Gathering Place

You always said the kitchen was our gathering place. 

“Over fine food families are saved.”

We’ve finally begun washing away the smoke gathered on your plates. Odds and ends scavenged from charred remains gather dust among piles of bills. There’s a bill for every emotion it seems but our payment for grief falls short. 

In your absence we gather under your favorite tree. We try to laugh but they burn our lungs on the way out, so we stand and pretend. Maybe we believe you’ll turn the corner, picnic basket in hand. Maybe if we just squint a little harder …

PHOTO PROMPT © Ronda Del Boccio

Word Count: 100
For
Friday Fictioneers, many thanks to Rochelle for herding us in.

14 responses to “Gathering Place”

  1. Damn, this is powerful!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I like it that you never tell us explicitly what happened

    Liked by 1 person

  3. This was beautifully done, Kelley. Without knowing exactly what, we still feel the loss of the friend.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Over fine food families are saved–a bill for every emotion–The grief is so strong and well described, powerful writing.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Brilliantly done, Kelley. Bravo!

    Liked by 1 person

  6. There is pain in the story. Missing someone of the family. Mother, father, husband! Hoping against hope, he will show up.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I think that hope always remains in some way. Thank you for reading

      Like

  7. Those final lines brought a lump to my throat!

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

    Liked by 1 person

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