Tag: Short Story About Love

Part 40: “London Delights: Discover Hyde Park MagicPart”

Trisha strolled through Hyde Park, utterly charmed by its vastness amidst the city bustle. With the sun grinning down like a Cheshire cat, the park buzzed with activity – locals and tourists mingled, children played, and tourists whizzed by on rental bikes like colorful streaks of confetti. Amidst the kaleidoscope of blooms, Trisha paused to admire the playful squirrels darting among the trees, feeling the sun’s warm embrace on her skin.

As she watched one particularly industrious squirrel, busy burying a nut, Trisha couldn’t help but grin. Taking a sip from her trusty water bottle, she soaked in the eclectic mix around her – nannies from far-flung corners of the globe tending to giggling children and a group of friends in chic black hijabs sharing laughter over a picnic spread fit for a magazine shoot.

Suddenly, Trisha’s phone chimed like a cheerful melody, and a grin spread across her face – it was her mother calling. “Hey, Mom?” Trisha answered, finding a quiet spot on an empty bench.

“Trisha, darling, how’s my little Londoner?” her mother’s voice bubbled over the line.

“Mom, I’m at Hyde Park, and it’s like a scene from a movie. I half-expect Hugh Grant to come walking past,” Trisha chuckled.

“Well, aren’t you just living your best life? You’re like a post-divorce poster girl,” her mother teased.

Trisha laughed. “I’ll take that as a compliment, Mom. But seriously, how are you doing?”

“Oh, you know me, darling, planning my next escapade like a true jet-setter. I’ve got a sightseeing bucket list longer than the Thames! It’s exhausting,” her mom replied with a chuckle.

“Ah, the joys of retirement,” Trisha quipped. “But seriously, Mom, you’re an inspiration. You’re living life on your terms.”

“That’s right, Trish. Happiness is an inside job, and you’ve got to be your architect. Speaking of happiness, I may have slipped a little extra pocket money into your account,” her mom confessed.

“Mom, you’re a legend! But seriously, you didn’t have to do that,” Trisha protested.

“I know, but I’m your mom; it’s my prerogative to spoil you rotten. Consider it a little insurance policy for those rainy days,” her mom insisted.

Trisha couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Mom. You’re the best!”

“Take care, darling. And don’t forget to live a little,” her mom said warmly.

“Bye, Mom,” Trisha replied, ending the call and tucking her phone back into her bag. She settled onto the bench, taking in the scene around her. Two little girls nearby were playing with their dolls, a scene that tugged at Trisha’s heartstrings, reminding her of simpler times.

Lost in thought, Trisha’s mind drifted to Luca’s text message. She felt nervous about dinner with him, but her inner voice urged her to seize the moment. Trisha rummaged through her bag with a decisive nod and replied to Luca. She was going to have dinner with him tomorrow, and she couldn’t wait to see where the evening would take her. With a spring in her step, she set off towards Kensington Palace, ready for whatever adventure lay ahead.

Part 39: “Whispers of Dinner: Igniting Romance”

 “I am asking you to have dinner with me.” He said in a whispering tone.

“Erhmm, I don’t know you, Luca.” Her voice was hesitant.

Luca took his wallet out and handed Trisha his business card. Trisha took the card. He worked in sales and marketing for a big oil company.

“Now you know what I do for a living. If you want to know more about me, you can check my LinkedIn page.  Can I now take you to dinner? Please.”

 “Dinner sounds great”. She could always make something up later and cancel, she said to herself.

 “You made my day. Can I have your phone number, please?”

Trisha hesitated for a few seconds, then gave Luca her number. She could permanently block him if he turned out to be a psycho. In the worst-case scenario, she would have to change numbers.

“I will call you later today. They have planned some dinners with clients I must attend to.”

Two hours later, Trisha was in her hotel room. She flipped onto the bed and felt tired. The commute to the hotel had been easy; there was a direct line to where her hotel was.

Trisha looked through the brochures she had picked up at the front desk.  Then she walked to the window and opened the net curtains. There was a small park across the street; children played while their parents sat on the benches and looked at their phones. Trisha loved the white terraced  Victorian houses. Her hotel was in a Victorian house with a beautifully high ceiling. Her room was small but had everything she needed. The bed had a white duvet with a charming grey bedspread. There was a nightstand with a complimentary water bottle, a small desk, and a modern bathroom stocked with plush, fluffy towels and luxury soaps.

Trisha heard her alarm going off. Since she was tired, she had decided to take a nap. She turned the alarm off and looked at the ceiling. “Five more minutes, Trisha,” she said, rolling on her side. She heard a car honking and someone shouting and cursing.  Her phone bleeped; she had received a text message. Trisha picked up her phone, expecting it would be her mother sending her a text message, but much to her surprise, it was a message from Luca.

“I am thrilled to have met you today. Can I take you to dinner tomorrow evening?

Luca.”

Trisha read the text message a few times. She hadn’t expected a text from him this soon. She rolled over and looked at the ceiling. Should she go to dinner with him? What if he expected something more than having dinner? He wasn’t her type. On the other hand, he seemed to be friendly and sincere, and he did behave like a gentleman. Having dinner with someone instead of eating alone at a restaurant did appeal to her. She added Luca’s number to her phone when she noticed he was texting her with an American number. ‘So he is an American-Italian,” she said to herself. She decided to freshen up and text Luca back later. She didn´t want to come over as desperate. 

Trisha exited the hotel and walked past the Victorian houses to the left. Across the street was another hotel. Trisha walked straight into a busy street. On the left, there was a bar, and at the left, there was a bakery. The bakery was full of people since it was around lunchtime. The sandwiches looked appealing, and Trisha decided to buy one for later. She crossed the road to go into the Tube and chose to go to Hyde Park. “Trisha, we are going to find the sparkle,” she told herself.

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Part 30: “Let me tell you a secret…”

“Let me tell you a secret, Trisha. Men don’t like curvy women. They like slim women, like, well, like me.” She tilted her head and looked at Trisha with a smile.


“You know, Sid is interested in me. I can tell.”


Trisha looked stunned at Jen. What was she talking about?

“Don’t be a naïve duck,” Jen continued with a big smile while she took a strawberry from the buffet and put it in her mouth.


“You know…men like Sid. They like the company of a somewhat more mature woman.” She looked at Trisha from head to toe. “They won’t tell, but I know how these men are. Young, slick, and handsome entrepreneurs… like Sid. They like having women beside them who are or look like models.” Jen said the last sentence softly as if she were sharing a secret with her. “I wonder if he has a six-pack.” She took a sip from her glass of champagne which she was holding in her hand. “Maybe I should get under his shirt or, even better, in his pants. I wonder what kind of boxers he is wearing.” Jen looked dreamy at her glass of champagne and sighed deeply.


Trisha didn’t know where this conversation was going. She decided not to say anything and scooped up some strawberries.


“Trisha, Trisha, look at you. I can tell that you are not his type. You are curvy, and on top of that, your skin colour. It doesn’t match his skin tone. Don’t you think so? He is light-skinned, and you are what, milky chocolate brown.” Jen laughed with pressed lips. “Let me tell you a secret. When I was growing up, we had Indian neighbours. One of those girls was a friend of mine. A beautiful light-skinned girl who fell in love with a boy who was a few shades darker than she was.” She looked dramatically at Trisha and took a sip from her champagne. “I think he was the same shade as you are if I remember it well. I don’t have to tell you what happened, right? Ooh, hmmm, just in case, let me tell you that it was not a they all lived happily after all. Jen took another sip from her champagne. “Well, I better leave you to it.” She looked at Trisha’s plate. “My mom used to say that only pigs pile up their plates.” She looked disgusted at Trisha, gave her a wicked smile, and slowly turned around and walked away confidently.


Trisha watched as Jen walked to the bar holding the plate with both hands. She looked perfect in her red spaghetti dress with a high side slit. The dress was most definitely a size 6. Her expensive shoes and handbag complemented her look. Trisha had to admit she looked gorgeous.