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

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✍️ 193 stories

“His Apology” by Trina Ann Pion 🍀🌹🍀

Submitted to Contest #79

A distant thunder threatened to dump its impending rain and whipping winds on Montreal as I waited in the dark for the 17. While lightening excited me, standing with a metal pole to my left, and an old tree to my right, did not. I half expected to make my trip home flying with Mother Nature’s calling card lighting my ass on fire, but it never happened.The bus arrived, screeching to a halt, to rescue me from the first fat drops plunging from the sky. I adjusted my mask and assessed how many passengers were on the bus. Three people were o...

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“Grace Under Pressure” by Philip Clayberg

Submitted to Contest #79

My best friend Bonnie just looked at me. “You're kidding.”She'd kept her voice down even though we were in the high school cafeteria and there were many conversations going on. Most were louder than ours. The monitors were too busy talking with each other to fuss about the volume of the buzz in the cafeteria.For the umpteenth time, I wished that I had brown skin, dark eyes, and short dark curly hair like she had. I wished that I was as slender and tall as she was. She would've made a beautiful model. Instead, I was just me: pale skin, pale b...

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“Broken Ties” by Emma Ruth

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #79

“I’ve started going to therapy,” my mother says quietly, looking at her hands. They are clasped together on the table, her thumbs mindlessly picking at her nude fingernail polish. Flakes of it lay scattered on the dark tablecloth, their stark contrast like a sprinkling of snow on pavement. This is the first declaration she’s made since entering my home a few minutes ago. I look at her, quizzically, unsure of what I’m supposed to make of this comment. I don’t feel any pressure to fill the silence, so I just wait. I don’t owe her anything, I t...

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“Flight Risk” by Kate Winchester

Submitted to Contest #79

Mama? I see her, or at least I think that’s her. After twenty years, I can’t be certain. I assess my surroundings. People have flocked to the baggage carousel. Everybody’s eyes are on the first suitcase as if it will magically transform into theirs; it’s bright blue. It’s doubtful that it will go home with the wrong owner, yet people ponder it just the same. There’s an exit to my left. Has she seen me? I’ve grown up; she might not know who I am. I could bolt, but something grounds me. Wh...

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“Tinkerers” by David G.

Submitted to Contest #79

I talked to my Paw today. He was in an old General Electric refrigerator at the bottom of the abandoned quarry. It was just about perfect – the refrigerator. Not too banged up. Good quality rolled steel and aluminum door and frame. It was exactly what I needed to contain the signal. I’m lucky to have found it, especially this long after the Great Reset.The quarry is just a couple miles up the road. The forest has grown around it, the quarry, and the service trail is mostly gone, cover'd in weeds and mulberry trees and the like. You gotta' kn...

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“Silver Linings” by Kylie Wallis

Submitted to Contest #79

The day Raven Mackenzie graduated, she spotted a familiar face in the crowd. She had not seen her father Travis, since she was about ten. He and her mother Carly got divorced a few years before that. Raven once spent every weekend with him, but there just wasn't the same kind of closeness they used to share. In the end, the two of them lost contact with each other. She didn't even know where he was anymore.Carly eventually met someone new. He and Raven got along really well. Noah had a daughter of his own, who wasn't living with him. Alyssa ...

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“It All Started With A Call” by Mazie Gray

Submitted to Contest #79

Author’s Note: I like this plotline, but I’m not sure if it has enough action or not. Let me know in a comment, please. Also, this is my second story. So, go me, I guess. :D Anyways, I hope that you all enjoy it! “Mom!” Asher, my son, calls. “I’m busy!” I yelled back. “Dad!” I smirk, pleased with myself. My kids have learned that when I say that I’m busy, I’m genuinely busy with my drawing. You see, I am a freelance animator. It’s an exciting job, and I get to work from home. My kids like to “help”, but we all know how that goes. So, I hav...

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“Daddy's Home” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #79

NowIt was three o’clock in the morning when Elsabeth realised she wasn’t alone.***ThenElsabeth frowned at the photograph the agent had slid across the table.“I don’t understand,” she told Harding. She hadn’t warmed to him, despite having seen his face every month for the past three years. Elsabeth had liked the previous agent better. But, as with all good things, Rowan’s tenure ended. Retired. Still, he deserved such peace, after having kept an eye out for her for over five years. He’d made the witness protection program that bit nicer.“I’m ...

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“The ties that unbind” by E Ameganvi

Submitted to Contest #79

Lunch breaks were always too short for busy people hungry to go run errands. 23 minutes. That was how much time Harold had left, before he had to go racing back to his non-official grease monkey job, working out of a small space in the old auto parts factory. Money paid under the table every 2 weeks, just how Harold liked it. Ex-convicts were hard up on finding decent jobs in Southern Nebraska. But Harold was known for being resourceful. Even now, looking down the messy isles of this god-forsaken grocery store, Harold smiled to himself remem...

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“An Early Christmas Present” by Ema Humajova

Submitted to Contest #79

I followed his steps. Long, elegant strides lead him to a door opposite the courtyard. The glass building reflected headlights of cars flashing across the main street just behind the corner. He reached for the handle-the door was locked. With a searching look, he scanned the mass of doorbells installed on his right-hand side. “Thank you so much for that Kay, great point.” My head spun back to the front of the room, leaving the man outside to search for the right doorbell by himself. The professors looked around the room at the few student...

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“Autumn” by Elizabeth Motes

Submitted to Contest #79

Dad eyed the cigarette in my hand with disappointment. “You really shouldn’t be doing that,” he said. I blew out a puff of smoke and said nothing right away. We sat in chairs on opposite ends of the front porch, partially because I wasn’t allowed to smoke in the house, and partially because Mom didn’t like Dad in the house. It was a nice day anyway, so I didn’t mind. Worry lingered in his eyes, so I said, “I know the statistics. On smoking, I mean. I’m not stupid.” “I know you’re not.” He crossed his arms. Dad came early this year, thou...

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“Who Are You?” by Boba Bendy

Submitted to Contest #79

*Trigger Warning: Cursing, Mention of Rape, Sassy Teenage Additude, Slight Mention of Abuse* “Itzel Gonzalez, to the principal's office. Itzel Gonzalez, to the principal's office.” The intercom announced to the entire school. Instantly, she could feel every pair of eyes look toward her way. It didn't help that everyone knew her. She was popular, but this was the first time she’d been called to the office. She sighed and stood up, sliding a strap of her small, black leather bag over her shoulder. She smoothed out her green uniform skirt and h...

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“Goodbye Momma” by Jenn Artino

Submitted to Contest #79

The bakery was quiet, the lingering scent of baked bread hung in the air. All the pastries, cakes and cookies that were left over were boxed and ready to be dropped off at the fire station down the street. Most of the time there wasn’t much leftover, but the guys at the station appreciated anything they were given. It was either give them to the guys or Cassie would have to take them home and try not to eat all of it once she got off work. She didn’t like to serve her customers day old desserts so the few that she would have left, were gifte...

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“Permanent Fixture” by Aisa M

Submitted to Contest #79

A delicate atmosphere enveloped the dining area. Each word said sliced through. Like cracks on a frozen lake, they stemmed out little by little. Tiny brittle sounds filled my ears. The silence was like forever, waiting for a random passerby whose step could break the entire frozen lake and drop him into the oblivion of a dark, cold universe. That wasn’t the mood we expected to have for Ma’s 60th birthday celebration.The table was filled with my favorite food as if I was the birthday celebrant. Ma made spaghetti with sweetened tomato sauce, s...

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“Silence Louder than Words” by Aimee P

Submitted to Contest #79

Julia had imagined this interaction a thousand times. Her mom would show up, or her dad would show up; maybe both. The scenario would change for her every time. Sometimes, in her head, she would open the door and be hostile. Yell. Insult. Disparage. Make the situation as absolutely painful as she possibly could for those who had caused her so much pain. Other times she imagined sitting in her bedroom, listening anxiously as her partner handled her parents. Other times, she imagined just calling the cops so they’d get off her doorstep and be ...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 193 stories

“His Apology” by Trina Ann Pion 🍀🌹🍀

“Grace Under Pressure” by Philip Clayberg

“Broken Ties” by Emma Ruth

“Flight Risk” by Kate Winchester

“Tinkerers” by David G.

“Silver Linings” by Kylie Wallis

“It All Started With A Call” by Mazie Gray

“Daddy's Home” by Joshua G. J. Insole

“The ties that unbind” by E Ameganvi

“An Early Christmas Present” by Ema Humajova

“Autumn” by Elizabeth Motes

“Who Are You?” by Boba Bendy

“Goodbye Momma” by Jenn Artino

“Permanent Fixture” by Aisa M

“Silence Louder than Words” by Aimee P

🌟 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

906

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: