Post by Kypriotha on May 11, 2020 20:25:55 GMT 10
Title: Bittersweet mouthful
Rating: G
For: Rosie
Prompt: Thayet, with Jonathan, Buri, or on her own
Summary: Thayet is forced to reflect that Buri might, maybe, be right that Thayet has bitten off more than she can chew.
Notes: I had actually meant to write Buri in this ficlet too, but my love of detailed prose ran away with me, so it's a good thing your prompt also included Thayet on her own!
***
Thayet drummed her fingers on the counter, ignoring the annoyed look the business man sitting in the next seat kept shooting her. It was coffee shop, not a Buddhist retreat. If he wanted quiet, he should have chosen somewhere else to sit. It wasn’t her job to take care of him too.
She raised her cup to her lips to hide her rueful smile (she might not have cared if she annoyed her neighbour, but she didn’t want him to think she was outright mocking him). It was, perhaps, just possible that maybe, but only maybe, Buri was right and she was just the tiniest little bit stressed.
Thayet swallowed her mouthful of tea and sighed as she put her cup back on its saucer (she was calming down enough now to be amused when the business man exhaled in exasperation and got up nosily to change seats). It had seemed like such a good idea at the end of the semester to sign up for all the summer extracurricular activities…interning in a law office 3 days a week, tutoring migrant children another 2 afternoons a week, mornings volunteering at the local soup kitchen or community centre. She wanted to do well in her planned future law career, but she also couldn’t forget the faces of the poor children from her old neighbourhood – they reminded her too much of the refugee camps of her childhood for her to just turn her back and walk away. Plus, as she had told Buri when she was outlining her plans for the summer, she would have every weekend free. It would be just like working a normal Monday to Friday job with time for friends on the weekend.
She had forgotten, in all her careful planning, to factor in how much time she spent looking after those friends (whether they asked her to or not) and how tiring it was to be constantly rushing between different places and different tasks.
Buri had raised one (or three) objections when Thayet first brought up her plans, but Thayet had been too caught up in crafting the perfect timetable to listen. Knowing how blind Thayet could be to the flaws in her own plans, Buri had wisely held her tongue until the weekend just gone, when Thayet had unleashed her short temper on a surprised and mostly blameless (okay, fine, wholly blameless) Raoul. After that, Buri had taken her aside and made a few quick but pointed remarks. Thayet had spent the rest of the weekend hiding in her room in a half sulk, half shame spiral.
However, after an exhausting day at the law firm, Thayet was forced to concede that Buri had been right. She had taken too much on and was causing herself, and her friends, much unnecessary stress. Ducking out early, Thayet had taken refuge from the rain in her favourite coffee shop (which was her favourite for their expansive collection of loose leaf tea, not the coffee) and composed a few heartfelt apologies. Then she carefully scrutinised her timetable for the next few weeks and made a few ruthless cuts, sending emails to the soup kitchen and community centre before she could change her mind, and ordering another pot of tea before she could start feeling guilty.
Along with the tea, she ordered an iced coffee and a giant slice of apple pie with a small gravy boat of custard (and some scones for herself – her penance was apologising, not starving). When it all arrived, she sent a photo to Buri. She’d know exactly where Thayet was and what the pie meant. Thayet was sure she’d come – after all, it was so much sweeter saying “I told you so” in person and, this time at least, she’d earnt it.
Rating: G
For: Rosie
Prompt: Thayet, with Jonathan, Buri, or on her own
Summary: Thayet is forced to reflect that Buri might, maybe, be right that Thayet has bitten off more than she can chew.
Notes: I had actually meant to write Buri in this ficlet too, but my love of detailed prose ran away with me, so it's a good thing your prompt also included Thayet on her own!
***
Thayet drummed her fingers on the counter, ignoring the annoyed look the business man sitting in the next seat kept shooting her. It was coffee shop, not a Buddhist retreat. If he wanted quiet, he should have chosen somewhere else to sit. It wasn’t her job to take care of him too.
She raised her cup to her lips to hide her rueful smile (she might not have cared if she annoyed her neighbour, but she didn’t want him to think she was outright mocking him). It was, perhaps, just possible that maybe, but only maybe, Buri was right and she was just the tiniest little bit stressed.
Thayet swallowed her mouthful of tea and sighed as she put her cup back on its saucer (she was calming down enough now to be amused when the business man exhaled in exasperation and got up nosily to change seats). It had seemed like such a good idea at the end of the semester to sign up for all the summer extracurricular activities…interning in a law office 3 days a week, tutoring migrant children another 2 afternoons a week, mornings volunteering at the local soup kitchen or community centre. She wanted to do well in her planned future law career, but she also couldn’t forget the faces of the poor children from her old neighbourhood – they reminded her too much of the refugee camps of her childhood for her to just turn her back and walk away. Plus, as she had told Buri when she was outlining her plans for the summer, she would have every weekend free. It would be just like working a normal Monday to Friday job with time for friends on the weekend.
She had forgotten, in all her careful planning, to factor in how much time she spent looking after those friends (whether they asked her to or not) and how tiring it was to be constantly rushing between different places and different tasks.
Buri had raised one (or three) objections when Thayet first brought up her plans, but Thayet had been too caught up in crafting the perfect timetable to listen. Knowing how blind Thayet could be to the flaws in her own plans, Buri had wisely held her tongue until the weekend just gone, when Thayet had unleashed her short temper on a surprised and mostly blameless (okay, fine, wholly blameless) Raoul. After that, Buri had taken her aside and made a few quick but pointed remarks. Thayet had spent the rest of the weekend hiding in her room in a half sulk, half shame spiral.
However, after an exhausting day at the law firm, Thayet was forced to concede that Buri had been right. She had taken too much on and was causing herself, and her friends, much unnecessary stress. Ducking out early, Thayet had taken refuge from the rain in her favourite coffee shop (which was her favourite for their expansive collection of loose leaf tea, not the coffee) and composed a few heartfelt apologies. Then she carefully scrutinised her timetable for the next few weeks and made a few ruthless cuts, sending emails to the soup kitchen and community centre before she could change her mind, and ordering another pot of tea before she could start feeling guilty.
Along with the tea, she ordered an iced coffee and a giant slice of apple pie with a small gravy boat of custard (and some scones for herself – her penance was apologising, not starving). When it all arrived, she sent a photo to Buri. She’d know exactly where Thayet was and what the pie meant. Thayet was sure she’d come – after all, it was so much sweeter saying “I told you so” in person and, this time at least, she’d earnt it.