Image courtesy of Shaktiki Sharma
‘Dan said ‘I’m going to give Stella the sack.’ Hilda relayed.
Stella’s throat burned hot. How could he? Today? It’s 30 years since she started here. Not that anyone remembered. She’d helped his wife arrange a birthday party for him too.
Stella fired off an email telling her boss everyone called him fish breath behind his back. She pressed send and gathered her belongings and her dignity, and stood.
‘Not going anywhere, Stella?’ Dan carried in a cake. Thirty candles flickering. ‘I said this morning I’m going to get you back for the party and surprise you!’
‘Sorry,’ mouthed Hilda. ‘Misheard.’
This week my sister asked for a more lighthearted story and as it’s International Women’s Day and she’s the strongest woman I know I had to step outside my comfort zone and give it a go.
Big thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed and recommended The Sister. Yesterday my publisher rang to congratulate me on half a million sales. You can read the first thought that popped into my head here. World Book Day was another step outside my comfort zone. An introverted writer giving a talk to 250 kids. What could possibly go wrong? I blogged about that here.
‘Act in haste’ was written for Friday Fictioneers. A weekly 100 word story challenge inspired by a photo prompt and organised by Rochelle.
Well the good news is Stella is close to retirement anyway. So after the e-mail even if she is sacked…
There is that!
Misunderstandings are such a rich source of stories
I’ve had a fair few!
Oops.
😃
Dear Louise,
Oops. I hope they have a good laugh over that email later.
I finished The Sister. Loved it! Congrats on the sales.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks so much! Very glad you enjoyed my story.
How many emails have people zipped off in haste and regretted later? At least with a letter it took time ot write, gave you time to rethink. I reckon Hilda did it on purpose -stirring up trouble! Fish breath might be particularly hard to get over … Great tale Louise 🙂
I think Hilda is a trouble maker! Letters are so much easier to attract!
Definitely a stirrer. Met her sort before 🙂
You’ve done your sister proud! This is a very fun piece.
Well I tried!
Ha, very amusing. Should’ve waited until after she’s got the official word before firing off that email. Nice lighter touch Louise 🙂
Thank you! Think it will be dark again next week…
Oh my, that was not good. But your writing is stellar, as always. Congrats on those sales, color me impressed.
Much appreciated thank you!
Fun read. Thank you!
Thank you Carl.
Oh dear… Let us hope “Fish Breath” has a bit of a sense of humour… If not, well, her anniversary cake could be her farewell one!
As long as there is cake it is never all bad!
i could only hope that her boss has got a great sense of humor. otherwise, she’s toast.
Let’s hope he has.
Ah, how many times have I wished I could suck an email back 🙂
Somebody should invent something for you can. They would make a fortune!
Happy endings, after all. Nice bit of a story woven around an avoidable misunderstanding. Greatly loved this.
Thank you. Not my usual style but I enjoyed writing it.
I’ve learned through experience to go with the flow – not to escalate the situation blah blah. I only learned that last week, mind you. 🙂 Congrats on your success – you deserve it.
Thanks very much Sandra. I am still learning that lesson!
Beautiful story. Happy International Woman’s Day.
Thanks 😃
Yikes…I feel concerned for Stella in that she was so quick to believe the worst without digging further.
A tad too hasty.
Although I saw the end coming, it still made me laugh!
Thanks *it didn’t make my sister laugh*
Oops! The dangers of misreading are real, destructive… and rather revealing at times. Stella’s reaction makes me wonder what has been in her mind for 30 years–I mean, a person just doesn’t believe something like that without proof, right? Now I’m really, really, really curious about what wrong (perceived or real) Dan did to Stella, what behavior made her think that he was capable of that.
I hadn’t thought! Sure he can’t be trusted for some reason. Thanks for reading 😃
Nice twist and of course who can’t relate. Peace
Thanks 😃
Yikes!
😃
Oh dear, never act on rumours. The title fits perfectly. It’s a cute story, but I hope Hilda gets none of the cake. 🙂
Good point! Me neither.
Stella, can come and work for me,
Aww thank you 😃
Maybe the Universe wants her to do something more expansive than office work 🙂
That’s a positive spin 😃
Oh oh, too late, damage done
That’s why you should think carefully before any big decision 😉
Ha ha…nice one.
Thanks 😃
I hope she can still explain that fish breath… 🙂 good to have some fun in the stories.
Thanks 😃
Hopefully, they are good enough friends to laugh over this.
Hope so!
Perhaps it’s time for her to retire anyway, if she fires off emails without checking things out properly! Imagine if she behaved like that towards a client D: As Dawn says, one can only hope that they’re good enough friends for her boss to see the funny side of things.
You have a good point there Sarah!