It always amazes me when I see how people interpret the same word in different ways. Let’s take the word team. Does it make you think of sport and supporting your favourite football team? Maybe it fills you with thoughts of workmates and how you came together as a team. I remember when the film Twilight came out and you either supported Team Edward or Team Jacob. These are just a few ways of thinking about the word. Can you think of some more? Yes, your new prompt this week is
TEAM
I always enjoy seeing what you come up with if the prompt gives you inspiration, but there’s no obligation to share your writing. Here is the work you shared on the last prompt SECRETS.
When it comes to keeping a secret I can if I feel I really need to, however, in my family we have a habit of saying “don’t tell anyone but” knowing full well that person will tell someone else in the family. It use to always start with one of us telling mum something and in no time everyone knew.
Can you please keep a secret? I whisper
And as I peep outside down the river
Raw truth! Raw truth! And she promise
I said she has to be honest
Just once as I will not say it again
Raw truth and all the secrets pour out then
Layers of scandals are so bone weary
Spirits in shambles and feeling eerie
Don’t tell! Don’t tell! Time for healing
And those secrets we are sealing
Scars heal, don’t want this to go around
Don’t tell for I will go spiralling down
Ah, secrets.. I have quite a few. But don’t we all? Some become a burden after a while. A slow death. But we maintain that trust for the sake of a friend or a loved one. It is the cost of fidelity.
People trust me with their secrets, but if they really knew me they’d think twice before handing me the keys to their soul.
I am one of the immortal ancients. My job from the beginning of time has been to glean information from humankind. I am the keeper of secrets. I’ll never reveal what I’ve learned, but I am appointed to influence others for good or evil at my discretion. It’s interesting to learn the truths (or lies) that are in minds of mortals.
That little small voice inside your head? That’s me.
That guilt you feel? I just wanted to see how you handled it.
You are all puppets on my stage. I am the master of illusion and trickery. You may ask my name … I go by many … call me what you will.
But before I go, remember and think twice before revealing yourself and your secrets to me.
Crowded Secret
This secret
shared with only you
has become crowded.
Like a party with too many guests,
it spills up the staircase
and into private rooms.
This secret with only room for two
has nudged you out of my confidence
as this one and this one and this one
crowd in to offer advice
just as though
they had been invited.
“So, what’s your secret?” the girl asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and pushing the blood pressure cart toward us. She was young and lithe in her scrubs, but we knew she was also highly intelligent and caring. All the staff at this cancer center were beyond amazing. She smiled, “how do you stay married for fifty years? Tell me your secret.”
My husband, Stew, chuckled and looked at me. “You take this one,” he said, “I’ll say the wrong thing and end up in trouble.”
“Let me think,” I said, “I’m not sure I can answer that quickly.”
How did we manage to stay together for all this time, I wondered. We love each other, and respect each other and aren’t those the requirements everyone believes ensures a happy marriage? But it’s more than that. You can love and respect someone and still get a divorce, or, God forbid, cheat. I glanced at Stew. Did he ever cheat? He was a good looking man in his younger days, and women must have tried to catch his eye. He hadn’t, though, as far as I knew and now I would never want to know if he had. My cheeks grew warm as I remembered the man I had considered having an affair with. Thank God nothing came of that infatuation.
Was it just easier to stay together? Had we lacked courage? No, we had plenty of courage and needed every bit of it to raise children, keep his business afloat, keep my career on track, pay for cars and college. We made each other stronger, encouraged and cheered each other on.
The nurse had left, Stew thanking her as she closed the door. Stew said thank you to the nurses when he was sick and they poked and stuck him. He thanked the doctors, too, even as they delivered news like a boxer’s uppercut into our solar plexus.
He was pale. “Here’s your water, honey,” I said and handed him a water bottle. He squeezed my hand and smiled. “What do you think is our secret to a long and happy marriage?” I asked him.
“You just don’t leave,” he said.
“Yes, you’re right. You get up every day and work together. You work things out and stick together. You have to be in it 100% every day,” I agreed, but it still didn’t feel like the answer I was searching for.
“You never give up,” Stew said and we kissed each other quickly as the doctor was coming in.
“Don’t ever give up, baby. I know I won’t,” I whispered in his ear and stepped back so the doctor could speak to us. Stew still held my hand. We were in this together.
For 22 years, everyone assumed that my now ex-husband and I were extremely happy. We knew how to keep a secret, or I knew how to keep a secret, as I had been unhappy from day one, but Hubby didn’t know. He thought we were happy, and I would be devastated if he left me. He didn’t realize that I was thoroughly disgusted by him and was glad when he finally found a girlfriend who wanted to stay around and take him off of my hands. He had numerous girlfriends during our marriage, although he denied it. However, I had people always coming to me to tell me. I wanted him just to find one and go. I didn’t want to be the bad guy. He eventually found someone, and they broke up two marriages to be together. I have never been happier, although I felt bad for all the kids, hers and ours. Her husband was blindsided. He had no idea. I had known for quite a while, but he didn’t want to break up our family. But once her husband found out and threw her out, he was ready to go for good. We were married for 23 years and divorced for over 24 years. He still doesn’t know that I am happier now, and the best part is that he is miserable as all get out. They are still together but have never been happy. She got her clutches in him and wasn’t letting go.
A classmate from grammar school who later became a work colleague once told me a secret.
I never divulged it to a soul, so you can imagine my surprise when I was blamed for her being fired from her job because of it.
I denied it and asked her who else knew as I had literally told no-one, not even my then husband.
She said her husband knew, as did her family, so I suggested she ask them who tattled.
Turned out it was her husband, in payback for her cheating on him with another employee.
Secret Rainbow
Mulicoloured rainbow
Secreted in water
Gifts joy to observant
Beauty seekers
Surprise
Thundering waterfall
Hidden in secret dell
Surprise for adventurers
Who leave the trail
Wilfred Leahy:
She sat alone looking at the people sat in a circle talking about their experiences. If only they knew.
“Hey, Deb, my BFF! Yeah, it’s me, Chloe. Listen, we’ve always shared our secrets, right? Well, I’ve got a doozy! I did it. I got a tattoo! I know ….. my mother’s gonna freak out! No, it’s not big, not like your brother’s back tattoo of James Dean! It’s small and whimsical and very cool. It’s the planet Saturn on the inside of my wrist. I love it! Listen, Deb. Will you do me a favor? Can you come over? Maybe if you’re here when I tell my mother about the tattoo, she won’t have a total meltdown. What do you mean you have to wash your hair? Jeez, thanks for nothing, Deb!”
“Hey, Emma, my BFF! Yeah, it’s me, Chloe. Listen, we’ve always shared our secrets, right? Well, I’ve got a doozy! I did it. I got a tattoo! I know…”
***
Esther Chilton 
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