Here is the winning entry by Cheryl.
All Because of a Lampshade
‘Why on earth did Mum keep this tat?’ Hilary lifted the 1970s orange lampshade from its turned-wood base and tossed it on the ‘discard’ pile. Unscrewing the bulb, she shook it by her ear. ‘Damn thing doesn’t even work.’ The bulb went to ‘recycling’.
She considered the base and stretched across ‘discard’ to lay it on ‘charity’. And squinted.
She picked up the shade, peered inside. ‘Hmm.’ Scrabbling at a tiny loose piece of paper, Hilary tugged out a sheet rolled up inside the shade’s lip.
She scanned the familiar handwriting. Her eyebrows flew to her hairline.
‘Jack, I can’t do it anymore. I’m leaving you. Have a good life, Eunice.’
Jack? Hilary’s difficult dad, still bullying the care workers in the nursing home. And never abandoned by Eunice, his long-suffering wife.
Hilary laughed. ‘Mum’s escape plan.’
Her laughter died. What life might her Mum have had if …?