FRIDAY
Flash Fiction Story
by R.A.
Clarke
Shane's a builder in town who daily stops
in,
buying countertops, hardware, cupboards,
and trim.
He seeks me out often to help him decide.
I perk at his visits, but keep that
inside.
It's
business, just work, I think with a sigh.
The man's just an overly flirtatious guy.
Women he'd date should be gorgeous and
slim.
Not a clerk with a smirk and a too-pointy
chin.
It's time for a break—a quick snack in the
back.
But just as I do, a chime spins me back.
My crush just arrived with a disarming
smile.
Shane flashes a wave, then points to some
tile.
"Can't chat long today." He taps
his wrist watch.
"My floor must match this." He holds out a swatch.
As I help him peruse and find a great
match,
he looks at my necklace and asks,
"You like Patch?"
"I do," I admit, as a blush
dusts my cheeks.
My pendant's a puppy, like the toy one
that speaks.
For many a year, I loved that old plush.
When it vanished one day; my heart turned
to mush.
"Maybe it's silly—a child's toy, I
know.
But Patch was a gift from my mom long ago.
She died the next day, so it's special,
you see.
I lost my old Patch, but this charm
reminds me."
"That must've been hard. I'm sorry
she passed."
I smiled. "She is peaceful—pain-free
at last."
"Shoot, I must go. Can you order that
tile?
I'm run off my feet—won't be in for a
while."
Then he paused by the door, ran a hand
through his hair.
"Are you free Friday night to have
dinner somewhere?"
Warm tingles ran rampant. I shyly agreed.
Once we swapped numbers, my date took his
leave.
***
Friday at dinner, our laughter flowed
free.
I didn't want it to end, and neither did
he.
So, we strolled through a park to a market
he knew.
He said, "I'll be back." Then
what did he do?
Shane sweet-talked a rose from a florist
for free.
But I frowned when I realized it wasn't
for me.
My heart gave a slump, my shoulders in
tow,
as he carried on walking a ways down the
row.
He came to a halt at a cluttered toy
stand,
where he passed a blonde beauty the rose
from his hand.
How dumb had I been? What should I expect?
Shane flirted with me from the moment we
met.
A man as handsome and charming as he
could never find interest in one plain as
me.
I turned on my heel. "Oh, the gall of
that man!"
But twenty steps later, Shane's grip found
my hand.
"Elise, what is wrong? Why would you
go?
I thought that we clicked. I've got
something to show—"
"You left to go flirt! What a slap to
the face."
"The blonde? That's my sister—she
leases that space."
I wanted to melt right into my shoes.
Shane brandished a gift box wrapped in
chartreuse.
Inside lay a rose with a puppy dog toy.
"It's Patch!" I exclaimed, eyes
tearing with joy.
Shane took a step closer, his gaze filled
with care.
He wiped tears from my cheek and his hand
lingered there.
"I'd seen Patch in the shop, and
after we talked,
I knew you should have it." Just
then, our eyes locked.
I stretched up and graced his lips with a
kiss.
"That's so very thoughtful. Thank you
for this."
Then we shared a slow smile, one that says
more than words.
"We should do this again."
I strongly concurred.
R.A.
Clarke is a former police officer turned stay-at-home mom from Portage la Prairie,
MB. She shares life with a sport-aholic husband, two adorable children, and an
ever-expanding collection of novels-in-progress. Besides sipping coffee and
escaping to the lake, R.A. enjoys plotting multi-genre short fiction, and also
writes/illustrates children’s chapter books as Rachael Clarke. She has won
international short story competitions such as The Writer’s Games, Writer’s
Weekly, and Red Penguin Books humour contest. In 2021, she was named a Hindi’s
Libraries Females of Fiction finalist, a Dark Sire Award finalist, and a
Futurescapes Award finalist. R.A.’s work has been published by a variety of
publications, including Sinister Smile Press, Cloaked Press LLC, and Polar
Borealis Magazine, among others.
Lovely story! Well done!
ReplyDelete