Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #156

If this week’s image inspires you and you wish to participate, please write your post, use the tag #FFFC, and link back to this post. I hope it will generate some great posts.

Hope Makes Everything Possible

Try as she may, Hope’s mother gave up years ago on talking her daughter out of a long daily ritual of waiting for the mail. Hope’s autism was most severe and the quiet time, she spent daily waiting, had become a mixed blessing. Her mother had come to count on a few hours of ‘ME’ time to care for herself, and she needed that. So, all was well.

There had been an offer for a free poster of Hope’s favorite TV characters in a magazine ad, so Mama had long ago sent for it. Hope was 7 at the time. She kept the ordering page neatly folded reverently on her dresser ever since, but Hope was now still waiting 15 years later. The T.V. show had even gone into syndication 10 years ago, but Hope got to watch the Rugrats on demand anyway. Time just wasn’t moving in her world.

Well, Mama brought Hope her lunch- on one grey day- and a ring at the door, signaling the mail, went off. The young woman almost upset her plate as she raced downstairs with the exact same daily enthusiasm she’d maintained ever since childhood.
Mama braced herself for the usual sullen daughter dragging up the stairway in disappointed when Hope ran into the room squealing! She was holding a long tube above her head.
There it was! That long-awaited prize that Mama was certain would never come. They opened it together and immediately hung it on her bedroom wall. Hope danced with happiness too excited to even eat her lunch.
Mama’s heart nearly burst with joy watching her daughter’s celebration even though she was absolutely baffled by the long-delayed wish coming true. “What the heck?”, Mama thought.

The next day, Hope anxiously paced all around rubbing her hands since her routine vigil had been ended, so Mama thought quickly and ordered another poster from the same ancient careworn magazine page. It worked!
Her daughter started a brand-new vigil. And, with a name like Hope, she’d be waiting for as long as it takes. All was well once again.

https://fivedotoh.com/2022/02/14/fandangos-flash-fiction-challenge-156/