Friday 24 August 2012

Romantic Friday Writers - Challenge No 43 - The Romantic Picnic.


The RomanticFridayWriters bi-monthly challenge this week is 'The Romantic Picnic.  I'm writing a sequel to my previous Challenge, I Need a Change, with the setting in a romantic paradise, based on a real island in Fiji. If you didn't catch my story you can read it here. The challenges are open to all writers of prose or poetry.

Here are the guidelines for this challenge:

The "Romantic Picnic."  

- Who initiates the picnic; is this a first date or dedication to the continuing relationship? 

- Is there an agenda to the picnic: marriage proposal, pregnancy announcement, promotion or new job assignment? 

 - is the picnic all about the continuing romantic relationship: one lover affirming their devotion to the other, or a mutually shared, opportune moment of togetherness?  

***Any genre, any POV; just remember to include a romantic element and a picnic, in 400 words or less.***



Back to the Island

Inya spread the mat on the lush grass, watching how the palm tree shadows painted pictures with the midday light. Squinting into the sun, he remembered a day just like this, six months ago. Their last picnic.

Joy spiked his heart just thinking of her. From the night she’d tripped over his fishing line, to the day she’d left on the boat, they’d been inseparable. What a week that’d been! She’d promised to come back, but he’d been afraid to hope.  

She was here! He’d seen her boat come in. Afraid to meet it, he’d decided to wait for her to find him. That’d mean she really wanted him. She was good at tracking him down. 

Wherever he was, she’d find him.

He opened the hotel picnic basket. The hotel staff loved Sally. Said she was perfect for him. They’d given him all these goodies and a bottle of chilled champagne.

He lifted the plates out of their plastic bindings and set them out side by side. Then he reached for the cutlery and napkins. Pretty fancy!

Before getting out the delicious-looking sandwiches and papaya salad, he picked some gorgeous red ginger flowers from a nearby bush. He filled a plastic tumbler with fresh water and set them in the middle of the mat. 

He checked the sun. She should be here any minute. Just thinking about her made him hot. He threw off his tee shirt and dived into the water. Ah, cool! He was so nervous he was as stiff as a board. He started to swim out to the islands in long, lazy strokes, luxuriating in the glorious feeling of soft water flowing around him. He rolled onto his back and looked at the cloudless blue sky.

‘Inya!’

Sally’s here!

Splashing madly like a kid learning to swim, he looked towards the shore. There she was, running into the water, throwing off her clothes as she ran. 

In a few strokes they were all arms and legs and gulping water, gabbling nonsense. He pulled her close and kissed her, and kissed her...

‘I love you Inya.’

‘I love you Sally. I’m never letting you off this island without me again.’

‘I’m never leaving without you.’

‘Hungry?’

‘Starving. Do I detect a picnic under a tree?’

‘You do.’

‘How romantic. Do you have kava?’

‘Nah. The hotel sent champagne.’

‘I’m more of a kava girl.’

‘I know. Just wait till tonight.’


WORD COUNT: 404
FCA


UPCOMING RFW CHALLENGES:

Challenge #44 -  Sept 7 -  I Should Have Kissed You  FW/RunnerUp
Challenge #45 -  Sept 21 -Oh How I Hate My Beautiful Friend
Challenge #46 -  Oct 5   -  Birthday Madness 
Challenge #47 -  Oct 19 -  Halloween – House of Horrors FW/RunnerUp

Like to read more RFW posts on The Romantic Picnic. Go to RomanticFridayWriters for the list...

 


58 comments:

Raelene Purtill said...

the islands get in your bones and your stories, don't they.
nice.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Love this. You pulled me right in. All the senses were used. You did a fine job here. Mine is a midnight picnic. What a concept right? :-)

dolorah said...

Ha! Something about picnics and the beach inspires nudity :) I did that too. These two make my heart race :)

......dhole

Anne said...

Romantic alright! Sensual and sweet.

sulekkha said...

I love the sun and the sand, stories with these elements touch my heart. Liked your story, a lot.

Glynis Peters said...

Ah, the promise of champagne. So romantic, a lovely read.

Anonymous said...

You're an island girl now, sis. Beautifully written! Just--perfect!!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Knew she'd come back!

Suzanne Furness said...

Thank you for bringing a reminder of sunny days on the beach. Lovely.

Anonymous said...

Glad she returned to this romantic haven. Inya is a true romantic with all those special touches,such as the ginger flowers.

Sally said...

So lovely, could feel all the longing for this one special moment that makesthe wait of the last six months worth it.

Francine Howarth said...

Hi,

Hee hee, in the noddy, sun sea and sand, and I loved the flower aspect! What could be better for a romantic picnic. Great! ;)

best
F

Unknown said...

Dear Denise,
What a lovely Happy End! I wish I could have hid in your pocket when you went to Fiji to see what it's like!

I love the description of the beach, the flowers and picnic spread! When I rewrite my story I plan to write more about food!

What fun that they got together in the end.

Best wishes,
Anna
RFW No.43 - 'Romantic Picnic'

Adura Ojo said...

So lovely to experience the chemistry between this couple thru' your eyes/lens, Denise. I knew she'd be back and I'm glad she is:)

Elen Lackner-Poemas de amor. - Piano said...

Everything you wrote is specially nice. Kiss Elen

N. R. Williams said...

Hi Denise
Oh, I was worried for awhile thinking she'd stand him up. Great description and hold your breath anticipation.
Nancy

Heather Murphy said...

Beautiful Denise! Very heartwarming and romantic. I'm glad she came back

Unknown said...

Congratulations Denise! You got your 20 participants!
Anna
oxox

The Poet said...

My dear Denise,
For me, romance is beautiful anywhere (smile). I could feel the passion and love between them. You made the ending sweet enough for your readers to feel the magic!! Great job my dear.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi, Denise,

Loved the part where you start him off taking long, lazy strokes, only to finish off flopping around like a kid learning to swim. Ah, love, it turns even the coolest of dudes into an awkward teenage boy.

Inya is such a romantic. It's nice to see a real man who knows how to act like a real man.


Well, I DID IT! I spent a few hours last night and a few this morning to have it posted by this morning. I can't wait to see what you think.

Denise Covey said...

Hi Michael. I was hoping someone would comment on that swim part as I thought long and hard about my simile there. I could just imagine it.

I'm so glad you worked on your story for us! Maybe it's the start of something good! Can't wait to read it.

Denise

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Andy. I know you'll always be a good judge of romance! D

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Anna. That's mainly thanks to Andy's efforts but I like to think I found one extra in the lovely Michael! D

Denise Covey said...

You and me both Heather. This story isn't finished yet. D

Denise Covey said...

Yeah, a little bit of suspense.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Elen. Kiss D.

Denise Covey said...

Ah thanks Adura! That means a lot coming from you.

Denise Covey said...

Ah Anna,nothing like being in a place to be inspired by what you see and the people you meet.

Denise Covey said...

Glad you felt it Sally.

Denise Covey said...

Yeah, you must have the ginger flowers. They're everywhere.

Denise Covey said...

Yes, quite the little scene. We say 'nuddy', lol!

Denise Covey said...

So Suzanne, I wonder what weather you're having ATM?

Denise Covey said...

They do Raelene! Plenty more where that came from lol!

Denise Covey said...

I'd expect nothing less of you Roland,my friend.

Denise Covey said...

After reading yours it looks like we colluded! 'Cept mine is young love...D

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Anne!

Denise Covey said...

Thanks for visiting Sulekkha and for your lovely comment.

Denise Covey said...

(((hugs))) sis. Thanks!

Denise Covey said...

What could be better than a bottle of crisp champers at the beach? Hmm...

Suzy said...

Fancy picnics are my kind of picnics and islands are such beautiful romantic settings. this is a feel good story.

Denise Covey said...

Glad it made you feel good Suzy.

Charmaine Clancy said...

I'm so glad these two found their way to each other again - very passionate love!

C.S.H said...

I love how you continued on with the last challenge!! I knew from the last challenge that Sally really didn't want to go.. I could just feel her heart breaking and Inya's as well! This was absolutely amazing!

J.L. Campbell said...

Now there's a man who's invested in his relationship. I couldn't help cheering for him and wishing that things would work out just the way he wants them to. Good imagery. I could visualize their surroundings.

Unknown said...

Yeah Andy did a great one indeed :)

Unknown said...

Dear Denise,i loved seeing the next part and feeling such reunion of the two souls where they became one under the warmth of the sun and the sea witnessing their meeting and the waves playing their song :),i really enjoyed it

Thanks for such share and for your kind follow to me :))))

p.s : for the challenge no, 46 : birthday madness on the 5th october,i cant wait for it

actually my birthday will be on the 2nd of october,so i guess i will wait and will write about the madness of such coming day when it comes,:)))))

Scheherazade said...

As always, very nice imagery and scene setting. Maybe she should have accepted the champagne since he was so attentive.

Denise Covey said...

So you share a birthday month with your hosts, which is why we thought of the birthday prompt. It'll be such fun!
Glad you like my story.

Denise Covey said...

I'm sure she did accept it, but wasn't really a champagne girl.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Crystal!

Unknown said...

Cerrainly your words are inspiring to me
I loved it with all its parts

For the birthday yeah im thinking of doing something diffeeent which is.not to be depressed for a change :)))

Linda Gray said...

Love Inya's determination to put his future with Sally in the hands of fate by waiting for her to find him, and how it works!

The Poet said...

Dear Denise,
Back for a second reading. When you said last week yours would be on your island, I was wondering if the dreaded kava would make an appearance. I see you managed to incorporate it! LOL

Denise Covey said...

Lol Andy!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Aw, this is wonderful! I love that you wrote the sequel!!

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Lynda. There's more to come...

Jai Joshi said...

Ah, Fiji! Sounds romantic to me, Denise.

Plus I'm intrigue about that "Wait till tonight" last line!

Jai

Denise Covey said...

Hmm. So am I. Just wait til next Friday...