poire gourmande

Prompt: It had been years since Katherine smelled the saltiness of the sea and heard the squawk of seagulls overheard. But she was home again now…

Word count: 158

Rating: PG

It had been years since Katherine smelled the saltiness of the sea and heard the squawk of seagulls overheard. But she was home again now…

She could see the little blue house at the end of the road, precariously perched at the edge of the cliff, always menacing to fall in, but still standing, after all these years.


She could hear the shouts and laughs of children playing on the beach, their voices carried by the wind.


She could smell all the delicious meals her mother had prepared for her when she heard Katherine was returning home.


She could feel the sea breeze on her skin, a bit too cold, but so refreshing after the crowded, overheated train.


But most of all, she could feel the love and affection this place and its people had for her. She could tell everything and everyone had missed her as much as she had missed them.


That’s what “home” really means.

Prompt: “Maria had just spent 700$ on a pair of shoes. ONE pair of shoes. WHAT had she been thinking?”

Word count: 431

Rating: PG

Maria had just spent 700$ on a pair of shoes. ONE pair of shoes. WHAT had she been thinking?

She’d been thinking quite a lot, actually. About how she wasn’t sure she really wanted to marry Alec.

What if he stopped loving her?

What if he left her at the altar?

What if he cheated on her?

With her best friend?

What if he had proposed only because she wouldn’t stop nagging him?

What if he didn’t want kids?

What if her mother-in-law hated her?

She was having a nervous breakdown right in the middle of the mall. She walked into the first store she saw - a shoe store - took a gorgeous pair of shoes off a shelf, and walked right to the register. She didn’t even hear the cashier telling her the total - 699.99$ - she just handed her a credit card.

The sound of the card sliding through the machine calmed her down just a bit. She was able to breathe, now, and she entered her PIN with a calm smile.

She finally got home and tried on the heels.

They didn’t fit.

They were at least two sizes too small.

What if it was a sign from the universe, telling her Alec wasn’t the right fit for her?

She needed a drink.

She just blew 700$ on a pair of ill-fitted shoes, the wedding was in two weeks, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to go through with it at all.

That’s where Alec found her when he got home from work an hour later: crying on the couch with an half-empty bottle of wine, a pair of too small, expensive looking shoes dangling from her feet, watching 27 Dresses.

He took a look at the crumpled-up bill at the bottom of the shoe box, and pulled her in a tight embrace.

“Shh, it’s okay,” he whispered as she sobbed against his chest. “We’ll return them to the store, it’s alright.”

“Is that what you’re gonna do when you get tired of me?” she yelled through her tears. “Return me for another model?”

“Oh, baby, no! You know I love you. You’re just stressed because of the wedding planning,” he said softly, trying to soother her.

“You won’t leave me at the altar?” she asked in a small, unsure voice.

He shook his head.

“You won’t cheat on me with my best friend?”

“I promise you I won’t.”

She wiped her tears and hugged him.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“Maybe with your sister, though,” he chuckled, and was glad to see she laughed with him.