Step into a world of snapshot moments with my Seasonal Snapshot Series. Each micro fiction story in this collection is a glimpse into the magic I’m feeling in the season.

Perfect for a quick read, each snapshot captures a fleeting moment based on an emotion, experience, thought or prompt.

This month’s Seasonal Snapshot #2 Summer Fun was written in response to the Curtis Brown Creative (CBC) Summer Story competition on Instagram #CBCSummerStory26, and features some of my favourite characters lately.

I followed the prompt set by Abbie Greaves as the first line of an original flash fiction story: The smell of sunscreen turned my stomach.

Sunscweem

The smell of sunscreen turned my stomach.

Lotion was E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E. Three minutes before the guests were due to arrive.

I had been so proud of myself. A curated children’s party (I’d even illustrated the digital invitation). A mighty pirate ship ice-cream cake (threatening to sink into its buttercream waves every time I checked on it). Loot bags with eye patches and temporary tattoos (in danger of parental confiscation). And no sleep (for the past few nights).

“Boys!”

“Yeth, Mommeee, we here. We put on sunscweem. You see it?”

I saw it smeared on the television, antique sideboard, scatter cushions, and loot bags. It was dripping down the kitchen counters. It was matted in the dog’s beard and congealing on the bricks outside.

I saw it on my sons who looked like preschool art projects.

Jamie was naked, except for one sock, smothered in sunscreen. Ben wore an eyepatch. His wet swimsuit was on backwards. Something down below was definitely not where it was supposed to be.

“We listened, Mom. We put on. You said we must cover everything.” Ben glanced at Jamie who was pointing between his legs. They giggled.

I fought a smile and then they were hugging me, sticky hands staining my shorts with greasy patterns.

“Da fwiends, dey comin’ now!”

My stomach lurched as I slid in a cloud of coconut and chlorine to open the door for Luke and his Mom. She arched an eyebrow at the mess. “Wow.”

“It’s an immersive experience!”

With an oily smile, Luke’s Mom followed the boys outside, her glittery sandals slipping across the bricks until she went backwards into the pool.

“She not put on sunscweem!”

It felt like summer. The smell of sunscreen shifted my mood.

For the first time all morning, I felt something dangerously close to delight.

Photo by Onela Ymeri on Unsplash