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Have you ever tried to tell a story from three different perspectives just to get the moment from the view of three different people? It’s a weird inception experience, but I’ve done it before and I’m doing it again!

Jump back to read the below story from three perspectives or keep scrolling to read a new tiny fiction from three perspectives.

Short Story: Three Perspectives

Some of you know that I’m in the process of preparing a manuscript of a collection of tiny fictions for publishing, and the first story that I’ll be sharing is one of my absolute favorites. You can hear me read it on the PGH Dreamer podcast, if you’d like!

Short Story: Mom’s Perspective

“I’m keeping a promise to myself.” She placed the folded clothing into the suitcase at her feet.

“Do you have to?” Her daughter sat on the bed, pouting.

“Yes, baby.”

“But who will tuck me in at night? And make my lunches?”

She smiled then and walked to her daughter, flopping onto the bed beside her. Her mini me giggled. And she wrapped her arms around the little girl.

“Your daddy will take good care of you, and your nana, too.”

“But, Mommy, I want you!”

“I know, baby,” she kissed her daughter’s head, “But if I can’t keep a promise to myself, how can I keep a promise to anyone else? Especially you?”

Short Story: Daughter’s Perspective

Mommy had the big suitcase out — the one that we only brought out for long trips — and she was taking her clothes off the bed I was sitting on to fold them into the suitcase. I stuck out my bottom lip. I wanted to go too.

“Do you have to?” I knew my voice was whiny, but I was sad.

“Yes, baby.” She used the voice I loved most. It felt like a warm hug, but I didn’t want her to go.

“But who will tuck me in at night? And make my lunches?” This is what mom and I did together every day. Her big suitcase meant she’d be gone for many days.

Mommy flopped onto the bed next to me, making me bounce and giggle. She snuggled me close, and I tucked my head into her neck where it smelled most like her.

“Your daddy will take good care of you, and your nana, too.”

“But, Mommy, I want you!”

“I know, baby,” mommy kissed my forehead, “But if I can’t keep a promise to myself, how can I keep a promise to anyone else? Especially you?”

Short Story: Nana’s Perspective

I couldn’t believe my daughter — calling me out of the blue on a Tuesday morning to tell me that she was leaving town and asking me to move my life to take care of my son-in-law and granddaughter. But I’d do it. And here I was, unlocking the front door with a suitcase in hand.

Padding through the house on my socked feet, I didn’t make a sound as I walked toward the bedrooms. The bed in the master bedroom creaked, and I heard my granddaughter’s giggles.

Their voices carried to me, and I paused to listen.

“Your daddy will take good care of you, and your nana, too.” My daughter’s voice sounded so reassuring, and I was proud of her, even though I couldn’t imagine leaving my family to chase a whim.

“But, Mommy, I want you!” My heart broke at my granddaughter’s proclamation.

“I know, baby,” I heard as I stepped a little closer to the bedroom to look in, catching the moment that my daughter kissed her daughter’s head and then said, “But if I can’t keep a promise to myself, how can I keep a promise to anyone else? Especially you?”

Tears flooded my eyes, and I held my breath. She was right. Though I wouldn’t change a single part of my life, I’d spent all of it pushing myself aside in order to support others. What would my life have been like if I had learned how to keep promises to myself first?

Thank you so much for reading and stay tuned for the release of the collection of tiny fictions!

Do you enjoy reading the same story from a different perspective or no? Tell me in the comments!