The theme for today is liar.
I paced while my husband sat at the table watching. Our teenage children had been caught with cigarettes.
"I can't believe this. We raised our children in a smoke free home. Who is buying them cigarettes?"
"I don't know," he said.
"Your mother died at 59 because of smoking."
He said nothing.
"My grandmother lived to be 104…and a half!" I threw my hands in the air. "Do you know what that means?"
"No."
"I will out live my children. We must stop them. We must stop them before they become addicted to cigarettes."
A year has passed. I a fumed more than once at my husband. We have tried to locate the neighbor who was providing not just our children with cigarettes, but the entire neighborhood. I couldn't understand why any parent would do this. My girls were 13 and 15 respectively. I had isolated one neighbor and sent her a letter effectively preventing any more free handouts. But the cigarettes kept coming. I'd also lost my job, making money and my emotions on an equal stressful layer of worry. Who could be providing the cigarettes?
I put my last $5.00 on the computer keyboard. I needed a couple things from the store. I went to change and when I came back the money was gone and so was my husband. As soon as he got home I confronted him.
"Did you take my $5.00?"
"No."
The girls looked from me to him.
"I needed that. We are out of milk and eggs."
"I didn't take it."
I lost it. The stress was too much. It would be more than a week before he got paid again. "That was my last $5.00!"
He ignored me and went to watch T.V. I ran my hands through my hair and mumbled as I worked on my computer. I'd recently started selling a few things online at one of those auction houses trying to bring in more money. The atmosphere in the house was tense. My youngest daughter approached.
"Mom, I'm sorry. I gave the $5.00 to dad to buy us cigarettes."
"What?"
"He's been buying us cigarettes all year."
I thought someone had punched me in the stomach. I doubled over. My heart bled out. Was this what it felt like when someone cheated on you?
"You? You are the one buying them cigarettes?"
392 words. To read the other great entries for this week or to join Romantic Writers Fridays go here.
25 comments:
From the time she was able to talk, my daughter said she would never smoke.
I didn't want to belive my ex - her father - when he said he caught her outside his house smoking. The things she said about smokers . .
And to be caught with the goods in her hand. Made for a lot of years of chores bribery thought :)
Really good reminder of the phases of growing up. Yeah, young teens are riddled with white lies. Well done.
........dhole
Crumbs! Lying children and husband! I really feel her isolation here, Nancy.
Surrounded by a house full of liars. No wonder her stress level is off the charts.
Nicely done!
Goodness, but a mess those husband-wife-child relationships are in! It barely seems conceivable. I'm not surprised the MC feel stressed and frustrated.
Oh no, the pain of the lie is even worse when it comes from someone you very least expect! That'd be a tough lie to get past.
Hi Donna, I'm glad you came up with a solution for your daughter.
Margo, isolation is a good word for it.
Yes, it certainly is Andy.
Hi Madeleine, it is hard to believe but unfortunately, I think many relationships are just like this.
Hi Joanne. It is a lie that is difficult to get over. Just like any false and deliberate deception.
Thanks everyone for coming by.
Nancy
Hi,
Nice one, Nancy.
Wow, impactive "Lies".
Hell of a reminder to do with my aunt's best friend, the woman I thought of at ten-years-old as a fabulous and chic lady. She smoked black Russian ciggies in a gold cigarette holder, and I remember one day in her Summerhouse asking if I could try one. I can tell you, she didn't so much as blink and handed over the cigarette holder with lit ciggie. I did as she did, inhaled deeply thinking myself so sophisticated. The after effect nothing remotely elegant to it. I choked, I near puked, and her action the best lesson ever. I never smoked and never had any desire to, until I had a blood transfusion in my early thirties. Weird, I know, and shotly after had began writing novels in earnest, a cigarette to hand, but the craving didn't last, my willpower to cease smoking greater.
best
F
Hi,
Nice one, Nancy.
Wow, impactive "Lies".
Hell of a reminder to do with my aunt's best friend, the woman I thought of at ten-years-old as a fabulous and chic lady. She smoked black Russian ciggies in a gold cigarette holder, and I remember one day in her Summerhouse asking if I could try one. I can tell you, she didn't so much as blink and handed over the cigarette holder with lit ciggie. I did as she did, inhaled deeply thinking myself so sophisticated. The after effect nothing remotely elegant to it. I choked, I near puked, and her action the best lesson ever. I never smoked and never had any desire to, until I had a blood transfusion in my early thirties. Weird, I know, and shotly after had began writing novels in earnest, a cigarette to hand, but the craving didn't last, my willpower to cease smoking greater.
best
F
Hi Francine:
Your aunt was either very wise or very foolish depending. But since it worked to deter your desire to smoke I would choose wisdom.
I wonder if the blood transfusion works like an organ transfusion and you gain some of the habits or desires of the one you've received the gift of life from? Interesting concept. I think this could be used in a story. Probably not mine though, hard to do that one in a fantasy.
Nancy
Lies from someone dearest can be very hurting...Hope this post sends lots of signals to others.Great post.
Hope u good.I just dropped another bomb of a poem on my blog so come check it out, comment and share with friends.Good day.
Wow, a story that leaves us with more questions than answers! Nice job.
Hi Ebendy, I'll be by.
Thank you Beverly.
Nancy
Really nice read and a great twist on the liar ;) Have a nice week-end!
Thank you Siv, you too.
Nancy
Funny how the biggest lie was the one of omission. He allowed her to harangue an innocent neighbor and said nothing. Great post.
Edge of Your Seat Romance
True Raquel, thanks for coming by and leaving a comment.
Nancy
What a dirtbag! I would murder him... well, at least think about doing it.
Me too, Alexia.
Nancy
Ouch! Not sure how this family can ever recover from such lies and deceit. I really feel for the poor wife who has been cheated like this.
Nice share. This life could totally destroy her.
I agree Paula, it would be difficult to recover.
Hi Heaven, perhaps she is a strong person, it would be a test for any character.
Thank you both for coming by and sharing.
Nancy
Wow, talk about a lie that would really sting, and at a time like that, too.
Definitely felt her stress level there. Makes me wonder though why dad would be buying the kids cigarettes. Talk about needing your head examined.
Yes it would Amie.
J. L., not enough words to explore dad's motivations. I think he had some though.
Thank you both for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Nancy
That is horrible. I can only image the deception one can feel after trying so hard.
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