Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
Chan is visiting with his mother and stepfather before taking the siblings out for some play time at the park. As he is happily anticipating the night to come, his mother knows something is up and asks him about it. See what's going on in this week's chapter of Super Trooper. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
Super Trooper #16 (3.2)
Madhu was the baby of the family and the apple of everyone’s
eye. She was a happy child, always smiling, even if she didn’t talk very much.
Chan’s mother defended her younger daughter by saying that she would speak more
when she had something she wanted to say. Who could argue with such logic?
“Are you excited to go to the park?” Chan asked his little
sister. He placed her on his hip, where she fit naturally and comfortably.
“Have some fried chicken?”
“Chicken,” Madhu repeated, nodding.
“See? Madhu is starving, we have to go now,” Kamal insisted. He pushed at Chan’s legs, as if he could
force his older brother out the door. Chan only laughed.
“There is plenty of time for Chan to have tea with us,” his
mother said.
“Excellent idea, my dear!” Balji exclaimed. He kissed his
wife on the cheek. “I’ll go make it now, shall I?”
“Thank you, but do not trouble yourself. Chan will help me,
won’t you, Chan?”
Her question took Chan from his momentary reverie, his
thoughts having gone to Evan and their date tonight. “Of course, Maa,” he
quickly responded.
Balji reached for Madhu. “Let’s get you dressed, little
one,” he said. “Your face needs washing, too. What have you been into?” He
carried her off as Chan followed his mother to the kitchen, wondering why she’d
asked for him when normally she would have his stepfather prepare the tea. Was
something wrong, perhaps?
She gave him a sharp look as she put on water to boil for
the tea. He had no idea what the look meant until she said, “You seem very
happy today. Is there something you would like to share with your mother?”
Was he that transparent? Chan’s mouth dropped open slightly,
as he struggled to answer the question truthfully without revealing too much.
After all, this was only their first date. Second, if you counted the encounter
at Partners. All right, second. Still a little premature to be making
announcements. And he certainly had no intention of letting her know what
happened between them last night… all night long.
That thought produced a smile, before he realized he was
just fueling her suspicions. She had such good instincts when it came to him.
“Of course I am happy to see my family, shouldn’t I be?” That was the truth,
wasn’t it? Hopefully she would be satisfied with his response.
But of course that didn’t happen.
“Are you seeing someone?” she asked in a knowing mother
tone. He couldn’t evade a direct answer now. That was a yes-or-no question, and
anything but yes would be a lie.
“As a matter of fact, I am.” He opened the cabinet where he
knew she kept a variety of teas. “What kind did you want, Maa?” That gave him
an excuse not to face her, so she couldn’t read his face like she’d obviously
been doing.
“I have it already,” she replied. “I got out the masala chai
when I heard you at the front door. Now then, tell me about this someone you
obviously don’t want to talk about.”
Chan sighed. No getting out of this, he saw. He closed the
cabinet door, took a deep breath, and schooled his face into what he considered
a neutral expression before turning to face his mother.
“There is not a great deal to tell. We just started seeing
each other very recently”—if seeing each other was a euphemism for hot steamy
sex—“and I haven’t exactly grilled him on his life story.”
“Well, setting aside his biography at the moment, he has a
name, yes?” His mother persisted.
“Of course. Everyone has a name.”
“And?”
“His name is Evan.” Dammit, just saying Evan’s name brought
a smile to his lips that he couldn’t manage to hide.
“That is a nice name,” she commented, still watching him
closely. Luckily the water boiled, and she had to give attention to the tea, to
Chan’s relief. Interrogation postponed,
however temporarily. When she turned back to him, she gave him a cup of the
aromatic chai tea she knew he loved. He took it from her and breathed in the
cinnamon and ginger scents that predominated above the others.
“Thank you, Maa.” He took a quick sip of the brew, felt the
warmth steal down his throat and through his body, both relaxing and
energizing, and very soothing.
“He makes you happy, I can tell.” His mother sipped at her
own cup, watching him over the brim.
“That look on your face tells me so. Will
I get to meet this Evan, and what is his last name?”
“Rainsford. Evan Rainsford,” Chan said. “And yes, I would
like that. But first, allow him time to get used to me before I unleash the
horde upon him.” That was a teasing reference to his siblings, one his parents
often used themselves.
“I look forward to meeting someone who can make my son so
happy.” His mother gently patted Chan’s cheek with her free hand, warm from
holding the cup of tea. “But I promise not to nag… too much.” She winked at
him, then picked up the other cup of tea. “Let us sit for a few minutes and
talk before you go out, shall we?”
Not waiting for a response, she exited the kitchen to give
her husband his tea. Chan followed obediently behind. He would love to have
them meet Evan. He hoped that Evan would feel the same way, whenever he found
the courage to bring it up. This was new territory for him. He’d never been
with anyone he wanted to meet his parents.
There was definitely something special about Evan Rainsford,
so much more he wanted to know about the man. Hopefully he would learn some of
it tonight.
to be continued
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