“Pretty Things”

The setting of this story is rooted in a sadness that most people can probably relate to: the dying of someone very close to them.  In “Pretty Things” it’s the mother of the protagonist.

The story explores the girl, eighteen years of age who has been thrust into an unfair role – caring for her younger brother as her cancer-stricken mother dies slowly in the hospital.  The purpose here is to show this young woman in a moment of crisis; dealing with the impending passing of her mother against the backdrop of assuming responsibility for her sibling while watching her promising future of college slip further and further into the unreachable distance.

The impetus for this story was brought about by a friend of mine losing her mother at a fairly young age.  While she didn’t have the burden of taking care of a younger brother, the loss impacted her life tremendously.  She and her mother were quite close, and as such, the loss left an indelible mark on her.  I was always captivated by the close relationship the two shared. She would often tell me stories about the things they would do together, the frequency of their talks, as well as the topics they discussed.  A strong friendship overlaid the tight bond of mother-daughter that already existed.  While I’m sure many share similar bonds with their parents, this was the first time I had seen it on this level.

The rest of the story are fragmented truths from different aspects of my experiences with people I’ve had the benefit of knowing – family devotion in taking care of a dying loved one; sacrifice for taking care of a relative and putting your own dreams and aspirations on hold; the seemingly preferable escape of suicide from complex situations.

But at heart of this story is the young girl – similar to my friend – teeming with the possibilities of the future, strong-willed and confident, trying to come to terms with the loss of someone dear.

It’s a place we have all been or if not, where we will all be, at one time or another.

Taken from Why People Do What They Do by Emilio Iasiello

Published by Deer Hawk Publishing www.deerhawkpublications.com

Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency https://loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/emilio-iasiello/