It was clear to Julia that the piece had been tampered with, but she decided to listen to her intuition. She liked the design and it would look fine on her mantle. After negotiating a fair price for an obvious fake, she paid the street vendor in cash.

As she had imagined, the bowl looked spectacular above her fireplace. She was thrilled to have it in time for her holiday party. No one needed to know it wasn’t the real thing!

The party began with the usual parlaying of pleasantries, but as the alcohol flowed things got a bit rowdy. A fellow who had been dancing lost his footing. He reached for the mantle to catch himself, catching the bowl instead, and they both tumbled to the floor.

Attention quickly shifted from the lad’s wellbeing to the shattered pieces of porcelain and scattering of diamonds near his head. A guest shouted to the kitchen, “Julia, I think you’re gonna want to see this!”

kat ~ 30 December 2015

(165 Words)

Last story of 2015 for Sunday Photo Fictioner’s flash fiction challenge. If you would like to enter your own story or read others, click HERE.

Steven turned the small box in his pocket as he waited for Miranda. For years they met here sharing dreams and solving world problems. They knew each other as well as anyone could know someone, Steven thought. Today, he would propose to his soulmate.

Miranda plopped in the chair, giddy with excitement. “Could she possibly know?” Steven wondered.

As she waved her left hand toward him, she happily chirped, “I’m engaged Steven…isn’t that wonderful?”

Steven dropped the box to the bottom of his pocket, took her hand and forced a smile. “It’s lovely Miranda…I’m so happy for you…”

kat ~ 30 December 2015

(100 Words)

A story for Rochelle Wiseoff-Fields’ Friday Fictioneers flash fiction challenge based on the photo above by Jean L. Hays. If you would like to read other stories or enter your own, click HERE.