"Mira, stay. Why do you leave before your mom comes?" Mira's dad spoke in a low tone as his half-closed eyes blinked at his daughter.
"She's my stepmother, dad and I don't want to see her." Mira turned on her heel and left.
Her dad looked at the multitude of needles probing him, the heart machine showing a slow rhythm, and hoped that he could make it enough to reconcile those two.
That night the ominous beeping sounds made him feel otherwise. He pressed the button for the nurse and as she put an oxygen mask around his mouth, he spoke to her, even when she chided him to stop.
The nurse reluctantly got a piece of paper and wrote down the disjointed sentences spoken by the dying man.
Joy looked at the coffin of the man she loved and the blur of faces as they said goodbye to him, she looked for one face, but it remained as far away from her as possible.
It seemed that she lost two people on the same day, her stepdaughter had ignored her throughout the ceremony.
Little by little, the crowd left murmuring some words she didn't understand. She stayed near him for a long time, and left making one last attempt to look for Mira.
At home, she looked around the once cozy apartment which seemed cold and draughty. She'll put it on sale and disappear, there was nothing tying her down to that home now.
She went to her room and sat on her desk and opened her laptop. There were over 200 mails for her Agony Aunt column. Could she give advice today?
My roommate keeps borrowing my clothes without asking. She's great otherwise but I'm sick of this habit?
Joy gave a sad chuckle. She wanted to write back to her, at least you have someone to come home to, and not devastating quiet.
My mom keeps on asking about my work, she loves to talk and sometimes I get late for work. I abruptly cut the phone but then I feel guilty. Why does she talk so much?
Joy wanted to write in bold letters - because she loves you, she misses you, but she can't say that...
Maybe she can't tell you she loves you because she's not good at it, remember when she would get up early to make your lunch, stay up with you for exam prep, go across town to get your favorite cake on Christmas or do you just remember when she forgot to pick you up from school that one time, when she couldn't go shopping because she had work, when she watched you tell your father that you don't want to talk to her.
Ah Mira! Joy buried her head in her hands as she thought about how she couldn't shrug off the title of stepmother.
1 month later
Joy got up and had her usual breakfast of coffee and toast, opened the curtains a bit to peak at the new day, shook her head and closed them again.
She sat at her old table in her new dinghy apartment and began to check her mails.
After efficiently answering about twenty, she rubbed her eyes, and smiled. Human nature is pretty much the same, the questions varied but the basic nature never changed. She went to the next question.
"I'm trying to get in touch with my mom. I've been stupid enough not to see what she did for me, and now I feel I've lost her. I lost my dad last month and he left me a letter about the wonderful person my mom is and begged me to be with the only family I have. Unfortunately, two weeks back mom moved out and changed her number. She's the best at giving advice but I must find her first. Sorry mom, love Mira."
Joy looked through a teary prism at that word - mom.
You do know how to make a girl cry, at least this girl, @diebitch. You start off very effectively. There is serious drama here. The man is on the verge of death. You have our attention right away. There is alienation in the family. This most of us can relate to. Even if it is not evident in our own families, we probably all know people who are estranged from their relatives.
You resolve the conflict beautifully and credibly.
A wonderful story, full of significance and well expressed.
Beautiful. Touching. Well written.
I'll tell Mira, life is too short to hold onto grudges. It's a good thing there's a way to connect with her stepmom. What if there was none?
I love the ending of your story, @diebitch. Well done. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this very human story with the Ink Well community, @diebitch. Writing is judged by how much it affects the reader. This one is extremly affecting.
Posting the usual reminder to comment on the writing of fellow community members. Thank you!
This is the most beautiful story I have read in a while. It is the most moving happy ending I have seen for YEARS, because we know that if this were to happen in the world of reality, the happiness would go on for years and generations -- children, grandchildren -- the story is over, but the happiness bubbles over and gives us hope of reconciliation in a deeply divided world. Special mention also to the often overlooked hero of mortal men -- DAD, willing with his last effort to give his last for his family -- and VICTORIOUS! WELL DONE!
Thank you so much!
Nice story. @diebitch. It has a flavor of gentle meditation...also the essence of a moral: All selfless love bears fruit. It's beautiful for Joy to hear the sweetest word: Mom.
Thank you!
Oh this is so beautiful and touching, @diebitch. It really touched my heart. Relationships are so complicated, and sometimes we just don't appreciate the people in our lives until we step away and realize how important they are. You really captured that well.
I just have one question. Does Mira know that Joy is Agony Aunt? At first I didn't think so, but then when she said "Sorry mom," I thought maybe she did know and that was her way of getting back in touch. Great story!
Yes, she knew, I think she never thought much of her stepmother's work but used it to reconnect.
Your content has been voted as a part of Encouragement program. Keep up the good work!
Use Ecency daily to boost your growth on platform!
Support Ecency
Vote for Proposal
Delegate HP and earn more
This post has been manually curated by @bhattg from Indiaunited community. Join us on our Discord Server.
Do you know that you can earn a passive income by delegating to @indiaunited. We share 80 % of the curation rewards with the delegators.
Here are some handy links for delegations: 100HP, 250HP, 500HP, 1000HP.
Read our latest announcement post to get more information.
Please contribute to the community by upvoting this comment and posts made by @indiaunited.
Oh, this is so heart-touching
I can imagine Mira dad trying to bond her to Joy (her step mom) and not succeeding
The emails joy receives, is a clear example of how many people out do not appreciate the people they have until they lost them
But I would get angry over my girlfriend using my clothes often without permission though, especially, if she has the most beautiful ones in the wardrobe, but isn't just contented with them
I don't think I would get angry with mum for long, there will always be something bringing us back to each other ☺️
I am happy Mira finally tried to reach out to Joy, such happy endings 🤗
!LUV
<><
@diebitch, you've been given LUV from @las3rbone.
Check the LUV in your H-E wallet. (2/3)