© J.B. Norman — Published by Emona Literary Services™
“Happy Day of Concord, dear!” Estelle Darkstone tells her husband.
Kat and Dunstana watch in horror as their parents embrace and kiss, giggling like giddy schoolchildren.
“Gross!” Dunstana exclaims.
“Get a room!” Kat groans.
“Oh, grow up, you two,” Dorian tells his daughters. “You won’t think this holiday is so gross when you find the person you’re going to spend the rest of your lives with.”
“Well, could you not spend the rest of your lives here?” Kat asks. “I’m trying to eat breakfast.”
“Oh, Kat,” Estelle chides. “Today isn’t just about romance. It’s about all our hearts coming together. Today is for celebrating everyone you care about. Just because you haven’t fallen in love yet doesn’t mean you can’t share your heart. With your friends.”
She gives her daughters a pointed glance.
“Or your sister, for example.”
The Sisters Darkstone turn to each other. Kat extends her hand to Dunstana for a firm, professional handshake.
“I, uh, I have no strong objections to being your sister,” Kat tells her sister.
“I like you, too,” Dunstana says. “Thanks for always coming on adventures with me.”
Kat pushes herself away from the table. “I, uh, I’m supposed to be meeting Amara,” she says.
“Why, Katherine!” Amara exclaims. “You look positively lovely! I just feel the spirit of the Day of Concord radiating off you! But I must admit, I didn’t pink was your colour.”
“I like pink,” Kat mutters.
“I have a card for you, Katherine,” Amara says.
“To My Favourite Notary Public,” Kat reads. “But Notary Public is crossed out and you wrote Katherine. Thanks, Amara.”
“Yes, well, turnabout is fair play, Katherine,” Amara notes. “It really was time that I got you back for all those times you’ve given a card with something hastily crossed out and replaced.”
“Ah,” Kat says. “Then I guess I good thing I didn’t get you a card this year.”
“What?” Amara exclaims, recoiling in horror and indignation. “Katherine!”
“No, I mean I got you these instead,” Kat says, holding a bouquet of flowers to her best friend.
“I, uh, I remember you saying that you like carnations. And you always get so mad when I just give you a card, even though we’ve been best friends for basically all our lives, and this is a stupid holiday, and all the holiday gifts seem cheap and tacky, and why do I need a cheap, tacky gift when you’ve been my best friend for almost fifteen years, and this is a stupid holiday—“
“Katherine,” Amara notes gently. “You’re rambling.”
Kat catches herself, clears her throat and shoves the flowers into Amara’s hand. “So I bought you some flowers,” she mutters.
“Thank you, Katherine!” Amara exclaims. “These are just lovely!” She smiles. “And, of course, you don’t have to buy me a gift to prove that you’re my best friend. I know that. And I know that you think flowers are — I believe the word you used is ‘dumb’, so it means a lot to me that you actually listened to remembered my favourite flowers and then bought me a whole bouquet of them!”
“Flowers are dumb,” Kat insists. “But you’re my best friend, and it’s a holiday, so for today, at least, it doesn’t matter what I think.”
“Thank you, Katherine. You’re a good friend,” Amara says.
“Yeah,” Kat agrees. “I really am.”
Amara rolls her eyes. “No, Katherine. The response I’m looking for is something along the lines of You too, Amara.”
The full list of my February 2022 Realmgard Short Scenes (plus two for January) is here.
The master list of all my Short Scenes is here.
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