Tara, part 7 (#freewrite day 162, prompt “ash”)

Not sure what a #freewrite is? Lovely @mariannewest came up with the idea and is hosting this great contest. You can find the initial introduction to #freewrite here. The basic idea is: Check out the prompt, set a timer to 5 minutes, write whatever comes into your mind, and have fun! Join the #freewrite adventure!

Today’s prompt for the 5 minute #freewrite is “ash”, and I am continuing my story of little Tara.

You can find the first parts here if you like:

Tara

part 1 - part 2 - part 3 – part 4 – part 5 – part 6

Tara, part 7 (prompt “ash”)

Image source

Tara’s mom had left the house just after breakfast.

“I’ll be back in five”, she had said, jamming the door behind her.

Tara knew what that meant. Her mom would be out somewhere for a bit, on somedays it seemed she came back right after she had left, on others Tara would wait – once she had said “forever” to Ben – for her return. But no matter when Tara’s mom came back, she would be a bit dizzy and sleepy and most of the time go straight to the living room, switch on the TV, lay down on the coach and sooner or later fall asleep.

When Tara had told Ben about it, he had looked at her with his eyes wide open. “But grown ups don’t sleep during the day, my mom and dad don’t and Mr. Fisher next door doesn’t.”

Tara had shrugged. “Well, my mom does. She’s different.”

“And don’t you go to the kindergarten yet?”, Ben wanted to know.

Tara felt uncomfortable, like she had done something wrong. “No, my mom says it’s too expensive.” And before Ben could continue poking, she grabbed his toy lorry and ran outside into the garden.

This morning, Tara had a plan. As soon as her mother had left the house – Tara looked out of the window to make sure she really went away and wouldn’t come back immediately – she ran into the living room, looked around, searching the remote control, there it was, on the table next to the couch, under a magazine next to the full ash tray. Tara grabbed it and pushed the button. She had learnt long time ago which one was the right button to switch on the TV. She took a step closer to the screen, on which bunnies and hens and other animals Tara didn’t know ran through a fairly green yard, old people, even older than her mom, were talking to someone with a microphone. Tara didn’t listen.

“Daddy?” she whispered. “Are you still there?”

Swooshing and squeaking, just like the other day. The sound of the animals and the people talking faded.

“Yes, Tara, I’m here.”

---

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by, and thanks to everybody who is contributing!