Fine

Gold cherry

By Ewan

Sat, 29 Jul 2017
  • 2264 reads
7 comments
 

Mami and Papi are close over the last of the wine. Dinner has been good, leisurely. Honest Andalucian food, though Laura left most of hers. She is not quite old enough for grown-up food. Who is at three? Papi said to Mami, as Laura asked to leave the table, 15 minutes ago.

(Fine, fine, she is fine, she plays outside, children do).

It has been an evening to remember, the first time out in who knows how long. Mami, Alba, has missed eating out, something they used to do a lot, well, before… Alberto has been working hard, life is malabares nowadays, juggling two or three jobs just to last 'til the end of the month. It's funny, ''Berto's father used to work on the railways, and here they are in Paqui's bar at the Station in the town. Everything is a theme park version of itself nowadays. The station itself has about two trains a day. Alba looks over 'Berto's shoulder to the door out to the rear of the bar. To the platform, with its benches intact, looking out over the tracks.

(Fine, fine, she is fine, she'll come in, when she gets bored).

'Berto lifts his glass, they toast each other with the last sip. 'El penultimo?' The second last? He says, for no-one says “one last drink”, it's unlucky. If it's your last ever drink, well, what else is next but death? Alba stiffens, relaxes, 'okay', she sighs.

(Fine, fine, she is fine. It is ten minutes)

'Berto has a coñac, Alba has a glass of jerez. It reminds her of their honeymoon, three-and-a- half years ago.

(Fine, fine, she is fine).

The stem of Alba's glass cracks. 'Berto sighs, tosses of the last of his brandy.

They hold hands as they go out of the back door.

(Fine)

Laura is not in sight.

(Fine)

Alba runs the length of the platform. And back.

(Finefinefinefine)

'Berto kneels down by one of the benches. He picks something up from beneath the bench. It is a yellow plastic and rubber thing. He takes a while to recognise it. It is Laura's dummy. He knows nothing will ever be fine again.

 

http://www.surinenglish.com/local/201707/27/missing-toddler-found-dead-2...

Certificate PG
Story
Driving Over Tinfoil (prose)
Miscellaneous

Comments

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

What a horrific story, so sad.

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

nicely understated which of course makes it all the more hard hitting. And now I will go off and say something very judgmental to myself about people who don't watch their children

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Almost too awful to imagine - but Ewan has done so with subtlety. If only we could turn back time.  This thought-provoking piece is our facebook and twitter pick of the day.

Submitted by Ewan on

for the Pick. Regarding this terrible incident, I haven't seen the trolling start on Twitter yet - and it may not appear. Sometimes being in the boonies has its merits.

Ewan

 

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

It hasn't ended well and there seems to be a mystery surrounding the whole thing. Why was she found with fatal head injuries next to a railway kilometres from where she disappeared?

Far more children disappear in Europe than people realise and little is heard about it. Not every child has rich doctors for parents ..... not that it helped much, the publicity may have even made it worse.

A plain, bespecticled, little boy disappeared in Las Palmas around the same time as the pretty McCann child. It never got any coverage except on the islands.

He was never found.

 

Submitted by Ewan on

some coverage about the boy in Las Palmas, not outside the Spanish press, obviously.
There are some strange aspects to what has been reported in the press about this incident, we'll see how it pans out.
I'm reluctant to pass judgement on anyone this happens to, I'm certain they are judging themselves more harshly than I ever could. Besides, I'm not a parent, what do I know?

Thanks for reading and commenting, Ed.

best

Ewan

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

I have had two little'uns and just when you think they've got the message they'll do something you never expect. Eyes in the back of the head and personalised radar would be a big help!

Unless it's clearly parental stupidity/lack of a sense of responsibiliy it is difficult to sensibly point the finger of blame.