
Wings of Hope
I wake, my dream so real I can almost grasp it. Hold it. Live it. Make it come true.
In my dream I had wings. In my dream I flew back in time and lifted Jason from the debris that was his car. I pulled him free and…
But it fades into the night and unable to return to sleep I switch on my laptop and spend the next hour playing Mah-jongg, trying to forget.
We’d argued. A silly disagreement and Jason stormed off before I could tell him I was carrying his baby.
Just before my neighbour’s rooster began his pre-dawn reveille, I fell into another fitful dream-filled sleep. Once again I had wings but this time I found myself on the edge of a pond. In its depths a small boy, trying to reach the surface. I grasped his outstretched arms and together we flew towards…
The rooster woke me then. Who was the boy? There was something familiar.
I showered, dressed and tried to camouflage the bags beneath my eyes. Jamie would arrive soon.
I wandered into the garden, checked the mail box and pulled a few weeds from around the daffodils nodding their heads toward the sun. A kind policewoman had brought me a wilted bunch of daffodils found on the seat of Jason’s car. Daffodils, flowers of forgiveness. He’d been coming back to apologise for our silly argument. I planted more and more each year.
Jamie arrived carrying a huge bunch of daffodils. ‘I don’t think you need any more,’ he said, kissing my cheek. But he knew how special they were.
‘I’ll put them in water,’ I told him.
‘No. Wait. I want to tell you something first.’ Jamie took a deep breath, then grinned. ‘Kim’s pregnant!’
I almost dropped the daffodils. Jamie and Kim had experienced so many disappointments. We held each other tight, rejoicing through happy tears.
Finally, I wiped my eyes, looked down at my flowers and watched a beautiful butterfly rise from one of the golden trumpets.
Jason used to call me his little butterfly. He knew. He knew.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleA well-crafted double story of life and love, with wings at its heart.

Hi Sandra, I’m amazed by the huge variations on wings, all of them so different. I enjoyed your story Sandra, sad as it was, but the end offered hope as you watched a beautiful butterfly rise from one of the golden trumpets.
Thank you, Eric. Yes, I’m really enjoying reading all the different variations on the wings theme, too, and find myself thinking ‘I never thought of anything like that’ quite often. Very glad you liked my story – sadly I lost my brother when he was just 30 and I often wish there was a niece or nephew, and cousins for my children, but perhaps that’s a bit selfish of me.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleSandra, it is never selfish to wish to give life. I bet he looks down on you as you remember him, and smiles a big thank you for keeping him alive in your heart and soul, and just think, there will be lots more who will come to know of him through your writings. That includes me. Thank you for sharing.
Oh, thank you, Eric! I’ve been thinking of him, Ian, even more lately. My Mum has had Alzheimer’s for some years and is in care and now my Dad seems to be in the early stages, too. Writing helps, a lot. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement – I’ll be writing lots more 🙂
It is good Sandra, that you understand that writing comes from that part of us that is the centre of expression, the soul. Writing can be a balm not just for ourselves, but to others. Words reach out, they can resonate to others, so pick up your pen and let it RIP, if it makes sense to you, then that is all that matters.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThe poor lady must have carried so much guilt over the years but I love the fact that she felt his joy at the happy news and forgiveness through the flowers. i really liked it!
Thank you, Green. Yes, what a burden for her to carry but I wanted to give her peace and comfort, to further enhance the joy of a grandchild on the way after many disappointments. I’m glad you liked it 🙂
What a moving and touching story. And I loved the daffodil element. I lived for years in Tasmania and always felt the magic of daffodil season
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you, David. When my brother passed away, almost 30 years ago) I had some beautiful King Alfred Daffodils growing in my garden and I placed them on his grave. They reminded me of the ones in my mother’s garden when we were growing up and somehow felt right for the occasion. Tasmania! I visited as a child and would love to visit again one day. I’m just a little bit north… Read more »
This is a beautiful story. I loved how you opened it and closed it with short sentences. They give a great effect. You used the theme brilliantly and in so many different ways.
Thank you, Daisy! Although this story is fiction, I drew on many aspects and experiences in my life for inspiration. 🙂
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleNo problem. Congratulations on making the shortlist.
A sad but uplifting story Sandra. I felt for your protagonist waking from her dream wishing it were true. I’ve often experienced this. Daffodils were the first mother’s day present I ever bought, I remember so well taking my few shillings to the market and buying them. I love how you have used them in your story.
What a beautiful story, Sandra! I love the way daffodils show up over and over in your story, symbolizing forgiveness and, in this case, the memories kept alive for Jason. Dreams can be very inspirational and also very symbolic. My favorite dreams are the ones where I could fly. Here, it seems as though your protagonist, thanks to her ability to fly in her dream, gets a glimpse of a happy future,… Read more »
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleSandra, I love your varied use of wings in the story! I have a friend who lost her daughter, but she constantly sees beautiful butterflies that allow her to know her daughter is still with her.
Thank you, Danielle. I’m so glad your friend finds some comfort in the butterflies; I can only imagine how hard it would be to lose a child. The daffodils in my story are a reminder of my brother who passed away almost 30 years ago. Mum had them in her garden when we were children and I think they take me back.
I love this story, Sandra. It was a different kind of wings. I love how you end a very sad story like this into forgiveness, a new hope, peace, and joy through a new life (grandchild).
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you, Lotchie. I imagine this woman would have felt so much joy watching her son grow up but at the same time would have felt terrible sadness and guilt that his father didn’t know before he passed away. Finding peace and believing he did know would have added so much to the joy of having a grandchild. My granddaughter, with me in my avatar, was born after my daughter had so… Read more »
You’re welcome, Sandra. Yes, I could imagine that too.
It’s always lovely to see a joyful end to a sad beginning and a sense of hope, especially when you’ve just reached the last of a lot of wonderful stories. This piece is written with such sensitivity. Nicely done.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you, Carrie. I’m glad I successfully portrayed joy and hope. We’ve taken a couple of steps back with our covid situation over the last few weeks (thankfully restrictions easing a little tonight) and combined with gloomy weather it sometimes gets hard to see through that fog! But on the plus side, after a couple of months of being a bit overwhelmed with family hiccups and being somewhat time poor, it’s been… Read more »
Congratulations on having two stories in the finalist list, Sandra! What a wonderful tribute to your skills as a writer!