M’s author corner

11
1722

Though the calendar may show October, I hope a summer warmth still lingers for you.
“Taste of Summer Love” reminds us that regardless of seasons, tales of love live on forever.

Taste of Summer Love

Every waking hour fills Juliette with anticipation. She welcomes the carefree summer days and nights. Floating through her parent’s fields; an aroma of sweet strawberries spurs her on while her fingers remain a stain of pinkish red. Her younger sisters gobble the fruit, and their red mouths reveal the blatant evidence.

Strawberry fields forever

Each morning her father offloads a drum of spring water in the field for the seasonal pickers to quench their thirsty work. At midday, on her mother’s orders, Juliette carries two baskets, and walks across the field to a makeshift table resting in the shade of an oak tree.

She pulls blue checked napkins off the picnic baskets and lays out boxes of food. That follows with her placing bottles of homemade lemonade on the table. From a nearby shed, she grabs crockery, cutlery, and glassware, stacks them on a tray, and carries everything to the eating area.

“Time for lunch,” she calls to the leader, noting a look of weariness on the workforce’s faces. They traipse towards the wide leafed tree. Taking a plate and lining up, they serve themselves crusty bread, local cheese, and coleslaw. In silence, they sit on the ground to form a circle. Juliette pours lemonade into glasses and hands them out. They smile, nodding in thanks.

The farm next door belongs to a Mr and Mrs Draper. They rear prize sheep and pigs. Juliette’s love is their son, Cian. They meet every day, after back-breaking hours of work. Her muscles relax when his strong hands massage and release the aches. Sometimes Cian presents her with a posy of roses.

Swaying rushes

They hold hands and walk the coastal path, through the sand dunes and swaying rushes. By the wide-open space of the beach, Juliette allows her eyes to wander to the horizon. In the distance, the sea and sky seem to meet. She flips off her dusty old trainers and sinks her toes into the sand. Pure love burns in her heart. She makes a wish. “May these moments with Cian never end.”

One evening, wearing her favourite summer dress, adorned with splashes of pink hearts, they both nestle in the dunes. She watches Cian take a bottle of sparkling wine resting in a chiller pack and carefully he unwraps two glasses from his rucksack. They toast to romance and summer, and he laces his fingers through hers. “Will you be mine for these summer days and autumn nights?” he whispers.

Giddy with excitement, “Yes, yes, a million times, yes,” she replies.
He kisses her rosy lips. Her tousled, honey-hued hair dances in the gentle breeze. Rays of an apricot setting sun paint romantic shadows across two people.

Heady from the sweet bubbly wine, Cian scoops her up ventures into the waves, and places her into the seawater. They swim underneath a canopy of stars. Later, wrapped in towels and in each other’s arms, they lie on the beach until first light.

Autumn sunset over the mountains

Fifteen years Later

Juliette still harvests strawberries in the fields by her childhood home. She feels the heat from the warm sun soothing her back and neck, while watching her children like a protective mother hen. They skip, dance, and sing through the rich crops of berries. Eagerly, picking and filling wooden troughs, they indulge in far too many. Like her children, Juliette enjoys the last harvest of the season, soaking up the spiked colours of green, red, and white. She inhales the mix of heady fruit and the salty tang of the sea.

Taste of Summer love

In this warm autumn light, she recalls times with Cian. She feels his presence by her side. Clasping her hand, they walk again by the seashore. Through the sand dunes and rushes, the sun sets. Memories of their love, regardless of seasons, hold tightly forever.

Image Credits: Miriam McGuirk , Typorama .

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11 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you for another beautiful story, one of warmth, great love and happiness but ending with a tinge of sadness.
    Looking forward to your next story.

  2. I have nothing against Miriam and wish her the very best in her writing career, but her Mills and Boon style and subject matter are not for me. “Giddy with excitement, “Yes, yes, a million times, yes …” Really? Rye News, should you be running this sort of copy in what is meant to be a local news publication? Not everyone is a fan of this romantic fantasy genre of writing and while I have no objection to Rye News promoting a local writer via a one-off feature, I believe it would be preferable to publish a different author’s work each week, or each month, and perhaps encourage younger authors so that new talent can have a chance to shine. Personally, I believe Rye News should focus on news stories and opinion pieces related to local events. Once again, I should point out that I have no beef whatsoever with the featured author, but I really do feel that it’s asking a lot of readers to wade through sentences like “Will you be mine for these summer days and autumn nights?” (a phrase that no man has ever uttered to a woman in the history of the world).

  3. Richard, Mills and Boon is clearly not for you. I guess you must have read a few of their stories based on your comment?
    No one asked you to ‘wade’ through the story. You may be surprised what people say to one another in the privacy of their own homes, on a walk in the countryside. Perhaps not in your world?
    It’s a beautifully written story and with all the sadness and anxiety in our world, how wonderful to have a few minutes in Juliette’s world.
    Happy days.

    • I totally agree. I regard Rye News as a much looked-forward to weekly read, with its wide variety of topics. We all enjoy some of these topics more than others – I have no interest in sports for example, so I tend not to read articles related to this. I would never object to those features being published, though. We have a choice whether to read or not to read any material; especially when we have paid nothing for it.

  4. I have to say that I strongly agree with Richard. The clue is in the title of the publication: Rye News. Readers of it expect to be presented with news stories of local interest. There are plenty of other outlets for ‘Mills and Boon’ prose. I understand that ‘news’ doesn’t neatly present itself each week for the editorial team to fill the paper but I’d rather read a slimmed down one than have this sort of padding.

  5. In next weeks edition of Rye News my Editors report will address various points raised in comments recently and also give you an update on what is going on behind the scenes at Rye News.
    M’s author corner is a monthly feature which will remain as it has proven to be popular but if it’s not for you then we respect that, thankfully there are plenty of other articles to read each week as alternatives. We are always looking to improve where possible and we do listen.

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