Celebrating the Unexpected

Malcolm and Charlotte share a moment...but a moment of what?

Charlotte held the bottle up and looked it. "Madeira? Quite the thing, Malcolm. Do tell, what are celebrating with such an ostentatious wine?"

Her voice was cool and aloof with a hint of sarcasm. But it always was. Charlotte was the most insincere person Malcolm knew. That's why he had invited her over.

"Salomon and Forshe rang today. They were quite enthusiastic about the firm's presentation today." Charlotte smiled with an uninterested smugness. Malcolm managed not to let her needle him with her coolness as he continued. "Trondheim said the graphics alone would have sold him. But the final line of the message that clinched it."

"Well..." allowed Charlotte looking languidly out of the large window.

"'Well,' as you say indeed." Malcolm paused to pour the wine into two tall narrow glasses. "I think we should recognize our new partner's message: 'Putting Unity Back Into the Community!'"

Charlotte's smile faltered, and she looked at Malcolm. "That's not what I—"

Malcolm cut her off as if he hadn't heard her as he swirled the wine in his glass. "Kopler came through in the clutch, a fine young mind, and young minds are what we need, don't you think?"

"But... we had agreed... Trondheim said..." Charlotte shook her head. "What about my presentation?!"

"The Board recognized the need for true fresh blood, honest ideas, not snarky little captions of life." He looked at her smugly. "So, tonight we're toasting the introduction of the new and retirement of the old—your retirement as a matter of fact, Charlotte. Do drop a note to tell us how you get on," Malcolm finished with a familiar casual sarcasm in his voice. He clinked his glass against hers as she gawped at him, mouth slightly open. It felt nice, he thought, to finally have the last word.

NOTES: ▶︎

Word Count: 300
Submitted for "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge" 
Prompt: Use the words line, wine, note