Round 4: Drabble Submissions
Please comment to this entry with your drabbles. And remember, there's no limitation as to how many you can post. Drabble submissions will remain open for the next two weeks, until January 31st
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Penny hadn’t bothered to let it slip at work that her birthday would be upon in less than a week. To her the day was going to be just like all the others for the past month, and for the next two, and she didn’t want the day flagged as anything else but that.
Her birthday dawned with an unusually bleak, white sunlight slipping out from behind charcoal grey clouds. Perfect, thought Penny. She had found the Pasadena sun very rude to be so cheery when she felt anything but. Now as she rose from her bed on a less than beautiful day she thought it was perfect, that she was allowed to feel miserable on her birthday. With her family across the country and the people she wanted to spend her birthday with even further away in the Arctic Circle, Penny was in no mood to celebrate.
She wanted to ignore anything that showed the slightest hint of celebration. A couple of birthday cards had arrived from her parents and sister. She appreciated the sentiment, but she so didn’t want to be reminded of the prospect of spending her birthday alone, away from them. Away from him, and his whackadoodle ideas of how to celebrate a...
Penny forced herself into work and buried herself in it, trying to eradicate the weird hollow sensation in the pit of her stomach. She should be happy, she should at least celebrate in some small way, she should be doing all these things and more, in the same way she shouldn’t be missing her insane neighbors this much and shouldn’t be feeling so... empty.
When Penny finally arrived home that evening ready for a bath and a bad movie, a little surprise on her doormat made her heart leap. She stooped to collect it, walked it into her apartment, set it on the coffee table, and stared at it.
A vase of beautiful, open lilies, as white as snow, with a card enveloped in the silky petals. After staring at it for what felt like hours, Penny plucked up the courage to detach the envelope.
Dear Penny
Many happy returns. See you soon,
Sheldon
(Dr Sheldon Cooper)
Penny gazed at the printed words until her vision blurred. Suddenly the stab of inexplicable pain she had been battling against for weeks cut into her, and her heart pounded in her throat like a fist.
It would be another two months until she saw his face or heard his voice again.
Penny had no more energy to resist the tears she had fought for weeks, and they spilled down her cheeks, into her hands, onto Sheldon’s words.
Two months.
Penny curled into her couch and cried into her own arms, wishing she could share this supposedly happy occasion with someone, anyone, who was worth it, and those people who may as well be a million miles away.
She missed him so much.
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