“And the water taught me what to look for in a friend. The tide went out, but it always rolled back in.”
— from a song on another world
Photo © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
She navigated the rocks to sit beside him.
“Staring at those waves won’t bring your daughter back.”
“I miss her.”
Narl didn’t mince words. She liked that. “She’ll visit when she can.”
“And until then? Her off at sea. My boy off to the city. What am I to do?”
She could be direct too. “You could remarry.”
Narl grinned through his grizzled beard. “Who would have me?”
“Some foolish old woman, I suppose.”
“Don’t know no foolish old women. Guess you’ll have to do.”
She squeezed his hand, heart pounding with the surf, and helped him watch the waves.
Some of you might remember Narl from a trio of stories I wrote earlier, about a young woman leaving home to marry a sailor from another land. You can go back and read them here: Hard to Port, Unstoppable Waves, and Deep Currents.
Word count: 100. Inspired by this week’s Friday Fictioneers flash fiction challenge. Thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting, and for providing the photo prompt! Click here to see the other stories.
Tales from Eneana 
A really heartening story. 🙂
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Thank you, glad you thought so!
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Well, that’s just lovely Joy. Let’s hope it works out for them, the fiesty lady and her softhearted man. Lovely tale 🙂
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Thanks Lynn, I’m optimistic. 🙂 I was struggling to come up with something that wasn’t super sad, but everything I could think of with the waves and the beach kept getting sadder. So I figured I’d start with sad and turn it into a happy ending, that was the best I could do.
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Ha! Funny, I adore spending time by the sea, but it makes me feel sad too, as if there’s something I’ve lost there, or part of me is out in the waves. Can’t describe it properly, but the sea is a strangely wistful place – well, the British seaside anyway. Lovely write, Joy 🙂
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Being by the sea doesn’t make me sad, but more quiet and peaceful and reflective. Although often when I reflect, I get sad, so there’s definitely overlap. The southern California seaside is wistful too, when it’s not noisy and filled with tourists. Although also gorgeous. Still, I’d love to see some British seaside.
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Heart-warming! A lovely portrayal of ’empty-nest’ syndrome and the possibilities that follow.
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Thank you, Clare! Even though I write in a fantasy world, I try to get across that these are still stories about *people*, having the same kinds of problems and joys as people anywhere.
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A love story! It just made me say ‘Aw, isn’t that sweet,’ out loud! 🙂 A really lovely tale, Joy.
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Aw, that’s sweet of you to say! Yeah, it made me feel that way too, even more so because they’re older and on at least the second time around on this. Love stories not just for young people anymore!
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Somehow I think a marriage based on such a proposal will last much longer than any that is based on bending down on your bare knees.
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I’d say it’s never the knees that are the problem, or even the specific words, but the why and the who(s) and the what long before that question. But yes, I think this particular couple have a pretty good chance. Thanks for reading, Bjorn!
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Aw. This is very cute Joy. I enjoyed that he knew she was the old woman she was talking about when she suggested he remarry. I thought at that point it could’ve gone either way. Lucky he is wiser than many men in another world and time 🙂
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Glad you liked it, thanks! Yeah, I get the feeling that they’ve known each other a good long while, and he knew exactly what she meant. (I liked that he implied she was neither old nor foolish in response, too.) Now, whether he would necessarily say yes, that’s a different question. People can get set in their ways, you know. Glad he decided to get un-set.
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Beautiful take on the empty nest syndrome!
Thank God they have each other!
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They are very lucky, given they live in a small port town where there aren’t a lot of other options, that they happen to get along so well. I love a happy ending! Thanks for reading and commenting!
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Nice he’s moving on 🙂 Lovely story.
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Thanks, Ali! I think his wife has been dead for a while, so perhaps this woman he’s friends with has been waiting for the right moment.
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A beautiful heartwarming love story:)
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So glad you liked it — thanks for commenting!
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Sweet story. Loverly dialogue.
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Thanks – glad you liked their dialogue! (I think they’re an awfully cute couple.)
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I love this as your scenario and words flow so easily. Just wondered what colour was the sea in their world. Mike
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Thanks Mike! Confession: I edit quite a bit to get them to seem to flow so easily. Eneana is a very Earth-like world, so the water is blue. Well, *most* of it. You never know what we’ll find if we go peeking into new hidden corners. ((wink wink))
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I could say a resounding ‘yes’ to everything that’s been said before. This so lovely and romantic, exactly the kind of romance I like. Honest, humorous, and not too sweet.
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Aw, thanks G! Yeah, poor Narl was so sad last time we saw him, I’m glad I could do something nice for him. He wouldn’t want anything too sickly sweet either. 😉
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I love this story, Joy! It feels kind. Beautiful blend of description, dialogue, back-story, and a sense of sweet future possibilities!
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Thanks V! That’s what I was going for, so I’m so gratified to hear it came across.
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My pleasure, Joy! Love your writing.
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I think they seem well suited for each other. Being single with two adult children that live far away, I empathize with Narl.I’m glad he found his (not so) foolish woman.
Beautiful story, Joy.
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Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I do like to mix it up with my love stories — love isn’t all about young kids freaking out over falling for the first time, after all. Warm and calm and comfortable has a lot going for it. 🙂
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Such an adorable story! Beautifully timed and conveyed 🙂
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Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting! 🙂
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Loved this, very bold mi’lady.
🙂
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Thanks! Yes, Narl’s lady friend is not one to beat around the bush. 😉
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Liked the almost humour here. (In case you’re wondering what I’m only now accessing your back catalogue it’s that I’ve been so head-to-writing-mill recently; now I’m trying to catch up with the reading,
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Yes, they do have an “almost humor” way of talking to each other. Good for you for keeping your head to the writing mill, and welcome back!
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A lovely story all round, Joy. Excellent dialogue, and I love the easy interaction between the two characters. The ’empty nest syndrome’ strikes a chord with me, too.
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Thanks Millie. I like the idea that good old Narl has someone he can be so comfortable with. I’m always doing such awful things to my characters, it’s nice to bring them a little happiness sometimes!
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