Short Story Unit

 

I read a story once

One of many stories

Short stories, in fact

A unit we went through

I think it was in seventh grade

 

In this narrative,

Told from a boy’s perspective,

There was a stepmother

He didn’t like so much

No, she wasn’t classic fairytale mean

She was pleasant, but she wasn’t

His first mom

The real one

His mom was prettier

And better in all ways

But she had died

Then dad had remarried

The boy was sad, crestfallen

All the time

 

I don’t recall the lashing out

Because there wasn’t any

But at a dinner out, the boy

Noticed a moment when

His father tucked a loose

Curl up inside her hat,

And then the boy knew that his

Father really loved her

And for his sake

And for his sake,

He should try to love her, too

 

C L Couch

 

 

Image by Jenna Nguyen from Pixabay