He looked at his watch and sighed. It had been 20 minutes, then thirty. Her vest still hung on the back of the chair.
Surely she would be back.
When he had seen her photograph on the dating app, he knew. Okay, maybe creating that fake account posing as a younger man had been deceptive. Maybe even creepy. But he had to meet her.
He described exactly what he would be wearing. She would have no question that he was the man she was meeting. Nobody else would be wearing a brown argyle sweater sitting at the exact table he described.
He watched her stop when she entered. Her face went blank for a moment. Then she took a deep breath and smiled that glorious smile as she approached him.
“Dan?” she asked.
He nodded and rose. She hugged him, something he hadn’t expected.
They ordered drinks and chatted without a word about his age or appearance. She simply chatted about her work as a nurse and her orange tabby that greeted her each night.
He barely heard a word. He was studying her perfect lips and teeth, her high cheekbones, her tiny nose. He had been correct.
When she excused herself to go to the ladies’, he resolved to tell her when she got back. She was his daughter. He knew.
She never came back. The bar closed. The vest still hung on the chair.
As he was leaving, he realized that his wallet had disappeared in that hug.
This is my submission for this week’s Unicorn Challenge. The Unicorn Challenge is simple: write 250 words or less (DON’T YOU DARE GO OVER) based on the photo prompt.
One of my co-workers is newly single and he was reading me posts from Facebook Dating. We both open at the facility where we work — so this was about 5:30 AM when he started. He wandered off as people came into the facility, but later stopped in my office to read me some more. Later I saw him sitting in another office, reading posts out loud.
At the end of the day, he stopped by my office again. “When I first started reading them posts,” he said, “I thought they was pathetic. Now, after reading them all day, I think they’re just funny.”
Yes, funny. In a pathetic way.
Hot Dogs and Marmalade 
I just read your comment on my submission “The Date”. What a riot. Your story is great!! I can’t get rid of my rhyming.
I’m betting we are writing about the same guy. Seems that crumby little bar is his home base.
Sad story of missed opportunities for both of them and well told.
You had me properly fooled.
‘He was studying her perfect lips and teeth, her high cheekbones, her tiny nose.’
And then twist – and double twist, expertly done.
Great take on the prompt, Sally.
Thanks for the Happy Birthday and delighted you’re enjoying the challenge.
We’re enjoying your stories. 🦄
Honestly, I had never written fiction — flash fiction or otherwise — unless, of course, you count made-up stories for my children when they were small. No — this has been so fun. Thank you for do it and creating an encouraging community.
Thanks, Jenne!
You’d never written fiction before?
That surprises me, because you have a real talent for it.
I’m glad you’re having fun on the challenge – that’s what it’s about.
Glad you joined!
No, not really. Just little stories for my kids.
250 words felt doable and a good way to address my wordiness problem. This is a great challenge — and fun!
Too bad it didn’t go the way he imagined
Yes indeed. Too bad he didn’t say something earlier.
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Well, how do you like that! Two orders of deception coming right up. Great story, Sally. Superb ending!
Ha! Oh the poor man. I shouldn’t laugh, but your story with its twist and then twist again is just great. I’m laughing in delight at how cleverly you did that.
If only he had figured out a way to meet instead of under the guise of a dating app, right?
The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer. – Edward R. Murrow
Very clever, double-twist!
Misdirected in a most excellent (and effective) manner, all focused on him, then the daughter thing….and then final twist
(Suppose, as a Reader I can ask for a doggie bag for all my unresolved emotional issues with this story and these characters! lol)
Excellent wordage
It might not fit in a doggie bag. There’s definitely another full meal here. Or two. Don’t you think each character has so much more to say or do?!
Thanks for your encouragement. I’m still new to this whole fiction-writing thing. You could that I’m making it up as I go along 😀
Sally I enjoyed every twist and turn! Bravo!!!
Not the ending I was expecting, nor him it seems.
Clever. Funny. Sad. Inevitable.
No fool like an old fool.
A story for the ages superbly crafted, with each layer revealed delicately, subtly.
Chapeau, Sally
Love the twist, but sad for him to discover she was a thief.
To me, that’s the story within the story. What was her life like? Did she have a father figure? Did she have to depend on her street smarts and beauty? Yes, sad.
Haha…that clever girl.
Two deceptive people. Apple — tree — all that.