Monday, August 12, 2013

A Tale of Sorrow




Daphne's Despair....

There is no Easy way to tell this Story, Dear Readers, so let me warn you at the beginning that you might need a handkerchief, and there might be parts Not suited to a young audience. I know this is not what you expect to hear when you come to visit, but I have wracked my brains to try and find an easier way, and have concluded that there isn't one! I hope you can find Forgiveness and be easy with your Judgements of the characters in this Tale.

The Weather was too hot for sleeping anyway, and Daphne had awakened Again from that Dream. Only this time when she saw the little girl, she was holding the little doll that Daphne had bought only a few weeks ago.... on an impulse.... on a wish.... the doll was just so sweet and it made her wish.... well it made her wish for too many impossible things, but she had bought the doll anyway. And how the child ended up with the doll she had no idea. But this time when she saw the child approach the fountain, she gasped in horror as she watched the child throw the doll into the fountain!

She wanted to call out.... but it was a Dream....

She wanted to reach in and rescue the doll....

But she was paralyzed... and could do nothing....

And that was when she woke from the Dream... and remembered it was only a Dream. 
She got up and came downstairs to sit outside on the porch in the sultry night air. Fireflies were dancing in the hedgerows and in the distance lightning lit the sky, warning of an approaching storm. Daphne held the little doll in her lap and thought about the dream. Suddenly her tears overcame her and ran slowly down her cheeks. She thought she had given up crying a long time ago.

Will had not been able to sleep either and came out to join Daphne on the porch. Spotting the doll in her lap, he smiled to himself. From what he had noticed recently, Daphne was feeling her "clock" ticking... she was ready to settle down and start a family.... something Will had been thinking about too..... she was buying dolls and dreaming about children after all!

Will sat down beside her, and noticing her tears he said  "Hey sweetheart... there is no need to cry.... we can get married.... start a family... if you want to..."


At that Daphne cried even harder and said "Oh Will, don't say that! You don't understand! I'm not what you think I am. I can't marry you! I can't love you like that! I don't think I can ever love like that again!"

Will was shocked at this sudden outburst, and more than a little wounded at her words. He replied "when you say it like that, you make it sound as if you have loved someone else 'like that'." He didn't want to think she had given her heart to another.

"Yes. Yes, I did." Said Daphne between sniffles. She took a deep, shuddering breath.
"I was so young. So in love. He was charming and funny and so smart and so passionate. We met when I was away at the University in France, studying for my degree. Everything he did was somehow bigger than life. He made everything seem so exciting.
Will felt a nasty spurt of jealousy at this description and couldn't keep his words from betraying him. "Well, where is this guy now....this paragon?" he said, trying but not succeeding in keeping the sneer from his voice.

Daphne grew very still. She stared sightlessly out into the black night.
"He died" she said at last.
Will recoiled as if she had struck him. That was the last thing he had imagined she would say! He didn't know what to say but blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Just like that?..... How?"

"It was an accident" said Daphne. "A car accident." She sighed. "Racing cars was one of the things he was passionate about. That and racing horses. He was the darling of local society. The only son of a prominent family the de Montaignes. I never quite understood what he saw in me" she said quietly. "He called me his Muse. He said I was the 'still center of his life that he always wanted to come home to'..."
Will felt another stab of jealousy. He might not be the son of a Count, but the Otts were a very respectable family with connections.... good connections in all the best families of Europe.... but it was true, he never thought to say such poetic things to Daphne.

"We were going to get married" she said quietly." 
He took me to meet his parents. They were at their chateau."

"I was terrified. 
They were so happy to see him."
 
 
"They were very polite to me, but I could tell that they didn't want him to marry me.... I was just a foreign nobody. We didn't stay for long. He brought me back to the University that night." She paused and took a deep breath. "That was the last I saw of him. Two days later he was dead. Something went wrong with his race car and there was a terrible crash. I wasn't even invited to the funeral. It was as if I didn't exist" she said, her voice trailing off to a whisper.
Will was silent. Then he cleared his throat. 
"I'm sorry" he said. 
Then quietly "So you think you will never love again...?"
 
 
"No. You don't understand" said Daphne. "That's not all." She looked away, down at her feet, anywhere but at Will. She took a deep breath. "You don't understand at all. I was pregnant" she said.
"What?" blurted Will, not at all sure he had heard her correctly. "What did you say?" 
"I was pregnant with his baby" she repeated.
"Did he know?" asked Will, staring in shock, not at all sure why that would make any difference.
Daphne just nodded. "That was why we were getting married" she said. "I was so young and so stupid. One day I thought I had everything... and the next day I had nothing. I was so alone. I was so confused. So frightened.


"Do your friends know? Does Pollyanna know?" asked Will.
"No!" said Daphne sharply, turning to look at him. "I told nobody!"
"Not even your Mother?" said Will, already knowing the answer.
"No. Not even my Mother" whispered Daphne. "She's always so.... judgmental. She's always so sure I am going to mess up my life. She'd given up so much so I could go to the University... I just kept putting off telling her. I was so confused.... and I was trying to complete my studies...."
"And the baby....?" asked Will, not daring to put his suspicions into words.
Daphne was silent for so long Will thought she wasn't going to answer. But at last she spoke, her voice drained of all emotion. "Several months after Andre died, his Mother came to visit me at the University. By then it was obvious that I was pregnant. She told me that since Andre had been her only child, she would take his child and raise him as her own. She said she could give him all the advantages of wealth and position and family, things it was obvious I could never provide. She told me I would be a fool not to accept her offer. When I asked her what if the baby is a girl... she replied that the de Montaignes always have sons." Daphne paused, "I didn't tell her the O'Mallys always have daughters, but I did tell her I would never accept her very kind offer."
"She replied that she was sure I would change my mind when I had time to think it over... and that her Lawyers would have the adoption papers ready. All I had to do was contact them. And she left their card."
Will could think of nothing to say. Daphne said nothing for the longest time. The crickets were chirping and the lightning still teased the distant sky.


 Eventually, Daphne spoke again. "She was born at the end of Summer, just three weeks before my classes were starting for the new term. I tried to talk myself into keeping her... but I knew in my heart that Andre's Mother was right. I had nothing to give her. It would be unbearably selfish to keep her and try to raise her while continuing my studies.... if I could even manage to do either.... so I called the Lawyers and packed her bag....

"I will never forget the way they looked at me..." whispered Daphne.

"Especially the younger one... 
as if I was committing some horrible crime.....
by signing over my child......"
"I couldn't do it" she said at last. 
"I couldn't bring myself to sign the papers."

"I ran." she said "I got up and I Ran away"
"But I left my child" she cried. 
"I left my darling little girl."
 
Will could think of nothing to say. How could he possibly understand what she had gone through?
He scooted over and put an arm around Daphne's shoulder, pulling her closer. But it explained a lot, he thought. She had held this secret inside for so long... and it had slowly eroded her faith in her own ability to love another. He thought it wasn't that she couldn't love again, it was that she still loved too much and with too little hope.

Perhaps the next time he was in Europe on a buying trip he would look into things.... just privately of course.... make sure the child was truly being cared for and loved as she should be.... he would decide later whether to tell Daphne what if anything he discovered. For now it would have to be enough to just hold her... and to hope that Maybe someday she would want to start a family again.
He looked up at the sky. The storm seemed to have moved off and the lightning was barely noticeable. The crickets sang and the fireflies danced as though there were no cares in the World worth heeding.

So, do not Despair, Dear Readers! This Story does not end here.... 
although it may well pause here for a while. 
The solutions are not simple nor accomplished in a single chapter.
But I hope I can promise you that when we get there, 
it will be a Happy Ending
to this Tale of Sorrow!

 



 






21 comments:

  1. What a lovely change of pace! Keep it up. The story has real promise.
    I loved Will, with all his joints, in his shorts...
    Hey, look, I'm the first to comment! I'll be sure to return to see what the rest of your friends have to say. As for me, onward & upward with the arts!
    Lots of love,
    Mom

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    1. Hi Mom! What a fun surprise to see you here first! Thank you for supporting this startling 'change of pace'.... the stories do sometimes take on a life of their own!

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  2. Hello Betsy! Wow what a story! You had me completely interested from first to last! What a fertile brain you have! I had no idea what was coming, but I couldn't stop reading, and now I have to WAIT for chapter 2!? Not fair!

    elizabeth

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    1. Hi Elizabeth! Thank you for your comment! I hope you won't mind waiting..... I just don't have all the parts of this story all in line yet!!! It reminds me a bit of the Wedding one... where I had to make all the clothes....!!! We shall see what happens here... I'm just along for the ride as much as the rest of you are... it's the little People who are running the show!!!

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  3. WOW! What a story! Can't wait for more! I am not sure if I ever invented such story for any of my dolls! I want MORE of this story!:) :)(and with a happy ending of course!;))

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    1. Hi Ewa! Thank you for being so supportive of my difficult story! I Promise you a Happy Ending.... when we get there... it is not a simple story to tell!

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  4. You are wonderfully creative in both your miniatures and your minis. I look forward to the next installment.

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    1. Thank you Sharee! I hope it won't take too long to tell the whole Tale... but I'm pretty sure it won't be the only thing I am Posting about... so it will be sprinkled in with the regular building updates. I can't ignore the Tree House after all!

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  5. Beautiful scenes and a fantastic story! I want more! ;)

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    1. Thank you Eliana! I really appreciate your comment! I know how different the mood of this Story is from what I usually write.... So I debated whether to include it at all! I am glad you want to hear more! I hope you can be patient!

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  6. Hello Betsy,
    Such a sad story. Daphne did the biggest sacrifice for the good of her baby. I think opening up about to Will is going to be the first step towards healing. I cannot wait to read the next chapter. Now I am sad and need something with sugar in it to lift my spirits!
    Big hug,
    Giac

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    1. Dear Giac, I debated so long with myself whether to tell this Story... because I knew it would cast a Moment of Despair into my cheerful little Doll World.... and I really Don't want to leave my Readers Sad!! (Chocolate Helps!) But the story was Demanding that I tell it... and I hope you will bear with me as it Slowly unfolds! It is not a story that I can quickly finish.... (too many parts and settings need setting up!).... but I hope it will cheer you to know that the start is the saddest part. And it will have to be interspersed with updates on my other projects.... so who knows how long this will take! Life is an Adventure after all.... and I am So glad that Readers like you are willing to go along with me! Thank you as usual for your heartfelt comments! They really make my day!

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  7. Oh dear....I hope all will turn out okay at the end...I just can't stand sad stories :-( I always want everyone to be happy!!!

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    1. Hi Margriet! Me Too!!! Happy endings, that is!!! I really worried that I would be affecting all my blog friends by telling such a difficult tale..... but I could Not think of another solution! So please believe me that it Will end Happily!!! And I just hope it will not take me Forever to get it all told!!! But I must warn you that I will be posting about other building projects too... so the Story will come in bits and pieces. Thank you for being such a wonderful blog follower! I really appreciate your comments! :)

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  8. Now I know why this is called a "cliffhanger" - because having to wait until this story will continue feels as terrible like hanging just on the fingertips from a cliff... ;O) You're a talented storyteller, I truly mean it! Did you ever think of putting this in a book? But *clearsherthroat* before you think this over, PLEASE go on with that story first! Let Will travel to Europe soon!!!

    Greetings
    Birgit

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    1. Dear Birgit, you say the most wonderfully supportive things! I wanted to say that the "cliff" part is in the Next part of the story.... this is just the "garden" part of the story....! LOL! But I know what you mean... and I really didn't want to leave anybody hanging from the cliff... it's just that we have to have a little Time pass to get to the next scenes! (Because *ahem* we are inventing it all as we go along...!) Truly, I can promise you a Happy ending to this Story.... I just am Not sure Exactly all the steps to get there...!!! (So WHO do you think is hanging off the cliff Now?!! LOL!) Yes, I think Will is going to travel to Europe Soon!! Thank you for your always delightful comments.... they are truly treasured!:)

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  9. Hi Betsy, I'm a bit late commenting, but I had to take time and sit down to read your story from the beginning till the end ( or should I say the "cliffhanger" :D)
    This is reading a novel and watching a play in the theatre in once! You are really gifted in writing, it's a talent.
    Hugs, Liduina

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  10. O dear! Such sorrow! I did need a handkerchief indeed. Still wiping the tears of my cheeks. My two 1:12 house mates are perched on my shoulders and reading with me and are also very sad and blowing their noses in their mini hankies. We are relieved to read from your answers that we can rejoice in a happy ending and will be sure to follow the story! Thank you Liduina for bringing me here. I'm off now, making more mini handkerchiefs, just to be sure...

    XX,
    Véronique

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  11. Woohoo, a weepie! I love weepies, we all need a good cry sometime! Pass me one of that mini hankies, Veronique, thank you *sniffles.

    Bets, like everyone, I was completely absorbed with your tale and after I finished reading, I wanted more of course and so I enlarged all your pics and watch them like I am watching a good chock flick :). Great job, Director Bets!

    That Daphne, she does look great even with disheveled hair and flimsy nightie :):)

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  12. Oh, what a story! I also wait for the happy end.
    Hugs, piikko

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  13. I'm reading this story backwards but still find it enchanting. Sandie

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