Iona watched her sister-in-law, Tess, through the kitchen window as she brewed their tea. The other woman was on the screened-in porch, wrapped in a quilt and reading a book. It was cold enough this late in October, that occasionally Tess’ breath rose in tiny white puffs.
The two had spent the past two days together at Tess’ mother’s house, meeting for the first time even though Iona had been married to Tess’ brother, Steve, for three years.
Tess was a surprise. Quiet, thoughtful, slow to react to her brother’s barbs, not the argumentative harridan Steve described. That morning, he’d confessed everything, admitting they had been estranged for so long, he really couldn’t remember why, and didn’t know Tess at at.
Iona wondered if he was completely wrong about his sister. Considering how rudely Steve treated Tess in his own mother’s house, Iona couldn’t blame her for not keeping in contact with her brother.
Backing though the porch door, the hot tea held at arm’s length, Iona presented Tess with a cup.
Welcoming the warm drink, Tess smiled at Iona, sweeping back the blanket to offer her sister-in-law a seat on the couch.
The two sat in silence, sipping tea, neither knowing what to say.
“You are nothing like I expected,” Iona finally said, breaking the spell first.
Tess let out a deep throaty laugh, as rich and spicy as her chai tea.
“I hope that’s a good thing.”
Iona found herself hoping that she and Tess could one day be friends.
“That is a very good thing.”
Thin spiral notebook 
Love this! Excellent prose, and a very telling short story! I’m really enjoying your writing!
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I like this scene. We get just enough background to make their moment poignant. There’s a sweetness to it. Nice work!
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This was beautiful – a really touching moment of encounter
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Ooh … you gave me a new word with “harridan.” I love it – and your story.
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I think you’ve successfully laid the groundwork for a lasting friendship. Nice exposition.
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I felt like I was right there with them. You tell enough of past animosities among family members for me to understand the tentative first steps of a possible friendship.
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“Tess let out a deep throaty laugh, as rich and spicy as her chai tea.” – awesome. You said you wished this were a true story, I don’t fully understand the depth of that statement if it implies your in-laws… But I picture you as having very similar bonding moments with many women in your life, be it friends, sisters, daughter, mother… I loved how at first I pictured women in their 50s, and then it moved around – the image I had of these two women kept changing in my mind. I love where you took me in this brief piece of flash fiction.
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I have never met my brother’s wife, and wasn’t invited to their wedding. The reasons? I have no idea. We have been estranged for years and any time I’ve asked what the problem is, he’s told me there wasn’t one. I guess he just doesn’t want me in his life. Alas…
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Oh my! Well, just writing this and putting it out there may be the first step to making it happen. If I can hope to find my dream hammock, you can meet and be-friend your sister-in-law.
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I’ll keep good thoughts for us both realizing our dreams.
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I actually love those moments when you realize someone isn’t who they thought they were at all, but in a good way. I’ve made girlfriends just this way and they are some of the most important people in my life.
You wrote it perfectly.
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The Martha Stewart-esuqe last line adds some intrigue and suspense. Very good prose, Tar rah. Excellent pacing.
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