FRIDAY FICTION CONCRIT SUBGROUP
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The next photo is the PHOTO PROMPT. Once more I’m taking the liberty of doing a rerun. Some of you may remember this photo and already have a story to go with it. Feel free to replay your story as well and enjoy the New Year.
Copyright Jean L. Hays
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Word Count: 98
ILLUMINATION
With her crimson hair and freckles she could’ve been my own reflection. Although we’d never met, I knew she was my birth mother.
“Didn’t you want me?”
“With all my heart.”
Sunlight streaming through the café windows glinted off her tears. “Mother said I couldn’t care for a baby…said I’d hurt you. She never even let me hold you.”
I wrapped my arms around her waist.
“Hold me now…Mama.”
Her fingers caressed my forehead, then moved as lightly as moth wings down my nose and over my lips. Her sightless eyes glistened. “It’s good to finally see you.”
To see the original post click here.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
What a heart warming story!
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Dear Dale,
I like to offer a warm heart along with hot coffee. Glad you liked.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A wonderful combo!
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Nicely done tear-jerker.
Happy New Year!
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Dear CE,
I’d share my coffee with you but…at any rate thank you for reading and complimenting.
Shalom and Happy New Year to you.
Rochelle
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I just can’t seem to get “Mother said I couldn’t care for a baby…said I’d hurt you…” out of my head and want to know more. .
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Dear Dawn,
There’s no greater compliment than a reader saying that a line lingered in her head. Perhaps this will grow into a longer piece one day.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Happy New Year Rochelle.
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beautiful! i adored the line, ‘hold me now, mama.’ it brought out tears. thank you.
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Dear Matthew,
Tears are the highest of compliments in a story like this.
Thank you for yours.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I come to think of my own mother, who is dead since over thirty years and whom I recently dreamt of. In my dream I clung to her and woke up crying. When I read your story I hoped that it wasn´t a dream aswell.
Best wishes
Helene
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Dear Helene,
My mother also died over thirty years ago. It doesn’t make us miss them any less, does it?
As for my story, hers was not meant to be a dream.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Beautiful simply beautiful.
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Thank you, Chioma. 😀
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Lovely story even second hand/pre-loved. And a wonderful 2016 to you.
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Dear Patrick,
It’s fun to repost from time to time. It also gives me a chance to look back on who was writing and commenting the first time around. Glad you liked it. And a wonderful 2016 to you, too.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Lovely story. Easy to read it simply as a reunification – the punch line in the reason for giving the child up hits you like a… well … a punch. Beautifully done, as ever.
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Dear Sandra,
I hope the punch didn’t hit too hard. 😉 On the other hand…I’m a writer, of course I want to make a direct hit. Thank you for such a lovely compliment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Blessed New Year to you, Rochelle! Thanks for sharing this heartwarming story. Makes me want to hug my own mother.
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Dear Miss Tiffany,
Hug your mother every chance you get. 😉 And a blessed New Year to you, too.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This story is so heart breaking. And it makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside, I want to cry now. You’re a really talented writer, Rochelle ❤
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Dear Nirvana,
I’d apologize for making you want to cry, but, in this case I can’t say I’m sorry. 😉 Thank you for your lovely comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I remember your story like it was yesterday, as the saying goes. One of your Classics… but it would be hard to pick a story that isn’t.
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Dear Ted,
What a delightfully sweet thing to say. That means a lot.
Thank you and a happy happy new year.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A beautiful reunion. Sight is so much more than eyes.
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Dear Anne,
And then there are those whose physical vision is 20/20 who are emotionally blind. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Heartwarming and well done, as usual. It shows that you can see without physical vision. Your stories can always make us see visions in your mind without the physical imagery. We won’t talk about the voices. Lol.
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Quite a touching story, Rochelle. I enjoyed it immensely. Also, have a wonderful New Year!
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Thank you, Adam. Glad you enjoyed and took the time to say so. Blessings to you in the New Year.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh what a wonderful twist on the traditional “adoption” story.
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Thank you, Joe. 😀
Happy New Year and Shalom,
Rochelle
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So beautiful. A mother sees with her heart so blindness would only be an inconvenience.
Happy New Year Rochelle,
Tracey
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Dear Tracey,
Thank you for such a lovely comment/compliment.
Shalom and Happy New Year.
Rochelle
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This looks like such fun. Great challenge!
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Jump in any time, Sharon. 😉
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Lovely story, Rochelle, with a heartwarming twist at the end. Well-written as always. Happy New Year 2016 to you and yours. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thank you for your sweet comments, Suzanne. Happy New Year to you and yours as well.
Shalom ❤
Rochelle
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Beautiful story. I don’t know if I feel more sorry for the mother being forced to give up her daughter, or the daughter for growing up without her mother, but at last they meet. Lovely last line.
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Dear Ali,
Both mother and daughter have been given the short end, haven’t they? I’m glad my story evoked emotion for you. An author can’t ask for better. 😉
Happy New Year and Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a lovely story. My best friend is adopted but she has absolutely no desire to know about her “birth” family which is unfortunate because right now she is undergoing tests for a lump they have found in her breast. It would be a good thing to have family history… but she said no.
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Dear Courtney,
Every circumstance is different but it does sound like your friend might benefit from knowing something of her birth family.
Thank you re my story.
Happy New Year and Shalom,
Rochelle
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Lovely story Rochelle that I seemed to miss the first time round. Hope you are enjoying the holiday and that you have a happy and healthy 2016.
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Dear Dee,
I’m glad you caught and enjoyed my story the second time around. It’s hard to believe that I’m going into my fourth year of Friday Fictioneers. Asking Madison for the job was one of the best life decisions I ever made.
Happy New Year and Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sweet story. Happy New Year!
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Happy New Year and thank you to you, Miranda.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such a touching story, Rochelle, and such lovely writing — you make it look so easy and smooth. I choked up on the last line. Funny how quickly we can be so drawn into the lives of total strangers in just a few well-conceived lines.
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Dear Joy,
Sometimes it’s easier than others. 😉 Glad to have drawn you in.
Thank you and shalom,
Happy New Year,
Rochelle
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A beautiful story. I loved the ending.
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Thank you, Solo. 😀
Shalom and Happy New Year,
Rochelle
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The addition of her being blind adds so much depth to this. Well done!
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Dear Alice,
I’m glad you thought so. Thank you for such lovely comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
A beautiful story. I too thought adding that she was blind gave the story extra unexpected depth.
Happy New Year
Cheers Irene
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Dear Irene,
People who live with such challenges fascinate me. Thank you for your wonderful comment.
Shalom and Happy New Year,
Rochelle
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It’s wonderful that your two characters have found each other after their cruel separation. So many young women found themselves in this position in the past. Beautifully told.
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Dear Margaret,
Thank you for such affirming comments. It did seem like a plausible situation to me.
Shalom and Happy New Year
Rochelle
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life’s circumstances blinded her and finally she could see. what a great story.
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Dear Plaridel,
There are different kinds of blindness, aren’t there?
Thank you and shalom and a wonderful New Year.
Rochelle
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What a wonderful sweet story… I wonder how often these things happens… and I am so glad for both of them… what a great selection of picture, I must have been away when this one was used the last time.
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Dear Björn,
Thank you for such nice comments. I’ve no doubt this could and probably has happened somewhere. Glad you caught this the second time around. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh, what a tender, tender story with SO much packed into a hundred words! These words tore at my heart:
‘Her sightless eyes glistened. “It’s good to finally see you.”’
SO much in such few words. You’re a master/mistress of this form, Rochelle!
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Dear Vijaya,
Your words make me smile. Thank you for such lovely compliments.
Shalom and Happy New Year,
Rochelle YFBM
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🙂
You are most welcome, Rochelle!
Happy New Year and Peace,
Vijaya
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Happy New Year, Rochelle!
This is a lovely story that really resonates with me; I didn’t meet my older (half) brother until I was 18. Thanks for re-posting this one.
Happy trails!
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Dear Sara,
I’m always pleased (and a little amazed) when a story strikes a personal chord with a reader. I’m also glad you did get to meet your brother.
Shalom and Happy New Year,
Rochelle
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Beautiful, loving post! I’m glad she found out the reason for her mother not being in her life.
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Dear Jessie,
Not all of life’s mysteries are solved, are they? Many thanks for your lovely comment.
Shalom and Happy New Year,
Rochelle
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“….moved as lightly as moth wings….” Absolutely stunning line. What a beautiful beautiful story here. And the twist at the end adds to its palpable touching my heart. Wonderful!
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Dear Lillian,
I so pleased that you enjoyed my story. Thank you for such lovely comments and compliments.
Shalom and a Happy New Year.
Rochelle
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Dear Rockette,
This story is as lovely and heartwarming as the first time I read it, so I guess it could be considered timeless. I’m glad these two got together.
Yogi
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Dear Yogi,
It’s gratifying to know that this story still works after three years! Can you believe we’ve held Friday Fictioneers together that long??? Sometimes I feel a little unhinged by it all.
Thank you for sticking around–joy buzzer, clown nose and all.
Shalom,
Rocketter
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I think I remember this story from when you originally posted it, Rochelle. It was only my 3rd time doing Fictioneers, so the stories were all more memorable at that time. I thought about replaying my story but went for a new one. I hope you had a good New Year. Full steam ahead for 2016, eh? 🙂
-David
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Dear David,
Full steam ahead indeed. I’m working hard on the next two books. One is the third in the trilogy that I refer to (at least in my head) as the Menorah Saga. The fourth book is a companion coffee table to book to go with them, replete with my character studies and portraits. And then there’s marketing.
I hope 2016 holds good things for you and Leah.
Much love and Shalom,
Rochelle
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Mother and daughter stories are always poignant. It reminds me of the story of Joni Mitchell and her daughter.
Lily
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Dear Lily,
I only recently heard about Joni Mitchell and her daughter. I’m glad my story struck a chord for you.
Happy New Year and shalom,
Rochelle
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This is such a moving story that I feel tears pricking at my own eyes. This is so beautifully written.
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Dear Georgia,
Tears for a story such as this are high compliments. Thank you for your kind words. Nice to see you here. 😀
Shalom and Happy New Year.
Rochelle
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Thanks, Nice to be back … Ciao, Georgia
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This is heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time. A mother’s love can take so many forms, can’t it? If the blind mother was blind when she was pregnant, given the times and the view on ‘handicapped people’ in the past, the blind woman’s mother might have had best intentions… or maybe not, who knows. A wonderful, feel-good ending just rounds it up beautifully.
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Dear Gah,
Not having fleshed out the story, I’d say the blind woman’s mother’s motives are up for grabs. It does kind of make me want to make a longer story out of it.
At any rate, thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle, Sorry it’s been so long since I visited, but we’ve been busy. I love your story – it’s a tearjerker. You really should be teaching writing and getting paid for it because you are so absolutely talented! Quite lovely! Nan
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