PHOTO PROMPT © C.E.Ayr
They were young and in love. They walked along the Seine and had their portraits drawn in Montmartre. “Petit dejeuner” every morning at their favorite café and dinner at 4-star restaurants.
For years a Renoir print from d’Orsay hung in their bedroom and a large aerial photo of Paris at night hang in the living room.
Jen was young and he said he was in love.
He wanted to see life through young eyes, caress young flesh.
Smiling, Liz locked the door of the empty apartment for the last time.
She would walk by the Seine, this time without him.
***
Word count = 100
Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo © C.E.Ayr. Read more or join in by following the InLinkz “linky“.
Trent's World (the Blog) 
Life for the couple was always focused on the present. Is it any wonder that they now have no future together? I guess they’ll grow up one day!
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Hopefully the will, though for now she plans on trying to relive her past….
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Good for her. And Paris is the perfect place to find new love. Nice job.
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I think so – no better places to start new. Thanks.
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Good riddance. She’ll enjoy life more without someone like that. Well-written!
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I think she’ll enjoy her new-found freedom. And what better place to start the next chapter than Paris? Thanks!
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Ah, Paris, my favorite city. =)
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Mine too. Of course my favorite spot in the city has had a tragedy since I was last there, but I’m sure the MC in this story will enjoy her visit just the same :)
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The fire was such a tragedy for sure. I understand why Notre Dame is your favorite spot. =)
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I want to believe her smile indicates she has found peace in herself after being betrayed by an immature man.
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That is what I believe, she has discovered that his leaving was for the best and she can look forward to a better life without him.
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For me it is Liz smiling that turns this from a sad love tale into a moment of release and hope. Did she leave him lying in the flat?
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That smile was my way of making her free of her past and moving on, so, yeah, a moment of release and hope. As to the body, er, I mean her ex… ;)
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I think they served each other’s purpose. Until he didn’t serve hers anymore. Life is full of experiences that help us grow. I think she took this one, packed it away and is ready for the next phase. I thought this was rather lovely, Trent.
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Thanks, Dale. I was thinking pretty much along those lines – he may have “betrayed” her, but she was able to use it grow and move on with her life. I’m surprised at how many people saw this as a much darker story…
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I know what you mean. This group of FF see dark in the oddest of places…
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They do, but I’ll admit that I sometimes join them, at least in writing the occasional dark story…
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They do! They see dark where none was intended. As for the writing dark, nothing wrong with that. Even I have done so on occasion ;-)
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That middle part, starting with “he said he was in love” says it all really. Oh well, I guess they had fun while it lasted :-)
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Yes, fun while it lasted, and hopefully she will find a better life without him…
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Life’s journey. Wonder what’s next for her? 😀
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My guess is there are better times ahead for her :)
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It’s a smile, not a foot, that truly takes the first step at moving on. :)
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A relationship where the participants don’t have the same goals is destined to fail. She seems all right with it. I assume he’s good, too, given his goals were met.
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He may have had his eye out for a new, young lover, but from her reaction, I’m sure it was the result of them drifting apart over the years – she is up and ready for a new chapter in her life.
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I’m glad she is able to smile again. Best wishes for her on the new chapter of her life.
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When I wrote this, I was thinking of her having a fresh new start, even looking forward to it, but so many people just saw the dark side of it. I’m with you – best wishes on the new adventure. And what better place for a new start than Paris?
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Wonderful story! I want to think Liz has an exciting chapter ahead.
Best Wishes, Charlotte
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Thanks! Yes, I agree, Liz is just starting her new, and hopefully better life. What better place to start than Paris? ;)
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Great story!
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Thanks!
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There’s every chance she will find new love in Paris, so maybe it was for the best.
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With her little smile as she left the apartment, I think it was for the best. She is moving on to a new life, hopefully a better one…
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I guess times change, but that doesn’t make him a bad person, does it?
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No, he is not necessarily a bad person, and that she was so quick to bounce back and start a new life without him shows that the split was most likely mutual…
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Gosh, well at least she could still smile! Sounds like she got over him pretty quickly.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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After he revealed his true colors, it wasn’t hard to move on…
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Beware of those who carry pointed play toys.
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Don’t make them mad…
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The problems of two little people don’t amount to a hill of beans!
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As time goes by I think she’ll round up the usual suspects… Is there a single movie out there with as many memorable lines, even ones that were never actually in the movie. Oh well, play it again ;)
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She’s well rid of him
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I agree, and I think she does too, thus her smile as she left.
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Dear Trent,
Too bad he’s the victim of his own careless old flesh. Perhaps she should have his carcass dumped in the Seine. Sad story…nicely done nonetheless.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Of course she might be happy to be rid of the jerk. And she’ll still have Paris, this time on her own terms ;) Thanks.
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