Contemporary story
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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.

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Average: 4 (3 votes)

Comments

Submitted by admin on Mon, 10/27/2008 - 20:25

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I did enjoy this story. It depicts just what the meaning of paradise is,
bliss happiness.
It also makes me wonder...
When they return back to her depressed setting, would she really have put a closure on her lost? Would she really forgive him for not making it back in time? She seemed to be quite self-centered. Did this experience mature her?

Submitted by admin on Fri, 12/05/2008 - 09:27

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it was ok

Submitted by admin on Wed, 01/14/2009 - 12:13

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This story was very touching to me. I have never lost a child because I have never been pregnant but Lisa, in the story, explained her extreme pain very well. The part where she was explaining the loss of her baby made me only just imagine the horrible depression that she was still, after three years, trying to recover from. I love how the man that she told her life story to and ended up with in the end was James. Through out the story I kept thinking to myself how I wished that her and James could work things out because you can tell that Lisa is still in love with James because she went back to the spot where they had married three years earlier. I think this was a great love story; it was sad but all ended well.

Submitted by admin on Sun, 03/01/2009 - 01:15

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I LIKE VERY MUCH THE LOVE STORIES AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST LOVE STORIES I HAVE EVER READ.E LOVED THIS STORY.THE WAY THAT LISA EXPLAIN THE STORY OF HER,THE WAY THAT SHE TALK TO THE STRANGER MSKE ME THINK FOR MANY THINGS.I DIDN`T KNOW THAT THE STRANGER SHE WAS SPEAKING WITH,WAS HER HUSBEND JAMES.THEY COME BACK TO THE PLACE WHEN THEY GET MARRIED FOR TAKING DIVORCE,BUT IT IS VERY BEQAUTIFUL,AMAIZING WHEN THEY TALK TOGETHER ABOUT EVERY THING,LISA TELL TO HIM EVERY THING AND IN THE END THEY STAY TOGETHER AND NEXT DAY THEY WILL CANCEL THEIR DIVORCE.THIS IS THE ENDING THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR EVERY ONE THAT IS THINKING TO DIVORCE FROM HIS/HER WIFE OR HUSBEND.COCGRATULATION TO THE AUTHOR

Submitted by admin on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 13:57

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Wow...this story meant alot to me. I lost a baby boy April, 2007 when I was 5 months pregnant and sunk into an immense depression. Blamed my hubby for his lack of emotion, etc. We filed for divorce this past spring, but by end of summer was working on reconciling - just got back from our 18th Anniversay trip to Carribean - so this story really touched a tender spot in my heart!

Submitted by admin on Tue, 03/31/2009 - 16:52

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I enjoyed this story but one thing that I was very confused on was wether or not the man was her husband. In the end it seems to tell you but it is still very confusing. It is interesting that she returned to paradise physically in that she went to a tropical place and she returned to paradise by making amends with her husband. I have heard so many stories like this one where a couple is torn apart because of a loss of a child. But i think that if they are able to hold on through that extremely hard situation together then they will come out with a stronger relationship.

Submitted by admin on Fri, 06/26/2009 - 20:13

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This is great story, yet very interesting how she could forgive him and willing to make up and reconciliate with him again. However, I thought it was very confusing too because I didnt know if the man was her husband or not? lol I thought she met a different guy, but then you brought up James name, so it sounded like it was the same man!

Submitted by admin on Tue, 07/21/2009 - 14:14

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It started off very well and I lost track in the middle of the story since it started to ramble. I read it once and it seemed to have no impact. I read it again, increasing the font of the text on my computer. Its a good story but its written in a form too concise. Before you can savour the essence, a shock stings you in your face. The narrative should have been smoother. Its jerky, which is why most readers are confused.

Submitted by admin on Fri, 08/28/2009 - 07:51

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gr8 one.....

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