A first.............

...........my first blush at short story fiction.

The Gift

Madeline glanced down at her watch again, now five minutes since the last time she checked. He’d always been late, ever since they’d met in fact, although in the beginning it was usually because he had stopped to pick up some flowers, a small box of chocolates or perhaps a trinket for her. These last few years he had continued to be late but all he’d brought with him were excuses, never so much as an apology for his tardiness. She glanced around anxiously and spotted him across the street, on his cell phone as usual, speaking quickly into the phone. He was obviously engrossed in his conversation---business most likely---and did not seem overly concerned that he had kept her waiting, yet again.

When he was at her side he lighlty kissed her cheek and mumbled something about a meeting running long---no apologies again. She said she would have been happy to take care of the errand herself if he was too busy, he could have called her and it would have already be crossed off her “to do” list by now. No, he said, it was his brother’s wedding and he should have a hand in the gift selection, the least he could do as best man.

They entered the store and were immediately greeted by a “bridal gift” display, and he hung there in front of all the gleaming appliances for a moment. “That toaster will do just fine” he announced and hoisted a box containing a handsome black toaster with chrome trim and started for the cash wrap. “But that item isn’t on their registry, in fact there isn’t even a toaster on the list at all” she stated but he waived her off. An oversight on the bride-to-be’s part he imagined aloud, "After all, what newly wed couple wouldn’t need a toaster?" he stated, matter-of-factly. He whipped out his gold American Express and paid the sales lady for the purchase.

“And can you gift wrap it? Something that says it’s expensive?” he asked with a chuckle. The sales lady said of course, but it would take a few minutes as there was a bit of a back up in gift wrap, it being a Friday in June and all. He nodded to his wife and said she’d wait for the package as he had a meeting he was late for. She watched as he walked out the door without so much as a peck on her cheek.

Madeline looked at the toaster sitting on the counter in front of the sales lady. “On second thought, could we get this set of carving knives instead? I’ll wait for it to be wrapped” she said softly, pointing to the gift registry she had printed off specifically for this shopping excursion. The sales clerk was more than happy to replace the toaster with the expensive, in fact deluxe, German-made knife set; this purchase would single handily ease her over her weekly sales quota. “That would not be a problem at all, and I’ll have them hurry on the gift wrap for you. Yes, it is a fine wedding gift…..” she said as she hurried past Madeline.

“Yes, a fine gift indeed. If only someone had purchased the same thing for me when we were married” she said to herself, as a slightly wicked look danced in her eyes. “I’d have put them to good use a long time ago”.

She looked down at the registry again, supremely pleased with her gift choice.