It had been three days since I'd seen her; that night after the concert, walking with her, the café and chatting until the early hours. It felt unreal - the feeling. I could breathe again, everything was brighter. I couldn't concentrate, unusual for me, and couldn't make the hours pass quickly enough. im src
Eléonore, I spoke her name in my mind so many times in those three days, aloud also if I'm totally honest, and saw her smile and sparkling eyes in my mind. I heard her laugh, sweet music, and the way she'd say my name, her accent. I sighed a lot and let my imagination run. Eléonore, I'm lost without you, or so it had seemed for these past three days.
But today I was seeing her...I was nervous.
I'd asked her that night, just before we parted. "When may I see you again? Umm, assuming you'd like to Eléonore..." My voice had trailed off, sure she would but uncertain enough to worry.
She'd smiled, perfectly, it seemed to push back the darkness, and said, "I'd love that."
We agreed to meet at the Musée de l'Orangerie in the Tuileries Garden and make the rest up as we went along; I was ok with that, I was simply pleased she'd said yes.
Date number two
It was a beautiful day, cool but sunny, and as I waited I watched autumn leaves fall to the ground, a blanket of golds, browns and yellows...The breeze caught and swirled them now and then; It was beautiful and I loved this time of year in Paris.
I was early, punctuality was important to me, and besides, it would have been rude and disrespectful to make her wait on me. She was an amazing, capable woman but I'd not have wanted her to stand there alone due to my tardiness. Also, I relished the thought of that moment I saw her walking my way; something about how her hips moved, and I anticipated her smile when she saw me. My heart raced a little.
As I waited I contemplated what this was. A date? Honestly, I didn't know but I wanted it to be. Could I even call that night at the café a date? Maybe it was just a lovely moment we shared...But then she'd said yes to meeting me today so is today date number two? I contemplated the matter until...
...She walked along the tree-lined path, a bed of leaves swirling at her feet, breeze tugging gently on her hair, that smile. Looking back, I think it was right at that moment I realised my heart was lost to her. As she walked closer the words, just the way you are ran through my mind. She was perfectly unique to me...But I had to control myself...She was here.
I smiled, the lopsided grimace smirk that passed as my smile. Yes, I was trying to be charming. Hell knows if I actually was. It was right then I realised I hadn't thought this moment through. Shake hands? Hug? Cheek kiss? Fuck, I thought to myself.
I extended my hand for a shake like a fucken idiot and caught the slight upturning of her lips, she extended her hand and we shook though. I loved her hands. Small, soft, short nails. Perfect. I willed myself to concentrate.
"So formal?" Her smile touched her eyes and she tilted her head slightly sending her hair cascading down her left shoulder.
Her accent melted me, but the way she looked...She was beautiful. She stood looking at me just gazing back then flicked her eyes to my hand. Damn it! I'd forgotten the flowers. Trying to resurrect some small degree of cool-factor I held them out for her.
"For you Eléonore, you said you loved dahlias." She took the small bouquet in both hands then cradled them to her body, "oh, they're so beautiful," she exclaimed.
They were; the white, pink and lavender blooms were simply lovely.
I wanted to say, no, you're beautiful, but refrained somehow. "Yes, so very beautiful. I said simply, looking into her eyes. She smiled shyly and hugged the flowers a little closer. "Thank you, I feel special."
We stood chatting a little, catching up on the last few days and decided on a take-away coffee then a wander through the Musée de l'Orangerie - Pleasingly, she liked art and we chatted about her drawing and painting as we slowly made our way through the Musée de l'Orangerie. We sat with Claude Monet's water lilies talking softly about art, Giverny where Monet's inspiration for the paintings derived and both agreed we'd like to visit and spend some time in his garden.
Within that white oval room, surrounded by Monet's lovely works we sat and connected. She sat angled towards me on the bench, right leg crossed over left knee, both hands resting lightly on her right knee, her right foot only millimetres from my leg...She leaned forward and I found myself mirroring her; I just wanted to be closer.
In those hours the unfolding that had begun three days earlier continued. I remembered those autumn leaves outside swirling in the breeze, one almost indistinguishable from the other; that's how I felt with her. Combined.
That's when it happened...No, not our first kiss although how I wished for that moment. She glanced at her watch. I knew what that meant. I was boring her.
Ever the gentleman, despite feeling like a total idiot, I kept the conversation going for a few minutes then said, "Eléonore, it's been a few hours, I'd hate to keep you from anything. Should we move?"
She looked a little disappointed then nodded and reached for the flowers; I stood and held my hand out to help her up which she took thanking me for the courtesy. The touch of our hands together felt tantalisingly good. Her hand was cool in mine, so soft. She stood and left her hand in mine for a second or two. She looked up at me with those lovely eyes of hers and thanked me for a lovely morning, engaging conversation and the flowers.
That was that. Her hand slipped from mine and it was like the room dimmed.
We walked to the exit and when at the head of the path outside she turned to me. "Thank you," she said simply. "You are a beautiful man."
That moved me.
Her head was tilted upwards to me and I drank in her beauty as if it may be the last I might see her. Her lips were slightly parted, eyes intently upon mine. A few stray locks of hair blew across her face and I wanted to take them and tuck them behind her ear, to leave my hand there, on her cheek, to lean forward and kiss her lips.
I didn't, and the moment passed.
"Tu es une femme charmante Eléonore. Est-ce que je peux vous revoir?" My French was terrible but I tried. You are a charming woman Eléonore. May I see you again, I'd said, or at least I'd hoped it was something like that.
She smiled then and..."Yes. When?" Her eyes sparkled. I'm not the smartest man on the planet but I saw what looked to be happiness and so I thought I'd try my luck.
"Today?" I grinned.
She laughed at that. Today.
Her hand reached out and took mine, not a hand shake, a tender touch that conveyed emotion and feeling..."Yes today."
Date number three
We chose Café Latéral in the 9th arrondissement where we both lived, just near the Arc Du Triomphe. I was there first of course, but she was only minutes behind.
She looked stunning. Her coat was cinched at the waist accentuating her waist and flare of her hips. We greeted, this time with a hug and we went in. I knew the owner and had arranged the best table, away from the rest, tucked in a little corner. On it was a rectangle parcel, a gift I'd arranged for Eléonore. We approached and the café-owner made a fuss over her taking her coat. All I could do was stare at her.
Stunning didn't quite cover it.
She had on a cowl-neck halter top - not too low - but it hinted somewhat. I was captivated by the hint. It was classy though, fitted just right, loose and tight in the right places. Her leather skirt reached just below her knees but was split up the left to mid-thigh. Black stockings and open-toe strappy shoes completed the look. My heart pounded.
"You're simply stunning, " I blurted.
She smiled and tilted her head. "Merci gentil monsieur, vous êtes gentil de le remarquer. C'est pour vous."
It's for me, she'd said and I smiled, took her hand and helped her sit at the intimate little table.
We sat in silence for a few moments - words didn't seem necessary - and looked at each other. I leaned forward both hands on the table, one atop the other and hers were in her lap. She sat straight, her posture pulling her blouse in all kinds of pleasing directions and...Yeah sure, I looked. I caught myself though and diverted my attention to the gift I had for her. She noticed where I'd been looking and smiled just a little, moved around unnecessarily, just a bit more than she needed to and looked directly at me. I appreciated it of course.
"I have something for you." I placed a hand on the small parcel and pushed it closer to her.
She blushed demurely, "for me?" She took it and began to unwrap it smiling when she read the title. Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lilies. She had mentioned she'd like to read it earlier at the Musée de l'Orangerie.
She looked across at me with a serious but kind expression.
"You're so thoughtful. You..." She stopped to think, gather her thoughts..."You're solicitous towards me; hold the door, walk on the outside of the footpath closest to the road, make sure I'm safe and protected from harm, you listen, truly listen, and I see it all. You...Show care, the sort of genuine care that brings me deep comfort." She reached over the table and placed her hand lightly on mine and almost whispered..."Tout en toi parle à mon cœur avec beauté et mon cœur répond au tien."
Everything about you speaks to my heart with beauty and my heart responds to yours, she had said. I felt...Well, I knew I loved her.
We entwined that night, emotionally. The unfolding.
We had dark corners within, parts of us that we allowed no one to see, but we shared them and they seemed less dark and foreboding, less important. We found light and together that light seemed much easier to reach.
We ate together, shared our plates, sampling a little of everything and, yes, I dropped some on my shirt. I know right? She laughed thinking it was the funniest thing ever. C'est la vie.
She reached over the table and picked the morsel from my shirt and said, "here, don't waste it," and popped it in my mouth then licked her fingers. Being a perceptive man I took note of the expanse of her chest it revealed when she leaned. I grinned like an idiot. We had had the best time, laughed so much, cried a little and fell a little more deeply for the other.
It was midnight when we left. We walked not really knowing where we were going and as we passed the Arc Du Triomphe stopped to admire the structure, lit up as only the City of Light could. I couldn't help but hear the Edith Piaf song la Vie en Rose in my mind; it was that kind of moment.
As we stood side by side I felt a touch on my hand - cool fingers - and mine responded. Silence. No words.
Our fingers intertwined and we stood there feeling, truly together. She squeezed my hand and I turned to her. As our fingers naturally untwined and re-found each other my other raised to her face, touched her cheek lightly. She leaned into it, eyes closed slowly, relishing the touch. Her face tilted upwards to mine and as a leaned down to kiss her she opened her eyes to look directly into mine...The lights of Paris reflected in hers and I was lost to the light.
Our slightly open lips touched so lightly. Hers were soft and warm and that smallest of touches spoke volumes, but craved more - It brought sense to chaos, stopped time. It was like everything that had come before was forgotten - there was just us and the moment. She exhaled, like a release, a sharing of herself with me, and I inhaled in that same moment - we lived on the same air - and then we kissed.
Date number four
We walked to my apartment, once a place of solitude and silence, a place I retreated to; my cave. That night it felt forever different. It felt like a beautiful garden, a place where I was gladly held captive, no captivated, by Eléonore, and where love blossomed into the beautiful thing we share to this moment.
I could write about that night, and have done, but it's ours alone and I'll never share it with another soul.
We had many more dates after number four...Maybe I'll even write about some. Hmm, maybe date number seven, Giverny and Claude Monet's garden, and that picnic by the stream afterwards...
[A fiction]
You can read the post that inspired this one here, called Bring me to life.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
A very lovely story and it moved me. I remembered mine and mu husband's dates few years back. The beginning is always the sweetest of all.
Well, that's the sort if reaction I wanted to gain; people putting themselves in that position and feeling something beautiful.
Thank you.
What a beautiful tapestry you've woven to share that magical time between being a stranger and falling in love! I think for many, myself included, that transition from two individual entities bouncing around the planet to the acceleration to the moment they become one for the briefest of time is the stuff of fantasy. It allows us to know ourselves a bit deeper and we are so much the better for it.
The sincerity of the prose was so powerful, I felt I could smell the dahlias he gave to her and taste the bitter quickening of the take away coffee. Very well done, my friend!
Thanks mate. I wrote the last piece about these two people, the day they met and I suppose date one, and felt I wasn't done with them yet. To be honest I don't think I'm done still.
I'm going to have to come up with a name for this fellow I think because there's more to come. They seem to be nice people and I like the way they seem sort of old-souls. You know? It's enjoyable weaving some words around them.
Thanks for your really nice comment mate, much appreciated.
That's it! Those are the emotions that were just underneath the surface for me while reading it and I just couldn't put my finger on it.
It definitely feels like there is more to explore with these two and I'm looking forward to continuing their journey.
Fiction is a wonderful thing. It can feel real, am I right? 😉
Yeah....fiction.....
I read this poem while listening to Chopin's Nocturne Op9 No.2(a very romantic piece) and I must say that throughout the entire reading time I felt I was transported to some otherworldly romantic land. Ahhh... such enchanting romanticism.
You've got such a way with words my friend. You write with so much passion. In fact, i think I just might be falling harder for Eléonore now.
I must say that I was more invested in reading about their dates than when they they initially met- particularly Date number 2 and 3
I must also applaud the use of French in this. It really sets the entire atmosphere, reminding us that this is beautiful Paris! It also gave it more authenticity.
Their story is as exemplary as always and I look forward to reading the more of their journey together!
Thank you.
I'm glad it made you feel something. That's always my hope.
I've been to Paris many times and love it so was drawing on my own memories heavily. It's a beautiful city and a beautiful setting for our love-struck fellow and the beautiful Eléonore to have these experiences. I will write some more about these two people, once I come up with a name for him.
Also yes, Eléonore is a stunning woman...She's real you know, but for the sake of this piece, and hive, let's just say she's fictional.
Thanks for your kind comments. I'll be honest and say I just write from the heart and yes, with the passion I feel, so I'm glad it reads ok and that a few have taken the time.
From your own memories you say?... I thought as much. And yeah.. it will be nice to know the narrator's(protagonist) name.
Ohh... so Eléonore is in fact real! That's very good to know. And it's all good, i understand your reasons for her facade.
Regardless, It's my earnest pleasure to read this and more. Until then I guess...
I've travelled the world so draw on those moments for my stories sometimes.
Most of the fictions I write are based on my own experiences and real people. Not always my own direct experiences, but a lot of the time they are. Of course, they are still fictions as I like to reserve my real life and what happens in it for myself and those who share it. But, in my fictions there are many parallels and a lot of myself.
Hmm... how fascinating.
So in a nutshell, if we read carefully in between the lines... we just might find some hidden aspect to the very many parallels of your personality?...
This makes me wonder if you do indeed try to encode some of your private-sentimental feelings or experiences into some of the fictions you write. Perhaps maybe for the satisfaction of it? Or for the hope that few souls may actually grasp the true message?
Correct me if I'm wrong please😅
I don't have hope that some few souls actually grasp it...But my posts are often a personal diary of sorts so yes there's me in them and at some stage I can revisit them and remember the emotion or concept, the thoughts, I hidden between the lines.
People will form opinions of me no matter what I do and I don't really care about them, people's perceptions. What matters to me is that I am the best version of myself I can possibly be, as often as possible. Those that see it, that respond to it...Well, they're the special ones and may begin to see more clearly.
Wow! That's very beautiful.
You know for the first time, I think I finally understand. Thank you Galen!
If your new company doesn’t work out, you might have a career in brief romance novels man!
Woke up from a nightmare, (nothing terrible but certainly unpleasant) which I wouldn’t have really mentioned but reading this brought me to a better place so thanks for that!
Ah Edith Piaf, I absolutely love that song La Vie En Rose, I don’t listen to French music but that song is so elegant! I’m going to have to listen to it later, it’s been a while for me.
I think the first night I met Siena I too gave her a handshake like a bumbling fool hahaha, I know the pain of that for sure!
Hoorah for bumbling fools my bro. Life is never perfect which is why I wrote that part in. That chap in the fiction...He's a flawed and fallible man, drops food on his shirt and all...But he's a good sort overall. As is Eléonore really. Just two people who fit together.
I'm glad you liked this mate. Thanks.
Ooooooh what a beautiful writing Galenkp, I loved it and it left me with the feeling of wanting someone to love me and fall in love with me NOW 😅❤️.
Thank you, it was enjoyable to write and I'm please it made you feel something, that's always my intention...For people to take my words as a prompt as such, a reason to feel.
This is so believable. The dates got me engrossed and as every other reader, I was expecting the action to come on like while reading Mills and Booms series.
Those dates I had before clinching to my wife are related here.
I enjoyed reading. It made my day.
Nah, that would have made the moment heap I think; they had a moment and it was special. What happens next is between them only.
Thanks for reading.
What a beautiful story to wake up to!!!
I am so happy you revisited Eléonore.
Thank you, I always thought I'd revisit the Eléonore story at some stage...This one sort of came out today...A few wanted me to follow the first up with something erotic, but it didn't seem right as I think these two people's relationship is much more than just that. I didn't want to cheapen it...But I hinted I guess.
I would have been highly disappointed with that. You are telling their love story without having to get graphic and you are great at it.
There is an old movie called an Affair to Remember that had me sobbing when I saw the end. I have never gotten that emotional from a movie ever. There was not one erotic scene in the movie and it didn't need one. Same with your story.
Yep, I think these people are old-fashioned, they love romance, manners, courtesy and respect. They are private and happy to reside within the love they share. I'll write about them again I think.
I REALLY hope you do. I love their story. You do both of them justice in your writing.
Thank you kindly.
Sounds very much like Edgar Allen Poe ..
Ive only ever read a very small amount of Poe's writing so I'm afraid I'm somewhat uneducated in that area. It's a bit shameful considering I'm an avid reader and I think I'd really enjoy his work. Thanks for the prompt.
If Poe would live today, he might sound a bit like this, most of all the beginning, the first paragraph .. but take care, that you dont end like him ;-)
Yes, he had rather ignominious demise I believe. Poor fellow. I hope not to go out that way.
Thanks for commenting back.
Love stories can make even adults cry. For everything that this story is worth, it is the feeling and the memories it brings back. Amazing story.
I'm glad it brought you some good memories. Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.
I want to meet Eléonore 😁
She is a special sort of woman, fun-loving, light...But with some shadows. I guess like all of us. I have not delved into who she really is yet, maybe I'll write for her perspective next?
Yes, I am eager to know more about her.
A fiction that brings reality.You have real talent.
Thank you, I appreciate you commenting.
Glad you’ve stopped by these man! Galen is a great guy to follow and interact with. His romance fictions are great!
I just couldn't pass it over. The way Galen writes just grabs my mind.
wow, this is so beautiful story to read today. thanks sir.
Thank you, I enjoyed writing it.
Great post bos
I saw this Calvin and Hobbes image and immediately thought of your tag line.
cid:ii_kxqvsidb0
Merry Christmas
!BEER
I like this one a lot! Thanks for sharing.
View or trade
BEER.BEERHey @galenkp, here is a little bit of from @gikitiki for you. Enjoy it!Learn how to earn FREE BEER each day by staking your
BEER.You speak my mind through this story but mine ended on 2 dates and nothing more
Better luck next time I guess, hopefully it works out.
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A lovely story of first dates and first encounters, you really convey the feeling. Paris is the perfect setting for a love story, and I love impressionist painting and Monet is one of my favorite painters. I have a book that I bought at an exhibition about 20 years ago at the national art gallery in Boston where I was lucky enough to see one of the most comprehensive exhibitions of his work. And La Vie en Rose is simply magnificent and although Piaf is the star as always, I love the Patricia Kaas version too.
Thank you, I enjoyed writing it.
I was going to use Edith Piaf's version of la vie en rose but decided to go with the more modern version to match the vibe if the moment. I like the original the best though, however there's some really great covers of it.
Thanks for taking a read and commenting.
You are an exceptional writer @galenkp
Thanks, I appreciate you saying so.
Hi Galen,
I hope you're well. So you decided to unfold Eléonore's story once more! I'm very pleased. Your writing is simply brilliant.
I am left with the impression that, if there's a man that can truly show a girl what love means, it's your character. True love, I mean; respectful, honest, kind, and filled with admiration. Would be interesting to know his name.
Can't wait for the next chapter. Even more, if this were to become a book, a lifetime's worth of stories, I would most certainly want to read it.
Thank you for sharing this, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Be well.
I did, and am glad of it.
This couple, they seem pretty special and I like how their story unfolds when I sit at my computer; it just flows nicely. I like exploring their story and sharing a little here. I might write another sometime.
I think the world has gone off the rails as far as relationships go. Men have forgotten what it takes to be a man, I mean what it truly takes, but then, we live in a world where chivalry, courtesy and respect are not well-regarded. When did being a gentleman become a bad thing?
We live in a world where people connect on an app and take what they want with no essence involved. Where take is more prevalent than give and hubris and ego rule the day, greed and selfishness. So...Yeah, I'm not like that and it comes through in my writing. No, I'm very far from perfect, I don't mean to indicate I'm better than anyone else, I just hold to my core values despite them being generally out of fashion.
Thanks for your reply and kind words. I'll do another installment, but...I need to come up with a name for this bumbling fool who has fallen in love with the lovely Eléonore.
I really don't know but I wish the world could go back to simpler times. Still, time flows in just one direction, forward, as you've said on many occasions.
That's commendable and I'm sure those close to you hold that in high regard!
Bumbling fool sounds like a cool name. I can already picture the wedding invitations of these two:
The bumbling fool and the chuckling nutbag request the honor of your presence...
I'd like to think people appreciate me and how I treat them, although I am certain that some don't, or haven't. I've had to, umm, be somewhat strenuous in my actions at times in the past. The recipients probably weren't so happy, but they all deserved it.
Now I want a bumbling fool and chuckling nutbag wedding invitation! You have the best ideas!
I like this line, and naturally I am visualizing it on your face because you are the one that wrote it. Grimace smirks are charming I'm sure:)
Well, I'm not sure if the grimace-smirk is well-regarded but it's about all of got and wrote it into the story for lack of other options. I've got a grin, but that didn't seem appropriate for that moment so Wrote it into the story later when Eléonore leaned over the table...As if the sexy minx didn't know what that'd do to the love-struck fellow. Poor guy, he was pretty much defenceless at that point.
Thanks for having a read and a little grimace-smirk fun at my expense.
I'm not teasing you, I do like that grimace-smirk line. And I think I know precisely what it looks like, and I'm sure Eleonore found it charming. Although about 90% of the time I am teasing, so I can see how that would be confusing:)
Lol...I was teasing you about teasing me.
Alright, from this point forward both of us should consider the other to be teasing 100% of the time. Including teasing about teasing. I was about to write that we should have some sort of serious bold text disclaimer in the very unlikely event that we are not teasing, but no, let's just not not tease.
Well, full disclosure here: I wasn't teasing about teasing you about teasing so I conclude that considering us to be teasing 100% of the time is indeed legit.
Are you literally bonkers? Ok, I'm actually just teasing...But I didn't need to say that as you know I'm teasing 100% of the time.
I hereby officially declare and confirm that I will not not tease from this moment henceforth. I also confirm and agree to being teased to atone for not not not teasing should I not not tease 100% of the time and do solemnly swear to recommence not not teasing from the conclusion of the teasing punishment for not not not teasing.
I think I'm going to need my lawyer to sift through all these not teases, but in the meantime, I will just say that I appreciate your willingness to accept your punishment. You certainly sound as though you have learned your lesson.
(At this point I am not sure which one of us is guilty of not teasing, but I am completely willing to allow you to take the blame.)
Please let my lawyer and I know what your punishment is, so that we can be properly amused by it.
You kinda left us hanging there, Galen... Very, very nicely written. I liked the bits of French in between - surprised that I actually still understood it without your translations - LOL
And this here - literally could have been hubby and me - hahaha
Thank you, I tried to make it interesting and hoped that people would feel something from my words...A memory, desire, hope...Something.*
Lol...Hubby is a shirt food-dropper? Seems our fraternity is expanding.
Hehehe - yup, he'd seamlessly blend into that fraternity. Not sure if it is an honorable membership or a cursed one though.
Shirt-food-droppers must own it, nothing else for it. 😉