I'll Keep Writing About You

Soulmates

Prompt: Some Dreams Don't Come True (Or Do They?)

This was actually written for my writing group in the library, but I changed the names in that story. Enjoy this!

It was a warm, sunny Thanksgiving in 1990 when Donald Blye realized his marriage was falling apart. He loved Julia with all his heart, but their playful fights had become worse. The part he dreaded? His daughter knew exactly what was happening. Each time he and Julia fought, little Kensi would watch from the top of the stairs, with wide eyes and trembling hands. The fights started off of as loud voices, then they became heated words. Kensi was scared, she didn't want her mommy and daddy fighting.

But on that Thanksgiving day, Donald Blye sat down his daughter and asked her, "Do you know what's happening between mommy and me?"

She nodded, slowly. "Are you and mommy gonna divorce?"

He was shocked. "Where did you get that idea from?"

"Jenny Sanchez told me. She said her mom and dad used to fight a lot and then one day her mom left her dad. She told me it's called a 'divorce'. Is that going to happen to you and mommy?"

Donald teared up. No child should ever have to worry about their parents separating. "No sweetheart. We're not going to divorce."

Kensi smiled. "Okay, good! What is a soulmate, daddy?"

Now where did that come from? Donald thought as he shook his head. "Why do you ask, baby girl?"

"Jenny said that after her parents divorced, her dad told her that soulmates don't exist. But what are soulmates?"

"A soulmate is a person that completes you. They love you no matter what, and they would never do anything to hurt you."

"Is mommy your soulmate?"

"Yeah, I think she is."

"Do you think I have a soulmate, daddy?"

"Of course, baby girl."

"Why do..."

"I think that's enough of questions today baby girl. Let's go eat your mom's delicious lunch, okay?" Kensi nodded, but as Donald left the room, he heard his little girl whisper, "I can't wait to meet my soulmate."

(Little did she know that her soulmate would shoot his own father that day.)

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Thanksgiving 1990 was a warm day, but it couldn't have felt any chillier to little Martin Brandel. He had woken up early in the morning to his father slamming the door of the house shut. Marty jumped from his bed and ran to his parents' room, where he saw his mom putting on makeup to cover her black eye. He watched silently for a moment before his mom saw him. Roberta turned and smiled sadly at her son.

"Good morning Martin."

"Morning mama. Happy Thanksgiving."

He quickly showered, and helped his mama cook lunch. Dad came home and promptly passed out on the couch, smelling like whiskey and cheap beer. Marty and his mom ate quickly and silently. As they were cleaning up, Marty asked his mom a question.

"Do soulmates exist?" Roberta turned to her son with shock etched on her face.

"Why, little one?"

"If they do, your soulmate sucks." He answered vehemently.

Roberta giggled quietly. "Maybe they do exist, sweetheart. But I don't know."

The two finished washing the dishes, and Roberta shooed Marty outside to Ray's house while she cleaned the house before Gordon woke up. Marty came back almost 5 hours later, to find his dad waiting for him at the door.