FFfAW: Mementos From the Past

Credit: TJ Paris

Siblings Jennifer, Jason and Janie gaped at the gargantuan red lantern now hanging right above their dining table.

Dad was beaming and Mum, though initially shocked, was also smiling.

“Uh, Dad,” began Jason, “is this the same lantern you almost crushed Mum with before you guys got married?”

“Jason, hush!” Mum said reprovingly.

“No, no, no, let me tell you what happened!” Dad motioned everyone to sit.

The children groaned but complied, they had heard this story a dozen times before.

“I can’t see!” complained little Janie as she sat down, the huge lantern blocking her view.

But Dad was already in the middle of his narration.

“So then, the lorry bumped into my parked car, which bumped into the pillar of that Chinese restaurant, just as your mom was walking by the lantern, which swayed into her, flinging her into my arms!”

“Yeah, before she almost….” But Jennifer quickly interrupted Jason.

“Ssh, see how happy they are,” she whispered.

Mum and Dad were holding hands, gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes.

“I can’t see!”

For Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers