Contemporary story
On

Return to Paradise

Lisa gazed out over the Caribbean Sea, feeling the faint breeze against her face - eyes shut, the white sand warm between her bare toes. The place was beautiful beyond belief, but it was still unable to ease the grief she felt as she remembered the last time she had been here.

She had married James right here on this spot three years ago to the day. Dressed in a simple white shift dress, miniature white roses attempting to tame her long dark curls, Lisa had been happier than she had ever thought possible. James was even less formal but utterly irresistible in creased summer trousers and a loose white cotton shirt. His dark hair slightly ruffled and his eyes full of adoration as his looked at his bride to be. The justice of the peace had read their vows as they held hands and laughed at the sheer joy of being young, in love and staying in a five star resort on the Caribbean island of the Dominican Republic. They had seen the years blissfully stretching ahead of them, together forever. They planned their children, two she said, he said four so they compromised on three (two girls and a boy of course); where they would live, the travelling they would do together - it was all certain, so they had thought then.

But that seemed such a long time ago now. A lot can change in just a few years - a lot of heartache can change a person and drive a wedge through the strongest ties, break even the deepest love. Three years to the day and they had returned, though this time not for the beachside marriages the island was famous for but for one of its equally popular quickie divorces.

Lisa let out a sigh that was filled with pain and regret. What could she do but move on, find a new life and new dreams? - the old one was beyond repair. How could this beautiful place, with its lush green coastline, eternity of azure blue sea and endless sands be a place for the agony she felt now?

The man stood watching from the edge of the palm trees. He couldn't take his eyes of the dark-haired woman he saw standing at the water's edge, gazing out to sea as though she was waiting for something - or someone. She was beautiful, with her slim figure dressed in a loose flowing cotton dress, her crazy hair and bright blue eyes not far off the colour of the sea itself. It wasn't her looks that attracted him though; he came across many beautiful women in his work as a freelance photographer. It was her loneliness and intensity that lured him. Even at some distance he was aware that she was different from any other woman he could meet.

Lisa sensed the man approaching even before she turned around. She had been aware of him standing there staring at her and had felt strangely calm about being observed. She looked at him and felt the instant spark of connection she had only experienced once before. He walked slowly towards her and they held each other's gaze. It felt like meeting a long lost friend - not a stranger on a strange beach.

Later, sitting at one of the many bars on the resort, sipping the local cocktails they began to talk. First pleasantries, their hotels, the quality of the food and friendliness of the locals. Their conversation was strangely hesitant considering the naturalness and confidence of their earlier meeting. Onlookers, however, would have detected the subtle flirtation as they mirrored each other's actions and spoke directly into each other's eyes. Only later, after the alcohol had had its loosening effect, did the conversation deepen. They talked of why they were here and finally, against her judgement, Lisa opened up about her heartache of the past year and how events had led her back to the place where she had married the only man she believed she could ever love. She told him of things that had been locked deep inside her, able to tell no one. She told him how she had felt after she had lost her baby.

She was six months pregnant and the happiest she had ever been when the pains had started. She was staying with her mother as James was working out of town. He hadn't made it back in time. The doctor had said it was just one of those things, that they could try again. But how could she when she couldn't even look James in the eye. She hated him then, for not being there, for not hurting as much as her but most of all for looking so much like the tiny baby boy that she held for just three hours before the took him away. All through the following months she had withdrawn from her husband, family, friends. Not wanting to recover form the pain she felt - that would have been a betrayal of her son. At the funeral she had refused to stand next to her husband and the next day she had left him.

Looking up, Lisa could see her pain reflected in the man's eyes. For the first time in months she didn't feel alone, she felt the unbearable burden begin to lift from her, only a bit but it was a start. She began to believe that maybe she had a future after all and maybe it could be with this man, with his kind hazel eyes, wet with their shared tears.

They had come here to dissolve their marriage but maybe there was hope. Lisa stood up and took James by the hand and led him away from the bar towards the beech where they had made their vows to each other three years ago. Tomorrow she would cancel the divorce; tonight they would work on renewing their promises.

Options

Introducing your ereader mobile app!

Manybooks

Get The Best Reading Experience

App linkApp link

Rate this story:

Average: 4 (3 votes)

Comments

Permalink

This story was good. I really didnt expect for it to be her husband sitting with her. This makes you realize that love is forever when you find that special someone. You always have your ups and downs but you always manage to get through it and start again. Losing her baby was a great pain and for him not being there caused a lot of hatred. This is probably what many women go through but its the mans job to understand and always be there.

Permalink

The story was really good. It has a nice overall theme. I like the ending, it is very ironic, it ended just the way I wanted it to. You feel so much sorrow in the end for this woman, and want something good to happen for her. You didnt take any of you thoughts too far, they were perfect. It flowed very well, and was a pleasure to read.

Permalink

Short Stories I read the short story called Return to Paradise, it was absolutly wonderful. This story had me fulled from the very beginning I could not believe at the end that the guy she was talking to was her husband, it just makes you feel good that they had worked it out and they could hopefully have a baby soon. I think that the author had the right idea with the way she mixed it up and made us readers believe she was talking to another man. It was great!

Permalink

I believe the story was good but a little too sentimental. I like the way it was written because at first it sets the setting for you as you read the story; its very descriptive. It also gives the impression that she has met another male who she is connecting with but in reality is her husband. It also gives a happy ending which is always good in a story.

Permalink

The story was pretty good. It was a little sad at the beginning and when her baby died. The story also kept me guessing, it looked like that her and James, was headed toward a divorce. The writer also couldnt have picked a better place for the story to unfold. The ending was great, I really enjoyed how her and James got together at the end. For the most part I like the story.

Permalink

I think this story was pretty good. I liked how the ending was something that you would not expect. I liked how at the beginning you showed what the woman was feeling. I also liked how you described what she was feeling and thinking. I agree with everyone that the story was well written. The whole time I was reading it, I thought she had met another guy and she was there to get a divorce. I liked how the other guy was really talking about her husband. I think that was creative to do.

Permalink

this history is truely beautiful since the divorce not have to be made in two people who also love themselves is very real since asi is the life. I enchant myself that they had married in the beach where they were known. in a very pretty history and I congratulate the author.I enchant this history and I hope that they continue writing. cr6669

Permalink

Well I really liked the story it was very touching to read and it was really romance and I think it was a good romance story I would read this story again over and over until I would start cry my self to sleep and thats what I have to say about your story

Permalink

What a weak romantic plot! I have to agree with previous comments stating that the story is both predictable and dry. The very title suggests the outcome of the story! Completely unrealistic and unimaginative. First of all, if the woman was seriously contemplating the end of her marriage to this man, so much to the point that the divorce was the very next day, she would not have been so quick to forgive and reconnect. In real life, communication and compromising yield successful marriages. This story misrepresents the values of marriage and sheds light on the fact that partnerships require hard work and dedication. More creativity and thought please!

Permalink

I have to confess that i am not a big reader, but this story really intrestead me.I am writing an essay on a short story for my english class and this is the perfect story for me. Thank you. Angel E. Chicago, il.

Permalink

Funny story

Permalink

This story needs some meat on its bones. It seened like an outline or a roughly sketched idea for a future story. There wasnt enough character development for me to genuinely care if they got back together or not. Way too rushed.

Permalink

I dont think it was very well written.The story line was fragile and instead of been taken aback with a sense of elation and surprise, the ending was plain and abrupt.The author did manage to create some lachymore towards the beginnig , but the story did not rise to the expectations in incited towards the start.

Permalink

obvious

Permalink

This is a great story! To some extend it expresses how a woman feels after such a great lost; but more important is that it expresses how important it is to shares your feeling with the one you love, rather then keeping it inside.

Permalink

: It’s a great piece. All long it had us thinking that the new man Lisa was talking to was a new person she had met or something. But at the end of the story it then revealed that it was actually her husband. It gets more and more interesting towards the end as there is a shocking twist at the end of the story. It is strange and requires a few readings to totally understand the story. Overall it’s great as its unique. It had us all thinking but it’s a great plot. Keep up the good work. -Jeh Ni and Wing Ki, Singapore, World, Universe

Permalink

I really liked the style of language the author used. I could imagine the idea of it as a great novel because three pages are just too short to make the characters appear believable. Thats probably why many readers considered it as cheesy... I miss more background and crucical topics of their conversation should be told more detailed... But all in all i enjoyed reading it. Nice story.

Permalink

I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was very cute and very sentimental. I had an idea that it would be James on the beach, just because I know how hard it is to let someone go. I thought you expressed it very well and I congradulate you on that.

Permalink

I liked this story and believe it should be developed further. One of the comments asked for dialogue and I agree. Perhaps further development of why James agreed to divorce where they married? Need a reason for that, other than quick divorces.

Permalink

I enjoyed the descriptive writing and the imagery used by the author. The final line of the story I found especially poignant. I agree with the other comments that suggested dialogue be added to enrich the characters. Dialogue could make us as readers care more about the outcome to befall these characters.

Permalink

I think Lisa wanna dissolve their marrage is a sort of unreasonable. She left all the thing just because her husband was working out of town when their child is lost. I think the logic is a little weird. Lisa should be more rational. That is not James wrong. But it is doesnt matter,because after all she made the right decision.

Permalink

I think this story is very touching. I hope Lisa could found someone else to make her happiness. The author describe Lisa is very reality in the story. But I don’t believe James would be left her.

Add new comment

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically.