Good morning, what’s that I see out of my window? Sunshine two days in a row that’s what! Now we’re sucking diesel as t’would be said down Wexico way. Busy day ahead for me, so this is going to be a quick hello but you are going to be smiling when you read today’s flash fiction offering! The Promise is a poignant piece and moved me when I read it. I suspect that many of you will feel the same way.
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Have a lovely day and I’ll be back this afternoon with another story for you,
Carmel x
The Promise by Lorraine McCormack
Emily sat and stared out the window of the train. It was Galway bound. She was transported back to six years ago to another time when she had stepped onboard a train bound for Galway .It had been her hen weekend and what a weekend that had been. She laughed at the memory of her friend Moira carrying around the big blow up male doll which she had christened Big John .They had received several disgusted looks from some older passengers but a couple of bottles of Prosecco had made them all brave and they just kept singing Big John ,big John, big bad John. Moira had become very indignant when a poor unsuspecting passenger had got on and tried to sit down in big John’s seat asking them if they wouldn’t mind moving him. ‘Move him ?Moira had said with big wide eyes and a dead pan face ‘sure we couldn’t move the legend that is big John he would be very offended I’m sorry she said he may look tough but deep down he’s very sensitive’ she proclaimed winking at the guy. In fairness the man had just shaken his head and had walked away probably wondering why he had bothered trying to infiltrate a hen party in the first place. God that had been some fun and Emily remembered being so excited for the future so full of hope for her life that was about to begin with Adam.
Adam, she thought where did it all go wrong? They had been so happy at first. He was her best friend, her lover, her soul mate all wrapped into one. She had loved him from the first time she saw him. Well okay maybe not the first time because he did try and steal the last corona at a party they had both attended. ‘Eh mine I think you will find Emily had proclaimed with a glint in her eye daring him to claim different. ‘Oh sorry corona he had replied cheekily I didn’t see your name on it my apologies corona’ he delivered with the most devastating smile. Emily had to force herself not to smile back and give in .It was the principal of the thing. ‘That’s quite okay she replied easy mistake to make but as you can see my name is quite clearly on the bottle. She had walked off with the bottle and he had come after her and had made her split the bottle with him later on after discovering her real name was Emily. They had been inseparable after that. Now though it was a different story Adam worked late all the time, It was to build them a better future he said, it was all for them. If it was all for them thought Emily then why did she feel so alone all the time. It had all come to a head this morning and they had had the most God awful row and Emily had grabbed some things and had stormed out. Hence the reason she was sitting on this train not having a clue what was next.
Emily was deep in thought and didn’t notice the old man who had sat down beside her clutching a bag to him like his whole life was in it. She nodded at him hoping that he wouldn’t want to chat. Emily just wanted this train to bloody start and get to her destination .She looked out the window wondering where the little man was with his green flag and why the train hadn’t moved yet. ‘I think there’s a problem with one of the lines the old man across from her piped up. ‘Don’t worry I’ve been on this train lots of time it will take off soon. Emily smiled her thanks at him. Little old man though was keen to talk it would appear. ‘My wife and I love going to Galway we’ve been going now for almost 40 years. Two things popped into Emily’s head 1.Great there is two of them herself must be in the loo and 2. Forty years? Jeez you would get less for murder. She didn’t say that to him of course she simply said ‘wow forty years of marriage what’s your secret’? She was saying it to be polite really but was also a tad curious. ‘Our secret he replied was we made a promise the day we wed that no matter what life threw at us we would always stick it out together ,we would always talk it through . We would never just simply walk away when it got too tough. Emily looked around the train. Was she in the twilight zone? It was like this man knew.’ And trips he continued we promised to take trips together even if they were only day trips spend time together, not let life get in the way. She got sick though he said sadly and she made me promise that we would go back to Salthill have one last trip.’ Tears had formed in his eyes now and Emily found herself brushing away her own. ‘Where is she Emily asked? The old man shook his head and opened his bag taking out an urn’ she didn’t make it he said softly but I promised see? I promised we would take one more trip. In forty years I’ve never broken a promise. He looked at Emily intently and said’ you are lucky you have youth on your side. Never waste that and never waste the chances life throws at you. Love if its real is worth fighting for never forget that’. At this moment Emily’s phone rang, the caller Id told her it was Adam. She could hear a whistle blowing in the background she stood up. The old man looked at her questioningly. ‘Where are you going he asked softly’. Emily smiled and touched his shoulder saying “to keep a promise of my own”….
Lorraine McCormack is a former dental nurse, now a mother of two. She has always wanted to write so thats what she has started doing. She told me that her family think she’s faboulous but then again they have to they love her! But if nothing else writing takes her mind off peppa pig and ben and hollys little kingdom.
