A Family Picnic

It was Brian's first weekend off in a month, so I planned a picnic for the three of us. Sylvia was walking with more confidence, and I knew she'd love feeding the ducks by the lake.

The picnic was a success. I finally got to use the picnic basket I'd picked up in early summer, and I loaded it up with typical picnic fare: fried chicken, potato salad, fresh fruit, and peanut butter and jelly for Slyvia. I even brought a huge checkered blanket to lay out.

We ate our fill, Slyvia babbling incessantly throughout, pointing to every leaf that blew by, and chasing every duck that came near.

Afterwards, Brian pulled me into his arms. We fell back onto the blanket laughing, and he planted a sensual kiss on my mouth. I broke the kiss, looking around nervously for Slyvia.

"Don't worry, honey," he said. "She's right there, looking at leaves."

Making sure "there" was nowhere near the water, I relaxed a bit and let Brian ease me onto the blanket again.

Brian and I hadn't had time together in forever. The warm sun, light breeze, and the lapping water lulled me into a blissful peace.

The sounds of Slyvia crying catapulted me from my reverie. Shouting my daughter's name, I was on my feet, searching. She was no longer near the big tree, looking at leaves. Where was she?

Heart in my throat, I ran down to the lake, fear driving me. Cresting a small rise, I finally spotted Slyvia. I rushed to the water's edge, where I scooped her up into my arms. Brian was two steps behind me.

Badly shaken, we soothed our crying daughter. Luckily, she hadn't fallen into the lake, but apparently tripped over a rotten tree branch.

Our lakeside picnic was officially over.


Prompt: write a story that takes place by a lake. Word count: 300

"Daily Flash Fiction Challenge"   [13+] by Arakun the twisted raccoon