The Return Ticket

Especially entered for consideration in "Invalid Item" 

THIRD PLACE Winner in the 150 Word Wonder Contest by Matt 2021 Dean , February 9, 2013

Her round-trip ticket was carefully scheduled so that she’d have two weeks with her family in Brazil. He looked at the big suitcase on the bed; light clothes and sandals but it was cold and snowing.

“Why aren’t you taking warm clothes?"

“I’ll wear the same ones when I return.”

“You are coming back, aren’t you?”

“Why are you asking me this?”

“Because of the horrible things I said to you a week ago; I apologized.”

“My antique Borrão blue platter is right there, isn’t it?”

“Yes. You would never leave it behind. You carried it on your lap on the way to the US, scared it might break.”

“Let me finish packing. We have fifty minutes.”

He took her to the airport; she kissed him goodbye. When he opened the door he noticed that something wasn’t right. There was a missing plate on the dining room wall.


Words: 150