Blogging Friends.... This particular fictional story was not what I
initially planned to post on 'Minuscule is good!' for the month of July. No....
I had an emotionally autobiographical/fictional story that I was working hard
on. {Look for it in August, Lord willing!!} But then.... After posting 'A Cautionary Tale' last month, me and my dear
Blogging Friend, Adelaide Dupont, exchanged some comments on 'Minuscule is
good!' which went like this.... I am so glad
that Elizabeth and Ellington are friends. {Adelaide}. Well.... Elizabeth and Ellington are a little bit more than just
friends!! Maybe I should start writing their love story? {Me}. It would be great if you did write
Elizabeth and Ellington's love story and the way it evolved. {Adelaide}. I am currently working hard on another
fictional story.... However. I am already writing Ellington's and Elizabeth's
love story in my head, which is a good start!! To quote Bruce {Springsteen}.... 'I can't promise, as I don't want to
disappoint.' {Me}. Well, Adelaide, here it is!! Ellington and Elizabeth's
unlikely love story.... What on Earth did I walk myself into?! Thanks, Friend.
By the way, I finished writing 'An Incredible Love Of A Lifetime' past midnight
on July 5th, because I was sitting in our recently remodeled 'Boy's Bathroom'
{which I affectionately call a 'bomb shelter'} with my poor, frightened, noise
phobic dog, Rosalita as bombs--I mean, booms--literally exploded all around us
outside because of Independence Day. Fireworks, fireworks, fireworks.... And
then, as soon as I finished writing 'An Incredible Love Of A Lifetime' and I
thought.... The cone is silent.... There were several more consecutive booms after, like, twenty minutes or so of
absolutely nothing!! It was 1 AM when I finally fell asleep that day.... 'Stay
hard, stay hungry, stay alive', Raelyn
"An Incredible Love Of A Lifetime"
Made for each other. That is exactly what Ellington and Elizabeth
are. One year ago, they met amidst perhaps the most unlikeliest of
circumstances. Ellington's girlfriend, Lucia, had committed suicide and Elizabeth
served as his kindhearted, compassionate, understanding police detective....
Who found Lucia's corpse drowned in Rocky River. Then, the two immediately
became friends, found like-minded commonalities, and they fell in love!! It was
destiny, it was fate, it was.... Magic!!
But Ellington was in love with Lucia before she killed herself. And
that simply does not happen twice. For Lucia was 'the one'. And you just cannot
grow a new heart. Or so Ellington thought!! That was, until he met Elizabeth!!
And, although Ellington misses Lucia for obvious reasons? He just emotionally
clicked with Elizabeth!! It somehow felt as though she had been missing in his
Life all these years.... And {unbeknownst to him}, Ellington had been waiting
for Elizabeth to arrive in this existence all his Life!! So.... Falling in love
does happen twice after all, and you can grow a new heart!!
"Are you working today,
Lizzie?" asked Ellington--who is an
adventure-seeking, adrenaline loving guy--one Saturday morning, while Elizabeth was at his
house, "I do not remember."
"I am off-duty
today!!" answered Elizabeth, "Why?"
"Do you want to go skydiving with me?!" asked
Ellington.
"You and your wild, dangerous, adventurous dates!!" exclaimed Elizabeth, "Just the other
day, we jumped off of Mermaid Falls
together!! And it was so romantic!!
Because we kissed each other underwater!!
I mean.... We were just like real Life
mermaids ourselves!!"
Ellington smiled at that sweet memory.
"So, do you want to go
skydiving?!" repeated Ellington.
"Yes!!" said Elizabeth, "Are you freakin' kidding me?! To quote Simba from The Lion King.... 'Danger?! Ha!! I walk
on the wild side!! I laugh in the face of danger!!'"
"'Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!'" laughed Ellington, as he
finished Simba's line.
I appreciate
that Lizzie is an adventure-seeking, adrenaline loving girl!! thought Ellington, with
a smile written on his face, Just like
me!!
Ellington drove Elizabeth in Lucia's 'old' 1970's baby blue-painted
Ford pickup truck--which her parents gave him after she had committed
suicide--toward Cloud Nine Skydiving Company. Once they arrived, an instructor strapped
equipment onto their bodies. She dutifully gave them rules, expectations....
And even instructions on what to do if--during the rare event--their parachute
failed to open while they descended planet Earth. A pilot revved up his
airplane's loud, rumbling engine. Excited, nervous energy flowed through
Ellington's and Elizabeth's veins!! She lifted up, up, up, up, up high into the
Heavens. This was it.... Ellington and Elizabeth were going skydiving!!
Then--while their airplane was eighteen thousand feet above ground level--her
doors swung open!! Together, Ellington and Elizabeth jumped, flying free as
birds!! They yelled, they screamed, they flashed the 'peace' hand sign!! It was
definitely an incredible chance of a Lifetime!!
"Ell," said Elizabeth one Wednesday morning while he was
at her house, "Do you really, truly, literally want to 'take a walk on the wild side'?"
"Yeah!!" exclaimed Ellington, "But what do you mean by 'really, truly, literally 'take a walk on the wild
side'?"
"Well...." Elizabeth mysteriously said, "What is your
very favorite zoo animal?"
"The lions!!"
replied Ellington, "Why? Are we going
to the zoo, or something?"
"The lions!!"
exclaimed Elizabeth, "I thought so!! No, it is even better
than that!! How would you like to pet an actual lion?"
"Wait. What?!"
said Ellington, with excitement in his voice, "We can get up close and personal.... With real Life lions?!"
"Yes!!" said Elizabeth, "Males.... Females.... Cubs.... You name it, we can pet him
or her!!"
"No way!!"
exclaimed Ellington, "Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's go pet some lions!! What is this place called?"
"Lion Around Petting Zoo!!" said Elizabeth.
Ellington laughed.
"Lion Around Petting Zoo?!"
he said, "That is a pun!! Lion
Around!! I love it!!"
So Elizabeth drove Ellington in her 1990's white-colored Subaru
station wagon toward Lion Around Petting Zoo!!
"You know what?" said Ellington, on their way to Lion
Around Petting Zoo, "When I was a
kid growing up, our 3rd Grade teacher,
Mrs. Mennes, gave us all writing
assignments!!"
"What was it about?" asked Elizabeth.
"Mrs. Mennes asked us.... 'If you could have any wild animal for a pet, what would it be?'" answered Ellington, "We all had fun with that writing project!! One kid chose an
elephant, another picked a zebra...."
"Let me guess...."
said Elizabeth, "You chose a lion!!"
"Correct!!" exclaimed Ellington, "I wrote in my writing assignment that he
was a male lion!! I filled my kitchen refrigerator with raw zebra,
antelope, elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, crocodile, giraffe, buffalo and wild hog meat!!"
"Ewwww!!" said
Elizabeth, "That would be so gross
to open your kitchen refrigerator and see nothing
but raw wild meat all the
time!!"
Ellington laughed.
"His bushy mane was an afro!!" continued Ellington,
"And he also slept on my living room couch!!"
"Did your pet lion
have a name?" asked Elizabeth,
"You know.... Like Aslan from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the
Witch and the Wardrobe?"
"His name was Mufasa!!"
answered Ellington.
"From The Lion King!!"
exclaimed Elizabeth, "Of course!!"
Then Ellington and Elizabeth arrived at Lion Around Petting Zoo!!
There were, obviously, well-trained wild animal handlers nearby, people who
have clearly known those big cats forever. And Elizabeth was absolutely
right.... There were male lions with bushy, tangled, hair-like manes. Adorable,
cuddly, irresistible cubs. There were lionesses with muscular bodies. Neither
Ellington, nor Elizabeth felt frightened, despite those big cats' sharp teeth,
huge paws and wild animal instincts. No, they were awe-stricken, captivated,
enamored by the lions!! Their fur coats felt rough, bristly, coarse and oily to
touch. Ellington scratched the lions' pelts. Elizabeth rubbed them. Because of
the lions' oily skin, their fingers became black. But there were hand sanitizer
stations nearby and restrooms with soap. It was definitely an incredible chance
of a Lifetime!!
Just like with Lucia, Ellington felt as though Elizabeth is 'the
one'. But still.... Ellington worried about Elizabeth's mortality. Not that she
would ever commit suicide.... For Elizabeth is happy, successful and does not
even suffer from Depression. No, Ellington worried about losing her, about
living--once again--without his lover....
"Lizzie....?" said Ellington one evening, as they were on
a date at Servito Con Amore {Served With Love} Italian restaurant, "You are a police detective...."
"Yes, I am!!"
Elizabeth confidently said, in between bites of her chicken broccoli alfredo.
"Well, police detectives die
in the line of duty...." said Ellington, as he took a tiny bite of his macaroni
and cheese, "They get shot....
You hear about it on the news frequently...."
"That is true...."
Elizabeth said sadly, as she drank her water, "My partner, Conner, was shot, critically injured
and, ultimately, killed in the line
of duty six months ago.... We still miss him to this day...."
"I remember...."
said Ellington, "And that is exactly
what I am talking about.... If Conner can die in the line of duty.... Then so can you.... I cannot stand
the thought of losing yet another lover
like I did with Luci...."
Ellington blinked back wet, hot tears.
"Lizzie...." he said, "I cannot make it without you....!! Promise me.... That you will stay alive....? Please....?"
"Have you held all of
these thoughts, feelings and emotions within
yourself for six months?"
Elizabeth asked, in between bites of her garlic bread.
Ellington silently nodded, as he sipped his strawberry
lemonade.
"I cannot promise
that I will never be killed in the line of duty like Conner was," Elizabeth gently said,
"For my job as a police detective is, obviously, very dangerous and risky. You knew that going into our relationship.
Right?"
Ellington blinked back wet, hot tears.
"Life is infinite," continued Elizabeth,
"There are absolutely no guarantees
that I--or you for that matter--will still be here on Earth tomorrow. We could have...."
She paused for a nanosecond. Elizabeth remembered how Lucia had
committed suicide by drowning herself in Rocky River. Elizabeth understood that--under
those circumstances--the next thing she was going to say would hurt Ellington
emotionally....
"....Drowned when we jumped off of Mermaid Falls," Elizabeth gently said, "Did you know that?"
Ellington quickly looked up from his plate of macaroni and cheese.
"Or bashed our heads against a sharp rock,"
continued Elizabeth, "We could have died
while skydiving. Our parachute may not have opened, or something bad. It happens. We could have been eaten
to death by the lions. They do,
after all, possess wild animal instincts.
It happens. I could go on and on and on, but I'll stop.
Life is uncertain. We do not have tomorrow....
We've only got today--this very moment--to live, love, laugh, cry and celebrate our lives together!!"
Ellington smiled at last.
Elizabeth
is so profound.... She is so introspective.... She is so wise.... thought Ellington, as
he ate his macaroni and cheese, I am in
love with an old soul....
"Lizzie!!" said
Ellington one Saturday morning while she was at his house, "I have a brilliant, beyond brilliant
idea!!"
"What is that?"
said Elizabeth, with a smirk written on her face, "We obviously cannot switch places like Hallie
Parker and Annie James did in The Parent Trap!!"
Ellington laughed.
"No, let's go bungee-jumping
off of Peterson's Bridge!!" said
Ellington.
"But...." Elizabeth gently said, "Peterson's Bridge is located at Rocky River.... Where Lucia drowned
herself...."
Ellington swallowed hard.
"I know...."
said Ellington.
"Have you ever returned to
Rocky River since Lucia committed
suicide there?" asked Elizabeth.
"No...." answered Ellington, "I have not.... And that is exactly why I need to go back.... Luci died one year ago.... That was three-hundred and sixty-five days.... I
mean.... We found Luci's body in Rocky River one New Year's Day, one Valentine's
Day, one St. Patrick's Day, one Easter, one Independence Day, one Halloween,
one Thanksgiving Day, one Christmas Eve, one Christmas Day, one New Year's
Eve, and, of course, one birthday
ago...."
Ellington blinked back wet, hot tears.
"If I do not go back
to Rocky River, then I never will...." continued
Ellington, "Ever.... And then Rocky River--the memory, the nightmare--of
seeing Luci's Lifeless body drowned there will haunt me forever...."
"So...." Elizabeth gently said, "By bungee-jumping off of Peterson's Bridge into Rocky River it will give you a positive, happy, lighthearted memory there?"
"Exactly...."
said Ellington, as wet, hot tears streamed down his eyes, "Right now,
whenever I go to bed at night, all I see is Luci's beautiful,
bright-as-a-red-sunrise hair.... Her fair, snow-white skin.... Luci's
green-as-jade eyes that sparkled like diamonds.... But she is dead.... In Rocky River's
cold, rushing waters.... I have to go back.... I just.... I have to...."
"Alright...." Elizabeth gently said, as she blinked back
wet, hot tears, "Let's go.... And bungee-jump off of Peterson's Bridge into Rocky
River!!"
"I will face my past...." said Ellington, "Embrace our future together.... And find emotional healing, find mental closure.... That is my brilliant, beyond brilliant idea!!"
So, bungee-jump off of Peterson's Bridge {yes, into Rocky River} Ellington and Elizabeth did!! He drove his lover in Lucia's 'old' 1970's baby blue-painted Ford pickup truck toward Take A Dip Bungee-Jumping Company. When they arrived at Rocky River, Ellington was, obviously, overwhelmed with emotion.... Both negative and even positive. Healing, wet, hot tears silently flowed down his face. An incredibly sympathetic, compassionate, understanding smile spread across Elizabeth's face. Once they arrived at Peterson's Bridge, an instructor strapped equipment onto their bodies. He dutifully gave them rules, expectations.... And even instructions on what to do if--during the rare event--their cord disconnected. This was it.... Ellington and Elizabeth were going bungee-jumping!! Excited, nervous energy flowed through their veins. As Rocky River's serene, beauteous, partially snow-covered mountains and towering trees surrounded them, they plunged head-first into the waters!! Up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down.... They yelled, they screamed, they flashed the 'hang loose' hand sign!! It was definitely an incredible chance of a Lifetime!!
But one more happy event occurred on that unforgettable day....
"Lizzie...." said Ellington, when they were finished going bungee-jumping together, "At first I felt ambivalent, worried, doubtful and afraid about spending.... You know.... Forever.... With someone whose job as a police detective can lead to losing you. But.... It is like you so wisely said.... 'We do not have tomorrow.... We've only got today--this very moment--to live, love, laugh, cry and celebrate our lives together!!' And then I also realized, that I do not want to lose 'the one' if you ever broke up with me!! Lizzie.... I want to spend forever with you!! I mean it.... Will you marry me, my love?"
"Yes!!" exclaimed Elizabeth, "I want to embark on years and years and years of wild, dangerous, adventurous dates with you!!"
"Me too!!" said Ellington.
He paused momentarily.
"Wait a minute!!" Ellington suddenly said.
"What?" said Elizabeth, with a quizzical expression written on her face.
"Just.... Wait a minute!!" repeated Ellington.
He then quickly ran toward Lucia's 'old' 1970's baby blue-painted Ford pickup truck. Because hidden safely inside her glove compartment was an engagement ring for Elizabeth!! Ellington then returned and finished his proposal.... Yes, at Rocky River!!
"No proposal feels right without an engagement ring!!" exclaimed Ellington, "In my opinion, anyway!!"
"I agree!!" said Elizabeth.
Because it was definitely an incredible love of a Lifetime!!
"I will face my past...." said Ellington, "Embrace our future together.... And find emotional healing, find mental closure.... That is my brilliant, beyond brilliant idea!!"
So, bungee-jump off of Peterson's Bridge {yes, into Rocky River} Ellington and Elizabeth did!! He drove his lover in Lucia's 'old' 1970's baby blue-painted Ford pickup truck toward Take A Dip Bungee-Jumping Company. When they arrived at Rocky River, Ellington was, obviously, overwhelmed with emotion.... Both negative and even positive. Healing, wet, hot tears silently flowed down his face. An incredibly sympathetic, compassionate, understanding smile spread across Elizabeth's face. Once they arrived at Peterson's Bridge, an instructor strapped equipment onto their bodies. He dutifully gave them rules, expectations.... And even instructions on what to do if--during the rare event--their cord disconnected. This was it.... Ellington and Elizabeth were going bungee-jumping!! Excited, nervous energy flowed through their veins. As Rocky River's serene, beauteous, partially snow-covered mountains and towering trees surrounded them, they plunged head-first into the waters!! Up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down.... They yelled, they screamed, they flashed the 'hang loose' hand sign!! It was definitely an incredible chance of a Lifetime!!
But one more happy event occurred on that unforgettable day....
"Lizzie...." said Ellington, when they were finished going bungee-jumping together, "At first I felt ambivalent, worried, doubtful and afraid about spending.... You know.... Forever.... With someone whose job as a police detective can lead to losing you. But.... It is like you so wisely said.... 'We do not have tomorrow.... We've only got today--this very moment--to live, love, laugh, cry and celebrate our lives together!!' And then I also realized, that I do not want to lose 'the one' if you ever broke up with me!! Lizzie.... I want to spend forever with you!! I mean it.... Will you marry me, my love?"
"Yes!!" exclaimed Elizabeth, "I want to embark on years and years and years of wild, dangerous, adventurous dates with you!!"
"Me too!!" said Ellington.
He paused momentarily.
"Wait a minute!!" Ellington suddenly said.
"What?" said Elizabeth, with a quizzical expression written on her face.
"Just.... Wait a minute!!" repeated Ellington.
He then quickly ran toward Lucia's 'old' 1970's baby blue-painted Ford pickup truck. Because hidden safely inside her glove compartment was an engagement ring for Elizabeth!! Ellington then returned and finished his proposal.... Yes, at Rocky River!!
"No proposal feels right without an engagement ring!!" exclaimed Ellington, "In my opinion, anyway!!"
"I agree!!" said Elizabeth.
Because it was definitely an incredible love of a Lifetime!!
Raelyn:
ReplyDeleteMakes me think of all these movies where you see "one year later" or "two years later" at the very end and then you walk into these couple's lives.
Also I want to play the Lion King musical. Someone in my life was doing sound and lighting work for it in 2005.
And I like the theme of danger and risk and dignity with Lucia and Ellington.
And Connor - what a guy.
How brilliant was Lion Around Petting Zoo?
And, yes, an Incredible Love of a Lifetime!
Adelaide....
DeleteThank-you for the comment, Friend!!
'Makes me think of all these movies where you see "one year later" or "two years later" at the very end and then you walk into these couple's lives.' Cool!! I think I must have sort of fallen in love with Ellington and Elizabeth.... Because I'm seriously considering continuing their story!! You know, with marriage, children, family Life? But not yet.... First, I want to post my emotionally autobiographic fictional story in August {Lord willing}, plus I have another fictional story which is speaking to me even louder that I actually need to start writing!! I possess a crazy, never-shuts-down brain!! To quote Bruce from his song, 'Living In The Future'.... 'We're livin' in the future and none of this has happened yet'!! ;-D
'I like the theme of danger and risk and dignity with Lucia and Ellington.' Thanks!! I wanted Ellington and Elizabeth to be danger-loving, risk-taking daredevils, yet I also worked hard in keeping Lucia's memory alive!! ;)
'And Connor - what a guy.' I agree!! It just occurred to me that I killed off a character without even trying!! We knew Conner.... I created him in 'A Cautionary Tale'.... And then.... I briefly mentioned how he died in the line of duty as a police detective?! What is happening to me....? Ha!! ;-D
'How brilliant was Lion Around Petting Zoo?' Ah, thanks!! You think that is brilliant?! I just dig puns!! ;)
I sense the way you kept Lucia around and of course her memory. You showed respect to who she was and what she has meant to Ellington and to others.
DeleteAlso thinking that way ... about a heroine, marriage and middle age. I had this thought in the shower. And it happens to be Bastille Day, so if and when I get my act together.
A fictional story which speaks even LOUDER?!
That is par for the course. The means and manner of death of Conner.
Adelaide....
DeleteThank-you for the reply, Friend!!
'I sense the way you kept Lucia around and of course her memory. You showed respect to who she was and what she has meant to Ellington and to others.' Exactly!! ;)
'A fictional story which speaks even LOUDER?!' Well.... I think that--since I've fallen in love with Ellington and Elizabeth--I will continue their story next.... With marriage, children, family Life!! So that, it turns out, is speaking louder to ME, to my heart and soul!! However. I will not post it on 'Minuscule is good!' in August.... Why? Because I want to post my emotionally autobiographic fictional story in August.... Lord willing!! Maybe I will post Ellington and Elizabeth's 'family Life' fictional story in September!! Stay tuned.... ;-D
Now, as for the other fictional story? I also want to write it, too but I can only create one thing at a time!! And they were both literally fighting for my attention like 'Amethyst' and 'Opal' sometimes do!! Ah.... My crazy, never-shuts-down brain!! ;)