Mistaken Sips

Welcome back to Flash Fiction Friday! Today’s piece, "Mistaken Sips," serves up a light-hearted mix-up with a flavorful twist. Join Greg as he tackles the summer heat with yard work and unknowingly stumbles upon his wife Jamie’s peculiar drink.

Greg wiped his brow, the drone of the silenced lawnmower still echoing in his ears. Jamie approached, offering him a white styrofoam cup with a bright red straw. He gratefully took a long sip, savoring the sweet tea, then gazed over the freshly manicured lawn. Sweat streamed down his face, a tribute to the sweltering Texas sun at its peak.

He placed his cup next to Jamie, who had settled under the canopy-covered swing with a book. Greg grabbed the pruning shears, determined to tackle the unruly bushes nourished by recent rains. After trimming the overgrowth, he walked back, humming a tune with his earbuds in, and absentmindedly grabbed a cup.

The liquid hit his tongue, and his face contorted in horror. The bizarre mix of sweet and sour was jarring. Reflexively, he spat the offending drink onto the grass, his taste buds rebelling. “What on earth?” he exclaimed, spitting again to cleanse his palate. Had the tea soured, or had he grabbed Jamie’s drink?

“What are you drinking?” he called out, disgust still written on his face.

Jamie chuckled, marking her place in the book with a finger. “What do you mean?”

“This yours?” Greg held up the cup, still grimacing.

“Yeah, it’s just a Pickle Dr Pepper,” Jamie replied, her smirk widening.

“A pickle what?”

“A Pickle Dr Pepper,” she repeated, amusement flickering in her eyes.

Greg shook his head, baffled. “Ok, I like pickles on my hamburgers, and Dr Pepper’s fine, but who thought to mix them together?”

Jamie rubbed her belly, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “The baby and I wanted both. Besides, it’s trending online.”

Greg sighed. Another of Jamie’s online discoveries. A few summers back, it was mustard on watermelon. On that day he protested—mustard was for corn dogs at the state fair, he’d argued. Although the concoction wasn't horrible, it certainly hadn’t become a staple in their kitchen.