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Romance Sad Happy

I breathe in the scent of fried food, sugar, and popcorn. 

Today, for just a moment, everything is perfect.

Evangeline is here standing with me, I have her attention, and can I say that I look simply dashing?

I do.

With a little breath of courage, I puff out my chest slightly, today is a day for bravery.

Evie doesn't look so bad herself.

Oh who am I kidding, she looks gorgeous with her sleek blonde hair pulled back in an ebony band that matches her red and black plaid skirt. Her scarlet blouse fits into her skirt making her waist tiny and also making me wonder if my hand could fit around it.

It's too bad we didn't coordinate like Donald and Sharon, their colors of lime green and yellow work perfectly together, whereas I chose to wear my navy slacks and light blue polo.

Disappointing. 

Don't get me wrong, I still look splendid, but just not as splendid as I could be with Evie.

I offer my arm to Evie and she takes it. "Shall we go, fair lady?"

She looks down and giggles. "We shall."

"What should we do first?" Sharon asks, clapping her hands together while bouncing in anticipation, which makes her lemon dress flounce up and down in beat with her dark curls.

Donald immediately answers her by rubbing his nose with hers. "Whatever you would like to do darling."

They are both smiling, teeth and all.

If someone ever asked me what love was, I would refer them to the happy couple.

David told me he had plans to propose and hopefully marry before he went off to war, I wouldn't be surprised if today was the day he did just that.





The smell here has changed. I shouldn't be surprised, it's been about 58 years since I've been to a carnival.

It was Evangeline's idea. She had said there was one coming to town and suggested we go. I had been hesitant of the idea at first but relented when I saw the longing in her eyes. 

I would still give into her sparkling blue irises every time she looked at me a certain way.

She took my hand and led me through the crowd of youngsters. I had been called old, but put next to all of these children I felt especially ancient. 

And oh my— how the fashions have seemed to change. 

Well, not really. It seems the 80s are in style again. The ugly ripped jeans and cropped shirts. 

In my opinion, if you are going to were jeans you should wear them for practicality, not to have half of your skin showing. It's repulsive.

Every time I tell this to Evangeline she just rolls her eyes at me and laughs, but it is true.

Another thing is the shorts. They are so tiny, you might as well run around in your undergarments.

Again I can see Evangeline rolling her eyes at that.

"Well dear," I say, smiling down on her. "This is your trip, what would you like to do first?"





"Let's go on the Ferris wheel!" Sharon suggests. Evie looks shy but nods her head as well.

I decide to be brave and I wrap my hand around her waist. 

Good heavens, I can fit my hand around the tiny thing!

She smiles a bit as we walk over to the tall tower holding up a large wheel made of steel, each rim connected to a small seat.

We get into line, and we are a few people away from the front.

The smell of fried food overwhelmed me, and all I wanted was one of those corn dogs with mustard that everyone had been talking about.

But no, I was going to ride the Ferris wheel with Evie. It would be fun. 

Even though I couldn't understand why people liked to go on them. They went so high and you were only strapped into a seat, your legs free to dangle as you watched the world below.

Maybe the appeal was the romantic side of them. Girls liked to be romanticized, right? 

If that was the case I would woo Evie all day long. 



"Why don't we go on the Ferris Wheel dear, it will be fun," Evangeline suggested.

Of course, she would want to do that. 

"That sounds like a wonderful idea dearest."

She smiled demurely while raising an eyebrow. "Dearest?"

I smile back as I reply, "Am I not allowed to use pet names now?"

"Oh no, that's perfectly fine, I just haven't heard you call me that since..." She trails off and the sparkle in her eyes turns misty as the corner of her lips turns down. "Well, for a long time."





"Well dearest," I say as the little seat goes up and Sharon and Donald get on their own bench. "Do you like rides at these types of things?"

She shot me a sly grin. "Before calling someone dearest, shouldn't you ought to know what they like and do not like?"

She had done it. She had rendered me speechless. How could she be so pretty and witty?

She had a smart but gentle mouth and I liked that. 

"Fair point. I was just trying to—" But she stopped me mid-sentence. 

"Feel free to call me dearest anytime," Evie told me just as we started moving upwards again for the next person to get on.

I grinned to myself.

"What is so amusing?" She looked at me and spoke with an accusing tone.

"Nothing at all... dearest. I'm just surprised you would give me your permission like that."

"Oh, you think because I act shy that I can't be the slightest bit daring when it comes to my love life?" She says, her tone rising a little.

"Absolutely not. It caught me off guard but I like it that you're—"

She interrupted again. "See? There you go assuming I'm quiet and petite! It's because I act like Ms. Perfect you don't think I'm willing to handle kissing someone on the Ferris Wheel, or letting someone call me Dearest."

Is that hint? I want it to be a hint badly, but if I kiss her, and I was wrong I fear things would go badly. Do I try?

So I decided to ask. "Evie, do you want me to kiss you?"

She pauses for a moment. "And if I did?"

"Then I would kiss you, whatever the lady wants, right?" I joke. Or try to at least.

"I don't want to be kissed out of pity, if you're going to kiss me, you must kiss me out of love. Then I will permit you." She folds her arms and looks out to the side of the wheel, over the whole fair. However, despite her teasing, lecturing act, I can see the outline of her check tugging up into a smile, and so I go for it.

"Evie?" I ask, barely registering that the wheel is turning around and around.

She turns a bit too quickly. "Yes?"

"I will kiss you out of love," I state.

"You will?" I can practically see her cursing herself in her mind for sounding so hopeful.

I don't respond with words, rather the sweet touch of two soft lips molding into the niches of another.






We get into the Ferris Wheel silently, I know why she is suddenly sad, all these memories of being back here— even if it isn't all the same as we used to know. I think it was particularly the parts where I called her dearest. I continued calling her that for years into our marriage, but I stopped. I don't know why, but that tradition just... faded. 

The wheel turns up and up and up to the top, then down and down and down. It repeats for two more cycles, both times neither speaks to the other. 

I don't know what to say to her, I just know that calling her pet names won’t work. After all, I am supposed to know her if I use them, and something tells me (Maybe years of being wed,) that she wouldn't appreciate that now.

But then I remember something that speaks louder than words. 

Actions.

Or that's what people say now.

So I take her hand. "Evangeline?" I say. "Evie?"

That gets her to look at me, and that's when I make my move.

I lean in and kiss her.

It's just a little bit, but we haven't kissed in a long time. I've missed it.

Again, that tradition faded with the terms of endearment. Everything has faded to black and white. But this is the modern age, we can see in color.





July 10, 2021 05:17

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23 comments

Cole Lane
04:11 Jul 11, 2021

Your romance storytelling is awesome! It seems the years faded their passion, but it wasn't completely gone. Evie missed that spark that the Ferris wheel represented, young love, first kiss, a night at the carnival. The kiss at the end was beautiful, it showed the tip of the iceberg of emotion between them. I appreciate stories about true love, not just a fling, although I guess those make for a different type of story and are cool too. :) Anyway, this was heartwarming. lol! Fantastic!

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Charli Britton
13:42 Jul 11, 2021

Thank you, I wanted to write a different kind of romance, one between two who could portray something real other than two teens like usual. Thanks for the comment. :)

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N K
03:58 Jul 23, 2021

This is so beautiful! I loved the dynamic between Evie and the narrator. I think you did a brilliant job of encapsulating their relationship when it was budding and when they had been married for a long time. I also really love that ending line. It's so poetic and hopeful. Great job!

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Charli Britton
13:27 Jul 23, 2021

Thanks!

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A B
14:17 Sep 10, 2021

So cute! I loved it!! I as a romance lover thought this was amazing like always!

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Charli Britton
19:54 Sep 10, 2021

Thank youuuu!

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Chloe B
20:27 Jul 25, 2021

Really great story! The flashbacks of his past flowed perfectly with his present, and I love how both of them contrast one another. Amazing work!

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Charli Britton
21:52 Jul 25, 2021

Thank You

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Miss Kandulna
06:43 Jul 22, 2021

I liked the Ferris wheel scenario and "something that speaks louder than words"- action. I used the same idiom in one of my story. Keep up the good work

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Charli Britton
17:39 Jul 22, 2021

Thank You

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Miss Kandulna
17:29 Jul 30, 2021

Do tell what you think about my stories through your lovely comments:)

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01:57 Jul 20, 2021

What a beautiful story! You wove in the flashbacks in such a smooth way and I love the storyline of young love turned stale, then regained in old age. Well done!

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Charli Britton
04:09 Jul 20, 2021

Thank You. :)

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Eliza Entwistle
01:33 Jul 19, 2021

This is such a beautiful story about love and how things change over time. I love the character of Evie, and their conversations are cute, funny, and believable :)

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Charli Britton
19:22 Jul 19, 2021

Thank you. :)

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Palak Shah
13:29 Jul 18, 2021

I love the flashbacks and the way that you have crafted the story is excellent. I just looked at your bio and I am very sorry for your loss.

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Charli Britton
17:01 Jul 18, 2021

Thank you. :)

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Monica June
19:03 Jul 17, 2021

Awwww this was so sweet. I absolutely loved how you added in those flashbacks of when they were younger. A bittersweet story. Loved it! and something odd that I find attractive are little quirks. Recently, quirks in how people talk. And remembering little things from conversations long ago- that's cute.

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Charli Britton
05:34 Jul 18, 2021

Thank you. I honestly don't know how this story would have subsisted without those flashbacks, so thanks.

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18:40 Jul 15, 2021

One odd thing I have liked, though it makes me want to vomit, is how people can manipulate truths into lies.

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Charli Britton
22:52 Jul 15, 2021

Hi, I'm sorry, just a bit confused. Was this comment meant for someone else? It doesn't quite make sense to me. Please clarify.

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06:54 Jul 16, 2021

In your bio you asked a Question and I answered

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Charli Britton
21:26 Jul 16, 2021

Ohhhh Okay. xD sorry. I forgot I asked that. Thanks

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