Pic1000 : The Silver Lining

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• Describe what you see?

I see a woman holding a camera, probably taking a picture.

• Describe what you feel?

She might be taking a picture out of curiosity or for memory purposes.

Story

"They would soon be here", Alina thought as she sat down on the bench in the park. Every weekend she comes to the park hoping to talk to her daughter but she ends up taking pictures of her and her children.

While she sat down on the bench in the park waiting for them, she couldn't help but feel the pain wash over her once again.

"It was all her fault. She shouldn't have sold her daughter", she thought as memories came flooding. She was young and thought she was doing the right thing but even after 30 years, she still felt the guilt wash over her. The heartache that came with her decision.

When she was young, Alina and her family were really struggling. Her parents could barely provide for her and her siblings and the debts kept piling up which was how she fell prey to Danny, who took her innocence and got her pregnant, one which Danny denied vehemently.

Alina's pregnancy added more strain on her family and that made it easy for Alina and her parents to accept the offer made by The Smith's who promised to pay them handsomely if Alina would give them her child after she was born. Alina was seven months gone when she moved into The Smith's house and she had her baby there.

When Alina saw her baby for the first time, her heart broke and right there she knew she would have a hard time letting her daughter go which brings her down to two options ”Pay back the half payment that The Smith's already gave her parents or just go with the plan and hand over her baby”.

From her situation, it seems the latter was her only choice because not only will she and her family be unable to pay the money back, she knew she won't be able to take care of her daughter, so she thought the best thing was for her to go to a family who could provide for her.

Alina gave a daughter a kiss on the cheeks and caress the unique birth mark which appeared on one side of her baby's neck. She took the last payment given to her by The Smith's and left. She got back home and handed the money to her parents with tears on her face.

Every night, she dreamt of her daughter's face and would wake up crying. Her mother couldn't bear to see her in so much pain and talked to her, telling her there might be a silver lining later on,that she might be able to watch her daughter grow from afar and maybe one day, be a part of her life. But that hope was shattered when Alina learned that the The Smith's sold their house and left the area some weeks after.

She never thought she would ever see her daughter again until fate brought them close 30 years later.

The first time Alina came face to face with her daughter after many years, she recognized her immediately. Even before she saw the birth mark by the side of her neck, she knew right from looking into her eyes.

Alina learned from spending time at the park that her daughter's name is Bridget who had grown to a fine young woman with two children of her own.

All Alina had was the memory of her face when she was a baby and she knew she needed more. So she went to get herself a camera which she brought to the park whenever she goes there.

While Bridget play with her children and other kids, Alina would smile and take pictures of them. Maybe one day she would summon the courage and let Bridget know who she was but for now, She can only settle for the pictures.