going home

This week's prompt asked you to spread a little joy. 

You were to write a piece where you or your character overcame a challenge and, even if it's just for a moment, has a happy ending. We also asked you to surprise us - don't go with the obvious.

I have used the characters depicted in this piece in a previous story, so if you're interested you might like to read the escape to get to know them better.

Daisy eased the car into drive turned on the radio letting the oldies music wash over her. She really didn't want to have to think about what she was going to have to do but how could she not? Daisy ran the scenario over and over in her mind of a good marriage gone badly; the last straw in a failing marriage the month before. Now it was time to start the moving on process; but first she needed to complete the moving out process.

A mere twenty minutes later the house that she had lived in with her husband and children came into view, she pulled into the driveway and the garage door opened up as she edged towards it. As she entered the house she carefully and lovingly ran her hand over her possessions making a mental note of which items she was going to take back to her mother’s house with her.


Time past rather quickly as she gathered up a full carload of all the things that she wanted for her and the boys. Her husband Charlie and Daisy agreed on what she would take; that was the only thing they could agree on lately however. 

She got back in the car rolled down the window but didn't turn on the music this time, she needed to think. Warm air rushed against her face and the air whooshed in her ears but it could not drown out the guilt she was feeling  about how short her temper had been with the children lately. Her emotions were raw; she felt so out of control. She felt like a failure as a mother as a wife,  and now she had to go crawling home to her mother  because she couldn't even keep a roof over their heads; God she was pitiful!

She got back to her Moms within a few hours’ time. Lily, her mother met her at the door concerned for her daughter.
"How are you honey?" her mother asked.
"I'm fine Momma, I just want to get this over with," as tears filled her eyes.
"Sweetie however long you need to be here, this house is open for you and the boys, you know that don't you?" said Lily.
“I know that Momma," Daisy replied.
But in Daisy's mind this just wasn't home, her home. Resentment bubbled up for the fact that she had to leave the house that she and the kids were comfortable in. 

Suddenly there was a commotion and the boys came running towards her like gang busters. They jumped on Daisy hugging and kissing her as she fell to the floor, "Mommy your back, we love you, we missed you." And at that moment Daisy knew as long as she had her children; no matter where then she was home.