Cake and Other Short Stories

By Jess Halverson

CAKE AND OTHER SHORT STORIES by Jess Halverson is a collection of flash fiction and short stories that spans across genres to examine marriage and familial relationships.

“A God for Mary Braon” centers around Mary Braon and her immediate family on what is set to be one of the most important days of her life. A futuristic dystopian short with nods to the past, the story examines Mary’s struggle to relay that her desires do not align with that of her devout parents.

“Welcome to Wellness” follows protagonist Jordan Avery in a coming-of-age story of a young, detached woman who is thrust back into her hometown of Wellness after the death of her mother. Struggling to come to terms with her mother’s death and hesitant to establish bonds with her former life, Jordan finds herself face-to-face with her first love.

“Cake” follows protagonist Peggy Gladwell in a dramedy about life after divorce. Struggling to find her own identity, mousey Peggy becomes friends with the young, boisterous Margot - who convinces Peggy to crash her ex-husband’s wedding reception and take what’s rightfully hers.

“The Room” is a character-driven short that follows a married couple, Dick and Janine, after they check into a gaudy but unremarkable room in St. Petersburg, Florida for their son’s college graduation. Dick has been stuck in his routine for decades, and Janine finds herself begging for change. The couple recounts their life together, but struggle to find common ground.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jess Halverson
• Release date: Dec 1, 2019

Jess Halverson

Jess Halverson writes Southern literature with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ issues, psychological fiction, and romance. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Full Sail University. In her free time, Jess enjoys cycling and exploring the history and culture of the Texas Hill Country.

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Cake and Other Short Stories

by Jess Halverson

Copyright 2018 Jessica Sims

Smashwords Edition

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Table of Contents

Title Page

License Notes

Table of Contents

A God for Mary Braon

Welcome to Wellness

Cake

The Room

About the Author

A God for Mary Braon

The morning of June 1st was no mystery. Mother rushed me out of bed before dawn. She pressed my best dress while my two younger sisters brushed and braided my long, brown hair. I stared into the bathroom mirror and resisted the urge to bite my nails.

Father spent hours on our breakfast spread, a rare departure from the usual steel cut oats and eggs. I dragged my fork across my pancakes and eventually popped a syrup-coated sausage link into my mouth. I remembered how exciting the morning was last year and how much I gorged my belly. I wondered if Ruth felt sick to her stomach then too.

The afternoon slowly crept in, followed by the evening. My sisters sat with their dolls in front of the door for hours, but eventually grew tired of waiting and retreated into their bedroom. Father made his way to the den to smoke a cigar some hours earlier and never returned. I sat on the staircase with my knees pressed to my