A Bedtime story
“Tell me again about Mama, Daddy.”
The first time my son had asked me that question, I hesitated to respond. I thought “What good could come of reliving our grief?”
But then I recalled how the grief and loss I felt when my dad died had been multiplied by the fact that everyone refused to talk about him, as if he had never existed. So I put aside my own grief, and shared with my son, and now it was a nightly ritual.
“Bobby, are you sure you want to hear this again? Its a sad story, remember.”
“I know, Daddy. But I still love hearing about her.”
“Okay, okay. A long time ago, when dinosaurs ruled the earth...”
“Daddy! Be serious!.”
“Alright. So maybe not that long ago. But still, what’s it been now? Ten years since I met her?”
“That is a long time, Daddy.”
“Yep. We met at university at a club. And right from the first time I saw her, I thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. And also just about the saddest girl I had ever seen.”
“That’s cause she was pretending to be a boy, right?”
“Yep. I dont know how she saw me, but I knew right then I had to figure out how to win her heart.”
“So what did you do?”
“I became her friend. And then one day, she told me she was in love with me too.”
“”Wow.”
“That’s what I said. So, once we finished university, We got married.”
“Then what?”
“You mean that wasn’t the end?”
“Daddy!
“Okay. We realized there is one thing missing in our lives. A little child. And lo and behold, you showed up just in the nick of time.”
“Then comes the sad part, right?”
“Yes. You sure you want to hear it?”
“Uh huh.”
“Well, last year.... no it was two years ago now, you mom got sick. I don’t know if you remember, but you loved helping me take care of her.”
“I remember, Daddy.”
“But nothing you or I or even the doctors could do could help, and then she was gone.”
“I miss her very much, Daddy.”
“Me too.”
“But then Auntie Cindy came into our lives, right?”
“That’s right.”
“And that’s when I remembered the last thing your mom said to me before she died. She told me to grieve, but to also to live. And if someone wonderful came into my life, I should take a chance for more happiness.”
“Mom was smart.”
“You know it.”
“And that’s where we are today, right, Daddy?”
“Actually, there is something new, Bobby. Auntie Cindy and I … have fallen in love, and we’d like to get married and have her live with you and me.”
“I... I would like that very much. So when will you get married?”
“Well, Cindy is a typical girl, and they like a big party when they get married, so it will take a while. But you’ll be a big part of it, if you want to be.”
“I would, Daddy, really.”
“Okay. Now go get some sleep.”
I kissed him good night, got up and went to the doorway.
“Goodnight, Bobby.”
“Night Daddy.”
I turned off the light and left the room. When I got to the living room, Cindy was waiting for me. Slipping her arm in mine, she said, “I heard. He approved, didn’t he?”
“He sure did. Glad that’s out of the way.”
“I noticed you didn’t mention you were the one who gave birth to him.”
I looked down. “I... I had enough of a srtuggle to find a way to tell him about his mom. I haven’t figured out how to tell him I used to be a woman yet.”
“Adam, you have to do it. If he finds out the hard way, he’ll be very upset with you. And you know he’s shown no problems handling the truth about his mom.”
“Okay. I’ll tell him tomorrow night.”
“Good.” She kissed me. “Now, I think a little celebration is in order, don’t you?”
I grinned at her, and said, “Sounds good to me.”
Comments
Celebration indeed.
And a surprise at the end; love will give him the strength and confidence to tell the boy. Simply wonderful tale. Thank you.
Dio vi benedica tutti
Con grande amore e di affetto
Andrea Lena
Love, Andrea Lena
thanks so much, 'Drea
Love is more powerful than fear, right? Thanks so much for commenting.
Dorothycolleen
Nice story Dorothy. Sweet
Nice story Dorothy. Sweet even.
CaroL
CaroL
thanks, Carol
"Sweet" was what I was aiming for. I'm glad you thought I hit it. Thanks so much for commenting.
Dorothycolleen
A Bedtime Story
Is a truly magical story, and Bobby is a sweet child.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
A lovely story indeed. ^_^
It's the "Mummy couldn't have babies, so Daddy did instead!" routine, with added dorothycolleen magic. ^_^
*HugglePurr* <3
- - -
I'm an honorary catgirl. =) I like fine seafood, and I love huggles and gentle scratches! ^_^
Dorothy magic?
Just a sprinkle in every story I write, giggle. Thanks for the hugglepurr, Extravagance.
Dorothycolleen
Sad & sweet; cute, happy & beautiful
Quite a blend of emotions and a lot of story packed into this short tale.
Adam's memories of his "disappearing" father struck home with me.
"Closure" might be an overused term but I know what it's like
to not have it over something big and important like that.
And if you'll indulge me a little dumpage here:
As a child my mother was traumatized by the urn with her mother's ashes
in it kept on a shelf in her house, and this moved her and my dad to try & "spare"
us kids any of the unpleasantness surrounding death; so that when my older brother
died when I was six I wasn't taken to his funeral, his stuff was put away and it was
like my memory was playing tricks with me, did I have a brother or not? They got so
into this mindset that when they died decades later neither of them even HAD a funeral.
Which to me is downright strange, but so like them; there were so many things in life
that just weren't talked about; anything subjective or personal or messy with emotion-
I honestly don't think either of them had it in them to handle it if I came out to them;
they were exceptionally, willfully retarded about so much that makes us human.
Their damage was just too extensive, their contempt for growth too total...
Glad to see in my sister's family, the way her kids are with her grandkids;
that they're like normal people who at least attempt to communicate on a real level.
My born again, Republican county sheriff nephew (whose approach to Christianity is more
about striving for compassion + humility than judging others) might even like this sweet story of yours :)
~~hugs, Veronica
What borders on stupidity?
Canada and Mexico.
.
maybe show the story to him?
hay, we could use some more Republican sheriffs on our side.
Thanks so much for commenting, hon. What happened to Adam is how they treated the death of my father as well. We had no pictures, we never were allowed to visit his grave, every attempt was made to make him a non-person. When I got a little older, I joked to my brother that If it wasn't for the check I got from the government as an orphan of a serviceman, I could easily believe my mother had a virgin birth.
Thanks again for sharing.
Dorothycolleen
"Tell me again about mummy..Daddy."
Certain elemements of this tale struck a chord with me.
After losing my mum when I was six I realised with hindsight at a later age that I never knew her as a person. As much as I pleaded with my Father to educate me as regards my Mother he always refused.
My two blights in life was never getting to know my mother and the other one is obvious.
Yet again another thought provoking story Dorothy.
Thankyou from Debbie <3
Thanks, Debbie.
I can totally get where you're coming from with your mom. Never getting a chance to get to know my dad was a huge ache for me growing up. Super hugs, hon.
Dorothycolleen