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101 Words

101 Word Short Stories

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For Sue

December 9, 2025 12 Comments

By Karen Kinley

We had such big plans.

Fifteen years of friendship. Each with a young son. Our second babies were due the same month. We envisioned many more years full of playground trips, birthday celebrations, and Christmas cookie-baking.

One Tuesday evening, the phone rang. “There’s been an accident.”

Even before I stepped off the hospital elevator into a sea of tear-streaked faces, I knew. I learned the doctors had cut the baby from your womb while you were sleeping.

You had a son—a miracle—who lived.

Twelve days after your funeral, I gave birth to a daughter.

I named her after you.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa Hiserodt says

    December 10, 2025 at 10:39 am

    Beautifully done.

    Reply
    • Karen Kinley says

      December 10, 2025 at 4:23 pm

      Thank you. She was a special person.

      Reply
  2. Janet says

    December 10, 2025 at 11:06 am

    Heartbreaking. You captured this beautifully

    Reply
    • Karen Kinley says

      December 10, 2025 at 4:23 pm

      Thank you. Miss her every day.

      Reply
  3. Marie says

    December 10, 2025 at 3:13 pm

    Wonderful, it gave me goosebumps!

    Reply
    • Karen Kinley says

      December 10, 2025 at 4:25 pm

      Thank you. Goosebumps are good! I hate that it’s a true story.

      Reply
  4. Kerri says

    December 11, 2025 at 11:06 am

    So much emotion in just 101 words.

    Reply
    • Karen Kinley says

      December 16, 2025 at 5:57 pm

      Thank you. It was cathartic to write!

      Reply
  5. K F Lerner says

    December 12, 2025 at 9:48 am

    It’s good that her children will have someone in their lives who can tell them how wonderful she was. May her memory be a blessing to all of you.

    Reply
    • Karen Kinley says

      December 16, 2025 at 5:58 pm

      Her babies have had many, many people over the years tell them how wonderful she was! ??

      Reply
  6. Sharon Murphy says

    December 17, 2025 at 2:34 pm

    Heartbreaking but really lovely

    Reply
  7. Karen Kinley says

    December 18, 2025 at 1:00 pm

    Thank you so much.

    Reply

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