Short stories

The return

The day had started badly for Lindsey who could no longer bear the sense of humor of the nurse with whom she teamed. He tried by all means to make her laugh, but it didn't work. Towards the end of the morning, Lindsey curtly told him to be silent, unable to hear more. The nurse left the rest room as quickly as he could, speechless. At this point, the wall phone rang. Sighing, she painfully rose to answer.

"Lindsey, a call for you on line one," the operator told her.

"Thank you very much."

She pressed the button to take the call, rubbing her eyes. She thought it was her boyfriend Anthony who wanted to announce that he'll be late again.

"Lindsey!" a woman's voice replied happily. "How are you?"

The young nurse frowned.

"Amelia? Is it really you?"

"Who did you think it was?"

"Nobody... What do I owe the honor of your call?"

"Are you free this weekend?"

"I'll finish Saturday at noon. Why?"

"Well, you've got to go home. Dad wants to see the whole family. He said that it's very urgent."

Raised eyebrows, Lindsey asked what she meant by emergency. She knew that her father bored a lot because he didn't know what to do with his time. Since he sold the shop ten years earlier, he was doing a lot of volunteering. Why he wanted to see his children? When the response of her younger sister came up to her ear, the words were like a bombshell: he wanted to sell the family home now!

"The house...? But what's going on?"

"I don't know, but he was very serious when he told me the news."

"Okay, I'll be there. Have you warned the others?"

"Blake may be not there."

Not really surprising coming from him. Lindsey sighed deeply. Her brother has always much more important things to do than deal with family matters. He had always been like that and it was impossible for him to change now. She told her sister that she would be there.

* * * * *

The sun passed through the living room window, warming the room. Standing in front of the huge window, he crossed his arms over his chest, heaving a deep sigh. Aged seventy-three years old, he found that the house had become too large for a lonely old man. His five children had left home several years ago and loneliness began to weigh on him. Volunteering allowed him to go out, but he always returned home. He turned to the box that stood on the mantel. It contained pictures that reminded him a little too many memories. He didn't expect to find this box after he decided to sell the house. He took it and placed it on the coffee table before opening. Many images represented the construction site of the house. The deceased husband of his sister Claudia raised his niece Megan then aged just three years old. A shudder ran through the spine of the old man when his eyes met the smiling face of Betty, his loving wife, height months pregnant at this time. He recalled it right, Lindsey grew in her womb. Tears came to his eyes. He brought a hand to his graying temple. Betty had disappeared there was almost thirty long years. Taking a quick glance over his wrinkled and trembling hands, he thought about the slender body of Betty on the day of their marriage. Had she changed as much as him? He thought not. When she was gone, he had to fend for themselves with their five children. He asked them not to lose hope of ever seeing her again.

He extended his hand to repel some photos and came across the one he sought: the day of their marriage. Betty shone in her beautiful white dress. They beamed with happiness at this time. What had happened for their happiness to disappear?