Clarissa was even thinner than when I had last since seen her, which must have only been a month or so previously.
“Six weeks, Audrey,” she corrected, making me feel guilty, although she hadn’t telephoned either. She stopped whisking, dipped her little finger into mayonnaise the colour of soft butter, and held it up to my mouth. “Open,” she instructed. It was delicious. “Ok, we’re ready,” she said, taking off her apron and hanging it on the back of the kitchen door.
“You look amazing,” I told her and meant it. “Orange has always suited you.”
“This rusty old thing?” Clarissa brushed her hands over her dress, which looped around the back of her neck, showing off her bare shoulders. On anyone else it would have looked like a giant hanky. “Get the wine out would you, everyone will be here soon and you might want a drink first because there’s someone I want you to meet.” Clarissa’s eyes lit up.
“Oh no,” I said, backing away. “Please don’t say you’ve invited another sad fuck-up for me to sit next to. Clarissa I’m just not ready.” I meant it. I wanted to eat nice food with my oldest friends, drink slightly too much and stumble up to their spare room at the end of the night.
“It’s not like that. It’s someone Tom went to school with, he’s moved back down here and they bumped into each other. Ok, he happens to be single…Audrey, please don’t roll your eyes.” Clarissa went to the fridge because I had pinned myself against the granite topped island. “I think you’ll like him, you’re very similar.”
“I’m sorry Clarissa, but I really don’t want to do this. I really can’t do this.” I picked up my bag. We both heard the doorbell ring and Tom go to answer it.
“Audrey,” hissed Clarissa, “please!”
I was shrugging on my coat when Tom came into the kitchen.
“Audrey,” he said, “this is Kit. Kit, Audrey.”
***
This story is from a prompt given by Trifecta – an online writing group. Each Monday writers are challenged to write a story between 33 and 333 words using a specified word and its meaning. This week the word is rusty with the meaning the colour of rust. Click here to read some other responses or to join in.
Image is courtesy of ChefMattRock
I’d love to hear what you think about this piece – good or bad. Let me know in the comment box below.
Claire Fuller 
Very natural dialogue between the friends. I like that you ended it without the reader knowing how Audrey and Kit’s meeting turned out, leaves it to our imagination.
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Thanks Tara. I think other readers are hankering after an ending, so I’ll have to try and work on that.
Claire
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I think readyness is comming… loved to read it.
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Thanks Bjorn. I think you could be right…
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I agree with Tara, your dialogue is wonderful! Terrific writing.
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Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
Claire
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interesting . . . would like to know what happens next 🙂
please hyperlink to trifecta – oops never mind – I found it. 🙂
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Thanks Barbara. Glad you enjoyed it. I’m working on what happens next!
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Nice dialogue and banter between friends! Would love to know what next.
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Thanks – I’m working on it!
Claire
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The dialogue is spot on.
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Thanks!
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You left us on the edge, not knowing if there was any attraction or possibility at all. I like to think they got along well 🙂
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Ran out of word allowance on this one – hence no ending to speak of. But glad you enjoyed it.
Claire
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Awkward! I like that you left conclusions to your reader. Thanks.
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Thanks Brenda, glad you enjoyed it.
Claire
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Love the characters; dialogue. i was a bit let down by the anticlimactic ending — was quite sure there would be a twist, i.e. Kit would turn out to be an old friend, or an old boyfriend, or — a girl, as Clarissa’s way of outing Audrey (not that I thought that Audrey was gay, it’s just a plot device.
Anyway, I really enjoyed the writing, darling. I’ve really just recently discovered your work, and I will continue to read.
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Thanks Helena. I suppose I’m using these pieces as scenes for something longer, so they don’t always stand alone so well – hence no ending at all to this one. Plus I’d reached the word limit for this exercise. But glad you enjoyed the writing.
Claire
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Do share, darling — is there a larger piece brewing here that I might gain access to eventually? Because the writing is sublime.
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I’m using these for scenes for my second novel. With any luck my first may be available soon – my agent is sending it to publishers this week. Keep your fingers crossed.
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Sounds promising…
Nice dialog!
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