Short Stories

The Glittering Rose

by Terry Barlow
08/26/19
For Sale
Author requests article critique

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Bill and Janice Brampton had purchased a beautiful artificial rose at a gift shop. It was strung with blinking lights powered by an irreplaceable battery. At first Bill could hardly wait to try it out and would eagerly ask Janice on Friday and Saturday evenings, as they relaxed over hors dourves and a glass of wine together, if he could turn on the blinking rose.

No not tonight, she would say, let’s wait for a special occasion, it will mean more that way.

You’re right, he would reply, we definitely want to maximize its charm, and that’s the way to do it.

The usual family holidays would come round, but Janice was still hesitant.

We only have a limited number of uses before that battery dies, Bill, are you sure we want to use it on this particular occasion? Maybe we should wait until more of the family is gathered.

Ok, I guess you’re right. It’s just you and me at the moment.

But if you really want to do it now, I won’t stand in your way.

No, I want us both to want to light it, one as much as the other.

Or there would on rare occasions be a crowd of family and friends present on some holiday, and either Bill or Janice would walk toward the rose with the intent of igniting and inaugurating its light, and then think better of it, as if to say, “no, the first time should be a private event in honor of our marital love.”

Then at last their anniversary came round.

How about lighting up the rose tonight Janice? We wouldn’t want a crowd right now anyway. Perfect for the two of us, I would say at least for this time.

Ok.

You don’t sound very enthusiastic. What are you thinking?

Well, what if the battery is low to begin with and the lights fail? That would be kinda sad on our anniversary.

I see what you mean. Like a bad omen or something like that, Lord knows we don’t need any of those, especially on a romantic occasion like this. Life is enough of a challenge.

That’s for sure.

But at this rate, remarked Bill, when will we ever use it, the rose, I mean?

We’ll know, when the right moment comes, I think we’ll both now, answered Janice.

Hopefully. I suspect you’re probably right.

Thank you, Bill, for that vote of confidence, and for your understanding and patience.

Just seems like our poor idle would be shimmering rose is gathering dust over there on the mantle.

Bill walks over and blows some of the dust away.

Be careful, Bill, don’t blow it over and break it, said Janice, chuckling. Wouldn’t that be ironic after all?

And indeed it was ironic and so tragic a week later when Bill and Janice died suddenly in a terrible car accident at an intersection a mile from their house. They were rear ended trying to enter an overcrowded turn lane that the city had been intending for some time to widen into two lanes. The said city hadn’t quite yet gotten around to doing that project, even as the beloved couple hadn’t quite gotten around to illuminating their rose. No special time that came a long seemed quite perfectly special enough. When in reality, they would tell you now if they could, any time would have served the purpose and done just fine. Someone might ask what purpose? The purpose of remembering to treasure and celebrate all the moments in our lives that we share together as they come kindly and mercifully forth, one by one.