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priscaTitle: Cherry Trees
Character: Zeke Tyler, Casey Connor
Word Count: 566
Prompt:
- Yahtzee 2022, card 1, fill 3
Finished: 22.04.2022
Note: This story is part of my 'Homeland' universe, where Casey and Zeke are married and have adopted a little boy / two children. All stories can be read as stand-alone ones.
:::
„Is Jason okay?“
Zeke nodded. „He's finally asleep. Guess, he was just a bit over the moon from the birthday party. Nothing, what some sleep can't cure.“
„Good.“ Casey eyed his husband thoughtfully. „So, can we talk now? Will you tell me what's wrong with you?“
„With me?“ Zeke turned to the fridge to grab a beer. „What are you talking about?“
„Oh, c'mon! Since I got home, your behavior has been strange.“
„Well! Our son was sick, remember?“
Casey rolled his eyes. „Really? Like you said, just a tiny bit too much sugar, nothing to worry about. So, what's the problem?“
Zeke opened the can of Heiniken and dropped down onto the couch. „You know, I never complain when you work until late in the evening. But I just can't get this,“ he finally said. „Why do you have to write this article? You never were one of the reporters, only hunting from one sensation to the next.“
„Oh.“ Realization started to dawn. „Understand. The article about the fire last weekend.“
„Have you ever thought about it, what it means for the mother to hear about it every day anew? After the horror, she had to go through. Her loved ones trapped in the burning house, not being able to help? It was pure luck that the firefighters could bring at least the children out almost unharmed. But the husband is struggling for life, and it is not sure if he will make it through the next days.“
Staring at Casey with narrowed eyes, Zeke shook his head. „I don't want to imagine that something like this would ever happen to us.
This family is faced with the ruins of their life. The last they need is invasive reporters stirring up the story over and over again. I would have thought that you would understand that. Maybe start a campaign in the newspaper to help them. Instead of this, you spent hours at the editorial office to make it on the front page with your photos?!“
Usually, Zeke loved seeing Casey smile, but today it made him angry. „What the hell is happened? This is so not you!“
To his surprise, Casey got up to leave the room, only to come back with the camera in his hands a moment later. „I'd like to show you. Have a look at these photos.“
Zeke gave him a puzzled look. „What's this about?“
„Cherry trees. Fully bloomed. Isn't it amazing? I took the photos on the night of the fire. The trees are standing in the backyard of the house.“
„This makes no sense. It's still January, and even I know cherry trees only bloom in spring.“
„Unless an immense heat made them think it is April already.“ Zeke frowned skeptically while Casey continued. „You are right; so much happened this night, and no, I'm not interested in keeping the horror alive with my article. I will leave that to others; any reporter who was only interested in taking the most splashy photo of the fire.
No one took any notice of the wonder happening only some steps away. I want to write about that. These photos represent hope, Zeke, a new beginning. Despite the destruction around.“ Casey shrugged. „Took a while to convince my boss, though. Sorry that I've left you alone with the children tonight.“
Character: Zeke Tyler, Casey Connor
Word Count: 566
Prompt:
- Yahtzee 2022, card 1, fill 3Finished: 22.04.2022
Note: This story is part of my 'Homeland' universe, where Casey and Zeke are married and have adopted a little boy / two children. All stories can be read as stand-alone ones.
:::
„Is Jason okay?“
Zeke nodded. „He's finally asleep. Guess, he was just a bit over the moon from the birthday party. Nothing, what some sleep can't cure.“
„Good.“ Casey eyed his husband thoughtfully. „So, can we talk now? Will you tell me what's wrong with you?“
„With me?“ Zeke turned to the fridge to grab a beer. „What are you talking about?“
„Oh, c'mon! Since I got home, your behavior has been strange.“
„Well! Our son was sick, remember?“
Casey rolled his eyes. „Really? Like you said, just a tiny bit too much sugar, nothing to worry about. So, what's the problem?“
Zeke opened the can of Heiniken and dropped down onto the couch. „You know, I never complain when you work until late in the evening. But I just can't get this,“ he finally said. „Why do you have to write this article? You never were one of the reporters, only hunting from one sensation to the next.“
„Oh.“ Realization started to dawn. „Understand. The article about the fire last weekend.“
„Have you ever thought about it, what it means for the mother to hear about it every day anew? After the horror, she had to go through. Her loved ones trapped in the burning house, not being able to help? It was pure luck that the firefighters could bring at least the children out almost unharmed. But the husband is struggling for life, and it is not sure if he will make it through the next days.“
Staring at Casey with narrowed eyes, Zeke shook his head. „I don't want to imagine that something like this would ever happen to us.
This family is faced with the ruins of their life. The last they need is invasive reporters stirring up the story over and over again. I would have thought that you would understand that. Maybe start a campaign in the newspaper to help them. Instead of this, you spent hours at the editorial office to make it on the front page with your photos?!“
Usually, Zeke loved seeing Casey smile, but today it made him angry. „What the hell is happened? This is so not you!“
To his surprise, Casey got up to leave the room, only to come back with the camera in his hands a moment later. „I'd like to show you. Have a look at these photos.“
Zeke gave him a puzzled look. „What's this about?“
„Cherry trees. Fully bloomed. Isn't it amazing? I took the photos on the night of the fire. The trees are standing in the backyard of the house.“
„This makes no sense. It's still January, and even I know cherry trees only bloom in spring.“
„Unless an immense heat made them think it is April already.“ Zeke frowned skeptically while Casey continued. „You are right; so much happened this night, and no, I'm not interested in keeping the horror alive with my article. I will leave that to others; any reporter who was only interested in taking the most splashy photo of the fire.
No one took any notice of the wonder happening only some steps away. I want to write about that. These photos represent hope, Zeke, a new beginning. Despite the destruction around.“ Casey shrugged. „Took a while to convince my boss, though. Sorry that I've left you alone with the children tonight.“