(LSWC) The Birthday Present.

Sarah was running around outside when the phone rang. She stopped and listened to hear if mommy was going to pick it up; she did.
Sarah ran inside to see her mom, Kerry, sitting on the sofa in the lounge with her head in her hands.

“Mommy, what’s the matter?”
Sarah was always the inquiring type. Always asking questions and very intelligent for her age. She was only three after all and always wants to learn. Today was different.

“Daddy won’t be coming home my love.”
“Why mommy?”
“Come and sit next to me”
“Mommy, guess what?”
“Come sit by me Sarah; please love.”
“Mommy, but guess what!”
“What? What is it angel?”
“Daddy can fly!!! Daddy can really fly!”

Kerry looked at her daughter in astonishment.

“What do you mean Daddy can fly… Sarah I need to tell you something. Come sit by me so I can tell you.”
“Yes, but I saw daddy outside while I was playing with Bruno.”
“You saw DADDY???”
“Yes, and I spoke to him”, Sarah replied sounding very proud of herself.
“Sarah, it isn’t nice to play games like that and I told you I don’t like fibs!!”
“But Mommy…”
“Sarah, please come sit by mommy. I have to tell you something very important about Daddy!”
“Daddy said he will bring me something nice for my birthday on Saturday.”
“Sarah, you can’t talk to daddy now…”

Blah d bleep dee dee ding dng tad a daaaaaa!!!! Kerry’s cell phone rang.

“Hi Mom. Yes I’m fine. Yes. Yes ok. It was. It was all sorted out last week. I will just need to go and get the papers this afternoon and give them to the insurance company”

“Mommy, can I talk to granny?”
“Granny is in a hurry love. You can talk to her later when she comes to visit.”
“Mommy, tell granny daddy can flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy whoooooooooweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee”

Sarah made flying movements with her arms and ran around the table jumping up and down like she was taking off.

“Mom, I have to go. I need to talk to Sarah. Ok bye, yes, later, bye now.”
“Is granny coming to my party on Saturday mom?”
“Yes angel. She will be there”
“Mommy!! You should have seen daddy fly. OH and he looked like he had a flashlight behind his back. Hahahahahaha”

Kerry looked at Sarah and was very puzzled. Sarah was not a child that lied or told tales.

“Sarah dear. Come tell mommy about daddy. What did he say? What was he doing?”
“Wellllllllll…… he tapped me on the shoulder and said shhhhhhh with his finger on his lips. Like when we want to surprise YOU on your birthday Mommy.”
“What did he say to you?”
“He said he misses me and he misses you. I don’t know why cos he was there with me. He is silly Mommy. Daddy told me that he will bring me a BIGGGGGGG present on Saturday and he loves me and mommy very very much”

Kerry started to cry and grabbed Sarah and hugged her tightly.

“Daddy is in heaven my love.”
“No mommy, he was outside.”
“Something happened to daddy when he was leaving the office. There was an accident and daddy was hurt. A naughty man bumped daddy with a taxi and he had to go to Heaven. Daddy is an angel now my dear.”

Sarah looked at her mother.

“OH! That’s ok. He will bring me a BIGGGGGGGGGGGGGG present on my birthday.” Sarah held her arms out wide showing how big the present was going to be.

There was a knock on the door and a police officer took his hat off as Kerry opened the door.

“We are her to drive you to the hospital Mrs Hill. Your mother-in-law called us and said she was on her way but would only get here in a few hours so we offered to assist you.”
“Oh thank you so much officer.”
“I am Fred. Well Frederico, but Fred is fine. He smiled. You can call me Fred.”
“Thanks Fred. Sarah, come love.”

They all climbed into the cruiser and sped off toward the hospital.

Saturday arrived and Kerry had made no changes to the plans. It was Sarah’s birthday and all her friends would be there. It was only fair to let it go on as planned.

The kids were having such a time on the jumping castle which was filled with foam from a fire engine. Oh they absolutely loved every minute. All the mothers we huddled in the lounge chatting to Kerry.

The door bell rang.

Kerry jumped up and opened the door. She looked up and watched as it started to rain. All the kids started running inside. Kerry signed for the envelope and closed the door as the man left. She placed the envelope on the table and started to say good bye as the parents decided it would be best to leave before the storm got worse.

Kerry sat down after the last kids and parents left. She looked around for Sarah, who was standing at the door looking outside. Kerry remembered the envelope. She picked it up and pulled out a report as she walked towards the glass door where Sarah was.

Sarah was looking up at the sky at the clouds parting.

“WOW, that was a quick storm hey Sarah!”

She noticed Sarah was looking at a double rainbow.

Kerry looked down at the report and stared not believing her eyes. It was IMPOSSIBLE!! It was a confirmation from a blood test - She was pregnant!

Sarah pointed at the rainbows, ”SEEEEEE. Daddy’s present is here! I told you!! I told you; AND he told me I am getting a little brother!”

[edit on 25/6/2008 by shearder]

nice work. well-written and emotionally engaging. Heart-breaking and warming in equal measure. thanks for sharing.

Thanks Chonx. It's short i know but i have neglected writing due to other priorities so i had half an hour to spare so here it is

Thanks again!!

I really enjoyed the conversations between Mom and daughter.
Sad, but happy too.
Very nice.

reply to post by SIEGE


Thanks a stack SEIGE. I am glad you liked it.

I haven't written in a LONG time and thought I just want to do something short

Aww, I loved your story and I was not expecting the end. It was a pleasure to read, I will rember this one, thanks.

reply to post by antar


hehehe, thanks antar

Glad you liked it. I don't think i am in the running for any prizes but I just thought i HAD to write something again after such a long absence

Thanks for reading!!

reply to post by shearder


This is perfectly professional, suitable and enjoyable.
I was thinking that the present was going to be, that she was going to die too and Daddy would come back and take her with him, and she would get to fly and have wings as well.
Also, and feel free not to answer, cause questions can be annoyingly prosaic, but, what was the flashlight type item Daddy had behind his back?
It feels like a test question that I've failed to get.

reply to post by nine-eyed-eel


Thanks a ton for the complement nine-eyed-eel! The flashlight was a glow around him. That's what i had in mind but tried to figure out what a child would say about it LOL... My thinking cap was in a draw somewhere!!

Thanks again for taking the time to read my story!

Shearder, a great "Feel Good" story to start my day with!!!!!

reply to post by AccessDenied

Thanks AD

I am glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks a TON for reading it!! I still need to make the time to go and read some others hehehe

But time time time! Definitely NOT on my side!