The challenge? Write a story in exactly 6 sentences based on Denise’s one word prompt: SHADOW. Visit, comment, and write & post your own on SIX SENTENCE STORIES. The Café is open. Come as you are!
Her work had only just begun, but the timeline was tight, tempers frayed, and there would be many hours before she could shut down the kitchen and rest her head.
True, she had helpers: bringers of sides and pies, ones to set up, others to clean up after, and those who knew they could get underfoot because they were much loved (they broke the tension from the footballers, the drinkers, the accidental nappers, the dog that was constantly licking himself).
Their numbers had grown, then shrunk as family members left the state, died of Covid or broken hips and pneumonia, then grew again with marriage and children, then shrunk with divorce and teens who refused the chaos and subsequent splitting of family, then grew once more as the teens got partners and the divorced became secure with new loves, new jobs, and surprisingly helpful stepchildren and shimmering bright new babies.
With the recent loss of her husband, who had always been so good cooking turkey on the grill, the holidays had become shadows of their former selves; she went through the paces, creating a perfect twenty eight pound turkey in her oven, with smiles all around, but going to bed with the dog (who finally had stopped licking himself) was not how she wanted to end the rest of her days.
Next year, she’d break with tradition and step out of her own kitchen and into the larger one of the cities’ many homeless shelters.
© Liz Husebye Hartmann (2024)
Valley of the Trolls 
the one true companion (among the living) almost perfect lifeform, the dog, (of course!) can always be relied upon… except they too are subject to the only constant. (and, relative to their innate virtue, far to short a time)
one down, one remaining (of the Un-ignorable Holidays*)
*created by the Dark to give access opportunity to torment the Good
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We wrestle our way through, smiling through the exhaustion, and drop a few obligations to climb the next, new hill.
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Ah, the joys of family. Ours has shrunk somewhat in how many will come, but Grandma still makes me put out a full spread and I’m the only one cooking or cleaning. It makes me thankful it’s only twice a year (Thanksgiving and Christmas).
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First year not bringing a solo turkey day dinner to my mom (everyone else has SOs, kids and/or grandkids). I enjoyed the quiet, a simple baked squash, beans on toast, a good book and snow drifting down and sideways. She’s gone, so next year, maybe I do something different. 🙂
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this is perfect in every way: description of family, the dog (ha!), bright babies, that turkey … and seeing a way forward for her own fulfilment and future.
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Thank you, Misky! Can’t you just hear that dog slurping away? 🐶😂
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What a great idea for next year… look after some of the homeless with love and happiness – and a full tummy, on one day – why not?
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Thank you, Chris. Maybe one step lesds to another and another, on subsequent days!
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This was sad and inspiring all at the same time! Life marches on, doesn’t it?
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Yes. I think that’s the braid many people have to make to hold things together, come the holidays.
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Good for her for recognizing the moment it was time to explore outside the lines.
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At long last. Letting go and letting be…
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Nice description of the children, or at least I assume it was the children, who “could get underfoot because they were much loved”.
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Yep. And maybe some mischievous oldervrelatives as well. 😉🤣
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