Bank Holiday by Katherine Mansfield

A group of women spends a summer day off together, talking, relaxing, and reflecting on their lives, relationships, and small disappointments. The lightness of the outing is tinged with moments of wistfulness and silent frustration. The plot is minimal but full of emotional undercurrents, revealing how even leisure is shaped by class, gender, and desire. Mansfield captures the beauty and melancholy of ordinary existence. It’s a tender, observant story of shared time and unspoken longings.