One Seed

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"Right here?" She brushed her hair out of her face. Her face was youthful and ecstatic, and her voice was bright and lovely.

"It's perfect." He smiled at her. The placement of the seed was perfect. It was a symbol of their future together.

She laughed, simply out of pure joy. He kissed her, placing his hand on her stomach. He could feel her kick.

His daughter.

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I was always fortunate. My house was extravagant; my clothes were clean.

But for some reason, it never really felt that way.

I felt so unloved as a child. My mother was always neck-deep in her work. I was a stranger living in her house. She avoided eye contact with me. We never had a mother-daughter-type conversation, where she flustered me with comments about boys and puberty.

But if there was one thing my mother made time for, it was the tree in our yard. She tended to it so often. I felt jealous. Of a tree.

I sat under its shade and watched the green leaves fall around me. My mother was watching me from the window. I didn't have to look to notice.

Every time I sat under this tree, watching the green leaves fall, she would watch me. And she would cry. She would cry so much.

I never understood her.

That was, until, she died. It was peaceful. She went in her sleep.

I was left with her house, her money, and her belongings.

Her room was so clean. It was uncanny. The bed looked as if it was never slept on. The chairs looked as if they were never sat on.

I opened her dresser. Pills, glasses, a hairbrush...

And an envelope.

Usually, I would have ignored it. My mother's letters are none of my business.

But this one had my name on it. It was for me.

My mother's penmanship was gorgeous. The envelope was closed off by a red seal. I was scared to open it.

But I did.

To Lorraine,

I love you.

I know I never really said it. I know it seemed like I didn't. I know you grew up feeling neglected.

I'm here to tell you that it is all my fault.

I blamed you for all the misfortune in my life.

All because I couldn't blame your father.

I didn't blame him when he got mad.

Even though it wasn't my fault I couldn't go to work and take care of you at the same time.

I didn't blame him when he made me quit my job.

Even though I spent so long working my ass off.

I didn't blame him when he slapped me.

When he punched me.

When he kicked me.

Instead, I blamed you.

I blamed you when he died.

Even though you weren't the car that hit him.

I couldn't look you in the eye.

My daughter.

I was scared to talk to you.

I was scared to tell you that I loved you.

So I trimmed and cleaned and tended to that tree in our yard.

The tree your father and I planted together.

And so I just watched you.

I sat and watched you sit under it.

And I thought about how much I loved you. And how much I could never tell you.

But I love you. That tree means I love you. And I'm sorry.

I put the letter down.

And I cried.

I cried because my mother loved me.

I cried because my mother cared.

I cried because I wasn't a stranger living in her house.

I was her daughter.

And for the first time, sitting under the tree, watching the leaves fall around me...

I understood my mother.

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Author's Note: I have to write 400 more words and I seriously do not know how much more to add. But I'm going to try my best to fill in this gap. Upon reading this prompt I thought of The Giving Tree, and I was going to do something similar to that. But instead, I settled on an idea where the tree was supposed to be a gift/symbol but the meaning changed because life changed. I actually really like this one, and I think reedsy needs to allow shorter stories because sometimes less is more..

I have another 300 to go.

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Okay this is actually so frustrating reedsy please less us submit shorter stories I am sick of having to do this every single time !!!! I do not want to add more details I like it just the way it is. I don't think reedsy understands that I have school PAPERS that are below 1k words and they turn out great like... ummm!!!! Please tell me this second paragraph is enough to fulfill the word limit.

Update it wasn't I have 62 more words left. Anyway I'm not back on reedsy for good but I felt like getting back on here to put out a story because my previous ones have all been really emo murder ones and the vibe really needs to change. Okay I think this is enough.

Update I have eight words left. Bye bye!!!!