Another Contest

I just packaged up some poetry to send off to The Iowa Review. Here I go again!

I'm posting Pockets, one of the stories I sent off to the Sonora Review, and then a couple of the poems.

I hope you enjoy.

Pockets
By Kelly Hayes


The last reverberations on the violin faded with the lights and applause exploded in the theatre. The cast took their bows, the conductor took his and the lights came up. Men in tuxedos ushered their dates out by their elbows. Women played with the jewels on their collarbones, basking in the afterglow as they filed into the foyer under the massive glittering chandelier. Men presented their tickets to the coat check for furs and top hats and they all stepped into the snow to their town cars, or hailed cabs.
Celia and Finn were the last to leave the theatre, Celia’s cheeks still glowing.
“Oh Finn, it’s snowing. I knew I should have worn my coat, but I just couldn’t bear to bring that drab old thing here.” Celia pulled the gossamer wrap tight around her shoulders, to no real warming effect.
“Celia darling, you’ll have my jacket of course.” Finn began to shrug out of his rented tux jacket when the man at the coat check called out to them.
“Miss, if you wouldn’t mind, I have a beautiful coat here that hasn’t been claimed for over a week and a half. No calls or nothin’. Looks to be just your size, too.” The man disappeared into his room and came out bearing a rich vanilla fur coat, knee length with a collar to the ears. Celia squealed and looked at Finn.
“If you’re sure it’s ok,” said Finn to the man.
“Of course. If anyone wanted it, they would have come long ago.”
Celia slipped into the coat like a cat into its own skin. She squeezed the fur around her and brushed her cheeks along the collars.
“Oh, it’s marvelous, Finn. Absolutely marvelous.”
“Shall we then?” Finn offered his arm and thanked the man at the coat check, and Celia and Finn stepped out into the snow.
They strolled slowly through the avenues and snowflakes, arm in arm talking over the performance and Celia’s amazing luck. Finn’s attention was only given to the occasional agreeable ‘mmmhmm’ or ‘oh, yes,’ as he rolled something small and delicate in his fingers hidden in his jacket pocket.
“Finn, I just can’t believe it. This is the happiest night of my life.” Celia ran her hands over the luxurious, creamy fur, and paused at the pocket. “Finn, there’s something in the pocket. What do you think it could be?”
“I haven’t the faintest.” Finn shivered in his thin jacket and shoes that were too small and pinched. He had felt so silly sitting through that performance with all those glittering people in his ancient suit that still smelled slightly of mothballs. But Celia had been wanting to go for so long, and tonight was to be a very special night, after all.
Celia pulled out a small black box, and instantly Finn hoped it was empty. Celia grinned up at him and flipped the lid. A brilliant diamond set in the center of a ring of small sapphires gleamed up at them in the lamplight. Celia gasped in delighted awe.
“Oh Finn! It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen! Isn’t it just gorgeous?” She slipped it on her finger, holding her left hand up to admire twinkling among the snow.
“Perhaps we ought to return this to the theatre. Maybe they can find its owner.” Finn’s hand clenched in his pocket.
“Oh Finny, do we have to? No one came to claim it. A million things could have happened for this coat and this delicious ring to be left there. Can’t I keep them? Please?” Celia batted her eyes and pleaded with Finn. He looked off into the snow and sighed.
“Come Celia, I better get you out of this cold.” Celia snuggled down into the collar, and beamed at the ring on her hand, which beamed right back. Finn shivered again and felt something small and delicate snap in his fist in the pocket, as he led Celia home.