Welcome to another edition of Six Sentence Story Thursday Link Up. This week’s given word is “canvas.” Following is an excerpt from a short story that was published in Magnets and Ladders several years ago and can be read on my blog
here. After her mother deserts the family without a word, thirteen-year-old Amber learns what her father thinks of her mother’s artwork.
***
Dad was away most of the time. He worked in a bank just like the father in Mary Poppins. A few weeks after Mom left, he said she was probably dead and gave all her clothes to charity and sold her jewelry. I begged him to leave the studio alone. He did, but when I asked if we could sell Mom’s paintings, he said, “That rubbish isn’t worth the canvas it’s painted on.”
I didn’t dare offer to show him my paintings, and he didn’t ask to see them.
***
Thanks to Girlie on the Edge for inspiring me to post the above excerpt with her six-sentence story prompt for this week. You can click here to participate in this week’s hop and read other bloggers’ six-sentence creations.
And now, I’m pleased to announce that from now until March 12th, Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me, The Red Dress, and My Ideal Partner are absolutely free from Smashwords as part of its Read an eBook Week sale. You can visit my Smashwords Author page to download these books. Happy reading!
New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me
Copyright 2021 by Abbie Johnson Taylor.
Independently published with the help of DLD Books.
Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.
After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.
Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.
Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?
***
My Corner 
Too bad he did not offer encouragement. We need to see the potential in those close to us.
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Well, as your read later in the story, the father, although he doesn’t show any interest in artwork, does pay more attention to his daughter as a result of something that happens to her. That’s all I’m going to say. If you want to know more, you should read the story.
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👍👍
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He sounds like so many fathers, so busy making a living for the child he forgets to make a life with the child.
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Yes, but that changes in the course of the story.
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WOW, great story.
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Thank you.
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My pleasure 🙂
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It sounds as if the father’s bitterness towards his wife leaving is spilling over and spoiling what should be a special time in his daughter’s life. Both he and his daughter have suffered loss. Communication would go a long way with them, should they be able to reach that opening.
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Absolutely!
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Such a sad Six. I hope the dad doesn’t drive the girl away too.
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Well, you’ll have to read the story in its entirety to find out what happens. I’ll tell you this much. It has a positive ending.
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I can see one reason why the mother would have left…what a beast!
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No, the mother is the beast here. Granted, the father rarely paid attention to her or Amber, but the mother abandoned them both without a word. Read the rest of the story, and you’ll see what I mean.
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Ok.
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