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Once again, many thanks to all those who drop by each week. I also appreciate, and often act upon comments and suggestions left. Thanks again.
This week our word prompt is Evergreen, and since I love Barbara Streisand's version of the song I have used it to create this 'one-off' short story.
Unlike Barbara Streisand’s song Ellie didn’t consider there was anything evergreen about love. To her it nearer resembled an off-piste ski-run for a non-skier, than an easy chair. As for the rose, well that got buried somewhere under an avalanche.
There was a time when she believed love was shared between the two of them, but Rick… Well he thought love, or rather lust, for the moron didn’t know the meaning of love, should be shared with as many people as possible, sex immaterial.
Thankfully, she’d found out in time. Now, she remembered, as she stared at the date on the calendar, she’d been so happy when she'd written ‘wedding day’ in big capital letters against today's date, and smothered the rest of the month with big smiley faces.
There was a time when she believed love was shared between the two of them, but Rick… Well he thought love, or rather lust, for the moron didn’t know the meaning of love, should be shared with as many people as possible, sex immaterial.
Thankfully, she’d found out in time. Now, she remembered, as she stared at the date on the calendar, she’d been so happy when she'd written ‘wedding day’ in big capital letters against today's date, and smothered the rest of the month with big smiley faces.
Today she wanted to take sharp knife and rip the page to pieces.
Instead of walking down the isle to the man she dreamed would be her life’s partner, sharing each morning’s glory and the midnight sun together she’d be spending the day completing the task of returning wedding gifts.
The rat had even tried to take her own home off her, but she’d scotched that, promising to sue him for a lot more than the house if he went down that road. Time, for them, had certainly changed the meaning of everything.
When the peel of her bell jolted her out of her dismal thoughts she hurried to the front door.
Instead of walking down the isle to the man she dreamed would be her life’s partner, sharing each morning’s glory and the midnight sun together she’d be spending the day completing the task of returning wedding gifts.
The rat had even tried to take her own home off her, but she’d scotched that, promising to sue him for a lot more than the house if he went down that road. Time, for them, had certainly changed the meaning of everything.
When the peel of her bell jolted her out of her dismal thoughts she hurried to the front door.
The man wore blue overalls over a pristine white shirt, and a smile that challenged the mid-summer sun. “Come for a collection of parcels,” he said, waving a clipboard in front of her face. “You celebrating Christmas early?”
Her answering smile slipped off her face. She swore she could feel it as her facial muscles tightened. “No,” she snapped. “Returning redundant wedding gifts.” She stepped back and indicated the open door. “I still have a couple more to wrap, can you wait?”
Understanding replaced the courier’s smile. “That’s a tough job. Do you need any help?”
She didn’t quite know how it came about that they repacked of the last few gifts together before he stood, stepped back and surveyed the neat stack of boxes against the wall near the door. “I’ll start loading these up,” he said, and picking up two boxes from one pile he sniffed the air. “Is that coffee I can smell?”
She laughed. On her cancelled wedding day, she actually laughed, a light hearted laugh, full of promise.
“It is, and I’ll have a mug ready for you when you’ve dealt with those.” She indicated the pile of wedding gifts and sighed.
A new beginning, she thought. When the boxes were out of her home, she could start again. Instead of revelling in a pity-party she should be thanking her lucky stars she’d realised in time that Rick’s love hadn’t been evergreen.
But it didn’t mean the right man for her wasn’t still out there. That perhaps… time wouldn't change the meaning of one love and that it could still be ageless and ever evergreen for her... one day…
12 comments:
I can feel her pain mixed with hope for the future here.
:-) Thanks Lindsay.
This is super, Sherry. I'm hoping the man who helped her with the packages is the man for her. Maybe?
She sure deserves happiness after having to deal with the end of her engagement and returning the gifts. How heartrending.
Lovely story, Sherry. I hope we'll get to read more of this. She deserves happiness and I reckon the guy drinking that cup of coffee might be just the one!
Also love your comparison of love with off-piste ski-run for a non-skier .... ;-)
:-) Thanks Jillian. I intended this as a standalone short, but who knows. I'm delighted the ending worked for you.
Thanks Iris, It's not my intention to do more with this but who knows I'm working on a project where this could fit.
Such a clever use of the prompt and the song! One of my favorites, too. I like her and hope you'll be carrying this story further.
Thanks Jean, I enjoyed weaving the story around the song. This was intended to be a complete story, but who knows, stranger things have happened.
Great scene. Good use of the prompt.
I'ts little consolation, but, better she find out before they spend years in an empty marriage.
writerszenblog :-) Thanks for coming by. I've visited your TT and loved it. Best wishes with the contest.
Couldn't agree more, Davee, thanks for coming by. :-)
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