Story 51/1001

• virus
• bite
• squeeze

Darcy gasped and closed the newspapers. Millie and Kate almost dropped their spoons.

“Darcy! You still overreact to everything.” Millie said, frowning. She took a napkin and wiped a drop of tea from the table.

“They said more and more people are getting sick from this virus.” Darcy waited for a reaction. “And people also started dying!”

“People die from many things, Darcy. ” Kate rolled her eyes. “My husband died from malaria. In the US! No newspapers wrote about that.”

“They don’t write about the common ones either, like a stroke, or heart attack. It’s always the outrageous, ambiguous ones. The virus, the new sort, the one we never saw before.” Millie added.

The server approached them with a tray full of small cakes.

“You have a beautiful teahouse, but such small tables.” Millie said. The server smiled slightly, like she was apologizing.

“Just squeeze them anywhere, dear. We’ll stack the plates as we eat them, anyway.” Darcy said, taking two plates from the server’s tray.

“Thank you, ma ‘am.” She said.

“Tell me, dear, what do you think of this virus?” Darcy asked. Kate rolled her eyes and hushed her.

“You don’t need to answer that. Thank you.” Kate said. The server smiled and left their table.

“Kate, this is important. The president is making a statement about it tomorrow.” Darcy frowned. “It’s the young we need to hear from. We might die any minute, but they will stay here for a while.”

“The president is a shmuck, Darcy.” Kate said. “And the youngsters are too busy with their phones and video games. Since they spend so much time in their rooms, even if there really is a lockdown, they won’t notice.”

“My grandson would notice.” Millie said. “That boy is never home. Gives my son and his wife headaches all the time. Might be good for him to stay home for a change.”

“Oh!” Darcy exclaimed, shocking Kate and Millie.

“For goodness sake, Darcy! Again with the overreaction.” Kate frowned.

“This cake is just marvelous!” Darcy said. “Take a bite, Kate. It is worth it. I say, as long as we can enjoy our Sunday brunch, the virus can do whatever it wants.”

“Silly woman.” Kate smiled. “If there is a lockdown, this place won’t be open.”

“Then we’ll just meet at my house.” Millie said. “My daughter-in-law makes beautiful cakes.”

“That seems perfect, Millie.” Darcy said, smiling.