Alida and Grace had been friends for decades since childhood. Alida was arrogant, determined and extroverted comparing to her friend Grace, who seemed humble, careful and introverted. Each of them had a daughter and led a well-off life. A few years later, and not many months apart, both ladies lost their husbands. They run across each other while traveling in Rome. Similar life change and experience drew them closer and renewed their intimate relationship. The last day in Rome with their daughters echoed their previous tour in Rome when they were young. Reflection of the past evoked Alida to unfold a secret she had kept for two decades.
When they were traveling in Rome last time, Grace fell in love with Alida’s fiancée Delphin. Tortured by extreme envy, Alida, pretending to be Delphin, wrote a letter to Grace and asked her out at night. At that time, Roman fever was pandemic. As a matter of fact, Alida assumed Grace would wait for Delphin and therefore got sick, better died, so that she would marry Delphin with no further worry. While Alida intoxicated her success of setting the trap and keeping this secret for such a long time, unexpectedly, Grace told her that Delphin showed up that night and they had a good time together. Alida was shocked because she never thought Grace replied the letter to Delphin. In order to beat Grace, Alida told Grace that she had lived with this man for more than 20 years, while Grace could only treasure the mere memory of being with him for one night even though she might have loved him in her whole life. Unfortunately, Grace told Alida that she had Barbara, her daughter, of whom Alida was fond more than her own daughter. In another word, Barbara was the child of Grace and Delphin. Superficially, Grace was very sick after that night and married soon before Alida. In fact, she did have an affair with Alida’s fiancée and was carrying his baby. So she had to marry her future husband as soon as possible. Alida thought Grace’s illness was a result of Roman fever, which proved her plot was very successful.
Well said.
You always bring in interesting topics to discuss, a good way to spice the life :-)
I appreciate you mind and talent.
Besides friendship, any good relationship should make both parties better, for any relationship is functional to provide what one needs. It is somehow the basis of establishment of a relationship. It is truly unrealistic for someone to only like or admire one person in his/her whole life. So like you said, dealing with the problem within a boundary would reflect one's value.
Girl, you always deepens my thoughts. Your perspectives are always truly appreciated.
I think the real friendship should contribute positively to each other, which includes showing respect to each others life. We can appreciate whoever we like, but with a line. No matter how good one is, there are always better ones in this world. It reflicts one's quality as a person by how she/he dealing with this really.
So we should watch our behavior all the time with the prerequisite of respecting friends and friendship. Thinking friend's husband or wife is better than her/his own is only a delusion, isn't it?
Glad to see you here girl.
Your support keeps me going, RPV.
来源: melly 于 08-01-02 13:50:32 [档案] [博客] [旧帖] [转至博客] [给我悄悄话]
回答: Women are often the worst enemies of women. 由 RPV 于 2008-01-02 09:36:25
I really appreciate.
Well, sounds you know a lot about men and women. LOL
I agree with you. Besides, one's worst enemy is him/herself, in my opinion. Let's put this way, what if she could let go of her envy and keep the secret forever? What if Grace could control her own desire toward Alida's fiancee and respect her friend and their friendship? A Chinese saying:退一步海阔天空。:-))
A girl friend of mine really liked my ex, and ever called him (didn't really knew him well to do that) to ask him for "advice" behind me when we were still married and together. My ex told me afterwards and felt surprised. She was not his type unfortunately.
Wow, what a surprise and an honor!!! The author did it for me.
Since you are so generous, I am gonna move more of your comments you posted last year. I am not patient enough to find your excellent points and writings in Forum. Keeping here would be easier for me to review and record them.
Thanks a lot.
Great minds think alike,归来. The last sentence is very critical. Save the best for the last. LOL
"how many secrets were hidden behind the human being’s masquerade? " limitless.
Unfortunately, this is what a real world like, isn't it?
Men let women down, women let men down. Men betray women and women betray men, but when one woman betrays another woman, something else is lost, friendship, friendship through years. And then women become the worst enemies of women. Who knows exactly what’s happened? Just like the story told. It’s the beauty of reading the story.
I always believe there are many wrong ways to do something, and only one right way. With women, sometimes, there is no right way. At least that’s what I read somewhere else. Just try to find the one woman who’ll always tell you the truth. It’s hard enough to figure out a woman, even if they’re straight with you. If they start lying, you don’t have a prayer.
Anyway, melly, no offense intended against anyone at all, and just a piece of my writing. Thank you for telling us the story. I really enjoyed it and your writing.
Agree!
But what if the girlfriend's boyfriend loves her more? It happens in real life.
If Mrs. Ansle didn’t speak this out, the secrets would keep forever. Actually those kinds of things happen in our real life frequently. I just wonder how many secrets were hidden behind the human being’s masquerade?
Who really won in this invisible fight? Before uncovering the secrets, win-win, :))) but after that, lose-lose.
Thanks for sharing this amazing short story