Your main character is approached by their long-estranged parent who wants to reconnect. How do they react?

Posted in Dramatic on Jul 31, 2021

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 193 stories

“Stef's Ethics” by Lemon Lime

Submitted to Contest #79

"Stefan. How could you do this to me?" Her eyes are fish bowls filled with dank seaweed. He raises one eyebrow and wipes his face with both hands. "Mum. Listen to me. You haven't demonstrated an iota of regret." "How could you!? I raised you without a dad!" "And therefore..." "Hugh's been trying to get you to come back for nearly 40 years. Let me at least meet my granddaughter! This is cruelty!" Is there a tear in her eye? More shocking things have happened. Like the time he figured out how to...

19 comments 19

Read story

“Origami” by Amiable Sorceress

Submitted to Contest #79

The dove came in the mail, perfectly intact, a note etched on the side. The swan had come two days earlier, perched atop her front porch. How did he even know her address? Sighing, Zahari pinched the creases of the perfect colored paper, running her finger along every folded edge. How long had it been since they touched the same surface, broke the same bread? Twenty years, give or take some. She didn’t read the note. Or, at least she told herself she didn’t lock eyes with it and read everything inscribed upon the paper. He still had...

34 comments 34

Read story

“Names” by ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕨 🏳️‍🌈 (inactive For The Summer)

Submitted to Contest #79

I believe names have power. Laugh all you want, but sometimes I put people into groups based on their names. Names have colors and personalities that grow to represent the person who is using the name. Although, to be honest, I think names don’t belong to a specific person, they belong to everyone. They're borrowed, from the day we’re born to the day we die. But everyone knows some famous ones: Karens are snobs, Kellys are blonde, Janices are savory. But our story starts with two names. Timothy and Kaylee. I have only ever met one nice Timot...

101 comments 101

Read story

“Apartment 34” by Nancy Drayce

Submitted to Contest #79

I don’t know who I am. I know my name, I know my age, the way to work, the way to my apartment, but I do not who I am. I was born alone. Physically with people around me, but with people I never knew, I’ve never met, talked with. I do not have a memory of a face that brought me into this world, who was fondling her stomach until the very moment I was born. Scars spread around my body, invisible, but not painless, pain me every time I try my hardest to bring the memory of the scent, touch, the feeling of that someone who was patiently waiting...

34 comments 34

Read story

“Blood Is Not Everything” by Writer Maniac

Submitted to Contest #79

The ringing of the doorbell jerks me from my slightly uncomfortable sleep on the sofa. I brush the hair out of my eyes and get up, wobbling on my feet. The doorbell rings again. I yell that I’m coming, finding it a bit weird in itself that Mom would ring the bell more than once. She had once waited almost a half-hour outside the door for me to finish a shower, it was quite unlike her to ring it again within the span of a few seconds. Opening the door, the back of my mind pokes at me, telling me to have looked through the peephole. ...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Seperated (Ashlyn's POV)” by Maya -

Submitted to Contest #79

Author’s Note: This is a collab I did with the awesome author Katelyn Howell. I put her link in the comments below, please check out her part (Addie’s POV) and the rest of her amazing stories. She is going to continue this story as a series, so that explains the ending. Thanks for being here, I hope you enjoy it. Have a spectacular day!☆☆☆I’m woken up in the morning by the chime of a text on my phone. I dizzily pull myself out of bed and snatch the device from my bedside table, swiping it open. One message shows up on the top of the home scr...

243 comments 243

Read story

“Until We Meet Again” by Kate Reynolds

Submitted to Contest #79

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is inspired by a song. Comment below if you know what song it is!!! (I included some of the lyrics in the story!)Content Warning: Includes suicide ***************************************************************************** She raced through the woods, her arms and legs pumping as fast as they could. Twigs and fallen logs tripped her, but she dare not stop, for if she did, she might not have the strength to get back up again.Tree branches swiped at her, tearing into her flesh, but she only embraced the pain. It gav...

77 comments 77

Read story

“Never Apart Again” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

Submitted to Contest #79

No. No, no! It can’t be true. I won’t believe this. No. ★★★ I glance at the photograph I held tightly in my hand. I feel my hands getting sweaty, a bit moisture. I try not to get too emotional, but...it’s hard not to. I control my tears, but it looks like they’re not listening to me. I felt my eyes getting heavier and heavier. Now, my eyelids cannot hold all that water in my eyes. They drip down, and onto the photograph. Drip! Drip! Drip! Now, my hands taste a bit salty, but I don’t really care. I quickly wipe my tears off my han...

33 comments 33

Read story

“I'm doing fine 🏠” by Ari Berri

Submitted to Contest #79

11th part of Home. Enjoy!“You guys know each other?” Angel asks in surprise. Daniel looks away from her. “Yeah, I guess so.”Nope. This is not what I need right now.He walks back upstairs, to his room. He wishes TJ was there. He never expected to see Taylor, Chaz, or Debbie again. They had all avoided each other in school, which hurt, because they’d been friends for so long.He hears footsteps, and sees Angel frowning at him. “What was that about?”“Nothing. I don’t want to talk about it right now. Can I use your phone?”She nods, and hands...

49 comments 49

Read story

“Mother Mother are you there ” by Heidi Hanson

Submitted to Contest #79

Elsie set her single bag down in the main room of the small, dusty house. She knew that she wasn't supposed to be here, or at least, she hadn't thought that she was supposed to be here. But something had changed right before her mother's death a few weeks ago. A last-minute edit had been made in the will. Elsie would receive the house, and everything in it, rather than her brother as everyone had thought.She didn't want the house, though. She didn't want anything to do with her mother. The woman who had spent all her time criticizing every s...

8 comments 8

Read story

“Empty Chairs” by Cathryn V

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #79

It came on a standard piece of office paper bearing the letterhead Families United, typed in Times New Roman, twelve font, single-spaced:Your birth mother has asked us to contact you on her behalf. She would like to connect, but you are under no obligation whatsoever. Your information is protected and nothing will be divulged without your permission. An email and phone number along with the business hours are included. I re-read the note again and again before laying it on the granite counter. My throat has gone dry. I swallow a half-finishe...

50 comments 50

Read story

“The Moment Stays in My Hand” by Cookie Carla🍪

Submitted to Contest #79

I pause before hitting Accept.I mean, I haven't talked to her in years. I shouldn't be this nervous, should I? I should be happy. Right?But what can I do -hang up on my mother? I have to answer. She needs her family's support right now. She can't make it through this alone, you know, they all said.But they fail to realize that I went through it too. I went through the hours of my mom drinking and snorting crack also. I had to deal with calling the cops when she lost control of herself and started hitting Bobby. I called 911 wh...

20 comments 20

Read story

“HEALING” by Godwin Kirimi

Submitted to Contest #79

Blood is thicker (sic) than water, is one saying I don't find as wise. Understand this, I have no problem with anyone who thinks of it as such. It's not your fault if you fall in the embrace of your parents at the end of a tough day in school. Cuddling at granny's place, book in hand, family around and favorite snacks in supply might be your ideal Christmas gift. There would be a sizzling hot, crispy turkey maybe for dinner and that's my favorite too. Having a brother to argue with over football, fight over some girl and later play base...

7 comments 7

Read story

“The Arabesque Girl” by Yolanda Wu

Submitted to Contest #79

Content warning: suicide I pray every morning even though I’m not a religious woman. There is no rhyme to my prayers. I have no reason to believe that unknown deities are watching over me. Or read books discussing deep, philosophical knowledge of the universe that I will only pretend to understand. But it’s a ritual, part of my morning routine, so I keep it up. It brings me comfort, which I suppose is enough. My sister, Aubrey, is sitting on my kitchen counter, trying to fix her hair with the murky dishwater as her mirror. She has alw...

21 comments 21

Read story

“margins” by KED KED

Submitted to Contest #79

I like to think myself possessed of a certain degree of composure and poise. I work tirelessly at a law firm, dedicating myself entirely to my clients while working on their cases. I stare down grown men on the daily. Regularly repel their verbal insults to my character solely due to my gender and that I dare have the temerity to be better and often more prepared then they are when presenting my cases. I also have a 7-year-old daughter whose lively and precocious nature keeps me on my toes more than court battles and b...

11 comments 11

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who decides it’s time to cut ties with a family member.

Sad – 259 stories

Write about someone who discovers the only family member they have left has just betrayed them.

Sad – 159 stories

Write about two characters who’ve gone through something so intense they now feel like family.

Adults – 189 stories

Write about a “found family” who are finally able to get together again after a long time apart.

Fluff – 100 stories

Contest #79

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: The Family You Choose

$50

Prize money

902

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 05, 2021 EST

Won by Reha A 🏆

Title: Puzzle Pieces

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Your main character is approached by their long-estranged parent who wants to reconnect. How do they react?

Submissions are closed

✍️ 193 stories

“Stef's Ethics” by Lemon Lime

“Origami” by Amiable Sorceress

“Names” by ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕨 🏳️‍🌈 (inactive For The Summer)

“Apartment 34” by Nancy Drayce

“Blood Is Not Everything” by Writer Maniac

“Seperated (Ashlyn's POV)” by Maya -

“Until We Meet Again” by Kate Reynolds

“Never Apart Again” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

“I'm doing fine 🏠” by Ari Berri

“Mother Mother are you there ” by Heidi Hanson

“Empty Chairs” by Cathryn V

“The Moment Stays in My Hand” by Cookie Carla🍪

“HEALING” by Godwin Kirimi

“The Arabesque Girl” by Yolanda Wu

“margins” by KED KED

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who decides it’s time to cut ties with a family member.

Write about someone who discovers the only family member they have left has just betrayed them.

Write about two characters who’ve gone through something so intense they now feel like family.

Write about a “found family” who are finally able to get together again after a long time apart.

Contest #79

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

902

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: