The last time I saw my mother she sent me a kiss across the void. Two fingers touched her puckered lips, then cast into the air was a kiss at the mercy of the stiff breeze blowing everyone’s hats away. Was I meant to catch it? I have never really been sure. One reason was it appeared to be barely cast in my direction, the other was that she was in fact looking at her new husband as her hand regally flicked yet another token on another impossible journey of placation. She, number three plus stupid yappy little dog were on a boat to somewhere. Ten year old me? I was left standing on the dock unaware somewhere meant this was our last almost acknowledgement of each other. One thing I learnt that day to believe forever is lips forget what they have kissed.
For today’s dVerse 144 word prosery challenge, Mish chose the following line from Toni Morrison’s evocative poem, “Eve Remembering”. “Lips forget what they have kissed.” Besides writing eleven novels, five children’s books, two plays and an opera, Toni was the author of “Five Poems“, first published in 2002. You can read them here (well worth a read). I chose to respond to the challenge with a work of flash fiction that hits the 144 word sweet spot precisely.
All work is my own. I do not use AI.
poetography.ink 
Beautifully written sad tale…
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Thank you for commenting Dale, I hope you got a sense of the consequent enduring anger as well.
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Oh yes, absolutely.
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It sounds like that kiss was not really meant…. maybe just for show while she focused her interest elsewhere.
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I agree. This child was little more than a disposable chattel.
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Sean, I pray this is not a true story. If it is, and even if it isn’t, it is unbearably painful. For a child to feel unloved by a parent is the greatest crime of all.
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I couldn’t agree more Lisa. It is a fiction. I think it has its origins in my having met people who have lost a parent through separation / divorce and consequently live with a reserve of unresolved loss and anger.
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Sean, I think there is a lot of it about. Even when parents are there, but distracted, neglectful, addicted…
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Oh the visuals here really hit my heart. I’m happy it was fiction for you but so sad for those who have experienced this kind of abandonment.
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Neglected children should be enough to break anyone’s heart. Sad it isn’t always so.
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