This was a bit of flash fiction sparked to mind by one of the photos posted on Stacy Dawn's "Escape the Mondayn" game a few weeks ago.
Leather is the traditional third year wedding anniversary gift, whereas crystal is a more modern gift choice. Mattie had been so excited when Eric gave her the large box, beautifully wrapped with huge bow and a plastic heart tied on in a nest of curly ribbons. Obviously it had been done by store gift-wrapping personnel but Mattie didn’t care. Eric had gone out of his way to get her something special, and that was the whole point. She tried most daintily to open it up without tearing the lovely paper. When she lifted the lid off the box, her eyes widened at what she saw.
A purse. For their wedding anniversary, the date signifying their life-long commitment to each other, he’d given her a purse. Not only was it a purse, but an ugly, brown, leather purse!
“So do you like it? I read on the Internet that the third anniversary is leather. You said you wanted a good handbag for when we go out.” His expectant look at her spoke volumes.
She couldn’t bring herself to tell him that it wasn’t even close to the crystal vase she had pointed out to him last week that would look perfect in the kitchen windowsill where it would catch the light and refract it across the whole room in beams of rainbows. “Wow, what a surprise!” She was good at feigning happiness. Her waitress job at Dean’s Diner required her to put up a happy front for customers every day, even when they did pinch her ass and offer her a bigger tip if she’d go in the restroom for five minutes with them. “I have to run to get to work now.”
“I thought you took today off. What about tonight?”
“Rhonda called in sick so I have to cover. I’m sorry.” She frowned. She had been looking forward to a quiet dinner and romance but last night when Dean called her, she knew she had to come in or she wouldn’t have a job when she went back. Dean was a world class prick, but she did make pretty good tips working there and it was close enough for her to walk to work so Eric could take the car.
Eric turned away with a scoff and stormed in to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Mattie gave the door a long, forlorn look before putting the box with the purse still in it down and heading out the door to work.
Eight hours and two tired feet later, she trudged home. Quickly shedding her horrid, polyester work uniform, she cleaned up a little, brushed her teeth and climbed in to bed. Eric was already in there, watching some movie on the Sci-Fi channel. He didn’t say a word to her. She knew he was still mad because their anniversary had been ruined. He was giving her the silent treatment.
Well two could play that game. Mattie tried to ignore the television movie, but damn if it wasn’t interesting. She leaned forward, shifting position without realizing she had done it. She kept the glowering look on her face though, more out of principle in case Eric got up and saw her. She was surprised when she felt his fingertips touch her, rubbing gentle circles on her back during a commercial.
“You didn’t even finish opening your present.” The hurt tone was evident in his voice.
“Sorry, I didn’t know there was more.” She got up and picked up the box, taking the purse out. It wasn’t quite as ugly as she had originally thought. In fact, there was some rather interesting stitching on the top flap. She looked through the box but there was nothing else inside but tissue paper so she opened the purse instead. Inside were two tickets to a theatre performance that she’d heard about, but didn’t think they could afford.
“I couldn’t get tickets for tonight, they were sold out, so it’s for next week instead. Happy Anniversary, Babe.”
She gazed at him and saw the myriad of emotions played out in his expression. Pure love, anxiety that she’d be mad it wasn’t tonight, forgiveness for having to work last minute on their anniversary. “It’s ok. Next week is fine. Tonight wouldn’t have worked anyway. Thank you.” She then paused with a twinge of remorse. “I didn’t get a chance to give you your gift,” her voice came in little more than a whisper. She retrieved a box from its hiding place in the top drawer, walking over to hand it to him. “Happy Anniversary, Love.”
Eric opened it up and his expression turned to awe as he saw the hand-carved handle of the hunting knife that he had ogled in the sportsman’s store a few days before. He also noticed that she had stayed with tradition too since it was encased in a leather sheath. “Thank you,” he said as he gently set it on the nightstand. He then looked at the clock and grinned. “It’s not midnight yet. We still have time to make this a really great anniversary.”
The corners of Mattie’s lips turned up and she slid in to bed with all the agile grace of a jungle cat on the prowl. It was going to be a very happy anniversary indeed.
Jodi and Nick’s chance for romance was never realized while they were in high school. Now, five years later, they meet again. Will a class reunion be their first—and last—chance at love?
Reunion of Souls is a sweet, contemporary romance abo
