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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © Marie Gail Stratford
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
ABIGAIL’S ROSE
Weary from tending her feverish child, she sank into her rocking chair. The baby, who had howled with pain most of the night, finally calmed. Abigail Adams caressed her daughter’s silky head and kissed her cool cheek.
“Sleep, now, my sweet Suky.”
Suky’s four-year-old sister tiptoed into the room. Abigail stopped rocking and held out a hand to her. “Can you not sleep, Nabby?”
“I dreamt the angels plucked a rose from our garden.” Nabby patted the baby’s back. “Is she feeling better, Mother?”
“Yes, my darling. Our rose is feeling ever so much better.”
“Then why are you weeping?”
*
*
*
Although much has been written about Abigail Adams, wife of President John Adams, I could find precious little about Grace Susanna Adams who died when she was 13 months old. As a mother, I cannot imagine the agony of losing a child that young, but, my friend and fellow fictioneer, Dale Rogerson, can for she has “been there.”
***
One of life’s happy ‘accidents’ came while following the research trail came in learning that there is a rose named Abigail Adams. Who knew?
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
I had to read this twice to realise what had happened. This is so cleverly written, Rochelle
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Dear Neil
You have me smiling over my coffee. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A sad but lovely story, Rochelle. Excellent writing as always. —- Suzanne
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Dear Suzanne,
Many thanks for your constant support and comments. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So delicately told and so poignant. Reminds us of a time when it was a miracle for a child to reach five years old.
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Dear Francine,
It is sad to look back and see how many children died even before their first birthdays. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Beautifully narrated, as always.
Makes me so sad for the mother.
Thanks for the information on Abigail Adams that inspired me to read a little bit more about her.
Best wishes,
moon
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Dear Moon,
There was so much to that First Lady…the first president’s wife to live in the White House. She was a champion for women’s rights and refused to have slaves. Ironically little is recorded about her children or her motherhood. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wow! She was so much ahead of her times. Thank you, Rochelle, for familiarising me with a great woman, I knew nothing about.
Regards,
Moon
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Beautifully told story. Rose plucked from the garden is just the right image for this scene. I can feel the mother’s sorrow but also there is some kind of relief and acceptance that her baby is finally at peace and in no pain. Our friend Dale seems to have gone through so much in life, with a late husband and child. And yet she smiles and keeps that cheery perspective on life. 🙂
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Dear Fatima,
Yes, I have great admiration for Dale, too. She has a smile that lights up a room. Still, I can’t imagine losing a child. Thank you for such a sweet comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Fantastic tale, Rochelle. There’s a lump in my throat after reading this. Regards, Varad
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Dear Varad,
The lump in your throat is my rave review. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So sad, Rochelle. It is hard to believe that this was a fact of life until not very long ago. Women are tough.
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Dear Jane,
I’m with you. Women are tough. Men may have the brawn but we have the backbone. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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And the stamina.
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It is so sad.. but loved the way it is written.
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Many thanks for your lovely words, Lata.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So sad to lose a child, but also so much more common those days. Decrease of child mortality is probably the most positive changes the world have seen… whenever I feel down I go and watch a video by Hans Rosling explaining the changes with statistics.
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Dear Björn,
It’s nice to know that child mortality isn’t what it used to be. So tragic and commonplace back in the day. Thank you for your comments and the video which I’ll watch later.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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‘the angels plucked a rose from the garden’ – such a beautiful description for something so traumatic. I agree, I have no idea how any parent could recover form such a thing, and anyone who has been through such a thing has my greatest admiration.
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Dear Iain,
I’ve known a few who have lost children. Back when my children were babies one friend lost her toddler to meningitis and another lost her infant to SIDS. I don’t know if either of them quite recovered. 😦 Thank you re my story. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Surprisingly John Adams lived to be ninety years old. He and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826. Even a First Family, back then, was never immune from the risks of childbirth in primitive medical circumstances.
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Dear Larry,
From what I’ve read, the White House was a cold and drafty place, still under construction when they moved in. And no one is really immune to tragedy, are they? The story of John and Abigail is fascinating. They were truly equals and madly in love. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I read a biography of him a while ago. She had a good memory. Historians have proven that she memorized, instead of copying, the poetry she sent to him, because she would often make small mistakes with the words. If the poems would have been sent word.for.word perfect, that would have proven she’d copied them.
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A lovely story about one of my most-admired women.
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Dear Linda,
What’s not to admire? This little jaunt into the past really whetted my appetite to know more about her. But for all her intelligence and chutzpah, I couldn’t help but zero in on her heartache at losing a young child. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
You do have a knack for taking a piece of history and weaving a beautiful story around little-known facts. I so love how you do that. And am deeply touched by your aside. xoxo
Lotsa love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
Aw shucks. I do like to snuff out the humanity in history. Of course, you’ve personally experienced the pain Abigail undoubtedly did. The trouble with the history books is that they’re dry and leave out the human side of it. I think I’ve waxed redundant here. So I’ll just shut my fingers up and say “Thank you.”
Shalom and hugs,
Rochelle
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That’s exactly it, Rochelle… you take the dryness out of history! Perfectly expressed! And yes, I have personally experienced it, as have millions of other women. I can’t even imagine the ones who lose their children to wars and hate crimes…
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My heart cringes for those families who’ve lost children in school shootings. That just shouldn’t happen. 😦
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Lovely story. I like the rose connection.
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Thank you, Josh. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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In many ways the Adams’ were my favorite founding father (and mother). John was modern in many ways, particularly in that he thought of Abigail as a true partner in all that he did. Nice humanizing story about this amazing woman.
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Dear Trent,
I so agree. They were an amazing couple. I love that they refused to have slaves do their bidding in the White House. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a sad story but so beautiful at the same time. I could really picture the girl saying that to her mother, that she had this dream. I didn’t know that about the rose or about Abigail Adam’s baby.
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Dear Anne,
With all that’s been written about her, little to nothing was said about this incident. As mothers we know it’s no small thing to lose a child. Thank you for your lovely comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Really touching and well written, the story better for having added the child’s VP.
Some folks these days are eager to denounce drugs as “unnatural” and “toxic chemicals poisoning our bodies.” I say “Hurray for antibiotics” that saved many children’s lives, vision, hearing.
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Dear Christine,
I don’t really now what Suky died of but I suspect an antibiotic or the right vaccination might’ve saved her life. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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*heavy sigh*
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🙂
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Ahh that was so heartbreaking Rochelle.
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Dear Dahlia,
I can’t imagine the heartbreak of losing a child. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Brilliant, you wove so much into so few words. I always enjoy this factual style of writing.
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Dear Michael,
I can’t help myself. I love plumbing the depths of history. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Beautiful story with a beautifully crafted metaphor. I want more, more, more of this story!
Random personal unsolicited bit of trivia: John Adams was my cousin (9 times removed).
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Dear Karen,
That’s quite a heritage you have there. 😀 Thank you for your sweet words re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ha, go back far enough and we’re all cousins.
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Darn it, you made me cry, Rochelle. Lovely, lovely writing.
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Dear Penny,
I’m sending you a tissue with heartfelt thanks. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This twisted my heart. What beautiful writing. So well done.
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Dear Tiffany,
I can’t ask for a better review. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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As Neil said, expertly crafted Rochelle. You led us through the long night with Abigail, steered us towards relief at a fever passed, then that last line when our realisation dawns, poor Abigail’s relief that her child’s suffering is over. Just beautifully, tenderly done. Superb
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Dear Lynn,
The best reply to that comment is”thank you very much.” 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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My pleasure 🙂
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Poor Suki will probably fear roses, or at least dreams of roses being plucked, once she knows what happened.
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Dear Alice,
In case you missed it, Suky passed away.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Like Neil, I needed to read this twice to capture what happened and when I did WHAM! Subtly done, my dear. Wonderful piece.
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Dear Lish,
Reading my story twice isn’t a bad thing, right? 😉 Thank you for your glowing comment. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Kissing a cool cheek, a dream of angels plucking a rose, that’s just great foreshadowing Rochelle. It’s beautiful writing.
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Dear Eric,
Thank you for such lovely comments. You make me smile. (No keyboard spewing here. 😉 )
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wonderfully narrated, Rochelle.
Nicely linked with history. The info about a rose being named after her is great.
Hope no parent ever loses her/his child…
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Dear Anita,
No parent wants to outlive his or her child at any age. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love your imagery through words. Although a sad story, it also projects a peace in the outcome.
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Dear Jan,
Words…what would we do without them? Use sign language. 😉 Thank you, m’luv.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So beautifully and sensitively written, Rochelle, it really affected me and my heart goes out also to Dale whose lovely smile shone out to me from Day One of Friday Fictioneers, Thank you both.
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Dear Jilly,
No argument when it comes to my friend Dale. Happy she’s part of my life. What an inspiration! Thank you re my story. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This shot me straight through the heart. So heart-breaking. Beautifully written.
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Jen. Comments don’t get much better.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Heartbreaking. You sure know how to draw your readers in, Rochelle.
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Many thanks for your sweet words, Magarisa.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re most welcome, Rochelle.
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Hi Rochelle, I hope you’ve been well lately. 🙂 I love it when coincidences come together like that, like the rose named Abigail Adams. One of the little side joys of writing. This is a beautiful story, although sad. I can’t imagine what that would be like.
-David
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Dear David,
There are so many joys (and disappointments and frustrations) to writing, aren’t there. One of my joys this week is seeing you here amongst the Hollywood Squares. 😀 Thank you re my story. I can’t imagine that kind of anguish either.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, tragedy told with a soft, sad, and honest delivery.
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Thank you for such a sweet comment, Roy.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh, what a tender little story, so much in so few words. It’s a lovely piece. I wonder what the world was like then, when so many people must have been traumatised at such a deep level.
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Dear Sarah,
According to history the loss of children was ‘commonplace’ but I can’t even imagine it Thank you for re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That was such a touching tale Sue, said so much without any drama. And a big hug to you Dale, keep rocking 🙂
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I’ve just come back from a long walk in the heat, so the sun seems to have done something to my head. So sorry for botching up your name Rochelle 🙂
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Dear Anurag,
I’m laughing, now. I really didn’t retaliate although it would seem so. 😉 Thank you for taking the time to read. I don’t mind being confused with Dale. I’ll take it as a compliment.
Shalom,
What’s Her Name
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Such a sad story. After I read your footnote I read it again, seeing the significance of the plucked rose.
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Dear Ali,
Actually I’d already written my story when I found the rose named for Mrs. Adams. One of those happy confirmations. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such a poignant tale….the significance of the ‘plucked rose’ must have been devastating to the mum. You captured the atmosphere beautifully.
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Dear Vivian,
I can’t even imagine that kind of devastation. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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😊
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Dear Rochelle,
You’ve bought tears to my eyes D:
I’m glad that at least such a beautiful rose was named after a treasure-of-a-baby taken from her mother so young. You have written about it with such sensitivity and evoked the atmosphere of the moment so well, when faced with her four year-olds’ question.
The loss of a baby is every mother’s dread. I used to keep going to check on my babies if they were too quiet, to see they were still breathing. Dale amazes me the way she has got through so much sadness in her life and has such a wonderful smiley face and spreads sunshine wherever she goes.
I hope all is going well with your coffee table book. I’m still buried in my novel and have had a couple of weeks fighting with how to pick up certain threads in order to resolve the story. It has been giving me brain ache. My son is doing better. He is 120K words into his fantasy novel and has nearly reached the end. Oh, to have a young brain and the opportunity to work late into the night!
All best wishes,
Sarah
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Dear Sarah,
I don’t have a clue whether or not the rose has anything to do with Abigail’s loss. I just loved it that there was a rose named after her. One of those serendipities that appear at just the right moment. 😉
I had two friends who lost babies–one a toddler and the other a month old infant. I’m not sure the former ever recovered from the loss. I agree about Dale. I’ve told her more than once that she is my hero. Such a strong and positive woman with the smile that brightens her world
As I write I’m back and forth between FF and tweaking stories and jpegs to go in the coffee table book. At the same time in dread that my publisher won’t follow directions and muck the whole thing up.
Hope to catch up one day soon.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A powerful piece of writing, Rochelle. This line “I dreamt the angels plucked a rose from our garden.” and the last line are so powerful. They just stand out and stay in your mind.
It’s always a tragic to lose a child. No matter what age, it’s always difficult for the parents to cope up with such a loss.
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Dear Norma,
No parent should outlive their child. Thank you for your kind words re my story. 🙂
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a heartbreaking moment you have captured here, Rochelle, and so poignantly. For her to focus on the fact that her baby is no longer in pain, it brought tears to my eyes. Expertly woven.
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Dear Norma,
Since history records so little about this incident, I could only put myself in Abigail’s position as a mother. Thank you so much for such a lovely comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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poignant, but well-told as always.
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Many thanks, Plaridel. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I can’t imagine living in a time when a family lost so many of its children.
You’ve told this one beautifully.
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Dear Dawn,
I can’t imagine it either, although I’ve walked through it with a few friends. Horribly devastating. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such a poignant story Rochelle! Lovely metaphor
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Thank you, Meena. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This breaks my heart. It must have been really sad for a mother to lose her child just a few days after she’s born. I can’t even imagine the grief she must have gone through.
Coming across a rose called Abigail Adams is such a happy accident. Maybe God is watching all of us after all.
A very heartfelt tale, Rochelle.
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Dear Soumya,
It would be hard to lose a child at any age. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So poignant and heartachingly simple!
Nothing prepares for the loss of a child, at any age!
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Dear Sabina,
I can only imagine the anguish. Thank you for your kind words re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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👍
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So tough for mother to see her child in pain. Rochelle, you have written so brilliantly that tear and smile tangent after reading this story.
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Dear Meena,
Thank you for such a sweet comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Doris Whipple W(T)F,
Once again, you’ve made a forgotten sidenote of history come alive with the tinkling of your magic fingers. It always pains my heart to walk through a cemetery and read the tombstones of the tender roses who were plucked at such a tender age.
Keep your chin up and your teeth in,
Paul E. Gripp
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Dear Paul E. Gripp,
I do the same thing in cemeteries. You know there’s a heartache there that some never recover from. Doing my best to keep my choppers in and my fingers from squeezing the…you know. Thanks for coming by.
Shalom,
Doris Whipple W(T)F
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Oh that’s heart-rending. So clever how you lead us one way, letting us think the Suky is soothed, only for Nabby’s observation to reveal the truth. Goose-bumpingly good.
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Dear Sarah Ann,
Thank you for such goose-bumpingly nice comment. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Heartbreaking story and so vividly told, Rochelle. The most devastating thing that can happens to a mother is to lose her child.
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Dear Luccia,
I agree. Losing a child is a pain no mother should have to feel. Thank you re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So very sad. You told this incredibly well Rochelle. Amazing how other children just know
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Many thanks, Laurie. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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To lose a child at any age is devastating. My mother lost a son when he was 35. Tender story.
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Dear Liz,
That must’ve been hard for your mother. I have a 35 year old son and I would be crushed if anything happened to him or his older brothers. It must’ve been difficult for you to lose your brother. re my story, thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Reblogged this on Reena Saxena and commented:
The intensity of this blew me off…
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Such a sad story but you’ve told it with so much sensitivity. Of course I had to google up the story behind it.
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Dear Subroto,
I’m always happy when a reader takes the time to dig deeper. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This is just so beautiful. So subtly perfect. Well done, Rochelle.
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Many thanks for such a lovely comment, Sascha.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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