This week’s writing challenge was 150 words with the prompt:
If she waits five minutes . . .
Here is what I came up with – a meditation on adultery. 150 words including the prompt.
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The Other Woman
If she waits five minutes she will see her arrive. The other woman. The one he’s chosen to spend the weekend with, rather than his wife and child. As usual, she parks the car around the corner, walking back to wait just out of sight but close enough to get a look at the object of his affections.
Affections and emotions long since gone. When he comes home, it’s in body only. Her attempted conversations are monologues punctuated only by empty platitudes and nods of the head. Eyes looking through, instead of at her.
Two more minutes. Then what? Confrontation? Confirmation of a truth she has accepted long before the credit card receipts and emails.
She glances at her watch and turns away before she can see the taxi arrive. Turns away just as she has done all those other times.
One more week, she thinks, just one more week.
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Wayne Kelly Writes 
You really have a way of capturing so much in such a short piece.
Thanks – do you ever turn your hand to Flash Fiction? I’m a fairly recent convert but I love the immediacy of it and it can be a great warm up for writing the longer stuff.
I chicken out like this all the time. Ironically, I didn’t the two times I caught lovers cheating on me, but on matters more trivial and more important, I postponed and procrastinated in dozens of cases. Such a frustrating part of psychology.
We all know that the truth can be very hard to face – no matter how obvious it can sometimes be. I always say ‘Love Ain’t Just Blind . . . it’s stupid as well.”
I’m right there in this short piece of flash, and can’t help thinking it would be fun to write the same scene from the other characters point of view too.
Perhaps you will?
http://www.firstdraftcafe.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks Maria. Not something I had considered, actually, but yes, definitely an interesting idea. Be interesting to get your take on it – I’ve written the woman, you can write the male perspective? Sometime later in the year when you get some free time, of course!
Okay, I will rely on you to remind me. 🙂
I like the way you construct a flash fiction piece and infuse it with emotions.
A friend directed me to your piece here and then challenged me to write the prompt, from both views. It was an interesting write.
Hi Lori – thanks for the feedback. I would love to read your take on it too. Did you post online?
I did manage to post the two stories I wrote. I also linked back to here as you were the inspiration, hope you don’t mind. http://lostinthewriting.net/the-other-woman/
Of course not – thanks for the mention. I’ll pop over and have a look.