Your room's as you left it

 Rocco stood in the doorway. ‘It’s you.’

‘It’s me,’ Ellie replied.

‘She’s got a new man.’

‘I guess so.’

‘She didn’t even introduce you?’

‘She just left a note. Go to Uncle Rocco’s.’

‘That was it?’

‘She left a fifty euro note.’

‘You better come in.’

Rocco widened the gap.

‘Your room’s as you left it.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Who is it?’ a male voice shouted from upstairs.

‘Ellie.’

‘Welcome back, dear.’

She padded up the stairs, Rocco trailing behind.

‘Maybe we should just adopt her.’

‘Would two fathers be better than one hopeless mother?’

‘Do I have to choose?’ Ellie asked.

A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.

Not this again

‘You’re 34, Callie. You need to think about your future.’

‘Not this again.’

‘You should be married. A child on the way.’

‘My job isn’t to provide you with grandchildren.’

‘I’m thinking of you, not me.’

‘I don’t need a husband and a kid to be happy.’

‘But …’

‘There’s no but. I’m leaving.’

‘But you’ve only just got here!’

‘I’m not spending the weekend being nagged. Bye, dad.’

‘Bye, love.’

The front door rattled in its frame.

‘Why didn’t you stop her?’

‘I warned you.’

‘I just …’

‘Then stop interfering. Soon, she won’t talk to you at all.’

A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.

Sister's jealousy

 ‘I’m not having an affair.’

‘Cathy says differently. She knows what’s going on.’

‘She’s lying, Gina. Your sister’s prepared to wreck our marriage because she’s in love with Lonny, who’s in love with Amy, and she wants me to get rid of her.’

‘I want her gone too.’

‘I’m not wrecking Amy’s career for your sister’s fantasy.’

‘It’s for our marriage.’

‘There’s nothing wrong with our marriage.’

‘She’s trying to …’

‘No, she’s not. If our marriage is in danger it’s because of your sister and you.’

‘You’re picking her over me?’

‘No. You’re picking your sister’s jealously over me.’

A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.

Perfect synergy

Ciara paused for breath after rattling through the introductions.

‘And you two really are best friends?’ Alan asked Hannah, who nodded in response.

‘Two peas in a pod,’ Ciara said, cheerfully.

‘A chatterbox and a …’

‘Since secondary school!’

‘But you’re polar opposites!’

‘She always says that I’m all the friends she could have had rolled into one.’

‘Always? I think I’m yet to hear a single word.’

‘We’re balanced – introvert, extrovert.’

‘Some might say, mismatched.’

Hannah waggled a finger.

‘And you’ll lead the design review?’

‘She’s introspection and ideas, I make sure it happens.’

‘And does it?’

‘Perfect synergy.’



A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.

Something you do

‘What are you doing here, Darren?’

‘I’ve come home.’

‘This isn’t your home.’

‘I’m still you’re husband, aren’t I, Sal.’

‘Only because we couldn’t find you to finalise the divorce. You’ve been gone four years.’

‘And now I’m back.’

‘No, you’re not. You need to leave.’

‘And what about the kids?’

‘What about them?’

‘I’m their father.’

‘That’s something you do, Darren. Daily. Not just genes. You’re no father to them.’

‘Don’t be like, Sal. We make a good team.’

‘No, we don’t. Give me your key and leave.’

‘It’s my house.’

‘It’s a home and you don’t belong here.’

A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.