Cherries on the Cake
Mrs. Ephemera entered the dining room; flashes of light sparkled from mobile phones aiming at capturing her amazed face in a photo. All her family was there, clapping at her.
She reached for the table gaining the place of honor behind the cake. Eighty little candles shone like golden fingers. Eighty spheres glittered reddish under the flames.
Cherries. Her memories came flooding back to seventy springs before.
She was ten; snow was falling. That was not snow! Under the cherry tree in her family’s backyard tiny flowers stretched downward; from long brown branches they caressed her temples like pinky locks of hair. “Please, let me meet a prince,” she whispered to the cherry blossom tree.
Fading sounds echoed in the distance, as if they came from another world. Cheers, laughs; then the song, happy birthday to y...
Back in her dining room she was standing behind the cake, surrounded by her grandnephews for the group photo. She blew out the candles.
The door slammed open; wind came rushing in. Happy birthday to you. Happy…, the song told; her grandnephews cheering up. Nobody else felt the wind, nor saw him entering the room.
Cherry blossoms in his hand, her prince was back. “Happy birthday, my lovely wife,” he whispered. Petals floated in the air landing on the cake.
“This cherry cake is delicious,” her youngest grandnephew exclaimed, his mouth full.
“Let me tell you how I met your grandfather,” Mrs. Ephemera said. “I was ten; our cherry tree was covered with thousands of blossoms. I made a wish before they fell… They were as beautiful and fragile as life is.” Then she whispered, “I seized that moment as the most precious thing. Everything is ephemeral; but if you catch beauty and love in your heart, your beloved ones will always be with you.”
The day after, her oldest grandnephew showed her a picture. The cake… the children… but those tiny flowers floating in the dining room? ‘As if from the ceiling a gentle prince’s touch shook an invisible cherry blossom tree,’ Mrs. Ephemera thought. Her nose upwards, she smiled.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleBeautiful story Santina and very nicely written.
I ve just read your story, Carrie. Very nice shaking ending.
Lovely story! ?
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleLovely is your story, Brigitta. I ve just read it and made me dream of first kisses under cherry blossoms.
Thank you! ?
Brava Santina!! I like it so much, mi piace davvero! I could just feel the simple emotions during a nice party and the little undercurrents going through, the said, as well as the unsaid…
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleGrazie Greene, molto gentile : ) I m very happy to know you like it. Telling you a secret about the ‘unsaid:” it is because I could not find the right word in English 🙂 …
Lovely, Santina. And your original art work adds so much to the atmosphere.
Your story is very nice, Fuji. Just read it now. I still remember your little blue chef ☺. I believe his cakes must be amazing. I tried to bake one as well; a bit asymmetrical and cracked on the top, as everybody can see ?
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleEnchanting Santina and full of birthday magic! ?
Please help yourself to a piece of cake, Linda ☺. Homemade ?. I ve read your story; I felt love for life and writing in it and it caught me.
As I read your story, I couldn’t help being not just nostalgic, but wistful too.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleYeees Dipayan; a slice of cake will mitigate the nostalgia ?. Please have one slice. Mrs Ephemera will be happy ☺
No problem, Santina. It would be a privilege if the piece of cake is sliced by Mrs. Ephemera.
That would be nice ☺. I am just thinking about a story where an old Mrs Ephemera flies overnigh to deliver cakes… Special cakes… Thanks for the hint Dipayan ?
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleYou’re welcome.?
Hello Santina, what a lovely heart warming story, you said it beautifully – to be blessed with the beauty of the ones you have loved, and have been loved by, then you do carry it in your heart. A very emotive story. Well done!
Yes, beauty and love make us kinder towards other. When I say ‘ beauty’ I mean kindness. But since life is short, as Cherry blossoms teach, better to seize all nice moments; they will come to hand when facing bad moments. I beleive Mrs Ephemera can still smile; she has her beloved in her heart, despite the fact that he died. Please, a piece of cake to you too, Eric ☺.. Enjoy
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleI now know, thanks to you Santina, having thought a little more about the symbolism behind the birthday cake! The cake, the sharing of all the happy years, wishing you the same too.
? … Thank you so much, Eric. Wishing many happy days and years to all of us. And when sadness and bad moments come, let us use the nice memories as a weapon.
The name Ephemera and the word ephemeral stand out in the story. “Catch the moment” is the message of your story, Santana. Good piece of advice!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleRight Crister, to me the view of cherry blossoms means that we are all ephemeral, as they are. It reminds me of the latin Carpe Diem. Please, have some cake you too?… before it’s too late and will be finished. Let’s carpe diem with the cake as well!
A beautiful story, Santina! It gave me goosebumps, happy ones, and I feel like I’m in the room with them. Well done 🙂
I’ve been at your Cherry’ s party, in your story, Sandra. The cupcakes you baked for Cherry are made with special ingredients, love, empathy, inclusion… ?I’ve hepled myself to one cupcake ☺… So please, enjoy my Mrs. Ephemera’s cake.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleGreetings Santina – What a beautiful story! I especially like your line: “Everything is ephemeral; but if you catch beauty and love in your heart, your beloved ones will always be with you.”
I look forward to reading more of your stories, and maybe hearing your voice recordings on the Voice.club ? !
Hi Chris, I’ve just read your articles; I find the one about playing music slowly very interesting… We are all so busy – running to catch the next meeting; faster, not to miss any train… It is time to slow down, yes. And I also thought about music (and art in general) as escaping from the ‘ephemeral’ rule… But later I said ‘it Is because we caught the beauty of art in… Read more »
Santina – I am glad you enjoyed my articles about slowing down, and the study of piano. It is great to have this club, where I can practice my writing and get positive feedback. Also, you said “My sing-song Italian accent refraining me a bit“. Do not worry, as previously I tried to sing the old Italian song “Caro mio ben“, and my American accent did not sound very authentic – haha… Read more »
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleCiao Chris, nice to know you speak Italian. ?You are the second Italian speaking person I know from this community. Greene does as well! Bravissimi to both of you ?
Hi Santina, the stories have been selected, but that should not mean that we do not have our own favourite ones. Yours was one of mine. We all see and take different things from the stories we read. I think yours had the right balance of sadness and happiness, all within a moment. Just one thing more, never presume, never listen to the ego. Just record your story – live in the… Read more »
Uhhh, right. You made me think Eric. ?. I will, I will… (I belong to those who say “Let’s act – Let’s do it – Carpe diem, ” ? but then I tend to postpone.) Just postponing a bit, before the action?… Thanks a lot for the encouragement. Wishing a nice evening to you and all the friends here.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleAlways remember you become what you think. Just do it, if it makes it any easier, do it for the person that you love most.
??? Let me know ????
Hi Eric, I haven’t forgotten keeping you updated ?… Works in progress…
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with Google2023> Still working on it Eric???
? Maybe! Waiting for the audition results myself. I will let you know, when I will know… ?
Hello, Santina. Your story is awesome, and the emotions are well balanced. I really feel it; I think I’m in the room with the whole family of Mrs. Ephemera celebrating with them. Plus your artwork makes it more interesting. It is a well-written piece. Hope to read more from you.
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