Skip to main content

The Mental Ward - When the Old Chapter Closes (42)



      Mr. Carlisle shifted his gaze hastily to the gardener and back to Emery.  For a moment, he looked defensive and angry.  But then that faded away, leaving a weary, defeated resignation.  "I had hoped that name would never come back to haunt me."  He shrugged his shoulders, a flicker of evasiveness reappearing in his eyes.  "How much do you know?"
      The gardener raised his chin defiantly.  "I know that Clayton was the best gardener you ever had.  I know that he had a wife and children depending on him.  I know that he was the sort of person you could trust.  And I know that you got rid of him the morning after your daughter supposedly died."  His voice grew louder.  "I know that he couldn't find a job anywhere after you fired him.  I know that his family fell into hard times that just grew harder and harder.  Last I heard, he was far away, looking for a job outside of your influence, and his family lived in the city on the brink of starvation."
       Mr. Carlisle winced as the gardener flung each sentence at him.  
      "Whatever happened that night, I know that Clayton didn't deserve the way you treated him.  It was your fear and intense family pride that made you overreact to everything, to take unnecessary 'precautions' against word leaking out."  The gardener shook his head.  "If this girl had wreaked vengence on your daughter, it would have served you right.  But, no, the Claytons aren't like that.  Instead of reaping what you deserved, the very family you ruined were the ones to bring you back from the disaster."
      Mr. Carlisle's face was fixed on the gardener's and his expression was unreadable.
      "You may fire me for saying this," The gardener shifted his weight and his voice lowered to a normal tone.  "But if this isn't God giving you a second chance to make things right, I don't know what is."
      Beth lifted her head, her big eyes pleading with her father.  "Can Emery stay here?  With me?  Please?"
     "I'll do it -- I'll fix this." Mr. Carlisle's voice was soft, almost unrecognizable.  "Emery Clayton, you will have employment here for as long as you desire it, with Beth.  I will bring your mother and siblings here, and they will live in your old cottage again.  My investigators will track down your father and bring him home.  The money he has lost from not working here, I will restore to him.  And, if he will take it, I will give him his position as head gardener.  Everyone..." He reached out, brushing Beth's hair from her forehead."  "...everyone will be home again."
      Emery's mind spun, not quite comprehending this sudden change in situation.  Never had she dreamed such a thing was possible. Not once, when she stopped to help Beth, did she imagine that doing so would bring her family back to their humble prosperity.
      Lady Carlisle snuggled Beth closer, resting her cheek against Beth's hair.  "For so long, this chapter lingered -- painfully kept open.  My little girl was gone, but not gone.  And our whole household was falling apart because of it.  And now that's been resolved."  She lifted her eyes to Emery, smiling at the look of overwhelming shock on Emery's face.  "For the first time in seven years, I am looking forward to tomorrow.  When an old chapter closes, a new one opens.  And this one will be a good one -- I just know it."
      
THE END

Comments

  1. Such a perfect ending! I like how everything comes together, and is explained, and Emery's self-sacrifice pays off. :) Thanks so much for sharing this story - it's been a really great to read and follow along, and your writing is positively inspiring. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with Jessica, this was a WONDERFUL ending! You wrote this story so well, I really enjoyed it (and I'm kinda sad that it's over)! Thank you for posting this story, it was so much fun to read!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

More Snippets from Snow White Rose Red

    One of the shadows moved.   “Were you just going to chuck it in there with no thought for the poor folks on the other side?”   Flip’s voice drawled out.   It was a deep voice and it made my heart skip a beat.      He moved away from the trees and came to stand in front of me.   “Some hard-working fellow is plowing his field and then – whop!   Out of nowhere, a poisoned apple flies out and hits him upside the head.”   He clucked his tongue reproachfully.

A Short Story Break

via Pinterest     It has been a while since I penned a short story.  Usually it takes something like a "short story contest" to inspire me.  But I have noticed my writing skills improve with each contest so there is something to be said for writing short stories.      I say all this to lead into the fact that I am going to try another short story.  There is no contest looming on the horizon, but it has been so long that I think I am due to write a short piece.  Life cannot be entirely devoted to novel-length plots...      I am rolling around different ideas in my head.  There is no one to give me the first three words or a picture to base my story on.  There are no restrictions, no props, and no judges.      Methinks I will try something that is both epic and ordinary...something I have seen before.  After all, personal experience, great things, and the expression of the ordinary are part of what makes a story. 

The Countdown: Eight Days

Eight days.  Do you know what that means?  Barely over a week.  Tomorrow will be one week from the announcement date. Are you excited? I am. So, today, I want to talk to those who wrote something for the contest, whether or not you entered it in the end. What made you start writing your story?  What was the first inkling of an idea that tickled your brain?  What was it that you liked about your premise?  As you wrote, did you have a favorite character or a favorite scene?  And are you glad you wrote it down?  Do you feel like you learned and grew in your ability as a writer as you tried out things for this contest? And, if your story isn't included in this year's Rooglewood anthology (either because you didn't submit it or because it didn't fit with the other four stories selected), what will you do with it?  Will you market it elsewhere?  Or will you lock it away in a drawer?