[Write the Story] A Suspected Affair
Prompt: A Suspected Affair
Words: marriage, checklist, songbird, mango, ranch, stroke, magpie, scowl, simper, commotion
Story
“Let’s go down the checklist.” Marie pulled out her notebook. “Have you noticed any changes in his behavior?”
“Like suddenly drinking mango tea?” Ellen worried the paper napkin into shreds.
“Is that odd for him?”
“Plain tea was all Chester ever wanted from me in all the years of our marriage. He always said he never anything shiny or frou-frou. He wasn’t a magpie.”
“And now?” Marie dipped a snow pea into ranch dressing to give Ellen time to answer. Marie had done dozens of these interviews. Which often led to clients. This was one of them by the scowl on Ellen’s face as she finished her story of woe.
Marie found the alleged temptress who’d caught Chester’s eye easily enough. The old “not a magpie” had found himself a colorful songbird. She followed, photographed, looked through trash until she had enough.
“Are you sure you want to be in on the confrontation?” Marie asked. “These things often cause quite the commotion.”
“I want to look her in the eye and watch her try to simper her way out of wrecking my home.”
Marie sighed and followed. Ellen was in for a shock. Chester had been hiding something, but it wasn’t an affair. He’d had a stroke and the woman was his rehab nurse.
Word Count: 214
Written: 3/12/19