Missing Children: a short story

by Caren Rich

Missing Children is a bittersweet tale of friendship, Alzheimer's, and quilting.

What do you do with fabric scraps? You make a quilt. Memories are the scraps of life. Louise's memories are missing because of Alzheimer's. After being moved to a nursing home, her family donates Louise's fabric to her old quilting bee.

Hannah and the ladies of the quilting bee are happy to have the fabric but have mixed feelings over the nursing home. Before they can make quilts in honor of Louise they must sort through the tension and mixed emotions. Hannah must also deal with past regrets and memories of her grandmother who died with Alzheimer's.

Can Hannah forgive herself for past mistakes? Can the close knit group put feelings aside long enough to make a memory quilt for Louise?
Experience the laughter and tears as Hannah and her friends deal with the tragedy of Alzheimer's and the healing art of quilting.

Buy this bittersweet short story of friendship today.

23 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2016

About the author

Caren Rich grew up in a small Alabama town. The swamps and bayous have fueled her imagination and inspired her writing. Her short stories may cross genres but they are rooted in the history and culture of the South. Caren's favorite holiday is Christmas, which has greatly influenced her writing. She enjoys reading mysteries, epic fantasy, and always makes time for a good fairy tale. Her favorite super hero is Rogue from the X-Men. Caren lives on the coast with her husband and two daughters. All three are a constant source of inspiration.

Reviews

[Valicity Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories can be a great pleasure and this one definitely falls into that area. I found Rich’s writing to be informative and intriguing as she delivered the message of family, friendship, and painful relations, but also gave readers a clear understanding of the bittersweet truth in the lives that are touched and effected by Alzheimer’s disease.

The description to the story tells it all. An elderly woman has been moved to a nursing home, leaving her friends behind to deal with the emotional twists and turns left behind by the disease that’s claimed a portion of her memories. The ladies who’ve known and loved Louise want to make a tribute to their friend by knitting a quilt from the scraps of fabric Louise left them but their project is constantly derailed by their jarring conversations, uncomfortable gossip, and the normal hiccups in life introduced by Alzheimer’s.

I enjoyed the dialogue and personalities of the characters and I thought the story was gentle and sweet. It definitely gave an accurate account of what family and friends suffer through when a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. My only complaint would be the main character; I felt she fell a little flat and didn’t deliver as much emotion as the role of the main character in such a sad story would normally give.

I enjoyed this story as much as many other short stories I’ve read and I think other readers of all ages will find it interesting as well. If you have any knowledge about Alzheimer’s then this story will find a special place in your heart, it will also serve as a way to educate those who aren’t familiar with the disease. I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys short stories with meaning and an underlying message. Those who like family bonds and close relationships between characters will like this too.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

[Joyce Scarbrough · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would be an enjoyable, emotional read for anyone who enjoys a good story well told, but for people whose lives have been affected by Alzheimer's, it's both a punch in the gut and a comforting hug. I even enjoyed all the details about quilting even though it's something I'd never have the patience for. This is the second short story I've read by this author, and it definitely won't be the last!