On reflection, two glasses would have sufficed.
That warm, conspiratorial, matey feeling quickly turns to foolishness, the effortless shedding of confidences like confetti whilst you’re helplessly aware that you should stop… leave. Now.
As the fourth glass skims your dulled palate, you strive to restore your initial euphoria, knowing from experience it’s never going to happen.
“Is my friend as drunk as me?” you wonder, hopefully.
Turns out she’s neither of those things.
As you flop out of the taxi, your husband greets you.
“We need to talk,” he says grimly.
When really you’ve done quite enough of that for today.
Haven’t we all been there? Oh… maybe just me then.. . 😦 Thanks again to Rochelle for her leadership of Friday Fictioneers. We appreciate what you do, Rochelle.
castelsarrasin 
Dense and dark. So much life in these few words, Sandra
LikeLike
Thanks for reading, Neil.
LikeLike
Sounds like a bad day. You said it all Sandra. Nice one
LikeLike
Many thanks.
LikeLike
There has to be a line.
When two glasses would have sufficed and she decides for more, there has to be such experience in store!
Hope she can then understand whatever her husband says though!
LikeLike
That’s quite poetic, Anita. 🙂
LikeLike
Dear Sandra,
A fourth glass would’ve made me unconscious. I’m good for maybe two. 😉 I suspect what he wants to talk about isn’t anything happy. Well written and subtle.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
The size of wine glasses these days I’d be struggling after one! Thanks for reading, Rochelle.
LikeLike
Interesting use of second person. I like the line “she’s neither of those things.” Perhaps one glass would have been enough…
LikeLike
One glass and a better friend, I think. Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes to both.
LikeLike
Oh dear
LikeLike
Indeed! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh dear. Methinks this isn’t the first time she has come home in such a state. Might have to dig into the why she is trying to escape life. Fabulously done!
LikeLike
Thanks for reading Dale. She may have learned her lesson this time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Methinks so, too!
LikeLike
I wonder if what the husband really means is it’s too late to talk. Great writing as always.
LikeLike
Many thanks, Iain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoyed “she’s neither of those things” but I’m left wanting to know a lot more. WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?!
LikeLike
i’d guess the ‘friend’ was hot onto the phone to her husband after seeing her into a taxi. Some ‘friends’ are like that.
LikeLike
Alcohol gives us permission to do many things we may never recover from. Good story.
LikeLike
Lives have been changed after a glass or two of wine. This one certainly has. Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome.
LikeLike
Super use of the second person. It can so often sound hectoring, almost coercing the reader into experiencing the MC’s emotions and thoughts. But you use it so artfully, with such delicate little nudges that it’s simply persuasive, with overtones of a guilty conscience. You’ve given a master class in how to do it.
Kudos!
LikeLike
Thanks, Penny. 🙂 I always used to shun the use of the second person. But it’s more versatile than it seems at first sight. You can use it to talk about another person, but it’s also useful when used for self-reflection. I’ve used it a lot more just recently and am more comfortable with it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
i don’t think it’s a good time. better sleep it over first and wait for tomorrow. 🙂
LikeLike
All the sleep in the world isn’t going to help here, I think. Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh man, I’ve never been one to drink, but I can only imagine. I have a bad feeling about whatever she said.
LikeLike
I think she’s going to experience lots of bad feelings about what she said also. Thanks for reading.
LikeLike
Not just you, unfortuately. It’s as if you’re on the outside looking in, watching yourself be a complete idiot but unable to stop.
LikeLike
the future is always uncertain. thanks for reading my post
LikeLike
I’m left wondering if hubby is the reason she needed all those drinks.
LikeLike
Oh how I loved this story and how you did it, Sandra. All great protagonists must have their weakness and vulnerability. 🙂
LikeLike
What a lot of story packed into 100 words!
LikeLike
I feel like the protagonist’s overindulgence may not have been accidental. Not was the information that got back to her husband. Intriguing tale.
LikeLike
There’s a lot suggested here rather than explicitly revealed. That’s the challenge, I think, with flash fiction – how to get the balance just right so it’s not too obscure, but gets the reader imagining and filling in the details. Great success with this one – I can just picture her ‘effortless shedding of confidences like confetti’. What a wonderful image.
LikeLike
Oy vey for a bad day, but perhaps it hits bottom … and from there it is up …
LikeLike
Ooh, I love that cliff hanger at the end. What is he going to say? Is this the first time and it’s nothing related to drinking, or is it the umpteenth time and he’s finally had enough. I’d like to think that he is staging an intervention to help her through and there’s a happy ending for them both.
LikeLike
I like how you managed to tell a story that everyone at one time in their life has experienced.
LikeLike
All I can say, is thank heavens I no longer drink alcohol, yet your story took me right back to the days when I did. Well done Sandra
LikeLike