Setting out on the Honeymoon Trail, they all had something in common — expectations. The couple who expected to be sealed for eternity to one another; the bride expecting to hear her name; the groom expecting later forgiveness. Honeymoons have been around for ages with the expectant hope of future happiness.
But honeymoons don’t just apply to marriage. It can be any period of high expectations. Writers chased after the possibilities on the trail. Some took it easy. Some did not.
The following stories are from the March 9, 2017 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a honeymoon story.
***
A Secret Garden by Liz Husebye Hartmann
She closes her eyes, imagining the garden in springtime.
New-sprouted shoots, sharp contrast to dew-darkened soil, velvet massage of black dirt on bare soles. Her fingers reach deep, homebase for a riot of flowers interspersed with vegetables. The scent of all these possibilities the only polish her roughened nails ever need.
Over the coming months, weeds and drought will exhaust the spring honeymoon. With luck, summer showers, or freakish hailstorm will raise sensual petrichor, reminiscent beginnings. What had wilted will rise again, firm against a thin blue sky.
She opens her eyes, strokes her husband’s hand.
He smiles, bemused.
###
The Honeybees Made it Happen by Mike Vore
Spring and the flowers were just beginning to bloom and the honeybees were busy pollinating, and collecting nectar. Back in the hive through the summer the nectar would ripen into honey. Then came early autumn and the beekeeper harvested some of the honey, not all. He left plenty for the hive to live through the coming winter.
Back in the barn, the beekeeper began fermenting some of the best honey, soon it would be ready to bottle as Mead and be ready to serve at his daughter’s wedding in the spring, and as a perfect gift for the honeymoon.
###
Shivaree by Ann Edall-Robson
Creeeek. The sound of the old double rocker made her smile. A wedding gift he’d made sixty years ago. Silly gift when there was so much else they’d needed. Their grandchildren referred to the day they married as the old days. There’d been no honeymoon, ranch chores didn’t allow time away, but neighbours and friends made sure there was a celebration. Everyone crammed into their tiny cabin. Partying until the sun came up and it was time to milk the cows. A shivaree, in all its noisy splendor. Their whole life together had been their style of honeymoon. Creeeek.
###
Over the Honeyed Moon by Bill Engleson
“It just ain’t the same, Jake.”
“How so, Sapling?”
“Well, before we got hitched, she was all sweet and cuddly.”
“And now?”
“Still cuddly. Sweet, not so much. And she’s got quite a mouth on her these days. I think the honeymoon’s over.”
“It had to end sometime. Is that so bad?”
“Jake, she’s always talking. It’s like she’s always got something on her mind.”
“Hmmm. A woman with ideas. That’s a honeymoon killer.”
“Don’t be a smartass, Jake. I like that she’s smart. It’s just…”
“What?”
“Jake, I think she’s smarter than I am.”
“Women usually are, Sapling.”
###
The First Day by Allison Maruska
Twenty-five sets of eyes look up at me from the carpet, eager to hear the first story I’ll read to them. They sit in perfect criss-cross-applesauce formation, a leftover from their first-grade experience.
Such bright young eyes. Half an hour in, and I can tell this will be a good year.
As I crack open my worn copy of The First Day Jitters and read the opening lines aloud, a girl cries out. “Ow! Stop!”
I check her nametag. “What’s wrong, Cheyenne?”
“Bryce pulled my hair!”
The boy behind her grins mischievously.
I sigh. Is the honeymoon over already?
###
The Honeymoon Period by Geoff Le Pard
Rupert sipped the tea. ‘She’s a nightmare. Total dragon.’
Mary smiled; Rupert always exaggerated the downsides. ‘It’s a bit early to decide that.’
Rupert shrugged. ‘As a new boss, you’d think she’d find out what we can do first. Allow a honeymoon period for settling in.’
‘Well I hope it’s better than my honeymoon. We lost the luggage, Paul broke his toe on the first day and I got an infected mozzie bite.’
‘Sounds grim.’
‘Not really; we got to spend a lot of time in our room.’ She winked.
‘Muuuuum that’s gross.’
Mary laughed. ‘Every cloud, you know.’
###
What Lies Beneath (Jane Doe Flash Fiction) by Deborah Lee
“And after ninety days we offer health insurance, dental and vision, along with Aflac, HSA, and a 401(k) with 3% matching 3%.”
State-of-the-art technology, nice offices overlooking the river, attractive furniture and art on the walls. Coffee right in the building, restaurants nearby. A good, busy workload.
She’d thought she’d landed in heaven. Did it get any better?
Well, she sure couldn’t see how it could have turned out worse, Jane reflected. The job from hell.
At least ending up unemployed and homeless had helped her lose the weight she’d packed on, soothing her anxiety with lattes and muffins.
###
Honeymoon by D. Avery
People often remarked that Sarah and Sam made a handsome couple, both tall, both fit. Sarah would never have settled for a shorter man. At nearly six feet tall, a short man made her feel self-conscious and awkward, too tall. She and Sam looked good in public.
In private, the honeymoon was over. Sam berated her and belittled her. Eventually she became cringing and silent. He had affairs with women of all shapes and sizes. She didn’t speak out.
They were a good looking couple. They would remain married. But Sarah’s hopes had shrunk and she felt very small.
###
Honeymoon Dreams by Norah Colvin
Marnie sat on the bed, legs drawn up, chin pressed into her knees, hands over her ears. “Stop it! Stop it!” she screamed inside. Why was it always like this? Why couldn’t they just get over it? Or leave? She’d leave; if only she had somewhere to go. She quivered as the familiar scenario played out. Hurts and accusations unleashed: “Fault”. “Tricked”. “Honeymoon”. “Bastard”. Marnie knew: she was their bastard problem. He’d storm out. She’d sob into her wine on the couch. Quiet would reign, but briefly. Marnie knew he’d be into her later, and she? She’d do nothing.
###
Honeymoon by Etol Bagam
They met very young and were best friends forever.
Then each went on with their separate lives.
But all the time, they still had each other at the depths of their minds.
One day, they meet again.
They look at each other and see time flying backwards all the way to their childhood together.
“Hey, It’s been so long without seeing you”.
“Yes, I missed so much.”
They hold hands for the first time in ages, and from that time on, they never went apart again.
As if they were in a constant honeymoon.
Their time had finally come!
###
Honeymoon by Pensitivity
The ceremony was an extremely private and personal affair with just nine people including the bride and groom. They held their wedding ‘breakfast’ in a pub function room, complete with homemade wedding cake.
It was the Honeymoon Suite that started their marriage on a riotous note, bunk beds in an inside cabin on the overnight ferry to Holland.
They could not do anything in the nuptials line for laughing at either hitting heads, elbows or backsides, and the novelty of a flush suction loo was just too much for the bride who had never been abroad, or aboard, before.
###
First Night by Kerry E.B. Black
Melinda’s fingers trembled as she applied sheer lipstick and adjusted her frilly negligee. She recalled Pachelbel’s Canon, timing her heartbeats to its smooth rhythm as she had her footfalls six hours earlier. She had forgotten to lower her veil, and her father’s shocked expression when he went to raise it for her give-away kiss made her giggle. Rosemary and carnations scented the air, and almond lotion softened her skin. Removing the hairpins and brushing out the up-do took an hour.
Her groom knocked. Butterflies assailed her as she opened to him.
He said, face stony, “We made a mistake.”
###
Honeymoon by Robert Kirkendall
The young couple checked into the hotel and quickly dashed to their honeymoon suite. Fresh from their wedding and brimming with lust, they ripped at each other’s clothes as they commenced to make love. Their bodies entangled as they writhed around passionately on the heart shaped bed. Their hot, gyrating flesh formed into a single mass as they became connected body and soul.
“Oh, Sandy darling!” the man cried out. “You’re the best. Don’t stop! You do this so good!”
The woman abruptly stopped and looked at her husband crossly. “Dear, why are you screaming out your own name?”
###
Honeymoon by Hugh W. Roberts
Sylvia looked at her new husband. She was so lucky to have found him. When he had told her that he’d do anything for her, she knew he would never go back on his word.
Showing off her long legs on the night of their honeymoon, she could tell that Marty was eager to get started.
“You love my legs, don’t you?”
Marty moved closer and, with little effort, mounted her.
Three minutes later, Marty was dead and Sylvia was already working at cocooning his hairy body. Life as a female spider meant women were always the superior species.
###
Honeymoon by FloridaBorne
Windows etched in a cliff appeared as part of a rock formation to sailboats gliding by. Only royalty lived this close to the surface, waiting for the slow process of terraforming to eliminate Earth’s present population in another 200 years.
“Surrogate 98334,” her new husband said. “We’re allotted 2 hours in the honeymoon suite.”
“We’ll live 1000 feet underground with one child,” she sighed. “I’ll spend 200 years having babies for the rich.”
He pushed her over the table, quickly completing the consummation. Both peered out the window in awe, never to be this close to the sky again.
###
Honeymoon by Michael
Our honeymoon occurred when the Eagles were in full flight. We had the latest CD and played it long and hard as we drove from one honeymoon destination to another.
We liked taking it easy, that notion sat well with us. At each place we stopped we’d get settled as quickly as possible, take out a beer or two and sit out front of where we were staying and watch the world go by.
We met a lot of people, we ate a lot of food, we made love every day, it was a time for cementing our marriage.
###
Mooning for a View by Jules Paige
They say it is good luck for it to rain on your wedding day.
But on the day you travel for your honeymoon too? It
had started with ‘No room at the airport inn’ – to catch
a plane to just across the border (before you needed
a passport to get there) to the resort that wouldn’t run
the ski lift except on weekends, when there wasn’t snow
– so they missed that adventure.
Her grabbing the wrong groom…in the crowd when
they got separated – gave them a laugh. At least
they got to ride the ‘Maid of the Mist’.
###
Honeymoon at Niagara by Joe Owens
From the walkway overlooking Niagra Falls Jessie felt the awesome splendor of this gorgeous wonder. She felt like that with Sam once, but now they were married.
“Promise me!”
“Anything,” Sam said, taking her hand.
“Promise we won’t be boring.”
“Never!”
“I’m serious!”
“Not on your life. Stories will be written about us through eternity.”
“You’re right, this place is amazing!”
Actually I got a complaint a little earlier,” Sam said.
“From who?”
“The star of the show,” Sam said motioning over his shoulder with his thumb at the roaring water. “You’re upstaging it.”
That drew Jessie’s beautiful smile.
###
Without the Wedding by Anne Goodwin
We cancelled the wedding, but I was determined to have my holiday. My bridesmaid, and my mother, tried to dissuade me – or invite them along. But what was the point of feminism if a girl couldn’t honeymoon alone?
Admittedly, I wept into my champagne on the aeroplane, but the woman on the seat beside me made me smile. Turned out she was also travelling solo, and en route to the same resort.
Back home, I moved in with her, considered marriage but her church turned us down. I’m not overly disappointed. Our honeymoon photos are sublime.
###
The Honeymoon by Reena Saxena
This picture from our honeymoon album is just so perfect. We kept looking dreamily at the horizon with its magnificent colors, unmindful of the hard rocks beneath. We believed that love would conquer all difficulties.
Darkness spread its tentacles into our life, soon. Jack suffered from a congenital health problem, and could not work. I had no issues about being the sole breadwinner, but he turned into a nasty and suspicious partner. The moon has its waxing and waning phases, and so does married life.
I live in anticipation of the Full Moon to shine in my life, again.
###
Under a Honey Moon (from Rock Creek) by Charli Mills
Cobb fiddled for the Christmas festivities, his gaze lingering always on Mary. How long had it been since her husband looked at her like under a couple’s honey moon?
After the final reel, Cobb spoke to his father before joining Mary. James returned with a rocking chair and set it in front of her. Its hickory gleamed dark and gold. James was renowned for his craftsmanship.
“It’s yours,” he said.
“Oh!” Mary sunk into the smooth seat, rocking silently. She smiled up at father and son.
James clapped Cobb’s shoulder. “My son made that for you.”
“Forgive me, Mary?”
###
Honeymoon by Enkin Anthem
50 years. Her grandparents were married for half a fucking century, and now they spent their second honeymoon on a mediterranean cruise. The card was from Nice, oozing sunshine and happiness.
Acrid bile gathered in her throat as she took the next paper from the pile of mail.
A letter from her lawyer. No divorce in her circle had ever been peaceful, and hers wouldn’t be either.
Three years ago, she had believed – and sworn an oath – that it would be forever. But nothing was forever, not for her generation.
If Paul wanted a war, he would get a war.
###
Lunch by Pete Fanning
“So have you talked to Mom?”
Emma’s hair is sheared and jarring. I suppose that’s the point.
“I called, but…”
She nods. I miss her mop of curls, soft on my chin when she’d nuzzle her head on my chest. Now it’s purple.
“Look. I know it’s hard, Dad, but…Mom’s moved on.”
Those curls. That giggle. Checking the closet for Snapper Dragons. She held us together all those years.
“Anyway,” Emma’s eyes flick across the diner. No longer wide and adoring but fierce. Those of a dragon slayer. Even now she looks like Tegan.
“Why don’t you try dating?”
###
Honeymoon Love Letter by Luccia Gray
He refused, yet again. Why wouldn’t they leave him alone? He would never share Charlotte’s love letter.
Dearest husband, the word seems strange, yet marvellous, my husband, at last. You are dearer to me today than you have ever been, yet less than you shall be tomorrow. I shall never forget the wild nights spent in Bangor, or the gleams of sunshine which woke us every morning. I love you, Charlotte.
Arthur folded the letter he had read every day since his wife passed away, fifty years ago, and tucked it back under his shirt, close to his heart.
###
So many great stories!
I’m surprised at how many are about failed marriages. It’s funny. I’ve said “I do” 5 times, but I still recognize that many people (I know some of them) who have been married 40 years don’t know what to do if their other half isn’t by their side.
Some days, all you have is each other. If it’s right, that can get you through a world of crises. 🙂
It’s always interesting to see the different themes that pop up. There were a few unhappy honeymoons, but I think it’s better to have the option to redo the I-do than to be stuck forever after. I found Kerry’s flash to be haunting in the sense that the character seems to have little power over her own life and was willing to be a wife, only to get rejected. Good writing this week over all! Get ready to go down the rabbit hole!
Interesting to see all the different styles of ‘honeymoons’ that came to be written about. Great compilation as always, Charli.
There was a sweet progression of honeymoons, and I let those lead as they unfolded into the unexpected, anticipated and failed. It’s always my favorite part of the challenge!