Welcome to Flash Fiction Friday and the one hundred and twentieth piece in this series. This week’s is a 480-worder by Kristina England. This story will be podcasted in episode 37 (with two other stories and some 6-worders) on Sunday 22nd February.
The Wives
Marcia measured out flour and dumped it into a bowl. A cloud surrounded her, leaving white dust on her clothes.
She leaned against the counter for a minute, still digesting the news she had received from the wives that week.
She reached over and grabbed the almost-empty bottle of bourbon, sucked down the last drops, and threw it in the trash. The bottle thumped against the bottom of the bin.
The phone rang. She grabbed it quickly so that the ring didn’t wake her husband, Michael.
“Hi, darling.”
Stacey. The lead wife of the law office wives.
“Hi….”
“Are the cupcakes done?”
“Almost.”
“Fantastic. Beth, Pam, and I are so proud of you.”
Marcia looked over at the batter. “Thanks… I guess.”
She hung up the phone and mashed up the last ingredient. She stirred it in until she could no longer tell it was there. She went to taste the batter, then stopped herself.
*
Marcia felt a finger jab her shoulder. She looked up. Michael stood above her, dressed for work. He looked her over.
“Did you sleep here all night?”
Marcia looked around her.
“I guess I did.”
“Where are the cupcakes?”
“I put them in your car so you didn’t forget them.”
“I don’t forget things.”
“I know.”
Marcia glanced at Michael. Impeccably dressed. He always did play the lawyer role well.
“Oh… hey… Nancy can’t have the cupcakes…”
As Marcia said her name, she pictured Nancy, her friend, Michael’s secretary.
“Why not?”
“I used almond milk.”
Michael scowled. “You know she’s allergic to almonds.”
“I know… but it was the only milk in the house. I’m sorry.”
Michael leaned forward then pulled back.
Marcia flinched, her body well aware of the bruises it had already worn over the past five years of marriage.
Michael left without a goodbye.
Marcia got up and went upstairs to pack.
*
The phone rang. She leaned over and read the caller ID. Michael’s office.
“Hi, Nancy. Have… have the husbands eaten the cupcakes?”
“You betcha they did. The bathroom is quite lively,” Nancy chuckled. “Oh, nice touch with the almond milk story. Michael was in a real tizzy.”
Marcia didn’t respond.
“Listen, honey, I’m sorry you had to find out about Michael and Lizzy, but… it’s good in a way… you’re worth more than him.”
Marcia nodded.
“Are the wives still coming over?”
“Yup. I made them ‘good’ cupcakes to celebrate. Then Beth’s taking me to the airport. I left the divorce papers on the table.”
“You go girl.”
Marcia glanced out the window. The wives had arrived.
“Why don’t they leave their husbands?”
“I don’t know. I think they enjoy the revenge aspect. But you… your situation is different. Michael… he’s dangerous.”
Marcia nodded.
“I’ll miss you, hun,” she said, and hung up before Nancy could say goodbye.
She opened the front door, greeting the wives with a reluctant smile.
**
I asked Kristina what prompted this piece and she said…
I began the story as a comedy (after baking way too many cupcakes in the past few months), but for whatever reason, Marcia brought me a more serious piece than I expected. As tends to be the case, my characters have a mind of their own.
I love revenge stories and this was great. Thank you, Kristina.
Kristina England resides in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. Her writing is published or forthcoming in Extract(s), Gargoyle, The Story Shack, and other journals. Visit http://kristinaengland.blogspot.com for more on her writing.
If you’d like to submit your 6-word or 500-word max. stories for consideration for Flash Fiction Friday take a look here, or up to 1,000 words for critique on my Online Short Story Writing Group (links below).
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