返回天堂(Return to Paradise)

详细内容

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lisagazedoutoverthecaribbeansea,feelingthefaintbreezeagainstherface-eyesshut,thewhitesandwarmbetweenherbaretoes.theplacewasbeautifulbeyondbelief,butitwasstillunabletoeasethegriefshefeltassherememberedthelasttimeshehadbeenhere.

shehadmarriedjamesrighthereonthisspotthreeyearsagototheday.dressedinasimplewhiteshiftdress,miniaturewhiterosesattemptingtotameherlongdarkcurls,lisahadbeenhappierthanshehadeverthoughtpossible.jameswasevenlessformalbututterlyirresistibleincreasedsummertrousersandaloosewhitecottonshirt.hisdarkhairslightlyruffledandhiseyesfullofadorationashislookedathisbridetobe.thejusticeofthepeacehadreadtheirvowsastheyheldhandsandlaughedatthesheerjoyofbeingyoung,inloveandstayinginafivestarresortonthecaribbeanislandofthedominicanrepublic.theyhadseentheyearsblissfullystretchingaheadofthem,togetherforever.theyplannedtheirchildren,twoshesaid,hesaidfoursotheypromisedonthree(twogirlsandaboyofcourse);wheretheywouldlive,thetravellingtheywoulddotogether-itwasallcertain,sotheyhadthoughtthen.

butthatseemedsuchalongtimeagonow.alotcanchangeinjustafewyears-alotofheartachecanchangeapersonanddriveawedgethroughthestrongestties,breakeventhedeepestlove.threeyearstothedayandtheyhadreturned,thoughthistimenotforthebeachsidemarriagestheislandwasfamousforbutforoneofitsequallypopularquickiedivorces.lisaletoutasighthatwasfilledwithpainandregret.whatcouldshedobutmoveon,findanewlifeandnewdreams?-theoldonewasbeyondrepair.howcouldthisbeautifulplace,withitslushgreencoastline,eternityofazureblueseaandendlesssandsbeaplacefortheagonyshefeltnow?

themanstoodwatchingfromtheedgeofthepalmtrees.hecouldn'ttakehiseyesofthedark-hairedwomanhesawstandingatthewater'sedge,gazingouttoseaasthoughshewaswaitingforsomething-orsomeone.shewasbeautiful,withherslimfiguredressedinalooseflowingcottondress,hercrazyhairandbrightblueeyesnotfaroffthecolouroftheseaitself.itwasn'therlooksthatattractedhimthough;hecameacrossmanybeautifulwomeninhisworkasafreelancephotographer.itwasherlonelinessandintensitythatluredhim.evenatsomedistancehewasawarethatshewasdifferentfromanyotherwomanhecouldmeet.lisasensedthemanapproachingevenbeforesheturnedaround.shehadbeenawareofhimstandingtherestaringatherandhadfeltstrangelycalmaboutbeingobserved.shelookedathimandfelttheinstantsparkofconnectionshehadonlyexperiencedoncebefore.hewalkedslowlytowardsherandtheyheldeachother'sgaze.itfeltlikemeetingalonglostfriend-notastrangeronastrangebeach.

later,sittingatoneofthemanybarsontheresort,sippingthelocalcocktailstheybegantotalk.firstpleasantries,theirhotels,thequalityofthefoodandfriendlinessofthelocals.theirconversationwasstrangelyhesitantconsideringthenaturalnessandconfidenceoftheirearliermeeting.onlookers,however,wouldhavedetectedthesubtleflirtationastheymirroredeachother'sactionsandspokedirectlyintoeachother'seyes.onlylater,afterthealcoholhadhaditslooseningeffect,didtheconversationdeepen.theytalkedofwhytheywerehereandfinally,againstherjudgement,lisaopenedupaboutherheartacheofthepastyearandhoweventshadledherbacktotheplacewhereshehadmarriedtheonlymanshebelievedshecouldeverlove.shetoldhimofthingsthathadbeenlockeddeepinsideher,abletotellnoone.shetoldhimhowshehadfeltaftershehadlostherbaby.shewassixmonthspregnantandthehappiestshehadeverbeenwhenthepainshadstarted.shewasstayingwithhermotherasjameswasworkingoutoftown.hehadn'tmadeitbackintime.thedoctorhadsaiditwasjustoneofthosethings,thattheycouldtryagain.buthowcouldshewhenshecouldn'tevenlookjamesintheeye.shehatedhimthen,fornotbeingthere,fornothurtingasmuchasherbutmostofallforlookingsomuchlikethetinybabyboythatsheheldforjustthreehoursbeforethetookhimaway.allthroughthefollowingmonthsshehadwithdrawnfromherhusband,family,friends.notwantingtorecoverformthepainshefelt-thatwouldhavebeenabetrayalofherson.atthefuneralshehadrefusedtostandnexttoherhusbandandthenextdayshehadlefthim.

lookingup,lisacouldseeherpainreflectedintheman'seyes.forthefirsttimeinmonthsshedidn'tfeelalone,shefelttheunbearableburdenbegintoliftfromher,onlyabitbutitwasastart.shebegantobelievethatmaybeshehadafutureafterallandmaybeitcouldbewiththisman,withhiskindhazeleyes,wetwiththeirsharedtears.

theyhadeheretodissolvetheirmarriagebutmaybetherewashope.lisastoodupandtookjamesbythehandandledhimawayfromthebartowardsthebeechwheretheyhadmadetheirvowstoeachotherthreeyearsago.tomorrowshewouldcancelthedivorce;tonighttheywouldworkonrenewingtheirpromises.