Thank you to Stephanie, of BeKindRewrite for her wonderful prompts. I haven’t written for these prompts for quite some time and am thrilled I had the time to write this week.
Please listen to this song Painted Desert Serenade at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liZ_lXUvikI. It it one of my favorites and is part of the inspiration for this story, too.
80-YEAR-OLD RUNAWAY
“Do you love me, Lady Jane?”
His throaty whisper stirs even the cilia in her ears and the vibrations carry waves that reach deep in her heart.
Jane, eighty-two years young, whisks away a strand of sliver gray from her forehead, looks into his hazel eyes, tilts her head ever so slightly, teases with an almost wink, then goes back to business at hand, pouring each of them a glass of fine wine.
“They call me a cougar, you know, going after a younger man. After all, you are barely eighty.”
Douglas chuckles as his imagination goes wild. Cougar, prowl, hunt, corner, pounce. He likes it!
“I borrowed Doug’s ’67 390 V8 today. Rides smooth. Maybe we can take it for a spin around the block later. No bucket seats. You know what that means!”
Jane hands Douglas the half-filled glass of wine, her fingers brushing briefly on his, savoring the feel.
“Do I know what that means? Hmm, one hand driving, and one hand…well, not on the steering wheel.”
The cuckoo clock sings. Four times. Douglas calculates quickly. At six chimes, Doug will be home from work, check the garages, know which car he ‘borrowed’ this time, and make his customary phone call. As tolerant as Doug always is, Douglas wonders if it was a mistake selling the home he and Edith lived in for almost fifty-five years and moving in with his son and family. His eyes crease a bit, remembering Edith’s pain as she fought to the end. Nostalgia aside, he wonders what she would think of Jane?
“Penny for those deep thoughts.” Jane pats and rubs the couch and Douglas sits down, close enough to feel the warmth of her thigh.
“Just thoughts of how empty life would be if Lady Jane hadn’t run into me.”
Jane’s eyes flicker as she remembers how bittersweet that day was over two years ago. Jim, the love of her life, who didn’t know her face anymore, was ready to let go. They had called her back into the nursing facility, just an hour after she had visited and fed him his dinner. She was running around the corner, wanting to hold his hand one last time, to say good-bye and thank him for all those years, for his love, for their family, for giving all of himself to her. She wasn’t looking, just running. She ran right into Douglas almost knocking both of them down. She didn’t have time to stop, but yelled out an apology as she continued down the corridor.
Douglas turns to Jane and looks at the beauty old age has given her. Wrinkles, some deep-set and some fine, show the richness of a life well lived. Her beautiful hands, the hands he loves to hold, paper mâché hands he calls them, have shown love to many and now are showing love to him.
Jane cuddles up close, puts her head on his shoulder and Douglas moves closer, too, just in time to hear a soft growl in his ear.
Just then the phone rings. No one gets up and the answering machine clicks on. “This is Doug, looking for my 80-year-old runaway. Please give me a call back.”
Neither of them hear the phone click off.
I absolutely love this story!!!
Thanks! I love the characters. Young at heart!
Stop in again anytime!
I love, love, love it! Hurray for them. The song is neat, too.
Thanks, Sandy. They have a bit of sassiness in them. I like that.
That song is one of my favorites. I have the CD from ages ago. It is practically worn out.
I’m not a fan of “love stories” but by Jimminy, this is one heck of a feel good story, it’s a story I hope is my good fortune to experience if/when my 80+ years come along. How wonderful, an absolutely beautiful story. I’ve saved it to read again tonight before I head to bed. Wonderful imagery, well defined story of admiration, love and care. Whew.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting.
I hope I will still be healthy when I am 80. Something like this would be a bonus. LOL.
Sweet story, touching. Love at any age is possible 🙂 I also always liked the song and it’s fitting for the story.
I always tend to give more weight to love at an older age. But, then, I have to stop and remember how things were when I was young. Those loves of youth stay with you forever, too, so I guess you are right – any age!
Thanks, Marita!
I’ve never read anything like this! It’s like a dark comedy but also very touching. Great work with the prompt.
Thank you, Kay. I always enjoy hearing another’s perspective. Since I value your writing, it means much that you stopped by.
I especially love the description of her. Deep-set and fine wrinkles, paper mache hands…love it.
Glad to have you back!
Thanks, Stephanie! It’s nice to be back, hopefully for a bit more, too.
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I love this story! You made a hit out of this prompt.
Thanks, Patti. I actually was heading in a different direction when I started and it just went this way. Glad you enjoyed it.
Beautiful!
Thank you for reading and visiting and commenting.
A great story.
Just shows you are never to old to love or be loved.
Thanks, Mike, and you are so right…never too old!
This is really great. You’ve captured the truth that even in our elder years, we find love; and that no one is ever, ever too old for romance. That the human connection is everything really. Beautiful writing; bittersweet.
Thanks, TBP. It was nice to have you visit. Your writing is something I am enjoying!