Writing Prompt Wednesday - Rag

Welcome back to writing prompt Wednesday. THis week, I decided to take my first sentence from the Writer’s Toolbox again.

Prompt: My mother was doing that thing she did. That thing with the rag in the sink.

~~~

My mother was doing that thing she did. That thing with the rag in the sink. She only did this when something was wrong. When something was really wrong.

Swallowing, I stepped fully into the kitchen and said, “Mom?” Her head jerked up, like a startled animal, before she turned and saw me. The look in her eyes scared me more than the cleaning. “Mom what is it?”

“Rose, it’s your father.”

“Papa?” My heart pounded against my breast bone and my hands felt clammy. “Whats wrong with Papa?”

Mom looked at me for a moment longer, then she dropped the rag before letting her face fall into her hands and starting to weep.

“Mom what is it?” I rushed to her, pulling her into my arms and trying to stem the flow of tears.

“I got a letter today,” she sobbed, “It said that Papa had been caught trying to steal something from the garden of that mansion on the edge of town.”

“The mansion? THe big empty one that no one goes near? WHy on earth would Papa be near there?”

“I don’t know. All the letter said was that the own of the estate was going pressing charges and imprisoning him on the estate for attempted robbery. The constable won’t do anything. Says the owner’s too powerful.”

I stared at her, dumbstruck. None of this made sense. We hadn’t even realized someone lived in that old mansion. And why would Papa be there in the first place? What could he have possibly been trying to steal?

“This can’t be true.” I said, pulling away to try and look at my mother’s face. But she wouldn’t look at me. “We have to do something.”

“What can we do that the constable can’t?” Mom demanded, tears still streaming from her eyes.

“I . . . I don’t know, but I’m going to try. I’m going to go to the mansion and demand to speak with the owner. Surely i can make them listen to reason. Papa wouldn’t steal from them. I’ll make them see that.”

“Rose no, you can’t. What if he gets angry with you too? I can’t bear the thought of losing both you and your father.”

“I’m not doing nothing. I’m going to get Papa released.”

~~~

This is the beginning of something bigger. I can feel it. In fact, I got an idea for an entire story based on this prompt. I may have to pursue it at a later date.

Come back Friday for the next 30 Things question.

Until then.