Friday 21 February 2020

THE DECISION - DL


WEP FEBRUARY CHALLENGE - CAFE TERRACE 



https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/02/wep-february-challenge-cafe-terrace.html


Here is my story for the above prompt. 


THE DECISION

Liza had rehearsed what she wanted to say to Darren but didn’t know if she could go through with it all these hours later.  He was her rock, her love, her second chance but then 18 months wasn't really very long to know each other. On the other hand, 23 years should have been enough to know someone and look how that finished.  She thought her parents were ‘solid’.  She thought nothing could faze them but her dad broke his marriage vows and it was over, just like that.



Liza hated all the hype for Valentine’s Day but she wanted to mark the occasion somehow.  It fell on a Friday this year, so it could be a good start to a romantic weekend.  The trouble was she was quite strapped for cash and couldn’t justify spending money she didn’t have and had no means of paying back.  She’d seen too many of her friends fight a losing battle with credit cards and she wasn't going there. 


Darren knew Liza was worried about something.  He thought he knew her quite well after dating her for more than a year.    She liked romantic things and he’d have to work hard to think of something - as romance he was quite lacking in.  He could buy her roses.  He could buy her chocolate.  Jewellery would mean something more significant and he wasn't sure he was ready for that, yet.  She didn’t like those huge teddy bears in the shops with red hearts and all that palaver.  He put his thinking cap on.  As he drove down the High Street he noticed an elderly couple, or should he say a ‘more mature’ couple, sitting outside on the patio of the pub just having a drink and absorbing the atmosphere.  He had a beer and she had a glass of red wine.  They clinked their glasses together and smiled at each other.  They really smiled at each other.  That’s what he wanted with Liza.


The traffic lights turned green and he drove down the long High Street still thinking and musing how he could become more romantic.  He kept thinking about that couple.  How long had they been together?  They still looked in love.  They still looked as if they enjoyed each other’s company. 


Liza packed up her desk, said cheerio to her colleagues and headed out of the office to the bus stop.  Standing in line under the shelter, peering through the glass that covered three sides of the structure leaving one area totally open, she listened to the conversations around her. 

She boarded her bus, the No.666, (now there’s a number for a bus route), she smiled at the other seated passengers as she stumbled down the aisle looking for a seat.  The driver obviously needed to get going quickly, considering his brusque manner when she’d embarked.

Twenty minutes later Liza descended from the bus and began to walk home.  The full moon helped light her way along with the lamp post shining an ethereal glow on the pavement.  As she rounded the corner Darren started to run towards her.  He picked her up and twirled her round in his arms. 

Squealing, Liza embraced him back, her arms tight around his neck, her legs wrapped around his waist.  He carried her along for a few steps, as though she was a feather, until he began to gasp. He placed her on the ground, grabbed her hand and started walking in the opposite direction of her home.

As he opened the door of the pub, the lingering smells of a wood fire hit Liza’s nostrils bringing a sense of the comforts of home.  She seated herself by the inglenook as Darren brought over their drinks.  He seemed nervous to her.  A few swallows of the liquid to quench his thirst or really more to give himself some Dutch courage, he began to speak.



Liza mouth was hung open, her eyes wide with astonishment.  She was trying to take it all in, he’d been offered a great opportunity, moving overseas and ….  he’d asked her to go with him.  Pack in her job (which was pretty mundane and boring) she’d been thinking about looking for something else anyway but to move away from her family, friends and everything she knew and held dear, that was such a big step to take.

Darren let out the breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding in while he waited for some sort of response.  Perhaps he’d gone about this the wrong way.  Then Liza gave him the most dazzling smile he’d ever seen.   She pulled a piece of paper from her handbag.

I’d move to the moon to be with you

Travel to the ends of the earth with you

Go to the bottom of the sea to be with you

Go to Mars to be with you

Leave my family to be with you

Make new friends just to be with you

My life is nothing without you

My heart belongs to you

My soul is blended to you






Three months later, Liza and Darren sat on the aeroplane, nervous and excited as they started the first leg of their journey to another life.  Darren thought back to the couple he saw all those weeks ago wondering what they were doing tonight.  He looked out of the window as the rain cleared and the sun broke through the clouds.


I fancy a steak dinner tonight, said Bill

Let’s pop out to the Old Mill.

He still had the ability to surprise her

She smiled and nodded her answer.

That would be lovely, no supper to cook

‘A table for two’ she heard him book

His voice was still deep and sexy at sixty-two

The attraction didn’t stop, there was always something new

The vows she made all those years ago were still strong and true

She raised her tea cup, gave her husband a saucy wink

He nodded as his bright blue eyes gave a subtle blink.



Word count: 1002 with title

23 comments:

  1. Hi,
    My first reaction was, OH.... I love this! Stories that speak of perseverance and hanging in there win my heart every time. This was so beautiful to read . True love at its best and gave me a boost for today.
    Outstanding writing.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat G

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  2. Hi Sally - that's just delightful ... a tale of the time, and across the ages - loved reading it .. and imagining where they were, seeing the hidden secret looks ... and knowing life has many happy endings. Good 'Decision' ... cheers Hilary

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  3. Lovely - all the way through, just lovely!!
    I loved the 2 views of coupledom and wish them all the very vest! :)

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  4. Oh Sally,
    I do hope that Lisa and Darren can build a relationship like Bill has with his wife...
    This is lovely. And hopeful. Which we all need.

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  5. What a wonderful, uplifting love story. And I love the poems.

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  6. Commitment is a hard thing, but when you do it right, when you stick through thick and thin, the reward is beyond all expectation! Love this, it's truly a Valentine dream!

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  7. What a lovely Valentine‘s story. Keeps the attention all the way through.

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  8. Ah, Sally, you've done it again! So beautiful. So interesting to compare the young couple with the older couple. The poems really enhance the story and say it all. I especially love Lisa's poem. As Carole above said, a real Valentine's Day poem.

    Thank you for this endearing entry for CAFE TERRACE!

    (After your snippet in the April post, you'll have another badge for your sidebar).

    And lately I've been reading and loving a lot of Veronica Henry chick-lit set on the Cornish Coast. Your author voice reminds me of her.

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  9. What a piece of love. It warmed my heart, truly. And the interspersed poetry added to the charm!
    Sonia from A Hundred Quills

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  10. A lovely heartwarming Valentine flash. Love should be an adventure.

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  11. I loved the humor at the beginning, "On the other hand, 23 years should have been enough to know someone and look how that finished." I almost thought things wouldn't work out between them, but then it did. A happy Valentine's result, indeed.

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  12. Such a wonderful story of love! It's true that we never know how a love will go. It can last a lifetime, or it can fall apart. I hope these two enjoy their new adventure together and that all goes well for them.

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  13. I wonder sometimes if any marriage last 50 years anymore. The world is always too fast, or too slow, and relationships seem so throw-away. This is a beautiful story of both wanting their love to last forever. Nicely done.

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  14. I'm about as romantic as an old sock, but that was beautiful. I hope they have a long and happy life together.

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  15. This was a delicious and enjoyable read! Long term commitments are becoming rarer these days.

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  16. I like how you connect the two love stories together- one mature, one fresh and new. What a sweet read! Thanks for sharing it.

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  17. I liked the way you wove the supposedly contrasting couples and concerns together, so they mirror each other. Some relationships last, some don't. I wasn't sure what Liza had rehearsed, but I wonder if this was a normal date. You caught the dilemma of us guys attempting to be romantic without a white charger. Then the real romantic moment in the pub - so perfect, closing on that second wonderful poem.

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  18. Wonderful Sally. Your story had everything. A perfect Valentine snippet under a star-lit night. I loved the parallel between the two couples and both the poems which encompassed their love and the different generations making the piece go full circle. One improvement maybe could be to shorten the first paragraph or even start with Darren directly. She shows her mood well on her trip from office to home.
    Captivating writing. Looking forward to reading you again soon.

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  19. Great storyline and wonderfully told. Thank you.

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  20. What a lovely story. You successfully captured the nervousness and excitement of a new relationship as the couple embark on an adventure together, and also the comfortable companionship of a long-term relationship. Romance is not always about grand gestures, the little moments are important too. The poems were a lovely addition to this heart-warming story.

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