anishaswritingsomestories

[anishaswritingsomestories]

Transmedia for “welcome home.” Original photos.

[anishaswritingsomestories]

Welcome Home

His problems began to stack like a wobbly plate of pancakes.

At first, there weren't a lot of pancakes. Okay, he thought. Not a problem, I’ll just leave them here for a bit and come back to them later. But then, the stack of pancakes began to grow. One by one, they lay on top of each other, waiting to be eaten. Day after day, the man would watch the stack grow, doing nothing about it. As the weeks went by, the stack began growing faster than the first time. I’ll deal with the pancakes later, he thought. I have to take care of my children.

He sat on the porch of his house, not having the strength to enter. All his worries were weighing heavily on his shoulders as he questioned every choice he has made that not only affects himself, but also his children.

His children. When they were born, he promised to give them everything they ever wanted. He dreamed about owning a house in a friendly neighbourhood. But, instead, they lived here in this broken house, with a broken kitchen sink and roof falling apart. He reminded himself every day that this was temporary. That one day they would get out of this old place because his children deserved a better life.

As the sun fell behind the houses, he realized it was time to go inside. Once he was inside, there was a list a mile long of things to do, and it would be hours away before he could sit down. But he got up anyway. His knees buckled as he got up. He straightened his back causing sounds of popping and cracking. He winced in pain as his lower back was heavily aching today after a long day of lifting boxes.

He took a deep breath and unlocked the front door. When he got inside, he hung his stuff on the hook beside the table that was littered with bills. But his attention was diverted away by the aroma that hit his nose. The scent was a mixture of something burning and something sweet. Worried, he began making his way to the kitchen. He didn't have the energy to yell at his children for whatever mess they must have made today. He was in too much discomfort and pain.

“Hello?” He looked around the living room and not one of the children was around. He walked around the house until he entered the kitchen.

“Surprise!” The three young children exclaimed. The kitchen was a disaster. Dirty dishes were all over the counters. The two-step stools were gross and covered in food grime. Yet, there they were. All three kids holding plates of food in their hands.

"Welcome home, daddy. We made you dinner!" He looked around the kitchen. It'll probably take him all night to clean it up. But he didn't care. His children were his everything, and no matter what happened tomorrow, as long as they were together, that was enough.

[anishaswritingsomestories]

Transmedia for “Christmas Blues” to be played in the background.

“Their song. Bill was playing their wedding song on the record player.”

[anishaswritingsomestories]

Transmedia for "Christmas Blues."

"minimalistic decor and monochromatic colours."

Citation: Ashton, D. (2016). Dreamy Guest Bedroom Ideas That Will Make You The Best Host. Harp Times https://harptimes.com/guest-bedroom-ideas/Ci

[anishaswritingsomestories]

Transmedia 2 of “Christmas Blues.” Original video. 

“The decorations, the lights and the family gathered together brought her joy.”

[anishaswritingsomestories]

Transmedia 1 of “Christmas Blues” Original video. 

“It didn’t feel like Christmas. The Christmas skirt used to be covered with presents, but now it lay bare.”

[anishaswritingsomestories]

Christmas Blues

No one knew how long this pandemic was going to be. It had already been a year since she last saw her whole family.

It didn’t feel like Christmas. The Christmas skirt used to be covered with presents, but now it lay bare. Alice used to spend countless hours in the dining room, which became a Christmas wonderland in December. Now, it was just too difficult to be in the room. She got up from her chair and began walking around the house.

Upstairs, she looked into the three empty rooms. From baby cribs to toddler beds then finally adult beds, the rooms had undergone drastic changes over the years. There were superheroes, princesses and sports themes. Each room was now transformed into guestrooms with minimalistic decor and monochromatic colours. Alice ran her hand along the doorframe that was covered with height indicators for each of her children. She smiled looking into the rooms and having flashbacks of reading her children bedtime stories.

Going back down the stairs, Alice looked at the collection of picture frames. There was a mismatch of shapes ranging from square, circle and oval that outlined photos of her family. None of the frames matched each other, but that was because Bill put up the photographs spontaneously throughout the years. In the middle of the collection were two pictures of Alice and Bill. One was their wedding, and the other was a photograph of the two graduating from university. This gallery of memories had always made her smile, but not today. She sat on the stairs and tears started to stream down her cheek. She missed her family.

Bill walked out of the kitchen with their afternoon tea in his hands when he saw Alice crying on the stairs. He knew what she was going through. Christmas was her favourite holiday and the one thing she looked forward to every year. The decorations, the lights and the family gathered together brought her joy. She enjoyed decorating gingerbread cookies with the young ones, singing carols by the piano, and reading The Night Before Christmas on Christmas eve.

Alice stopped crying as she heard Bill shuffling around in the dining room. After a minute of silence, Alice heard it. Their song. Bill was playing their wedding song on the record player.

“May I have this dance?” Bill asked, appearing at the bottom of the stairs. He held Alice’s hand as he helped her stand up from the staircase. He led her into the Christmas room. Alice’s hands were always cold, and Bill was constantly there to warm them up for her. He placed one hand on her waist and as she put her free hand on his shoulder. Together, they slowly danced with memories of their youth before her children were born. Alice and Bill were so young when they met. She knew she was lucky to have Bill in her life and that any time together was precious.

[anishaswritingsomestories]

“Pizza and a movie by the fireplace was our second date.”

Reference: 

Weg, A. (2021, Dec 14). 30 Romantic Winter Date Ideas for Cozy, Chilly Nights. Prevention. https://www.prevention.com/sex/relationships/g38518550/best-winter-date-ideas/

[anishaswritingsomestories]

“I was at the coffee shop studying when he came up to ask if the seat across from me was taken.”

Play this sound as reading, “home is a person”

[anishaswritingsomestories]

Home is a person

4 months away at school.

Readjusting my duffle bag slung on my shoulder and pulling my suitcase behind me, I make my way through the empty bus station. I follow the signs to the exit where the taxis are waiting to take travellers home. Home. My home has never been a static place. It was always changing as my family and I hopped from place to place. With our last move just over 6 months ago, I was not looking forward to spending this summer break continuing to unpack only to be ripped away again.

But there was one thing I was looking forward to - seeing him. Who is he? Before I left for school in December, I met him. I was at the coffee shop studying when he came up to ask if the seat across from me was taken. At least that is what I assumed he asked as I had music filling my ears. I shook my head and gestured for him to take the seat. His mouth moved again as he said something else when I decided to take out my headphones to ask what he said. He laughed. It was a low chuckle. I remember because the sound brought a smile to my face. One thing led to another. We continued to talk and met up a few more times before I left. I missed him these last 4 months. Though our time was brief, I felt like we connected. I felt like he really understood me. I had past relationships before, but this one felt different somehow. I just wondered if things would still feel the same after being gone 4 months…

Stepping out of the bus station into the dark city streets, I navigate to the line of taxis. As I approach the line, I hear someone calling my name. Turning around I see him walking toward me.

“What are you doing here?!” I exclaim in surprise.

He laughs. “Nice to see you too. Your sister told me when your bus was arriving. I thought you might like a ride and maybe some dinner. What do you say to takeout? We can watch a movie at my place while we eat?”

Pizza and a movie by the fireplace was our second date. I smiled at the memory. My stomach was starting to sound with hunger, so I nodded eagerly.

He helped with my bags as we walked over to his car. We talked and laughed as if no time passed at all.

Once we got to his place, he ordered some takeout while I chose a movie. The movie started to play as he joined me on the couch. I didn’t know how this summer was going to be. I didn’t know if my home was going to be the same home for much longer. But as we nestled into each other on his couch, I let out a sigh of relief. He felt like home. And for now, that was enough.