Father is smiling today and I feel like a prince inside his gaze.
Yesterday, his frown made me scurry like an ant beneath his feet.
It is hard to predict when his heart will be made of stone
and the entire day promises to be rocky
or his heart will blossom with the warmth of a hundred loving fires.
Those days are so smooth and calm I wish they would last forever
but the hours click by too quickly and another morning
arrives and I am once more challenged to decipher
which Father I will meet when I rise from my bed.
Up From the Ashes 
There’s real depth there, Alicia
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Thanks, Neil. I loved the contradiction of those stones and the barely rippled water.
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Alcoholics and diabetics can be like that (the latter because of fluctuations in blood sugar) but this could also describe some mental illnesses.
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Yes, I can’t imagine growing up with a father like this. Mine was so very kind.
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Sad that this is the real world for some spouses and children. It does sound like a mental illness issue.
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Or some poor bloke with anger issues. Thanks, Christine. I really enjoy how people interpret the stories in FF. Alicia
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It’s bad enough to simply live with someone who is moody. You bring out how much worse when you are a child dependent on a parent’s every whim.
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Thanks for realizing it was a child. I couldn’t figure out how to make that clear within 100-words (even then I cheated at 102-words. Ssssshhhhh, don’t tell.)
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I saw that!
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Ooooppppsss!
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Dear Lish,
It sounds like Father is bipolar. How hard to live with someone like that…especially for a child (my dad was a lot like that). Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That must be so difficult for a child to live with. Have a glorious day!
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I would love to read more about the father to see if there is a reason he acts this way. Very believable characters.
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What a wonderful thing to say. Thanks, Iain.
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A child has little choice but to watch and wait and hope for the best.
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And hope springs eternal! Thanks for reading.
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Very well done, Alicia. I can’t imagine a poor child trying to deal with a bipolar (that’s what he sounds like) father. Not knowing which one he will wake up to. Gonna grow up way before his time, methinks.
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Having wonderful parents, I can’t imagine the stress something like this would cause a child. Thanks, Dale.
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Me neither. Thankfully.
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Wonderful writing. You have really made full use of the prompt in a creative but very real way.
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What a lovely thing to say. Thank you, Irene.
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Awwe, that is so sad. Poor girl.
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It would be a hard life, that’s for sure. Thanks for reading.
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I cannot imagine what that must be like.
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Thankfully, neither can I. Thank you, Keith
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Your story makes the child’s difficulty clear; he has to be constantly watchful of his father’s moods. You show us the stress this causes. The story makes us speculate about the father’s problems, and why he should be like this. It’s a very good story, Alicia.
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Thank you, Penny. I think it stems from lingering thoughts from Rochelle’s story last week.
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A sad world for a child to be living with a mentally ill parent. The child’s fear and confusion comes through in the story.
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Children should be reared in a loving environment so they don’t have to grow up confused. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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I love this.
The long flowing sentences draw us irresistibly in.
I suspect there is a depth here that is hidden from prying eyes.
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Thanks, ce. I was afraid the sentences were too long but didn’t want to chop them up. So glad that worked. Thank you, again.
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Sounds like a childhood spent walking on eggshells. An alcoholic or someone suffering from dementia, perhaps?
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I’m not sure myself. Alcohol, bipolar, or just plain meanness. Thanks for wondering, Ali
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That was simply beautiful, Alicia. Well done.
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Thanks, Sandra, and thanks for the beautiful picture.
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This sounds like such a damaging, difficult relationship. So stressful. I hope this child has a safe hand to hold when they need it.
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Thank you, what a comforting thought. Alicia
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Like your story very much, so well constructed. You say so much about this relationship, so recognisable and thought provoking.
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Thank you so much. I appreciate your thoughtful comment.
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I do hope he doesn’t hurt him, I have a nasty suspicion he will…
Hey, Lish, found an interesting fact out the other day, apparently Mother Theresea was a real pain in the proverbial to work with. Not sure of the validity of this fact (it was imparted in a video conference) but it might explain your Father character, maybe…
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Oh, that is an interesting fact. Sometimes I think saintly people HAVE to have moments of anger and frustration and be a little bit edgy in order to get things done. My mother was no Mother Teresa but she was a truly “saintly” woman with some bite.
Thanks for reading and opening a conversation!
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What a chilling environment to grow up in… there are so many reasons it can be so, but for a child it might matter less…
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I don’t think children often look for reasons, just ways to please. Thanks, Bjorn!
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My therapist brain immediately clicks into gear. Bipolar? Schizophrenia? or just a sad, troubled man?
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Whatever he is, I hope he soon becomes kind. Thanks for adding your “therapist brain” into the mix.
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what a hell he finds himself in. he deserves something better.
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He certainly does. Thanks plaridel.
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Nice bit of characterization of the father, Alicia. The poor boy’s life would be one confused mess.
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Thank you very much. I would hate that boy’s life.
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Wonderful imagery of a father’s changing moods. This is not an environment any child should have to live in. A beautifully rendered unsettling childhood existence.
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Thank you, Sarah Ann. So glad you dropped by.
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I too am wary of unpredictably moody people. Had a boss like that once. Great tale.
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Me, too! A man I worked for ran so hot and cold, I never knew if he’d be laughing and fun, or snippy and mean. It was a tough one.
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I get an Old Testament vibe from the story. Probably not what you had in mind. I think it’s the language you deployed.
(And I haven’t read the OT since I was 16, so a year or so back.)
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Delightful. I meant to portray an old-world feeling, if not the Old Testament, so didn’t use any contractions. Perhaps that’s the vibe you felt? I appreciate your input. Thanks
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Your story has several layers and like a onion each peel reveals a new layer that opens up endless questions that beg endless answers. A very well structured and masterfully written short story. Alicia.
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Thank you, Neel, What a lovely comment.
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Lovely but sad description of life lived in eggshells. I feel for your protagonist.
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Thanks, Dawn.
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What a challenge this son faces every day.
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I do think it is. Thanks, Liz
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Well done. This is familiar. I had a family member like this. Some days you had to tiptoe.
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That must have been so hard. Thanks for sharing.
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My Dad’s dementia made him unpredictable at times–or even within a single moment. It was bad enough for us kids, but must have been really challenging for Mom.
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I’m sorry! My dad a wee bit of dementia but he was 94. He earned it by aging, not due to his brain giving up on him. Does that make sense? When my sisters and I were taking care of him and mom he knew exactly where the tax stuff was, what was owed, what wasn’t. Thanks for sharing! Lish
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My Dad died 5 days after his 95th birthday. Evidently, he’d been having mini-strokes for quite a long time before it was discovered. For the most part, both him and Mom were very healthy right up to the end. She lived to be 93. We were very blessed to have them that long.
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I noticed those calm waters against the strange collection of stones too – makes the mind wander. As the child of a temperamental father, I feel this very deeply. All in our house focused around pleasing Dad, keeping him in a good mood if we could and when we couldn’t … Well, you can imagine. I’m still a ‘people pleaser’ to this day and I put it down to those formative years. So well written, hit the perfect tone with the perfect voice. Brava Lish. I genuinely love your writing – no people pleasing in that comment either! 🙂
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I know you’re not looking for sympathy, but I’m sorry you had a rocky childhood. I never knew how hard a child’s life could be until I found our a close childhood friend’s father was an alcoholic and beat him, and another’s little brother had been molested by a neighbor. That just didn’t happen in my family-world. Thanks for sharing and thanks for your kind praise. Lish
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I can’t complain Lish. He had a temper but things could have been much, much worse. You captured it so well, though – the walking on egg shells, the need to please. Expertly done X
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Lovely imagery and an original take on the prompt.
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Thank you, Thom. I’m awfully glad you stopped by.
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Intriguing and so much is left unsaid. Still, the basis of the story comes through loud and clear. I hope to learn more.
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Thank you for such a nice comment. Alicia
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Brilliantly written with lots of depth.
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Thank you so much. Alicia
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The father seems to be a victim of manic – depressive disorder. I feel for the child, especially since he still cares and craves for his affection, despite everything.
Beautifully written, as always.
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Thanks, Moon!
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Woah thats so tense. Well told. What a terrify scenario not knowing what will wake up
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Thanks, Laurie. A scenario I wouldn’t want, that’s for sure!
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A sad tale, Alicia. It’s difficult to imagine that behavior in a person. Yet, it does exist.
Mental illness isn’t addressed as much as it should be addressed. There’s still teh stigma.
Nicley done, my friend. Have a glroious weekend.
Isadora 😎
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Mental illness is a sad state of affairs, that’s for sure. You have a wonderful weekend, too. I want to see a picture of that dress!!!
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