My Triumphant Return to Friday Flash

Ok. So maybe the title is jumping the gun a bit... but I felt the occasion needed a little chutzpah. Deal with it. If it sucks, oh well. I'll do better next time.

That being said, I am super excited to rejoin the ranks of the #FridayFlash champions. I have missed it dearly.

Without further ado...

Afternoon Tea

She focused on her hands as her husband vehemently berated her. Her fingers were long and elegant. Seriously! How hard is it? The ivory skin barely wrinkled at the knuckles. I ask you to do one thing... Clasped gently in her lap, they could have been a doll's hands, frozen in static beauty. Do you just not think?

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'll try harder." She remembered when those hands had flitted gracefully across stages all over the country, the rest of her body following suit in a whirling spectacle of pastel chenille and tulle. She recalled the days when her life meant something, when she was free of the man who stood before her bellowing about a cold cup of tea. But that's where she was. No changing it.

"The hell you will!" he spat at her. he had a stressful job, he just didn't know how to show or tell her that he cared, he really did value her presence in his life... These were the mantras she repeated to herself on a daily basis to justify her choice to stay. He really was a good man...

"Well?" He crossed his arms. "Get on it then. Brew another pot." He grabbed the paper from the coffee table and sat firmly in his armchair across the room from her.

She calmly stood from her seat and walked toward the kitchen, and just as she passed by him he added "And try not to fuck it up this time."

Twenty minutes later, she was packing her dearest possessions in a single suitcase. A taxi was on its way to pick her up.

He, on the other hand, was still in his armchair, his rough hands clutching the freshly brewed cup of tea as his heart suddenly arrested.

"No," she said aloud, "I won't fuck it up this time."

END

Did you participate in Friday Flash this week? Leave a link to your submission in the comments below!

Peace.

Stef.

Exercise # 198 - Strawberries

Use this for an opening line:

Grandma used to say, "If you want strawberries, don't sow radishes."

12,3, GO!!

In Which I Redefine the Word "Awkward"

You know, every once in a while I get it into my head that I am a capable, intelligent conversationalist who conducts herself with poise and grace in all social situations.

That is entirely incorrect. 

Details below.

Exercise # 197 - Saying No & Not Saying No (Pt. 2)

Exercise # 197 - Saying No & Not Saying No (Pt. 2)

This is Part II of a dialogue/ character exercise (if you haven't done Part I, not to worry.) Imagine a very pushy mother who is telephoning other parents with children at her child's school to get them to help with a special project that she alone has decided is of utmost importance. Some are better at saying no than others. In today's exercise, write the dialogue for the telephone conversation between Pushy Mother and a parent who not only refuses to help out, but by sheer force of will and charisma manages to talk the pushy mother into doing something no one else could possibly convince her to do.

Hmm... This one is going to be tricky...

1,2,3, GO!!

In Which I Stop Being an Anti-Social Workaholic

Recently, I decided that I needed to stop being a self-imposed hermit and actually socialize on weekends and evenings instead of using those times to sleep for an inordinate amount of hours, waste my time putzing around on the internet, or work unreasonable hours. So where does a girl who doesn't want to spend stupid amounts of money on one of those "singles club" thingies go for a good, safe time?