FlashNano25 Day 17: Served

 FlashNano25 Day 17

Prompt: You are served something unexpected for dinner 

 

“Here’s your dinner,” she said, as she placed his plate at the head of the dining room table. 

She left the room, heels clicking. 

He was expecting the usual Thursday night fare: two boiled hotdogs, a half can of beans with molasses, a side of homemade piccalilli, two squirts of ketchup, and a couple of slices of generously buttered brown raisin bread fresh from the oven. 

“What’s this?” he said, holding up the fat business envelope that lay on the faded Corelle instead.  

She reappeared, dragging behind her two suitcases. 

He asked again, his voice more strident now. 

The luggage thunked as she descended the carpeted stairs. She stopped at the front door, opened it, and pulled the bags behind her. 

“Where are you going? What are you doing? What on earth is going on here? For God’s sake, Millie, get back here. Answer me.” The plastic centerpiece shook as his hand slapped the table. 

From the front yard, she called to him. “Come on out and see.”

Still holding the envelope, he emerged onto the front stoop. 

His luggage was at the curb, next to a Yellow Cab with exhaust spilling from the tailpipe. 

With Millie was their neighbor, Sue. He’d told Millie to stay away from that woman, a bad influence, one of those civil rights lawyers. Mouthy. Opinionated. Had a Mondale for President sign on her front lawn. 

Straightening his tie he approached, his polished Oxfords clicking on the cement sidewalk.

Sue held up her hand, indicating for him to stop.

“You’ll want to look at the documents,” she said.  

He clenched his fists and wondered who was watching from behind the curtained picture windows of the other split-level homes in the cul-de-sac.

Millie stepped back and opened her mouth as if to speak. Then she shook her head. Biting her lip, she linked her arm through Sue’s and walked around him back toward the house. 

“Read the notes,” Millie said. 

“See you in court,” Sue said. 

The front door shut. The lock clicked. The deadbolt snapped into place.