She could batten the hatches, weather this one out; these storms never lasted more than three days.
Somehow they always managed to arrive within moments of each other.
Three cars’ worth of doors flung open at once, spilling grandchildren who swirled behind their parents, the mass of them a single squall line bearing down, gusting through the front door without so much as a knock, her daughters’ smiles flashing like lightning.
The men and children retreated to the beach while her daughters assaulted her home, dusting, scrubbing; organizing her cupboards.
The aftermath was always erosion. She was losing ground.
*****
This is a second take on the Carrot Ranch May 3rd prompt , 99 words (no more, no less) using a line in the story. It is also six sentences with the word “single”. Check out both sites to see more takes on these prompts, or leave a story of your own.
ShiftnShake 
Ah! Family visits are always a blessing and a challenge~~
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I just latched onto the term squall line and was just playing with words. I don’t know nothin bout challengin families.
Thanks for reading.
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And yet I could imagine it so clearly—and I don’t even have grandbabies! Well done!
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Me either and none of the above.
Thanks.
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I love your storm metaphor, in particular, the 3rd sentence.
You leave me wondering….is this an older (aging) woman? The erosion perhaps referring to her losing ground in her fight to remain independent?
Very well written and for me a bit sad.
Good 6 🙂
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Yeah, an older woman who has to defend her aging self and aging home to the overbearing scrutiny of her daughters.
Maybe Earnest and Marge should befriend her… Marge can handle those women.
Thanks for coming by, I was late again this week, wasn’t sure I had six in me.
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cast iron bed frames with chenille bedspreads, linoleum floors and plastic table clothes!
excellent and visually-suggestive Six (and a great Carrot too, I assume).
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Ha! You filled in all the blanks, there is no description of the house; I even edited out the term “summer house” but was imagining a Cape Cod sort of a cottage. Not sure if those western cowpokes at Carrot Ranch could fill in so many blanks for a beach house… you should don your denim overalls and t-rusty banjo and have a look see over there.
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be grateful I left out the details, like store-new terrycloth shirts on sun-burned shoulders and the iodine smell of dried seaweed…lol
you want New England summer scenes (when I knock on your door for the ‘hey, what kinda six can you spin off this scene’ Six Sentence in one of the weeks ahead?)
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I’m game; be warned I am willing to make shift up if I have to.
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Ha ha ha. The tempest that everyone loves to hate 🙂
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You are fantastic. What a great metaphor. My only granddaughter is one and she’s a tornado of her own.
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I could feel the woman’s angst at losing some of her independence. Aging isn’t always fun.
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This is what I’ve heard, yet I am willing to try it, over time. Thank you for coming by and reading.
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This is a great piece. There is such joy in the beginning, and yet the use of squall line lets us know that this is an incoming storm. As the six progresses, we find that undertow of sadness, the slipping away of control she feels as her children take over. How sad it must be to feel that way as one ages. Well done. I’ll hop over to the Ranch to see that version as well.
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Wow. Thank you for this thorough interpretation.
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Heh – didn’t mean to ramble. Just really loved what you did here.
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Ramble on!
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This is such a well written SSS. I could feel the energy of those daughters as they began to clean and put things in order, but could also sense the concern of mother as she tried to brace for the storm. Thank goodness that the men and children retreated to the beach. I hope the mother can find things after they have be reorganized.
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Thank you. Yes, I feel bad for her and all of them not being able to just relax and enjoy each other.
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Pingback: Lines « Carrot Ranch Literary Community
Family storms can erode the best places. Might need a strong boundary!
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Build a storm wall?
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A possibility! Some sort of boundary!
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