***The reason she smiled, is What Do You See & six-sentence story.

***The six-sentence story starts with “that night” (July 19-23/2026) highlighted in purple (scroll down)

One could hear the distant melody of the band playing its greatest hits that evening at the county fair, along with the sweet smell of funnel cakes and cotton candy.

The evening was relaxing, with a cool breeze blowing, the chirp of cricket wings, and frog croaks, especially after a day of extreme heat.

“Oh, my summer nights are the best “, she thought as she sipped on her lemonade to enjoy its refreshment, while gazing at the sky to see a purple balloon dancing in the wind.

Some kid who lost the balloon must have been riding the nearby Ferris Wheel, which lit up with bright lights in all colors, causing screaming from the stomach drop that could be felt by the people it carried as the wheel descended.

Annette thought about being a carefree person like that balloon swaying in the breeze.

Tonight was special, the night of new beginnings, a time of fresh starts, yet for a reason she was unaware of at the time.

*THAT NIGHT

Claire could see the Ferris Wheel from the parking lot as she drove into the parking space that was closest to the entrance to the fairgrounds.

She could not wait to meet her best friend, Annette, who had promised to sit on the bench by the Ferris Wheel so Claire could tell her the good news when she could meet Annette there.

But as she was paying for her ticket to enter the fairgrounds, she noticed it.

It wasn’t obvious, almost invisible to see; she had to pinch her eyebrows together to view it from the haze of fog that enveloped the atmosphere.

There, in front of Annette, was a purple balloon dancing as it caught the wind blowing through the sky, on a cool evening after a steady rain earlier that hot, humid summer day.

Claire began walking over to Annette after she got her ticket and noticed a cotton candy stand, so she stopped to buy some for them.

***“A writer is a world trapped in a person,” – Victor Hugo

***“Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing.” – Margaret Chittenden

When she reached the bench, Claire handed Annette a letter she found in the attic that her grandmother received from her grandfather.

SIDE NOTE:

First let’s go back in time so I can tell you a story of love and devotion that will grab your heart and pull its strings.

The day Carl, her grandfather left to go overseas was the day Claire’s grandmother was offered a job at the local newspaper.

Her dear grandmother had to rely on letters or phone calls to satisfy her hunger for the connection of loved ones.

The thing is two months in his service her grandfather received orders that stated he would be stationed at an undisclosed area, and he was unable to make any contact with her grandmother for a year.

In the meantime, her grandmother busied herself with work to pass the time of living on hopes and dreams… and my grandfather’s promise in a letter.

***“At a certain level, prose simply makes statements… And there are other times when you’ve got to get into every raindrop. And sometimes the sentence has to do that.”
– William H. Gass

***INTOLERABLE EMOTIONS ENVELOPED in LOVE AND DEVOTION

Dear Hope,

When people ask how I am doing, I say, “fine” when in fact, I am not fine; I can barely function.

My heart is heavy; I am so numb of emotions that tears cannot reach my eyes to empty all the sorrow of missing you right now.

I think about our love, I think about you my darling and all the unsaid words of adoration that I would give anything to whisper to you.

Do you feel how much I love you and only you.

I will be home within a year so please keep your ring finger empty.

Save marriage for me, for us.

All my love,

Carl

“The really great writers are people like Emily Brontë who sit in a room and write out of their limited experience and unlimited imagination.”- James A. Michener

*Quotes were used in Denise’s posts, and I copied and pasted GirlieOnTheEdge’s Blog – Words of a clarklike female

#WDYS, #Whatdoyousee

What do you see # 349- 13 July, 2026 – Keep it alive

Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Prompt Word! – GirlieOnTheEdge’s Blog

It’s Thursday’s Six Sentence Story Blog Hop – GirlieOnTheEdge’s Blog

Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Prompt Word! – GirlieOnTheEdge’s Blog

Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Prompt Word! – GirlieOnTheEdge’s Blog