Short Story

Ooh, Baby!

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

In response to a prompt from Carrot Ranch,
write a 99 word story (no more, no less)
about an awkward situation.

When I was newly married, my husband and I lived in an apartment building. It was a nice place, quiet, and we only saw the people who lived on our floor.

I’d run into Meg by the elevator every so often; she was extremely pregnant.

This one particular day I saw Meg and realized it had been a while since our last elevator meeting. Noticing her protruding belly, I said “You must be getting close now, eh?”

She stared at me and bluntly responded “I had the baby three weeks ago.”

Eyes darting, mumbling “Congratulations”, I fled the scene!

NAR©2024
99 Words

https://carrotranch.com/2024/03/05/march-5-story-challenge-in-99-words/

This is Brenda Lee with “Baby Face”

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and is not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.

41 thoughts on “Ooh, Baby!”

  9. Oops. I was in a supermarket with Hubby many years ago and wearing a green coat that was far from flattering but it was warm and kept me dry in the rain. The girl behind the deli counter greeted us as she always did, then beaming a killer watt smile asked when the baby was due. I said I wasn’t pregnant and she was so upset. The coat was binned when I got home.

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      1. I had a slightly similar experience, with a bride. I was absolutely sure she was at least eight months pregnant and at the wedding I casually asked her new mother-in-law, my cousin, when the baby was due. She told me flat out that she wasn’t pregnant.
        I could have sworn, I mean, part of me still doesn’t believe it because she was a tiny girl with a very large bump!

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    1. Manette, I’m thrilled to see you asking this question! One of the objectives I set for myself when writing is to leave people wondering if what they just read was fact or fiction. Sometimes it’s obvious, other times not.

      The only thing made up about this story is the woman’s name, something I don’t think I ever knew. If I did, it’s long forgotten. This is true and it happened 50 years ago.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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