Mary Kay Bonfante is the Readers’ Choice in this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. The winning entry is decided by the popular vote and rewarded with a special feature here today. (In the case of a tie, the writer who submitted an entry first is the winner per our rules.) Without further ado, here’s the winning story:
Peachy
by Mary Kay Bonfante
My husband Henry and I got into the car with Jake, who suggested a day trip out to Long Island. His girlfriend Millie was driving.
We cruised along the South Shore to Amagansett. Millie’s dog Bridget snuggled between Henry and me.
The beach was so close, I could smell the surf. To my surprise, we pulled into a driveway. We all got out, and Bridget ran straight for the door and barked.
To my utter shock, my brother Jonathan came out. He died 13 years ago! How could this be?
“Jonathan!” I cried, “You’re alive!”
“Of course,” he answered, as we hugged generously, “Have you lost your mind, girl?”
Henry was teary-eyed and embraced Jonathan also; everyone else behaved as though nothing was unusual.
“But your heart! It stopped! We buried you!”
“What?!” said Jonathan, “You saved my life! You know my wife Vicky, right? And our baby, Vanessa?”
A pretty woman appeared, holding a baby with a mess of brown curls, flashing a toothless, rosy smile.
“Does Mom know?” I asked.
“Here she is now,” said Jonathan.
Mom walked in without help, painlessly, and called out to us, “You made it!”
Little Vanessa resembled Mom.
“Now try one of these peaches,” said Vicky, “They’re so good!”
And it was good: delicious, sweet and perfect. I was still tasting that peach, as I heard the street noises from outside. As I awoke, there were tears in my eyes. I longed to go back and live in that dream.
