Copyright Magaly Guerrero
He smiles tenderly at his young bride.
“If you desire them, you shall have them, beloved,” he says, indicating the gleaming dancing shoes in the shop window, “but you must promise you will dance for me every day.”
She hugs him gratefully.
That evening, sipping champagne on their balcony overlooking the sea, she reaches for his hand.
“How will you feel, dearest, when I am no longer young enough to dance for you?”
He unfurls her fingers to kiss her palm.
“Why, the same way you’ll feel, my love, when I am no longer rich enough to buy dancing shoes.”
Friday Fictioneers is a 100 word story challenge, hosted by the multi-talented Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, which attracts writers from many different countries. Click on the blue linky tool to join in, or at the very least to read and comment on the stories to be found there. Great photo, Magaly!
castelsarrasin 
Tit for tat. Much liked, Sandra
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Thank you Neel.
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Dear Sandra,
They sound like a lovely pair. I love his answer. Beautiful story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Suited and booted to perfection, I think. 🙂
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They should do well together. Your story made me smile, thank you
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Thanks Michael.
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A well-balanced vintage, sweetness and acidity in harmony
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They were made for each other. Thanks for reading, Neil.
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What??? A tender love story with no terrible twist at the end? Who are you and what have you done with Sandra? 🙂
janet
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Ah, my alter ego has struggled to gain control. I’ll deal with that. Thanks for reading, Janet.
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Promises, promises! Well done.
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Thank you!
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Does her love only equal the depth of his riches? Dance for me while I still have a penny! I like it Sandra.
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It would seem so. Thanks for reading, Joe.
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Sandra, your stories touch me. I’m in awe each week. Please tell me you’re writing a longer work.
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Thank you Kecia. I appreciate that, coming from you. No, I’m not writing a longer work, I’m afraid. If it were just about writing books, I’d gladly do that, but these days there’s so much ancillary work to be done, (promotional/publicity etc, which would be a complete nightmare for me) it would turn the task into a penance and not a joy.
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I understand completely. *sigh* I wonder how many great writers are put off by the business side of things? I will miss your novels.
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😉
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Dance me to the end of love…
I really like the ambiguity of the last line which leaves me the choice to believe it was true love or a trade. Great story.
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Thanks for reading Emmy. I like to end on an ambiguous note, though sometimes I think I take it a bit too far. 😉
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Nah… It leaves the reader pondering and imagining. Aand that’s a good thing 🙂
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Perfect. Reminds me of The Gift in which she sells her hair to buy his gift, and he sells something to buy her combs for her hair. Been a long time, can’t remember details. Anyway–nicely done 🙂
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Such a poignant tale that. Bitter sweet. Thanks for reading mine.
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I think she’s met her match here. A great tale Sandra.
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I think so too, Mike. Thanks for reading.
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Lovely, gentle tale.,.,but so unlike the Sandra we have grown used to!!
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Sometimes I’ve had it up to here with bumping people off… 🙂 Thanks for reading Sue.
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Well, a fair point!
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At least he knew, that doesn’t happen to often. 🙂
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Eyes wide open is what I like. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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MMMmmmm…. A gold digger?
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Working at the coal-face, at least. 🙂
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An honest trade and no illusions. At least not from his side.
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You can’t ask for fairer than that. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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I can’t recall who said this but ages ago I had read this reply by a famous old ballet dancer who was asked how she felt about not dancing anymore. Her reply was “my child I move with remembered beauty”.
Nice one Sandra.
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How lovely! Thanks for that quote.
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The way you wrote it was quite clever, inviting the reader to see if the glass was half full or half empty. I can easily see how this could be both tender sentiment or sardonic rebuke. Either way, yes they’d be well suited for each other.
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I think so too, Rommy. Thanks for reading.
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This is a very complex tale… since we don’t know the exact nature of their relationship, or what the exchange actually means. If he is just being playful, the story is sweet and their relationship is wonderful. But if they are both being serious, well… then we need to start thinking about bought affection, about how much they truly care about each other, about what she’s grateful, about what will happen to her once her limbs aren’t what he wants. The same goes for him and his money. You’ve packed so much into these short lines.
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Thanks for reading Magaly. Hopefully they will both take from the relationship what they need. At least he sounds as though he has his feet on the ground. I loved your story today http://magalyguerrero.com/of-first-loves-and-high-heel-shoes/ An ingenious take on the prompt and carefully observed. The last line was perfect. Well done.
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That is so beautiful. My daughter dances, which has taken me beyond the edges of dance…dancers who marry other dancers, dancers snapped up by wealthy men. These two sound lovely.
xx Rowena
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Thanks for reading, Rowena. The world of dance fascinates me.
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Dance fascinates me too, Sandra. I’m only recent convert too. I watch a lot of dance now through my daughter, but I’ve started doing classes. Here’s a link:https://beyondtheflow.wordpress.com/2017/03/28/i-wish-i-had-dance-feet/
Have you read choreographer Twyla Tharp’s book: “The Creative Habit”? I have only just started it but am learning so much through what is essentially cross-training. Usually, I get a writer’s view so I’m hoping her ideas can take me to new places.
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Touche … my dear. Men do like them – some high heeled shoes.
I enjoyed the way you wove this tael, Sandra. Muy Bueno …
Isadora 😎
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Thanks for reading and commenting, Isadora. I enjoyed yours.
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: )
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Great response. I don’t think he has any illusions!
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Best way to enter a relationship, some would say. 🙂 Thanks for reading Clare.
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Ha, nice switch around!
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As you can imagine, here in Arkansas we dance barefoot. That saved me a bundle in buying shoes for Connie. I’ll have enough left to buy her a cane, when the time comes.
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Don’t go mad there, Russell. Save some cash for the other joyous accoutrements of old age.
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I love that this can be taken more than one way. If we choose it to be so, it is sweet!
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Thanks Dale 🙂
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I hpe they’re both right.
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She’ll be like, “He’ll do!” ;-P
Awesome little tale!
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Wow that last line surprised and saddened me, I had thought it was a story of real love until that line.
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I think perhaps she had the same impression. 🙂
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I can almost see these two talking, hint of a smile at the corner of his lips.. Witty couple!
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Love isn’t the abilities of a young woman or the wealth of an old man.
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We all bring different things to a relationship and these things can change over time. Changing together and accepting those changes, that’s the tricky part. Lovely tale Sandra. I have a feeling they’ll be together a long time
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I love an optimist. 🙂
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🙂
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Oh, I loved this – even though I’m not sure of either of their responses.
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The perfect pair! Lovely story.
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I think they truly deserve each other. 🙂
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Whilst everyone’s saying they are the perfect pair and I understand where they are coming from, shouldn’t he be giving with love and without demanding so much in return?
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That’s so cute, Sandra. For a moment, I thought that his young bride was going to fall off the balcony, then I realised that you were taking a week off dark twists and writing something truly romantic 😉
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A lovely story Sandra and an exquisite last line
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I hope those days don’t arrive or, if they do, that they don’t cause too much disappointment for either party.
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A lovely story.
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Such a sweet story 🙂
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