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 Fri, 10/30/2009 - 10:15

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LOVED IT!!!!

Submitted by admin on Wed, 11/04/2009 - 12:17

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I love this book because at first you did know what was goin to happen. And then you think that someone eles was watchin the lady , but in the end you know that she was talkin bout her husband the whole time.. That why I love this romance story ....

Submitted by admin on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 20:51

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Its good story. When her husband and she should make a important decision,
they visit their wedding place.I think
thats a good idea. After conversation
they understand each other and renew
their promises in the their wedding
place. Its a warm story.

Submitted by admin on Fri, 12/11/2009 - 10:56

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Wow, I am truly not impressed by this story. This site is supposed to have the best of the best stories on it. This story has a very confusing and bad ending, I know what you were trying to do but you didnt explain the joint good enough. I felt empty after it was over.

Submitted by admin on Tue, 01/05/2010 - 20:35

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at the end of this story i was kinda confused. this story talks about how lisa got married, then divorced, next thing i know shes talken to james about how she felt about losing her baby boy. i felt that you did a good job on this short story, but i still feel that you could of gave greater information and good detail. but what i didnt get was the part when you wrote that their was a stranger following her. how did it get from stranger to her husband?

Submitted by admin on Wed, 02/17/2010 - 19:29

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This is how the story went for me:

This man is not James. No, he is not
James. I know you think its James, but
it really isnt. i swear its not James.

Haha, the man is actually James! Bet you
didnt see that coming!

Tried too hard for a twist ending, ended
up feeling like a trick ending. Should
have used more subtle language on the
identity of the man so the reader would
come to their own erroneous conclusion.
Instead of trying to convince them it
isnt james only to tell them afterwards
that it is.

Submitted by admin on Fri, 02/19/2010 - 03:00

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omg!!! i had rlly enjoyed this story... i
was browsing thru som stories for an
assignment for my writing class and this
one came across my attention and i decided
to read it... it was very inspiring, and
had made me cry in the end. i wish if i
could write such a story like this one.
great job :)

Submitted by admin on Tue, 02/23/2010 - 17:21

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This is a non- fiction story written by Eliza Riley and is set on the Caribbean Island in the Dominican Republic. It is a story about a young lady Lisa who falls in love and is maried to James. When she was pregnant, she needed all the attention she could get but she never got any from her husband who because of his job was hardly never around.While at her moms she lost her baby boy and was filled with hate for James her husband.She then decides to have a divorce as she was back on the island that once joined them as man and wife, she is then thrilled by her husbands nice behavior who at first disguised, but treated her without contempt. She decides then to call off the divorce so they can make up to be together again.Iliked the fact that they made up and am sure will have it romantic all their life, but something I hated about the book was the fact that the author would have told us its James than having us imagine who this anonymous man watching Lisa from the trees was....

Submitted by admin on Mon, 04/12/2010 - 04:48

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loved it!! :)
at fist i thought it was a bit wierd for her to divorce one guy and then basically straight fall in love with another. But when i realized that it was James i couldnt help myself from goin awwwww.
enjoyed it
good work!

Submitted by admin on Tue, 04/27/2010 - 22:59

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The story was engagin enough, though I wish there had been a little more description of specifics…the baby dying, how James’ (the husband) was away too much. The whole thing felt a little rushed. I definitely was not left with a warm, fuzzy feeling after reading. I also feel that a bit more dialogue would strengthen the storyline, as it seems a bit vague to just sum everything up in a paragraph or two.

This reminded me a bit of flash fiction writing with a twist ending. Not the worst I’ve read, but not the best either.

www.stacylynnmar.com

Submitted by admin on Sun, 06/06/2010 - 20:46

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boring

Submitted by admin on Sun, 07/04/2010 - 14:38

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Hello
i have read this story, it is really amazing.It takes you to imagine the story as you are in.
Well, could we foreget our first love like that easily, even years passed, or we just want to meet a man inorder to fill our emptness????

Submitted by admin on Fri, 08/27/2010 - 10:41

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its not possible to forget first love.
infact no one should do that. just live
alone n fullfill yours partners dreams n
promises.................sunil kumar
singh..............gorakhpur uttar pradesh
india

Submitted by admin on Sat, 09/11/2010 - 06:47

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thankyou

Submitted by admin on Tue, 09/28/2010 - 13:01

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i love trey

Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/15/2010 - 08:07

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the story is about a mirage that had a lot of plans in their life they went to thecaribbean island of the dominican republic famous for but for one of its equally popular quickie divorces, but they had a lot problems in the past so they went to that trip because they wanted to be happy.
Lisa and james wanted a childrens when she was pregnant for 3 days she lost her baby so she felt so bad

she had took distance 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.

but then she refused in her husband

Submitted by admin on Mon, 11/01/2010 - 11:27

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This short story was very beautiful and amazing, it was well thought through! I thought it was sweet and true love because they lost each other but found themselves again in the end! The length was good, I would read this story again, Eliza should make it into a novel!

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