General Fiction posted February 26, 2015 |
Beaches
Life's Unexpected Turns
by jmdg1954
Although Miranda was at the beach, unaccompanied, she was having more fun than she'd had in recent weeks. The sun was like a big yellow beach ball in the sky, cascading warm rays on her shoulders. A gentle sea breeze caressed her face as she admired her footprints in the cool, moist sand.
Everything was perfect so long as she hid beneath her floppy blue hat and behind her sunglasses. Unnoticeable to the world were her tears and reddened eyes.
The pent up emotions she buried along the beach were quickly dissipated when her cell phone began to buzz. It was her husband. "Bastard. What does he want?"
He said he needed her to go grocery shopping and then come straight home. His buddies were coming over for a quick BBQ. His words stung worse then a sunburned back and shattered her perfect world. It was as if the sun went and hid behind a big grey cloud leaving her cold and shivering.
She stormed up and down the aisles of the grocery store muttering. Everything furthered her rage; the pungent odor of the onions, the package moisture touching her hands from the hamburger meat, the lines at the deli for potato salad, and most of all, the prices. Nothing was on sale. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to strangle someone.
How dare her husband disturb her trip to paradise. He hadn't said anything about this impromptu gathering this morning. She had awoken a little later than normal and hoped to be greeted by a smiling husband. Instead she found herself alone in the bedroom while he ate breakfast in the kitchen.
This early discharge from the beach ignited her previously hurt feelings.
She pushed the loaded cart of groceries to the register and scowled at the cashier's hello. Rage refueled when she loaded the bags into the car. Slamming the trunk, she sped home, eager to give her husband a piece of her mind.
She left all the bags in the car and with keys in hand, headed for the front door. She planned the meal, bought all the groceries, and paid full price. Did he expect her to carry them in and put them away too?
She unlocked the door, put her right shoulder against it and burst into the house. "George, I gotta bone to pick..."
Her eyes began to take in the sight of a dozen smiling shadows eager to greet her. "Surprise!" they cheered. "Happy birthday to you, happy..."
She didn't hear another word as George put his arms around her. The warmth of his smile melted away all of her anger. She was again reduced to tears. This time happy tears, happy birthday tears.
Although Miranda was at the beach, unaccompanied, she was having more fun than she'd had in recent weeks. The sun was like a big yellow beach ball in the sky, cascading warm rays on her shoulders. A gentle sea breeze caressed her face as she admired her footprints in the cool, moist sand.
Everything was perfect so long as she hid beneath her floppy blue hat and behind her sunglasses. Unnoticeable to the world were her tears and reddened eyes.
The pent up emotions she buried along the beach were quickly dissipated when her cell phone began to buzz. It was her husband. "Bastard. What does he want?"
He said he needed her to go grocery shopping and then come straight home. His buddies were coming over for a quick BBQ. His words stung worse then a sunburned back and shattered her perfect world. It was as if the sun went and hid behind a big grey cloud leaving her cold and shivering.
She stormed up and down the aisles of the grocery store muttering. Everything furthered her rage; the pungent odor of the onions, the package moisture touching her hands from the hamburger meat, the lines at the deli for potato salad, and most of all, the prices. Nothing was on sale. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to strangle someone.
How dare her husband disturb her trip to paradise. He hadn't said anything about this impromptu gathering this morning. She had awoken a little later than normal and hoped to be greeted by a smiling husband. Instead she found herself alone in the bedroom while he ate breakfast in the kitchen.
This early discharge from the beach ignited her previously hurt feelings.
She pushed the loaded cart of groceries to the register and scowled at the cashier's hello. Rage refueled when she loaded the bags into the car. Slamming the trunk, she sped home, eager to give her husband a piece of her mind.
She left all the bags in the car and with keys in hand, headed for the front door. She planned the meal, bought all the groceries, and paid full price. Did he expect her to carry them in and put them away too?
She unlocked the door, put her right shoulder against it and burst into the house. "George, I gotta bone to pick..."
Her eyes began to take in the sight of a dozen smiling shadows eager to greet her. "Surprise!" they cheered. "Happy birthday to you, happy..."
She didn't hear another word as George put his arms around her. The warmth of his smile melted away all of her anger. She was again reduced to tears. This time happy tears, happy birthday tears.
Recognized |
I was working on this to post in the "Surprise" flash fiction contest, but ran out of time. Such goes life...
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