2024 NATIONAL MEDAL
for Museum and Library Service Finalist

Tea & Misery

Tea & Misery by Andrea Santo Felcone (a Short Story Contest entry) 

 

 

Forcing Jesse to have “afternoon tea like The Royals” felt extra passive-aggressive, even by Lisa’s standards. He’d told her before: coffee (with cake) was for happy times; while tea (with honey and lemon) was for misery: divorce, funerals, illness.

 

Everyone knew this. Everyone except Lisa.

Lisa loved Chamomile--it “soothed her”. Funny, she didn’t seem so “soothed” while tossing his belongings out after he refused ‘afternoon tea’. Tea: The beverage of ‘break-ups’, too.