikeLike
I’m thinking the latter. 🙂 Thanks for reading, Sue.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure, I enjoy your words, Sandra
LikeLike
Dear Sandra,
The daughter sounds anything but courageous. Self-seeking, self-absorbed and downright sneaky. And now she wants to move on? Sad and infuriating story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Yes, she sounds like a piece of work. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
LikeLike
What a brilliant piece of writing that generates so many questions. About the daughter, but about the mother too. Just brilliant
LikeLike
Thanks for your lovely comment Jenne.
LikeLike
Sometimes you just have to break free. Great story!
LikeLike
Wow, so much to this tale. I’d love to read more. Complicated relationship.
LikeLike
Complicated indeed. Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are a wonderful writer, Sandra. This piece is terrific from beginning to end. That last line “She was never burdened with a sense of irony,” is a cracker!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aww thanks Penny, glad you liked it.
LikeLike
Sandra, one of your best character studies yet. You could build a world around these two.
LikeLike
Thank you so much. Yes, their relationship does sound a tad dysfunctional.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re very welcome.
LikeLike
p.s. GREAT title!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love that last line. I have been in a lot of AA meetings where I hear somebody go on and on about how they used to be so selfish. “Enough about me. What do YOU think about me?”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hah! Loved that!
LikeLike
Relationships between mothers and daughters are often difficult. A very intriguing multi-layered story.
LikeLike
I think this one may be more difficult than most. Thanks for reading, Brenda.
LikeLike
My daughter did that to me I’d slap her! And I love thunderstorms too.
LikeLike
I could understand that. 🙂 Our thunderstorm never materialised. And only a smattering of rain for the garden. Duh!
LikeLike
I love the metaphorical use of the shack in the woods as a secret hideaway for both mother and daughter in their troubled relationship.
LikeLike
Thanks for reading. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t top all the other comments except to say this is so well done. You have a gift!
LikeLike
Aww thank you Dale. I only wish it were easier to find my voice every Wednesday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tell me about it. There are weeks I don’t play (for that same and other reasons!)
LikeLike
They both sound a handful! Intriguing.
LikeLike
Spirited, I’d call it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a selfish child! Destroying memories, spying (in a way), and then moving on because she deserves her own life! I don’t like her very much. Well done!
LikeLike
I don’t blame you! Thanks for the lovely photo Alicia.
LikeLike
Amazing.I have heard of parents infringing into the lives of their children, reading their diaries etc, but a daughter being so deceptively secretive and prying into her mother’s life is a different angle. Oh, by the way, can I have all those missing jigsaw pieces back, thank you.
LikeLike
Reading this made me feel thankful that my daughters grew up fairly normally. Either that or I didn’t realise what was going on!
LikeLike
I enjoyed the story, but it’s the title that stands out for me. Excellent choice.
LikeLike
Sandra,
Wonderfully wrought story. The magpie moves on after picking apart her mother’s life.
pax,
dora
LikeLike
Touche’ 😀
LikeLike
Yes, please, go away and be free. Leave the poor mother alone to pick up the pieces. Delightful child 😮
LikeLike
everything has an expiration date whether we like it or not.
LikeLike
Life would be very different if there weren’t missing jigsaw puzzle pieces.
Hi. I enjoyed your story.
LikeLike
Superb writing. I have neither sympathy for mother nor daughter. If you grow up finding out that your mother lives a secret double-life you’re not going to be all understanding and frienshipy, especially in puberty. Young people tend to extreme reactions. And if the mother doesn’t see that and bemoans the irony… obviously they never really talked to each other. But there’s so much more in that story- We’ll never know unless you write it. 🙂
LikeLike
Oh dear–questions, questions! Did Mom have two lives? Was she a bigamist? Or were these secrets from before she married and had this selfish child? Daughter seems not to care much about what she destroys. Bitterness kills everything it touches.
LikeLike