A Brief
Encounter
by Oonah V
Joslin
If only
he’d hurry up and just go!
“You’re
sure you’ll be alright.”
“Yes.”
“And
you’re not upset I’ll be away a few
nights?”
“No.”
“And
we’ll go out for your birthday on Saturday
instead.”
“Okay.”
“You’re
sure?”
“Yes,
I’m sure. It’s work after all.”
“Well,
I’m off then.”
“See you
Friday.”
“Don’t
I get a kiss?”
She kissed him
and bundled him out the door. It was her birthday
and she had plans.
Sheila
immediately put the Gewürztraminer to chill and
ran herself a hot bath. She luxuriated in the
scented bubbles, dried and perfumed her skin with
cream and talc. She slipped into her kaftan and
felt the sensuous thrill of silk on her naked
skin. She arranged a buffet of foods in little
dishes – taramassalatta with celery sticks,
humus and pitta bread, salted cashews, Manchego
and quince jelly, maple brazils, strawberries,
dipping cream and the green jelly babies
she’d been squirreling away. The coffee
table was jeweled with snacks.
She took time
to carefully manicure her nails. This was going
to perfect.
Just as she
uncorked the bottle, the doorbell rang. She
patted her hair and sprang up to answer it. He
was a handsome young man but what did that did
matter? What mattered was that it was he could
deliver seven inches of heaven. Sheila handed
over the money and a pepperoni with double cheese
joined the other snacks on the table along with a
packet of tissues - and she intended to get
through them all.
Ah,
Rachmaninov! First up – Celia Johnson and
Trevor Howard.
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