Story of the Month – “Say It With Flowers”

This month’s short story is another selection from Every Day Fiction.  “Say It With Flowers” by Tels Merrick appeared in the June issue. 

It’s not easy picking a new story each month because it can be difficult to define what makes a story stick in my head weeks after reading it.  For this story, it’s because Merrick captured relationship dynamics between a couple that made it stay with me. 

The misunderstandings I experience with my husband come from different expectations in a specific situation or incomplete communication in a thought process.  Thus, I could relate to Elspeth’s anchorless feeling while Jared worked in the garden instead of spending time with her. 

I also liked it that I expected the story to give a little twist and it didn’t do it in the ways I expected.  With near certainty, I thought Elspeth would find the Christmas gift after Jared passed away.  But she found something else and he didn’t die!

Merrick’s publishing credits seem small right now but I’m sure it won’t be long before she’s publishing with more frequency.  We are members of the same online writing community.  She brought my attention to her story by announcing the good news of her publication.  I think I would have found it on my own because it’s so good.