This week at Friday Fictioneers, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (of Addicted to Purple fame), has chosen the image above by Roger Bultot, as our writing prompt. We’re to use 100 words or less.
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Ariella gazed at Temple Beth Emet and savored the old familiar feelings it stirred.
She recalled that wonderful Saturday morning, twenty-some years ago now. Their eyes locked during the meditation portion of the service. Was it kismet they’d chosen not to participate? She felt herself blush and he grinned that reckless grin.
That was all it took.
Alas! It was a love affair alive only in Ariella’s imagination. She tried to make Daniel love her back, but he simply didn’t.
Because he so loved his wife, all Rabbi Daniel could offer Ariella was friendship.
Perhaps she should’ve taken it.
Nah. It would never match her sweet lil imagination.
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And everything looks worse in black & white. 🙂
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Complicated!
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Definitely. Thank you Iain!
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I like the way you’ve constructed this story of unrequited love, showing the immediate physical attraction being transformed into a sublimated emotion that brings Ariella at least some satisfaction.
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Thank you pennygadd51, for your thoughtful and insightful comment. 🙂
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Ah, first love can be so sad.
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It sure can. Especially when it is your last love, too. Thank you for stopping by and commenting, Shirley!
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Nice read
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Thank you!
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Would friendship have been enough? It could just have made things far more complicated. A thought-provoking tale.
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Thank you, Keith. I think friendship would have eventually made Ariella snap, or perhaps not. I plan on doing something more with the story. So glad you enjoyed!
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Dear Susan,
I love this story. It sounds like a bit of hero worship might have been mingled with that first love. One of my very first crushes was on our rabbi’s son. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So glad you enjoyed, Rochelle. 🙂 Yes, I think hero worship, forbidden fruit, and raging hormones each played a role.
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The tragedy here is that she spent 20 years longing for what she knew she would never have. One wonders what she missed out on along the way.
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Agreed. Unfortunately she will never know. There is nothing worse than being “stuck in love.” I think I may do something more with this story. I appreciate your comments!
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She needs to get out of there, there is more to love than a simply gaze.
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True, but it all has to start somewhere. Thanks for stopping by!
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Sad, but I reckon she was right not to accept his friendship, at least straight away. That would have made it harder to let go. Give it a little time…
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It’s a difficult situation for sure. Either way she goes, it’s going to be painful.
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I think sometimes you have to know what futility is … but leaving is always hard.
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When it comes to human feelings it’s complicated. The older I get the less I feel I know. Well-written story dealing with complicated feelings.
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Same here, Lisa. I feel more clueless now than I did when I was a toddler. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the story!
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🙂
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