Bridge of Life

“Remember all the special things about your love in life. Use them to make romantic times that bit more special. Even if they’re a little weird.”

I wrote this poem in answer to the following prompts:
Fandango’s Story Starter 1 – Don’t You Dare Come Closer.
Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie– Photo challenge — The picture above
Pensitivity’s Three Things Challenge — Cast – Mast – Vast
Word of the Day Challenge – Upheaval

Bridge of Life

“Don’t you dare come any closer!” Lily said over the rumble and swish of the traffic passing beneath the bridge.

“What? Why?” said Ned looking miffed in the orange light of the street lamp. As romantic dates went, spending the night on the motorway overpass bridge beneath the phone mast, had to be the weirdest. Unless this was where you met the love of your life, of course.

“I’ll jump!” Lily set her chestnut hair free from its scrunchie. She smoothed the brown striped jumper and curled her back over the railing. In that way, she cast her vision upside down into the headlights of the vast line of traffic passing beneath her.

“Please, Lily. Don’t be silly!” Ned held out his hands. “Please, come away from the railing and let me hold you.”

“No, stay away or I’ll jump!” Lily leaned further back over the edge.

“Hey! Have you any idea of the upheaval you’ll cause. All those innocent people in the cars will crash and may die. You will be dead and I’ll be forced to jump off this bridge too.” Ned said feeling sick with fear.

“Why would you jump?” Lily asked.

“Because I love you, silly. I don’t have a reason to live unless it’s with you.” Ned offered her his hands again. “Now, please come back to me.”

 Lily demonstrated the lithe strength she possessed as she rolled her back straight and smiled at him. Turning a cartwheel into a front flip, she landed in his arms with the gracefulness of the gymnast she was.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” he said as they brushed noses and kissed.

“That was the sweetest thing anybody’s ever said to me.” Lily pressed her forehead against his absorbing his energy in a way that left her tingling. “I love you, Ned.”

“Then why were you going to jump?” Ned asked as he began to turn her in soft circles. Not even the roar of the lorry beneath them could break the spellbinding moment.

“I wasn’t. I just wanted to see how you’d react.” Lily grinned.

“You cheeky! Well, how’d I do?”

“A-star! You are the perfect romantic gentleman,”

The couple kissed and then he turned her back to him and held her tight. “I love how the cars shine a spotlight upon our souls. The stars above, the audience twinkling their approval of our love.”

“Aww – then phone mast must be transmitting pictures of us surrounded in hearts to the world.”

“Bloody hope not!” Ned turned her into a pirouette and bent her back to kiss her like the finale of a romantic dance.

She reached up and blocked the kiss with a finger on his nose. “Why?”

“If pictures of us on this bridge get out of the world. The police will arrive and arrest us.”

“Oh,” Lily giggled and permitted him the kiss. “Yes, I would rather an engagement ring over a pair of police bracelets.”

“Oh, you would?” Ned raised his eyebrows as they began walking hand-in-hand across the bridge to their waiting car.

“Yes, would you?”

Ned nodded, “Yes, not getting arrested would be the best way to go.”

Lily stopped, “And the engagement ring?”

“I don’t need one of those.”

“Oh, well never mind then,” Lily shrugged and moved a step ahead.

“Let’s go buy some pizza, my treat,” Ned said as he opened her car door for her.

Lily ducked inside, “That’ll be — owee!”

“What’s wrong?” Ned dropped to a knee to help her.

“I sat on some —” Lily had drawn a small velvet box from beneath her. She looked from it to Ned with a joyous grin.

“See, I don’t need engagement rings. I already have some,” Ned smiled and kissed her. “Will you wear yours?”

“Forever and always,” Lily opened the box and allowed him to take and place the white gold ring on her finger. He had a similar one for him as well.

“Thank you, sweetheart. A slice of pepperoni pizza will be heaven-lily, now,” Ned beamed as he climbed behind the wheel and headed off with her into the rest of their lives together.

The End

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Thanks for reading my friends.

There’s more in the Poetry Corner, Poetry Nook, and the Short Story Collection

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