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Secrets

May 24, 2020 8 Comments

Secrets
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“I never loved him,” Mama told me as we headed to the pawn shop in the part of town Daddy told us not to go to.

“Not even on your wedding day?”

“Nope.”

She made me swear not to tell Daddy she was selling her diamond wedding ring. “I’ll just pretend it went down the shower drain.”

I was quiet. I didn’t like to keep secrets, but it felt good when Mama trusted me.

After we left the pawn shop, Mama paid the light bill. With the remaining money, we got ice cream, just us two, just how she liked it.

By Rebecca Anderson

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. PAULA WESCOTT says

    May 24, 2020 at 7:45 am

    Delightful story. You can feel the weight of responsibility on the child’s shoulders, the discomfort, but also the pleasure at being trusted with such knowledge. Love the stark honesty of the mother also and the humility of the story. Selling a ring to pay a bill with a little left for ice-cream. Such a simple treat packs a huge punch when you realise how rare and special it is for them.

    Reply
  2. Sharon K says

    May 24, 2020 at 8:19 am

    Wonderful story! So much conveyed in so little words!

    Reply
  3. rolandmiles says

    May 24, 2020 at 8:47 am

    One of the best in the last few months.

    Reply
  4. derekmcmillan1951 says

    May 24, 2020 at 10:01 am

    “I never loved him…” even on her wedding day. That’s harsh but it seems if she married him for his money it misfired. So there’s another possible reason, she was pregnant. Obviously this story intrigued me 🙂

    Reply
  5. Siobhan Wright says

    May 24, 2020 at 9:04 pm

    Wonderful! I agree with Paula’s comments. That first sentence sets the entire story in motion!

    Reply
  6. Jeff Stone says

    May 26, 2020 at 3:12 am

    Shotgun wedding? Well done!

    Reply
  7. glkamens says

    May 26, 2020 at 2:56 pm

    While I tend to agree with the prior comments, there are other possible explanations — with possibly false info given to a young child — which could unfairly color the latter’s lifetime reactions to her father. Like, the mother is a drug (e.g., alcohol, opium) addict, who spends most of her, or her husband’s hard-earned money on such. Or that she’s unfaithful, and trying to explain it away, possibly because she and/or .her husband turned out to be bisexual, and wanted a partner of a different sexual orientation for sexual and/or romantic satisfaction. Etc., etc.. Jerry

    Reply
  8. Christophe Declerck says

    October 12, 2020 at 2:38 pm

    I loved the story. So much said about the 2 characters. A world in 101 words 🙂 I feel for the little girl (boy?) though, caught in this dysfunctional parental relationship. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

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