Tag: #romance

Posted in #unicornchallenge, Challenges

The Love Canal – #TheUnicornChallenge – May 3, 2024.

Posted on by R.M. Carlson

Photo prompt by Ayr/Gray

Lily always took her morning walks along the banks of the canal. She loved to watch the graceful and elegant swans as they glided across the water glistening in the morning light.

Lily was nostalgic about her own life. She loved the old, dilapidated boat docked there and she could see its potential. The boatman who owned it seemed content to leave it as it was.

One morning, Lily was standing near the old boat on the canal dreaming of taking it to far away places. A big, white dog bounded up to her full of joy and love. She wondered where he belonged and when she looked up, she saw a man approaching, calling the dog. He was an older man and handsome in a distinguished sort of way.

She and John fell into a conversation about their mutual love for the canal. Over the next few hours, John regaled her with stories of the history of the canal and they set out to explore it together. Over the next few weeks, John filled her heart.

One morning, John told Lily that he had bought the old boat from the boatman. He then declared  his love for her, and she fell into his arms.

A few months later, they started off on a magical journey in the old boat. As they left, the swans danced in joy.

One year later, Lily thought back to that day. She was glad they hadn’t known what would happen during the coming year.

Thank you to CE Ayr and Jenne Gray for hosting #TheUnicornChallenge!

Posted in Fiction, Uncategorized

The Past

Posted on by

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It was fall. The leaves were just starting to turn and it was still warm. Not hot, but warm. The nights were crisp. They were on vacation in a beautiful place. There was a crescent moon and they went for a walk to get a better look. It had been years since they had even taken a walk together. There was no romance between them.

The landscape was flat, but there was a small hill in front of them. They climbed the hill to get a better look at the moon. In front of them was the ocean. He took her hand to help her up. He held on. Her instinct was to let go, but she made herself let him hold her hand. It had been years since they had even held hands. His hand felt foreign to her.

The moon over the ocean was beautiful, casting another moon into the ocean. He had always enjoyed the moon shadow but had never seen it very often over water. Usually just on land. She was a child of the sun. Over the years, she had become afraid of the dark. She didn’t know why. She found herself taking deep breaths, hoping to avoid a panic attack because of being in the dark. He gripped her hand tighter. He knew.

They stood there for a long time. Talking. Reminiscing about all the past years. He wanted to talk about the good times. She could hardly bear to remember the good times, but she tried. Good times with him seemed so very long ago. When he mentioned them, she tried to remember and laughed with him even when she had forgotten something he remembered completely. She had blocked out so much.

He told her he’d like to spend the night there on the beach. That he had sleeping bags in the car. It was his birthday. She hated to disappoint him. She felt like she had spent years disappointing him so she agreed. He found a good place and put the sleeping bags and a cooler with her water and some snacks down. They got in their sleeping bags. If he had done this years ago, she would have been pleased.

They laid there and talked for a while. Not about anything significant. Just about the beautiful place they had found here ten years ago. He reached for her hand. He fell asleep while they were holding hands. She laid there awake for a long time, thinking of how they had been only roommates for so long. How she didn’t know how to be anything else with him now. His hand was warm and made her feel safe. It made her remember the night they met. How he’d made her feel safe that night too. So long ago. She listened to the ocean all night.

She thought of what his mother had said all those years ago.

”It doesn’t matter if you love each other. You come from two different worlds. It will never work out in the long run.”

How right she had been. But, for some reason, they had always hung on to each other even though they would have been so much happier with other people.

She watched the sunrise, her hand still in his. What he didn’t know is that, now, she was sick.

 

Posted in Fiction

The Resolution

Posted on by R.M. Carlson

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It was a tough summer and fall, from May all the way through November, for Maria. She found the love of her life, only to lose him in the most painful way possible. It may not have been a conventional relationship. It may not have even been a relationship that should have been. But it did happen. It was wonderful, loving, exciting, and she was with him again. She didn’t need anything else. He seemed happy. She was happy.

He was her love and he had been for many years. He also had bipolar disorder. Maria had been with him during episodes of mania before. Many times, in fact. She knew the symptoms. Instead of manic, he seemed lonely. Anxious for company and for someone to talk to. Needy for attention. He was drinking, but he was usually drinking when she saw him. He didn’t seem to be drinking more than usual. There were no particular red flags that he was having a manic episode. He didn’t talk non-stop as he sometimes did during a manic episode. He wasn’t any more sexually insatiable than usual. They were both always that way to some extent when they were together. It was part of who they were as a couple. They tended to get addicted to each other. Maria thought it was because they both had rather addictive personalities about many things.

They had wonderful times together and then it was over. A wet, cold blanket was thrown over the whole thing. He was gone and she was alone. She worried about him as she didn’t know the details of what had happened.

Then she found out and she was horrified. Since when did an affair mean that you were having a bipolar episode and slapped on lithium? A strong, dangerous drug. A drug designed to make you forget, to flatten your mood, to keep you from feeling anything at all. Doctors don’t even know exactly how lithium works in bipolar patients. But, they do know the side effects. It causes forgetfulness, a feeling of being in slow motion, a feeling of dizziness, weight gain, interaction with certain heart medications. It’s hard on the kidneys, thyroid, and heart. These side effects are only the tip of the iceberg.

Maria couldn’t believe it when she found out what they had done to him. She felt responsible. Lithium? He had heart issues. He wouldn’t live long on lithium. She had known him for over 30 years. He was so fun-loving and had a beautiful spirit. They were trying to kill that spirit in order to control him. It was clear to Maria exactly what was happening to her love.

After weeks of thinking about this, Maria realized there was nothing she could do. If there was, she would do it. He was lost to her in the world of control and the world of mind-bending drugs. A world she didn’t understand. She had to hope that his family, maybe his children, or friends would recognize what was happening and save him.

Maria knew that she would always grieve for him. He had never known what was important in life and he was paying the price for that. She would have loved him to the moon and back for the rest of his life. She would have taken care of him. She had felt like that for many years but he’d never recognized it until recently. Then, he rejected it for money and travel. Maria had no way to fight those things. Then, the bottom dropped out and boom……lithium. If he was ever able to get off the lithium, there were always the seductresses of money and travel. Those he could never escape. She felt sorry for him. Maria finally realized that the person she had to save was herself. #amwriting #amblogging #writing #romance

Posted in Fiction

The Musician and the Maestro

Posted on by R.M. Carlson

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This was her first concert in several years. Long ago, she had lost her will to play. She played a number of instruments. Cello, harp, piano, violin. Tonight, a small group was here to listen to her play cello. She was playing The Swan by Saint-Saens. She had not played it in concert since the last time she had been with him.

That was long ago. It was all behind her. She seldom thought of him anymore. That’s why she could play again.

They were all filing in now. Wait! Who just walked through the door?

*Post sponsored by Friday Fictioneers.

Thanks, Rochelle!

 

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