Mermaids

Rose’s wound opened up and emptied onto the hospital floor as she heard her father take his last breath. He had become ill so sudden, Rose was in complete shock of his death. She had first met him just five years earlier, though since then she’s felt like they have always been together. Now that he was gone, she felt cheated of time she thought was rightfully hers. Rose felt as though time in the bottle was laughing at her. She couldn’t bring herself to let go of his limp hand for some while. When she did, she headed for the only place she felt safe now, her home.

Rose unlocked the door to her haven and hung her keys on her key holder she had made from old broken mirrors. She was on the way to the phone to call into work when she spotted the big brown paper wrapped package her father had given her just before he became ill. With everything happening so quickly she had forgotten all about it. Her heart skipped a beat as she picked it up and unwrapped it. It was a detailed painting of two magnificent mermaids laughing. Rose instantly fell in love with the painting and its mystical lure. In the top left hand corner was a note her father had written:

“I had to get you this painting. They remind me of you, the way you always dare to be different. Don’t ever lose your creativity, it will take you far in live. And even though I haven’t known you all your life like I should have, always remember I love you with all my heart.”-Dad

That night Rose hung the painting in the middle of her mantle above the fireplace. She fell into a deep intoxicating sleep on the floor with beautiful mermaids watching over her.

One week later Rose was back at work with a smile on her face. Her job took on a new life. Everything she worked on was seeping with her creative juices. Her co-workers asked how she could bounce back so quickly from such a devastating blow. She grinned and said simply, “mermaids”.