Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Is It Me Or Are Bells Ringing?



The title above is this week's prompt from Julia's Place for the 100 word challenge. Please enjoy mine and then click on the link to read the other entries. The bells are from Google Images.







Even in the dimly lit restaurant she could see something was wrong. She waited, not daring to ask.

"You should congratulate me. My ex-wife got remarried today."
"Did you go?"
"I was invited but I wasn't expected to accept."
"Are you OK?"
"Yes." There was no conviction in his affirmation. "We've been divorced for two years. We had our chances."
She squeezed his hand gently. "It's still hard though."

He swallowed slowly and nodded. He was grateful for her understanding. She returned his gaze with sympathy brimming in her eyes. But inside her heart was singing: She's remarried! She's remarried! Is it me or are bells ringing?

34 comments:

  1. Another lovely piece. I hope it works this time and that they are wedding bells not alarm bells!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Funny you should say that Dughall... :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Way to set the bar!! Grand mix of sorrow and joy and a nice little story. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you Tao, always glad to oblige if I can.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love this..the poor man! Sounds like she hardly knows him and she's already planning the wedding :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Now you're not going to make me believe that all women are dreaming about getting married every time they meet someone... ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. So funny that you all - Gill, Terry and Colin, think she's just met him. Actually, in my mind, she's been seeing him for ages, fallen in love with him and hung on far too long waiting for him to get over his first wife. And now he has no choice (she thinks). I guess I didn't write that bit :).

    ReplyDelete
  8. I thought just like you explained. Maybe it's something to do with the lifestyle here? (I can expand on that). DancingInTheRain

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ooh... lots of conflicting emoptions here. So many possible outcomes to this... leaves the reader wondering. I like that!

    xx Jazzy

    ReplyDelete
  10. I thought it was clear they'd been in a relationship (perhaps just a friendship) for a long time and she'd felt he was still drawn to his ex so this was a physical release from any fantasy that he could go back there and an opening for them. You didn't need to state it. Good stuff, when's the novel?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thankd Leonie - About the novel, I've never seen one published with only 100 words and this seems to be mt genre :).

    ReplyDelete
  12. He he , I understood straight away that whe had know him for some time. I'll bet when she squeezed his hand, she was thinking 'At Last'

    A brilliant piece of writing, a fabulous piece of acting from your leading lady and hey, lets hope it is wedding bells with bliss and not alarm bells in future stories

    ReplyDelete
  13. rest asured HomieBuk, it all ended in tears.

    ReplyDelete
  14. GSussex
    So believeble and possible. I love hearing her thoughts! . . . Here's hoping for a happy ending

    ReplyDelete
  15. GSussex - Ok I'm gonna spell it out - there will be no happy ending here. If a man's not gerpassioned after a few months of seeing a woman, it's not going to suddenly change because his ex-wife got married. Sorry all you hopeful (or is it hopeless) romantics, but it's best to put you straight from the start. Don't worry, plenty more fish in the sea if one can only let go of the one before...

    ReplyDelete
  16. I can tell this guy's heart isn't in it. His lady friend is going to end up with hopes dashed. Great piece of scene-setting. :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I like the sentiment here. I hope he notices this woman soon. It's been two years!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Brilliant take on the prompt. I can feel her joy!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thanks Becky.
    Him Up North has got it!
    Wordsonehundred - don't hold your breathe.
    Hurtling - I know, shame.

    Thankyou all for commenting :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Got to agree with the author. She's desperate, he's oblivious to her crush. Gonna end in tears, again. All the emotion came over in so few words . Well crafted.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I liked this. Thought she had been waiting for this moment for a LONG time; but reckon that she will keep on waiting. If he hadn't already done it this wont make the change. Love the way the characters had such depth in so few words.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Ventahl and Anna - there seem to be two opinions expressed in the comments, which roughly divides the readers into hopeless romantics or realists. As I wrote it I can tell you that the realists are right.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I read it exactly as you wrote it. I guess that makes me a realist. Beautifully written. I hope he lets her down gently, but somehow I can't see that happening either.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Last comment is mine. Don't know why it made me anonymous - I definitely typed my name in :-( SJ

    ReplyDelete
  25. What a brilliant piece of writing. I hope it's wedding bells in the end. x

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank you S-J and Susan, you have proved that the expectations are still 50:50. I wonder which side is happpier in the end - the hopers or the cynics?

    ReplyDelete
  27. GSussex
    OK the outcome does not surprise me, but yes ever a romantic at heart!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Ah,how relevant in today's "single" "divorced" "just looking" "can't commit/recommit" world!! I could almost see the change of expressions across her eyes as he told her...the new hope in the face of his quiet despair. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Janece - How come it's so obvious to someone looking on but you can never see it when your in it?

    ReplyDelete
  30. Woops, I had to come back and correct my spelling mistake. I hate the your for you're thing which seems to be ubiquitous online and I've gone and done it myself - horrified! Phew, I got in before Julia came to comment (She is the Head after all) :).

    ReplyDelete
  31. ooooh methinks she's got designs on that man! Fantastic story!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Mrs Teepot - methinks you're right but me also thinks she hasn't got a hope in Hell's chance.

    ReplyDelete