Cinders

The Challenge:

175 words or less, has to start with "What annoyed me the most was that it was my best blouse/shirt"


The Result:

What annoyed me the most was that it was my best blouse; a silk piece I bought because Glamour convinced me white took away years from a face. Now my $450 fountain of youth was, literally, up in smoke.
My husband's hand whipped up the iron but the damage was done. The shirt was unwearable, nothing more than a dishrag. Enraged I flung the blouse into our bedroom fireplace and let it burn.
"...I'm sorry," my husband muttered.
"I'm sorry," I mocked. "After 15 years you still can't iron clothing correctly. What a goddamn idiot." The smack that followed was familiar to his cheek but something had changed in his eyes.

"Elizabeth. I'm done."

I stared at flames the whole time he packed. His few belongings were thrown into the trunk of his car and the squeal of tires screamed promises of a divorce.

When sunrise crept into my room the following morning it found me by the fireplace, fingering the ashes of something that used to fit me so well.