Fiction Friday - The Most Important Meal

Thanks to D.B. McNicol for the image! (blog)

“You’re up!” Bitsie was happy to have her old college roommate visiting, but it had been a surprise to see how lazy Amy had become in the intervening years. It was almost 11:00 a.m. already, and Bitsie had fixed breakfast for the family, done a load of laundry and picked up the playroom. She held off vacuuming while Amy was sleeping. 

The kids were off at a friends’ for the day. They didn’t like “Mommy’s friend”. Bitsie got it. She loved Amy. They had a tight bond that went back decades, but as a guest she was a nightmare. How did they live together for four years? Sleeping in wasn’t a problem, just a symptom of the bigger issue. 

Amy was pouring herself a cup of coffee, yawning and stretching in her shorty-shorts and a strappy camisole top that fluttered when she moved like it was trying to expose her perky breasts to everyone. Another good reason for the boys to be out of the house. At seven and ten, they might see more than Bitsie thought was good for them. 

“What’s for breakfast?” she asked through half-closed eyes barely visible above the mug she held in both hands. 

Ever the gracious hostess, Bitsie smiled and shrugged. “What would you like?” It was nearer lunchtime than breakfast, but she wasn’t going to quibble over terminology. 

Amy slouched against the countertop and angled her head toward the ceiling. “I kinda feel like pancakes today. Is that do-able?” She scrunched up her nose and looked at her ex-roommate as she asked, like she knew it was a big ask. 

“No problem,” Bitsie assured her. When the whole family was eating, she made pancakes from scratch, but this was going to be a quick meal for one, so she pulled the Bisquick out of the pantry and got to work. 

To her credit, Amy asked if she could help. “Plates in that cupboard, silverware, well, you know. Just help yourself to what you need. I ate hours ago with John and the boys.” Bitsie was focused on what she was doing, so didn’t notice Amy rooting around in the fridge and the pantry after handing over a plate and getting silverware. Just as she was lifting the first pancake off the griddle, she heard Amy ask, “Where’s the maple syrup?” 

“Umm…” Bitsie put the pancake on the plate and focused on the second one, nearly done. “I don’t think we have any.” 

“Wait – what?” The concept of no maple syrup seemed to baffle Amy. 

Bitsie checked the bottom of the second pancake and stacked it on top of the first one. With a sigh, she set the plate on the table where Amy had set down a fork, knife, her coffee mug, and the butter plate. Before pouring more batter onto the empty griddle, she went to the pantry. “Here.” She thrust two jars into Amy’s hands. 

Amy stared at the honey and the corn syrup, not understanding. “Uh…” 

“Sorry,” said Bitsie, pouring out more pancakes. Any uneaten pancakes would be a snack for later, but she had to make them now, while the griddle was hot. “We’re a honey house. I didn’t even think of it.” 

Amy set the jars next to her plate at the table, stuck a fork into the corn syrup, tasted it, and cringed. “U-yuch.” She did the same with the honey. Bitsie saw her double-dip out of the corner of her eye had cursed herself for having failed to give her the honey-dipper. Amy groaned a little. “Unnhh…” the noise sounded like a petulant child. Finally, she buttered the top pancake, and declared, “I guess I’ll just do without.” 

Amy had eaten about half of the top pancake – Bitsie was amused to see that she still ate her pancakes the way she did “back then”: top to bottom – and she rose from her seat. “I think I’ll just head into town for breakfast.” 

Bitsie smiled, lifting silver dollar pancakes into a tupperware container. It was obvious that Amy was heading off to get some pancakes with actual maple syrup. “Enjoy yourself. I have to get some things done here,” she said. She’d appreciate a little solitude while Amy got the food she wanted.

After Amy left, Bitsie added Maple Syrup to the grocery list on her phone. 

It's FICTION FRIDAY!
Every Friday, a new flash fiction story, inspired by reader comments. I hope you liked that story, based on the prompt "maple syrup" given during the A to Z Challenge by Anna Tan (of Deeply Shallow) on my "L" post (here). Feel free to leave a prompt for future use in the comments below!

If you choose to join in for Fiction Fridays, post a link to your story below in the comments. Next week's prompt is: Tree. If you join me next week, be sure to come back and share a link to your story!