PHOTO PROMPT © David Stewart
Waterfalls
Willa sits in the cafe with black coffee and lemon tart. It is Joey’s eighteenth birthday. She’d made him lemon tart every birthday until his tenth.
Jim gave no hint he’d abscond with Joey. Jim had been served with papers at noon; by two they were gone. Had he been expecting it; to be so prepared?
Her phone dings with a text. It reads, “Mom. It’s Joe. I’m in Venezuela. I’m on my way home.” Attached is a photo of a handsome young man.
Her head falls to the table. The cup clatters to the floor. Her tears are waterfalls.
[100 words]
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the sunny host of Friday Fictioneers. And I agree with Rochelle:
Tao Talk 
Such a touching way to tell your story.
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❤ Thank you, Sadje.
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My pleasure
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I like the way you signal Willa’s deep love and sense of loss by the continuation of the birthday tradition she and Joe had shared. That text message must have stunned Willa.
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Thank you, Penny. Stunned is a good word for it.
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The waiting paid off
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Quite a few pent up tears released. Nicely done, touching story.
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Iain thank you very much.
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Is it good news that he’s heading home? All is not lost?
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Larry, now that he is an adult, his kidnapper father can’t stop him from going home anymore. In my view it is very good news — for him and for his mother.
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That was the first thing I noticed. If he’s not a minor his father’s not in charge, but you used the word ‘kidnapper’ so that is a different world
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Parents can kidnap their children, especially if they leave without a trace or refuse to allow contact between the child and the other parent.
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Oh what a lovely tale, you’ve smashed it!
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Shrawl, thank you so much 🙂
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Good story. I’m a little choked up.
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Thank you, Tracey. Glad you connected with it.
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I hope he does make it home–Im sure there will be a long story to tell. (K)
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I like how Willa continued to celebrate Joey’s birthday even after he left.
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Thank you, Frank.
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Very well done Lisa!
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Thank you, Dwight 🙂
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At last, she can get her life back on track. A poignant piece indeed, Lisa.
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Keith, many thanks. I like these kinds of happy endings and even write about them from time to time 🙂
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i bet when they meet there’ll be more tears to cause a deluge. 🙂
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100% in agreement with you, Plaridel. Thank you for reading and your comment.
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That one is great Lisa… hope it’s a happy and lasting reunion.
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I hope so also, Max. Glad you liked it, thank you.
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I loved this. Absolutely.
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Thank you, Patricia. Hoping this comment gets to you. The other one disappeared via the ghost in the WP machine.
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I could not ever come close to imagining the horror of this happening and the overwhelming elation to find out that you will see your long-lost son again. However did he get her cell number? 🙂
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Google 🙂 I can’t imagine it either. My ex-husband used to threaten it when the kids were little.
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LOL. Cell numbers are not always up there but we’ll say in this case it was!
What a horrible thing. A friend of mine has her boys taken from her. She looked for them for over 10 years. They were in Beirut. Horrible thing
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Oh, I would say a fair number of them can be found if you know how to look for them. Especially if you are a law abiding citizen who doesn’t take any steps to hide them. Knowing her son was out there somewhere, I’m guessing she was making herself very findable also.
Dale, that’s a downright shame that not only can parents steal children from the other parent, they are somehow allowed to leave the country without being stopped. Isn’t that what passports and border checks are all about. It sounds like they are back with her now? I hope the …. who ran off with them was prosecuted.
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You have a point on that one.
As for my friend, they were living in the Middle East.
She – don’t ask me why – never pressed charges.
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Such a sad yet believable story, Lisa. Such things do happen. Well done.
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Bill, thank you. Yes, they do 😦
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🙂
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Nice touch. Lots of water to shed there.
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Thank you, Danny. I liked using them in both as the location where he had been living (not sure if that photo was taken in Venezuela or not but it looks like it) and also with the tears upon knowing he was returning to his home.
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Really great take on the prompt. No way to make up for eight lost years, but the future certainly looks bright!
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Linda, thank you very much. I loved writing to that image.
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I like your interpretation of waterfall, what a moving story. These kidnappings happen far too often. It’s almost always a selfish act, not love for the kids.
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Gabi you are so right about the selfishness of it. Thank you for reading and your thoughtful comment.
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I love this! You built the tension so well and the ending was emotional and satisfying…to get her son back. Nicely done, Lisa!!
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Brenda, thank you. So happy you enjoyed the story. I was happy for them ❤
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Sadness followed by overwhelming joy.
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Thanks, James.
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Really nice – full of scent, sound, and taste – lovely writing
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Thank you, Jennifer.
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Thank you, Jennifer. Hoping the comment gets to you. The other one(s) disappeared.
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Well that story made me think and work out various scenarios. Well done
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Thanks much, glad you enjoyed the story.
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👌👍
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Thanks much.
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I was drawn right into Willa’s situation by your words. Very powerful. I love that her lonely celebration of Joey’s birthday was the moment when everything changed for the better.
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❤ Thank you, Margaret. The story wrote itself and I'm sure this actually happened at somewhere at sometime.
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That was very moving. Can’t imagine how awful that must havew been.
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Sandra, thank you very much.
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Yes it did, Neil. Thank you.
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Thank you, Neil, yes it did.
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4th try on saying yes it did and thank you. WP is not cooperating.
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Touching ! Well done Lisa
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Thank you, Vartika 🙂
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Dear Lisa,
A touching story. Full of emotion. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, thank you very much.
Shalom,
Lisa
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Oh. Oh this is heartbreaking and joyous. I felt her reaction of shock. Beautifully done.
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Laurie, thank you very much. I’m happy when I hear someone has connected with a story.
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