The New Job

Winner---11/25/09

ID: 896794   (Rated: 13+) Daily Flash Fiction Challenge  Enter your story of 300 words or less. Note new starting time! by arakun the twisted raccoon

          Sally had everything ready to celebrate Standish getting the job.  It was just bad luck he didn’t get the last job he interviewed for.  His run of bad luck had to end someday and she was sure it was today.

         It was easy for her son to make remarks and call Standish a loser.  When Standish gets this job that will put an end to all the things Jared kept saying. 

         Jared made a lot of the fact that Standish was younger than she was.  What difference did  that make?  Standish made her feel she  was what he said: a young, vibrant, desirable woman.

         Standish said this job would put them on Easy Street. 

         She had never even been in the same town as Easy Street.  The years since Brad died had been  hard.  Jared was doing all right now, out on his own. 

         Standish had been out of work most of this past year but that wasn’t his fault.  But now they would get married and move into a house,  like they had talked about. 

         The phone rang.  Standish said, “I got the job, Babe!  There’s just one thing.  It’s out of town  I have to move to Chicago.  I have to move right away or I’ll lose this.  I’m coming by to get my stuff.” 

         Standish packed the suits she bought for him. His computer she made payments on.  No time for dinner. He had a plane to catch. He forgot to kiss her good by.

         When Jared came by next day the table was still set for two, the candles unlit, the wine still chilling in the fridge. 

         Jared said, “He’s gone isn’t he, Mom?”

         

278 words