Friday, September 03, 2010

Bearing Gifts

I'm as ready as I'll ever be, Molly thought as she looked in the hall mirror and brushed back a strand of hair from her forehead. Although she had to beg, Charlie agreed to share a drink with her and was coming over.

“For the last time,” he warned her when they spoke on the phone that morning.

Molly decanted the wine in the kitchen and poured a glass to drink while she waited. When the doorbell buzzed, she shivered and went to let Charlie inside.

Each was on their best behavior after the initial awkwardness of their hellos. When Molly offered wine after a few minutes of small talk, Charlie smiled and nodded. “Be right back,” she said as she placed her glass on the coffee table and went to the kitchen.

“I know I can't change your mind about us, and I'm sorry about that,” she called out as she poured the wine and opened the drawer to her small desk. “I just hope we can be friends at some point?” She sighed as she took out the vial of Everlasting Love Trap potion. Two drops.

“Um. Yeah. If you would want to be just friends, why not.” Charlie answered as he took a miniature cellophane envelope from his pocket and leaned forward. Two shakes of the odorless, colorless, flavorless granules dissolved quickly in Molly's glass.

Earlier, an aged man at a rundown shopfront took his money and promised Charlie that in only a few days, the Repel Thee Forever powder would dissipate Molly's inconvenient attraction to him, never to be stoked again. A goodbye gift from Charlie. No sense in having her suffer needlessly, he thought.

Molly returned with his glass. Charlie stood and stretched his hand to her. She gave him the goblet and let her fingers linger on his for a moment before she let him go. He smiled and lifted the glass slightly above his head and waited for her to pick up her own from the table. They faced each other.

“What should we toast?” Molly asked. “To friendship?”

“Well, let's see.” Charlie said. He thought about the luscious Anita waiting for him at the bar. “May all our wishes come true. How about that one?”

Molly nodded. “Perfect,” she said and raised her arm.

They clinked their glasses and laughed for a moment before they each drank deeply.

81 comments:

  1. Hah! Neither one of them know the rule about not leaving their drink unattended. A perfect ending for both of them!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh so much better than rohypnol (the date rape drug poured into drinks). Devious little critters. Love to read the sequel (sort of being in love limbo forever). peace...

    ReplyDelete
  3. That made me laugh out loud. I feel sorry for both of them while also laughing at them for getting what they deserve. A well-crafted tale!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow, great stuff. Careful what you wish for Charlie! HA! Very nice!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love this. It's like the opposite of those stories where the boy sells his boat to buy the girl a hair comb, and she sells her hair to buy a bell for his boat. This is much more modern and fun.

    ReplyDelete
  6. So good - I was expecting her to do 'something' to the drink - but his action was totally unexpected! Great stuff :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very good story - I second the vote for a sequel - and what happens to luscious Anita! Heh heh

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love potions (and their opposite): always a bad idea! Yes, I'd like a sequel, if only because this explosion is going to be too good to miss.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh how the tables will turn! Too funny, Marisa! Oh, how I wish you could really buy such potions. Wouldn't that be great?
    Your story has such a modern, cosmopolitan flavour to it - really nice work.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Very impressed :)

    "Two shakes of the odorless, colorless, flavorless granules dissolved quickly in Molly's glass."

    Smiled when I caught on what was going to happen!

    Thanks for the kind welcome to the #FridayFlash Community :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Very clever! I had to read bits again before the penny dropped. And like many of the other comments, I'd like to see what happens next!

    Thank for the welcome to #fridayflash too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ohhhh! The agony! Never mess with the path of love. This was so clever.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wonderful! I agree with Jen B. I'd love a sequel to this. Great stuff, Marisa!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Loved it. Sort of a reverse Gift of the Magi...

    ReplyDelete
  15. "Repel Thee Forever" potion? Oh, where can I get some of that? :)

    Fun, fun story Marisa, and I too want the sequel - next week at the latest! Um, please. :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous8:35 AM

    Oh, I feel sorry for them, actually, even if they aren't the nicest people. But then, that's what you get for messing with magic!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Another great tale Marisa... I will also jump on board here for sequel...

    Jim

    ReplyDelete
  18. Real men don't need a powder to repel women... just our personalities. But I'm looking forward to the sequel too.

    ReplyDelete
  19. When I saw where the story was going, I thought "brilliant!" (Not out loud thankfully because I'm at work.) Sort of a twist of "Gift of the Magi." Very nice work, Marissa.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hilarious! Made me think of one of my three sons. I won't name any names here (you know who you are). He could use some of that powder. Instead he just disappears for a few days. Or pretends to have lost his cell phone.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous10:50 AM

    This reminded me of the scene from The Princess Bride when the Dread Pirate Roberts is up against Vizzini - "odorless, colorless, flavorless" dissolves instantly in liquid and is amongst one of the most deadly poisons known to man.
    Lots of fun.
    Adam B @revhappiness

    ReplyDelete
  22. This was great! All the places my mind is taking it afterwards is even better!

    ReplyDelete
  23. A new twist on the O.Henry classic. Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  24. (~Tim's comment is too funny)

    Love potions, always disasterous. Funny thing, I felt the desperation of both characters, and I liked how neither was 'the bad guy'. Or maybe they were both 'the bad guy'; heck, not accepting their realities.

    I enjoyed this from beginning to end.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Loved this Marisa. It was perfect. Still giggling.

    ReplyDelete
  26. oh the patterns we weave, the games we play in the guise of love. I actually misread the last line as "before they drank each other deeply" that's how much I was sucked in to your tale and the devious whiles of this pair!

    marc nash

    ReplyDelete
  27. Oh Marisa, I love this. LOL! Let me tell you..... Anita is going to be in for a looong wait. Haha!
    Gret storytelling!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I chuckled :)

    What makes me really smile though, is that in a world where "love potions" and "repel potions" exist, next week she will be giving him the "repel forever drug" and he will give her the "love potion".

    You could almost see the sequel to this where they both grow old swapping potions every week for the rest of their lives...

    ReplyDelete
  29. Good Grief! A Puck-worthy fiasco for both of them! Awesomely done, Mari.

    ReplyDelete
  30. All right, this is going to be a fitting ending for these two. Well conceived, well written!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous4:59 PM

    Hahaha! Great story. People are always asking me for such potions & spells and I always decline. I want to know what happens next to these hapless characters.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous5:09 PM

    Oh my goodness, what a end. Bravo!

    ReplyDelete
  33. This will not end well. At all. But that's what makes it a fun story, right? I'd read a sequel if you write one, but I like where this ends.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Haha, double cross. Good setup, Marisa.

    ReplyDelete
  35. LOL. I'm now wondering, did both the potions work, or neither? What happens next?

    ReplyDelete
  36. Ha, that's just perfect! As John said, a double cross, and a damn good one at that.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Marisa, I liked the premise of this piece and enjoyed the pacing where everything slows down as they exchange glasses and look forward with anticipation to the results of their potions.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Love is a harsh animal... Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  39. That was awesome! The irony! Well yes, swapping potions is in order. It's why they outlawed them centuries ago.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Like Michael said, this feels like a piece that's going to go on in perpetuity. I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Oh, that's just so cruel, but -dare I say it?- poetic justice.

    I adore this. Great work!

    ReplyDelete
  42. I have a feeling things are going to get worse between them! Great story and I could see this expanding into a novella or novel.

    ReplyDelete
  43. That was awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Well deserved to both of them, hehe. I too would like to see a sequel Mari-girl. :)

    ReplyDelete
  45. Oh, yeah, glad to see you're showcasing your numerous blog awards. ;D

    ReplyDelete
  46. And they both get to suffer forever. They should have stuck with roofies.

    ReplyDelete
  47. this was superb. i highly recommend turning this into an "adult" fairy tale of sorts. a longer story, not just a sequel!

    lots more details can be added to make it even a richer experience before revealing what is going on...

    absolutely brilliant, alice.

    love,

    the hatter.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Hahaha! Nice twist, and I loved the "Repel Thee Forever" powder.

    Cecilia

    ReplyDelete
  49. Nice one! I'd love to read a whole story with these two.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Life works similar magic sometimes all on its own. :)

    Glad ya dropped by for Tasty Tuesday! Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  51. HA perfect ending! Great job on this one.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Hee Hee Hee. The tables have turned forever.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Your blog is extremely good, excellent operate... More than likely a lot of will certainly believe us regardless of whether they just don't take time to show

    Hostgator Promo Codes

    ReplyDelete
  54. Social network is thought about as beep.com/ a fundamental requirement of everyone Know More on the planet. The modern-day 4Liker Download for your Android & PC - What is 4Liker? technology make it inconvenient for everybody with smartphones in 4Liker App a practical rate. Each could afford a mobile phone and 4Liker also can utilize it for interaction and other purpose.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Anonymous12:25 AM

    the front that you could secure right into area box.com/ when on standby. To make certain your youngster stays in location, Read This Article there is a five-point safety harness matched with a tether band. Best Jogging Strollers | May 2017 A few other beneficial accessories consist of the flexible cover, lying seat.

    ReplyDelete
  56. يمكنكم التواصل مع شركة المدينة لخدمات التنظيف والتعقيم كونها أفضل شركة تنظيف خزانات بالمدينة المنورة وذلك حيث يعمل بها طاقم عمال مدرب على أعلى مستوى للقيام بأعمال تنظيف الخزانات

    ReplyDelete
  57. fix system service4:56 AM

    Very Interesting and wonderfull information keep sharing
    system service exception blue screen windows 10

    ReplyDelete
  58. see this here read here navigate to this site check here click now click this over here now

    ReplyDelete
  59. Great Information Provided Thanks For The Information .Keep Posting more !
    power-bi-training-in-hyderabad

    ReplyDelete