Home » Challenge » The Right Thing – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #82

The Right Thing – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #82

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Well, hell. Here I was, minding my own business, reading blog posts when I happened upon Na’ama’s take on Crispina‘s lovely image below.  I dutifully left a comment, telling her she had no business leaving us hanging with her post and that I was probably not going to play as I had no ideas. We back and forthed in comments till she retorted with:  Wanna write ‘chapter 2’ to what I’d begun…?  And well, here I am. Nothing like being coerced challenged.  While mine can stand alone, please, do me a favour and read Na’ama’s post first right here before reading mine.  Thank you Crispina for hosting this here party weekly!  No matchy-matchy this week again 😉

The Right Thing

The attorney frowned at Juliette over his reading glasses. “You’re sure you want to leave that old farmhouse to this Morris guy?

Juliette nodded weakly. “Yes, it is the least I can do. Besides, I made a promise all those years ago.”

“An old promise. Ridiculous!  Does he even remember you?”

“I might have broken his heart.  I couldn’t tell him I had this heart condition. I didn’t want him to feel obligated to stay with me.  So I let him go.”

“That was a big decision for you to make for him.”

“Yes.  It was mine to make.”

“As a result, you dealt with this alone.”

“I felt it was the right thing. Better to break it off in the beginning than for us to get in deeper and then still have to lose me.  This way he had a chance at finding happiness.”

“I hope he appreciates this.”

76 thoughts on “The Right Thing – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #82”

  1. Oh! Poor Juliette! Morris isn’t the most astute in the feelings-of-others department, and he isn’t particularly wordy besides. She probably felt that she would be a burden on him.
    He has lost.
    Big time.
    She was a keeper, and he did not see it.
    Though perhaps now he doe. A little. Kind of …
    Well done, Dale!
    I think I should challenge you a few more times to a back-and-forth, eh? Wouldn’t that be grand!?

    XOXO
    Na’ama

    Liked by 3 people

    • Poor Juliette but also poor Morris – he didn’t know!
      I based this on a friend of mine who has MS and when he found out, told his wife that it was going to be a long and difficult journey ahead and if she wanted out now, he gave her is blessing. AND. SHE. LEFT.!!! He tells me no, not angry at her at all… I dunno
      Glad you enjoyed my tagging onto your post!
      It is fun when it is spur of the moment like this…
      XOXO
      Dale

      Liked by 3 people

      • Wow. She left? Well then.
        I guess she gets A for Honesty and F for love. But then again, perhaps there wasn’t enough love there and it would’ve been a heartbreak either way.
        Wow.
        And — THANKS for playing! I love the added angle and this enriched the story on all counts!
        Poor Morris didn’t see what was right there in front of him, me thinks.
        So there’s that. …
        XOXO
        Na’ama

        Liked by 2 people

        • Yes. She left. And they had two kids. I just couldn’t see that as a choice I’d make. But like you said, perhaps there wasn’t enough or perhaps there was on his part knowing she’d eventually resent him.
          Yeah. Wow.
          I’m glad I did play after all. Poor Morris wasn’t given a chance to see, maybe (can you tell I want to give him a chance?)
          XOXO
          Dale

          Liked by 1 person

          • She left AFTER they had two kids together??!!!! Whoa! I thought it was before they finalized their relationship. Oh. My. God.
            Wow.
            And … I’m glad you played! 🙂
            (You are nice to wanna give him a chance! One wonders if the attorney would explain some of the background … and how it would affect Morris).

            Liked by 1 person

          • Yes. They were married, had two kids when the disease hit.
            And he is completely at ease with having given her the out. Bears no ill will towards her at all.
            Glad I played too… after all!
            Yeah, I do. Poor guy had no idea. It would be nice if the attorney filled him in!

            Liked by 1 person

          • Wow. Well, I guess he had a good sense of her and didn’t need emotional blackmail on top of other things, or perhaps he didn’t have to keep taking care of HER feelings about HIS illness … So, yeah.
            But, good for him for being okay with the choice he presented and the option it led to. After all, it was his life to be at peace with, not my reaction to it!
            I have a feeling the attorney could be “Chapter 3” …. (imagine, say, if he had a crush on her … ;))

            Liked by 1 person

          • I guess he did. They were both cops at the time. He had to change jobs, of course.
            He found love a good 7-8 years ago so I am very happy for him.
            Hmmm…. maybe 😉

            Liked by 1 person

      • Oh my. She left? I suppose in some ways it was a blessing — if she’d stayed she would have been an unwilling companion which could have been worse than having her leave. But still… wow! Perhaps your friend intuitively knew she would not be much help which is why he gave her the out, knowing she needed it — perhaps that is the essence of love…

        Liked by 1 person

        • Yes, she did. He knew it would become a bigger burden than she could handle. I think he did have more love in the end. (And he’s doing splendidly. Found love again, too!)

          Like

  4. Q

    It’s to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. And to Juliette, it was the right thing to do even if her heart would never mend itself. And there is Shakespeare to such a task as hers, no?

    Creative eloquence, wrapped in a romantic bow of melancholy. Well penned.

    B

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, Rene! That Na’ama… Enticing me to play.
      It is. I dunno if you saw in the comments but I have a friend who released his wife, if she wanted to go, when he found out he had MS. And she left! They have 2 kids ..
      I’m with you. Better or worse, sickness and health….

      Like

    • Dear Rochelle,

      Poor both of them, for sure. Couldn’t help but think of a friend of mine when I wrote it.

      Shalom and lotsa healthy heart love,

      Dale

      Liked by 1 person

  12. I like the way you’ve taken Na’ama’s story and written, if you like, the prequel, swinging the VP to the woman. And has been remarked, your story raises questions, the results seen in Na’ama’s tale. And no man (or woman) is an island; our every action, every decision, has potential to affect another

    Liked by 2 people

  13. Poor Juliette and Morris. You came up with a poignant conclusion to Na’ama’s story. And I agree with what Crispina says, that you’ve written the prequel. Though I think Juliette should have given Morris the chance to make his own decision.
    I read about your friend in the comments–and wow! It’s one thing to leave your husband, but after two kids? I guess the love really was not there. And I hope your friend is ok. I know some forms of MS can be managed with medication. (Mr. President on The West Wing-the president we wanted–had MS.) 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    • Sad story all ’round, I say! And yes, it is more a prequel… And I think it was not really fair of Juliette to make that decision for Morris. It’s a tough one.
      My friend has been in a wheelchair for twenty years (give or take). He has found love again – been going on strong for a good 7-8 years.

      Liked by 2 people

  14. I’m with Merril — I wished she’d given him the chance to make his own decision.

    And your friend had 2 children? wow. what kind of lesson did they inculcate into their beings in that story? Oh wow.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I do, too.

      I know. I still can’t understand how he is at peace with is decision. Has a great relationship with his kids – not that I know if it always was so. I had lost touch with him for a few years.

      Liked by 1 person

      • He sounds like a really kind, caring human being. I can understand her fear. It’s just sad she felt so threatened by it all — including you. Hugs my friend. So grateful you have this gift of writing that creates wonderful stories that lead to such spectacular sharing.

        Liked by 1 person

        • He is. I love Mario dearly and know it is reciprocated (even if we hardly ever see each other now). I imagine she did. Who knew I had this gift? It is relatively new…
          Thank you so much for saying it.

          Like

  20. If the two are one then they are one in this too, so it’s not just her decision to make, however brave…
    Story very well told, Dale!
    My goodness… I couldn’t believe the story about your friend with MS… seriously?!!!!! On the other hand though, it’s probably best that he doesn’t have such an inconsiderate and coldhearted person with him… I think. wow…

    Liked by 1 person

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