This is a pretty heavy subject for flash fiction, but the author has managed to make it feel real to the reader.

As with all good flash fiction, we are led to believe and expect one plot line but are then served up a twist in the end. In this case, the twist is that the note the author is writing sounds very much like the trials and complaints of most working women and mothers - balancing work requirements with the kids' needs. In the end, we realize she is not apologizing for missing an evening with her husband, but writing out her regrets for all the time she missed with him due to not having prioritized the relationship.

Suggestion: I really have only one and it's so minor, it's hardly worth mentioning. In the fourth paragraph - "Yeah, you've heard me right" I would change to "Yeah, you heard me right". It's not a matter of grammar, it's an ear thing. The tone of the note is conversational, and intimate. You can hear her speaking when you read it, and to me, it would sound more natural without the contraction. But that's just a personal thing and others might hear it differently.

Overall Impression: This is a moving piece that reminds us that we never know the future and ought not to take others for granted. Regrets are terrible things to live with. Well crafted story, enjoyed the read and it made me think.




My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .