Ficlets

Tonnie’s fingers stung. The white plastic handles of her grocery bags were digging raw pink welts into her hands. She sighted and heaved the first armful onto the counter. How could ice cream be so heavy?
Second arm: fruits and veggies. It had been a while since she’d made Alex some broccoli, his all-time favorite. Tonight was a big night: everything had to be perfect.
She hummed cheerily as she worked. It all was working wonderfully. Those self-help books had finally paid off: she had come to terms with the fact that it was more than a fling, that she truly loved Alex. It all was going right today.
Tonnie opened the freezer. Even the sudden chill of cool air was pleasant now. Tonight’s the night, she told herself as she stacked the three gallons of ice cream. Tonight, tonight…
About two hours later, the full chicken she had purchased was golden-brown and sitting on the counter. The broccoli was in the oven, keeping warm. Tonnie smiled triumphantly and glanced at the clock. 7:28!