She felt him: fluttering rolls across her belly, monitor heartbeats strong and loud. What will you be like? she wondered, pausing life to grow another.
She chased him: rolling, crawling, walking, running; breaking, laughing, climbing high. When will you slow down? she wondered, curtailing career to care for child.
She watched him: growing taller, speaking deeper; leaving parents for teenage crowds. When will you grow up? she wondered, forgoing sleep for curfew calls.
She hugged him: leaving nest to start his own; walking tall beside his wife. When will you come back? she wondered, looking round at what remained.
Raised and cared for Carrot Ranch‘s writing prompt: an interlude.
September 19, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about an interlude. It can be a pause between two key moments, the pause between acts in a play, an intermission, or a temporary amusement Go where the prompt leads you!
Respond by September 24, 2019. Use the comment section below to share, read, and be social. You may leave a link, pingback, or story in the comments. If you want to be published in the weekly collection, please use the form. Rules & Guidelines.
Photo Credit: Katrina Knapp
©2019 Chelsea Owens
Chel Owens 
You describe that sweetest interlude very well, and hopefully, it will be followed by another…
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Thanks. 🙂 This is my fifth interlude.
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They grow up so fast.
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Most days, definitely. Some days, not so much. 🙂
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“She felt him: fluttering rolls across her belly-”
I imagined a guy wiggling cinnamon buns across a woman’s belly and was really thrown for a loop when “monitor heartbeats” happened right after.
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😀 Can’t unsee it now.
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Well, if anyone can write this, it is you. How old is your eldest? I am imagining the leaving home scenario is still a bit futuristic but would like to know for sure.
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He is 13, so I’ve a little time yet. 🙂
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Oh, boy, this one struck a cord! My son gets married next August and on FB his fiance posted how proud she was of him for a big project he was taking on at work. I thought, wait, that’s for me to say! Instead, I told her how proud I was that they supported each other in loving ways. Sigh. They fledge fast.
Also, Chelsea, I love the way you narrate the story with repetition of form. Most effective and with lyrical results that support the content.
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My oldest is 13. ❤ I’m nearing the stage of release every day, wondering how odd that will be for him to have a girlfriend….
Thank you for the compliment. 🙂
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It does go so quick. But so many memories made.
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I hope they retain mostly good ones.
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This is beautifully told, Chelsea, and so true to life. I can identify. Sometimes it seems as if we are putting our life on ‘pause’ while we raise our children. But really, raising our children is living life.
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That’s what my husband keeps trying to convince me of.
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What do you think?
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Apparently I think wrongly.
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Not wrongly. Just differently. I assume you have a different allocation of roles. That tends to change one’s opinion about things.
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It’s a work in progress. Actually, it’s a sticky mess, but we keep mucking forward.
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What else can we do?
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Beautifully expressed, Chelsea. One of my favourites from the compilation.
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I’m sorry this went to Spam, Anne. I am glad you liked it. 🙂
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Such a brilliant piece. I liked the content and the structure.
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Thank you. 🙂
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Reminds me a little bit of the song ‘Cat’s in the Cradle’ though your piece is much gentler and with more interaction. 🙂
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I thought of that when I read back over it, too!
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