Short Fiction Break

Break From Reality. Daily.

  • Stories
  • About
  • Staff
  • Contests
    • Current Contest
    • Past Contests
      • Spring 2022 Contest
      • 10th Anniversary Contest
      • Spring 2021 Contest
      • Fall 2020 Contest
      • Summer 2020 Contest
      • Summer 2019 Contest
      • Fall 2018 Contest
      • Summer 2018 Contest
      • Spring 2018 Contest
      • Winter 2017 Contest
      • Fall 2017 Contest
      • Summer 2017 Contest
      • Spring 2017 Contest
      • Winter 2016 Contest
      • 5th Anniversary Contest
  • Submit

The Two Mrs. Minskys

June 22, 2017 by Alice Nelson 22 Comments

The Two Mrs. Minskys

There have been two defining days in my life: the day I married Teddy Minsky, and the day Teddy died. On both days a dark, ominous cloud loomed overhead—that cloud came in the form of his mother, Ida.

Ida Minsky was a bulldozer, in attitude and appearance. A short stout woman with square shoulders like a linebacker, but she was much nastier. On our wedding day, the storm cloud bullied the caterers into changing the menu, the band into playing the songs she liked, and Teddy into realizing that no matter whom he married, she was still in charge.

She was so skillful in fact that she relegated her husband, Pauley, to near invisibility in her presence, and he finally just vanished altogether, choosing death over life with Ida.

But Pauley’s liberation meant my captivity because after he died, Teddy brought Ida Minsky to live with us.

“She doesn’t have anywhere to go, and we can’t leave her alone in that house without Dad; it’d kill her.”

Now there’s an idea.

Teddy did his best to be the buffer between us, but it was a difficult and thankless job.

Then Teddy died. Maybe he wanted out too—like his dad. Maybe that’s why he got drunk on that fishing boat; maybe it wasn’t an accident at all. Maybe he threw himself off on purpose, and floated down the Payette River with a big smile plastered on his fat face, relieved that he wouldn’t have to referee another fight between Ida and myself again.

**********

The sheriff tried explaining to us what happened to Teddy. Ida wouldn’t listen and ordered him to take her to the morgue. “That ain’t my Teddy!” she screamed on her way out.

Her next course of action was to blame me. “He wouldn’t have been out drinking if you were any kind of wife.”

It would’ve been easy to yell back at her, to tell her what an obnoxious and hateful woman she was. But I didn’t have it in me; Teddy was gone, so I just left the room with Ida screaming, “Go ahead and run; this is all your fault!” followed by a vase smashing just above my head.

**********

Lots of people came to say their goodbyes to Teddy, including the morons, George and Pinkus, who were drinking with him that night on the boat, too inebriated to realize a man had gone overboard.

“I’m so sorry, Karen and Mrs. Minsky. We loved Teddy like a brother,” they said. And all I could think was, I’m Mrs. Minsky too. But I smiled and hugged them; they were dopes, but they weren’t malicious.

Ida sat next to me, stoic, chin up, no sign of tears or sadness. “He was an idiot,” she said to his casket on her way out, but her hand lingered on his before she left.

**********

I sat with Teddy after everyone had gone. I wanted to give him a proper goodbye.

“I wasn’t a great wife to you, Teddy,” I said, wishing I had told him these things when he was alive. “But I loved you as best as I could. You were the first person in my life to show me what love really was, and I thank you for that.”

I took his wedding band out of my pocket. Teddy hadn’t worn it since he broke his ring finger in a bar fight two years before. I placed it on his finger and touched his cold face. “I’ll miss you, ya big fool.” And I kissed him one last time.

**********

For reasons I could not fathom, Ida stayed in the house after Teddy’s death. I would never kick her out; I couldn’t do that to Teddy, and she knew it.

I came home late one evening to the sound of soft music coming from Ida’s room. Her door was open, and I crept up quietly and saw her sitting on the bed. Ida’s back was to me, but I could see she was looking at something in her lap.

Ida turned so quickly, I couldn’t retreat before being seen. “What do you want?” She appeared to be drunk, but she wasn’t—Ida Minsky was crying.

I had never seen her cry in the entire time I’d known her. I froze, not sure what to do.

“This was Evelyn’s,” she said quietly.

I walked a bit further into the room, prepared to exit quickly if Ida decided to throw something at me. Then I saw what was in her lap. It was a beautiful wooden music box with a tiny ballerina twirling to Mozart’s “Little Serenade.”

“Pauley’s mother gave it to her on her sixth birthday. Who woulda thought that would be her last.”

“Who’s Evelyn?” I asked cautiously.

There was a long pause before she said, “My daughter.”

I was stunned. Teddy told me he was an only child.

And as if reading my mind Ida said, “Don’t blame Teddy; I told him never to talk about her. ‘We just need to forget,’ that’s what I told him.”

“I’m so sorry Ida.”

“I hated everyone and everything after that. Was like my heart went cold and died.” She turned to look at me, her eyes red from crying. “Teddy paid the biggest price of all. But I loved him.”

I went and sat next to her. “Teddy knew you loved him.”

Ida looked at me, and I thought she would go into her usual rage. Instead, she said, “I want to stay, because of Teddy. He’d want us to try and mend fences.”

It would’ve felt good to say no, to tell her she wasn’t wanted here. But I thought about Teddy’s kindness, and how he was able to love the bitter and broken woman I used to be without ever giving up on me.

“Of course you can stay.”

Ida nodded and went back to her music box. “Thank you, Karen.”

Before leaving I said, “I picked up some take-out; you hungry?”

“I could eat.” She smiled.

Ida stood, and we walked out together. The two Mrs. Minskys arm in arm.

Filed Under: Drama

About Alice Nelson

Alice Nelson is a regular contributor to Short Fiction Break. She currently co-hosts a flash fiction podcast called A Creative Mind Fiction, where she narrates her original stories. She also co-moderates a flash fiction writing group. She is the author of Hell Is for Puppies, a horror-filled collection of short stories. You can hear more of her writing here.

« Two Men walk into a BAr
Fakers »

Comments

  1. Joan Roberts Baber says

    June 22, 2017 at 12:11 pm

    Wonderful story, skillfully told!

    Reply
    • Alice Nelson says

      June 22, 2017 at 1:36 pm

      Joan! Thank you so much for your very kind words.

      Reply
  2. Marie. says

    June 22, 2017 at 12:21 pm

    Very well done. A great moral in the story at the end that I really wasn’t expecting! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Alice Nelson says

      June 22, 2017 at 1:37 pm

      Marie, I am so glad you enjoyed the story, thank you so much for your very kind words. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Betty says

    June 22, 2017 at 4:30 pm

    I love this story. It’s told with simplicity
    But carries a heavy message. I love that
    You showed a lot of this instead of just telling us. Great job!!

    Reply
    • Alice Nelson says

      June 22, 2017 at 5:30 pm

      Thank you so much Betty, I truly appreciate your kind words.

      Reply
  4. Margaret says

    June 22, 2017 at 10:51 pm

    I liked it and it made me think, behind every face there is a story so don’t judge…
    Good reading thank you…

    Reply
    • Alice Nelson says

      June 23, 2017 at 12:43 am

      So true Margaret, thank you for your kind words.

      Reply
  5. Robert Ranck says

    June 22, 2017 at 11:24 pm

    Bringing order out of chaos is the ultimate creative act.

    Your story is pure and direct, no frills or trifles, but clear and to the heart.

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Alice Nelson says

      June 23, 2017 at 12:43 am

      Thank you so very much Robert, I am very glad you enjoyed the story. Take care

      Reply
  6. Majidi says

    June 23, 2017 at 12:04 pm

    A good one. Excellent structure. So sweet.

    Reply
  7. Alice Nelson says

    June 23, 2017 at 12:12 pm

    Majidi, what a beautiful name. Thank you so much for your kind words, I am glad you enjoyed the story.

    Reply
  8. Lydia says

    June 23, 2017 at 9:55 pm

    What an excellent story! Really loved the simplicity and message!

    Reply
  9. Alice Nelson says

    June 24, 2017 at 2:11 am

    Thank you very much Lydia!! 🙂

    Reply
  10. Hannah says

    June 24, 2017 at 6:12 am

    Alice,

    This story is simply beautiful and bittersweet. It serves as such a good reminder that behind a facade of anger and rage, there is usually such great hurt. You showed this perfectly. Great story!

    Reply
  11. Alice Nelson says

    June 24, 2017 at 3:19 pm

    Hannah, wow! Thank you so much, I appreciate your kind words, and am very glad you enjoyed the story.

    Reply
  12. Jeane Rhodes says

    June 25, 2017 at 11:43 am

    That is a powerful story. So much conveyed beyond the words on the page. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Alice Nelson says

      June 25, 2017 at 4:07 pm

      Thank you Jeane, I love how you described what you got out of the story, thank you very much!

      Reply
  13. James041 says

    June 26, 2017 at 11:38 am

    Beautiful story! Beautifully written! Brilliant writing…

    Reply
    • Alice Nelson says

      June 26, 2017 at 12:24 pm

      Oh my gosh! Thank you so much James, I am truly appreciative of your kind words.

      Reply
  14. Tracey Lalonde says

    June 29, 2017 at 11:11 am

    I loved your story, Alice! And I agree with what everyone else in the comment section said too! (I have to admit I can relate to it a lot …ie. my mother-in-law! I finally saw her sensitive side, and she doesn’t hate me anymore. Thankfully, my husband didn’t have to die in order for that to happen–but it did take almost twenty years!)

    Reply
  15. Alice Nelson says

    June 29, 2017 at 1:37 pm

    Tracy thank you so much! I am glad you and your mother-in-law worked it out, better late than never 🙂 I’m pretty lucky, I have a great MIL. Thanks for your kind words, take care

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Top Stories

Moral Fiber

...

Read More »

The Woods

...

Read More »

...

Read More »

The Two Mrs. Masons

...

Read More »

Possession

...

Read More »

Resources for Writers

The Write Practice | The Write Shop
Let’s Write a Short Story | Character Test Podcast | Point of View Guide | Best Software for Writers | How to Publish a Short Story

Best of Short Fiction Break

Suspense Short Stories | Magical Realism Short Stories | More Coming Soon

Story Ideas

Short Story Ideas | Mystery Story Ideas | Romance Story Ideas | Thriller Story Ideas | Fantasy Story Ideas | Sci-fi Story Ideas

CONTACT || PUBLICATION RIGHTS || Copyright © 2023