Its National Wine Day – A Micro Story

As it is National Wine Day, I thought I would bring you a very short story. It’s a quick bit of flash fiction where I sat down with a pen and with wine in mind. It’s not meant to be perfect and I’ve kept it to how it was first written with no changes. Amazing what can be done in twenty minutes. I hope you like it.

Linda sat at the table in the pub alone nursing a glass of wine and staring out of the window.

“Excuse me,’ said a male voice causing her to look up. “Are you Linda Cherrington by any chance?”

Linda’s face flushed and her stomach flipped slightly before she broke out into a smile. He’d not changed much since she last saw him at secondary school.

“Jason McIvor?””

His expression opened and his eyes danced in amusement. “Yep.”

“I haven’t been called Cherrington in a long time.”

“May I sit?” he asked, drink in hand.

“Help yourself.”

Jason placed his half drunk pint of beer on the table and took a seat.

“I’m Linda Scott now, newly divorced.”

“Oh. Sorry to hear that,” he replied as he made himself comfortable.

She shrugged, picked up her glass and took a sip. “As of today.”

“Ah. This is a bad time then?”

“On the contrary, you’re a welcome distraction. A face from the past to take my mind off the present. How about you, a wife, girlfriend?”

“Neither. Never married. Well only to my job.”

“What do you do?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if so told you.”

“At this point in life, I’ll believe everything.”

Jason laughed. “I’ve just taken over this pub.”

“Really,’ Linda’s surprise echoed in voice. “I used to work here.”

Now it was Jason’s turn to look surprised. “You did?”

Linda chuckled at their reactions, and Jason broke into a smile.

“So what makes you want this one?” she asked.

“You’ve heard of the McIvor Group?”

Linda stared at him and her eyebrows shot up. “That’s you?”

Jason smirked and his also went up and down.

The McIvor Group had been buying up pubs and making them Community Hub Public Houses all around the city. They’d been a big success and had even made the news.

“Can I buy you another glass of wine?”

Linda shook her head, “Thank you, but no. As much I as I’d like too, one’s my limit in during the daytime.”

“Then let me buy you a bottle over dinner tonight, we can both celebrate.”

“Who says I’m celebrating?”

Jason’s face dropped. “I’m sorry, I just ass…”

Linda placed her hand on his arm. “It’s okay, I’m jesting with you. The divorce is a relief.”

“Oh Good. How about dinner at The Cherries? It’s a new place and by the reviews pretty good. Do you know of it?”

“I do.”

“Great, I’ll book us a table.”

“No need, I can do that.” Linda reached for a her phone and hit the last number dialed.

“Good afternoon, The Cherries.” A tinny voice rang out loud enough for Jason to hear.

“Susan, can you reserve booth two for me this evening.”

“Of course, Mrs. Scott. I’ll book it out now.”

“Thanks. I’ll be back in half an hour.”

Jason stared at her, a look of shocked surprise on his face.

“Yes,” she said with a smug smile. “I’m the owner of The Cherries.”

The end.