Love is a Verb
Return to Paradise
重返爱天堂
Lisa stood facing the Caribbean Sea， feeling the faint breeze against her face； her eyes were shut and she felt the white sand warm between her bare toes. The place was beautiful beyond belief， but it was still unable to ease the grief she felt as she remembered the last time she had been here.
She had married James right here on this spot three years ago to the day. Dressed in a simple white shift dress， miniature white roses attempting to tame her long dark curls， Lisa had been happier than she had ever thought possible. James was even less formal， yet utterly irresistible in creased summer trousers and a loose white cotton shirt. His dark hair was slightly ruffled and his eyes were full of adoration as he looked at his bride to be. The justice of the peace had read their vows as they held hands and laughed at the sheer joy of being young， in love and staying in a five star resort on the Caribbean island of the Dominican Republic. They had seen the years blissfully stretching ahead of them， together forever. They planned their children， two she said； he said four so they compromised on three （two girls and a boy of course）； where they would live， the travelling they would do together—it was all certain， or so they had thought then.
But that seemed such a long time ago now. A lot can change in just a few years—a lot of heartache can change a person and drive a wedge through the strongest ties， break even the deepest love. Three years to the day and they had returned， though this time not for the beachside marriages the island was famous for， but for one of its equally popular quickie divorces.
Lisa let out a sigh that was filled with pain and regret. What could she do but move on， find a new life and new dreams？—the old one was beyond repair. How could this beautiful place， with its lush green coastline， eternity of azure blue sea and endless sands be a place for the agony she felt now？
The man stood watching under the palm tree. He couldn’t take his eyes off the dark-haired woman he saw standing at the water’s edge， apparently gazing out to sea as though she was waiting for something—or someone. She was beautiful， with her slim figure dressed in a loose flowing cotton dress， her crazy hair and bright blue eyes not far off the colour of the sea itself. It wasn’t her looks that attracted him though； he came across many beautiful women through his work as a freelance photographer. It was her loneliness and intensity that lured him. Even at some distance he was aware that she was different from any other woman he could ever meet.
Lisa sensed the man approaching even before she turned around. She had been aware of him standing there staring at her and had felt strangely calm about being observed. She looked at him and felt the instant spark of connection she had only experienced once before. He walked slowly towards her and they held each other’s gaze. It felt like meeting a long lost friend—not a stranger on a strange beach.
Later， sitting at one of the many bars on the resort， sipping the local cocktails they began to talk. First pleasantries—their hotels， the quality of the food and friendliness of the locals. Their conversation was strangely hesitant considering the naturalness and confidence of their earlier meeting. Onlookers， however， would have detected the subtle flirtation as they mirrored each other’s actions and looked directly into each other’s eyes. Only later， after the alcohol had had its loosening effect， did the conversation deepen. They talked of why they were here and finally， against her better judgment， Lisa opened up about her heartache of the past year and how events had led her back to the place where she had married the only man she believed she could ever love. She told him of things that had been locked deep inside her， that she had so far been able to tell no one. She told him how she had felt after she had lost her baby.
She was six months pregnant and the happiest she had ever been when the pains had started. She was staying with her mother as James was working out of town. He hadn’t made it back in time. The doctor had said it was just one of those things and that they could try again. But how could she when she couldn’t even look James in the eye？ She hated him then， for not being there， for not hurting as much as her； but most of all she hated him for looking so much like the tiny baby boy that she held for just three hours before they took him away. All through the following months she had withdrawn from her husband， family， and friends—not wanting to recover from the pain she felt—that would have been a betrayal of her son. At the funeral she had refused to stand next to her husband and the next day she had left him.
Looking up， Lisa could see her pain reflected in the man’s eyes. For the first time in months she didn’t feel alone， she felt the unbearable burden begin to lift from her— only a bit， but it was a start. She began to believe that maybe she had a future after all and maybe it could be with this man， with his kind hazel eyes， wet with their shared tears.
They had come here to dissolve their marriage， but maybe there was hope. Lisa stood up and took James by the hand and led him away from the bar towards the beach where they had made their vows to each other three years ago. Tomorrow she would cancel the divorce； tonight they would work on renewing their promises.
莉萨伫立在加勒比海边，面向着大海，感受微风轻拂脸颊——她闭上双眼，裸露的脚趾间拥满了温暖的沙粒。这个地方美得简直令人难以置信，但回忆起上次在这的情景时，此般美景依然无法抚慰心中的伤痛。
三年前的今天，莉萨就是在这里和詹姆斯结婚的。她身着简洁的白色长礼裙，小小的白玫瑰服贴、点缀着她又黑又长的卷发，如此的幸福感是她从未企及的。詹姆斯的装扮更休闲，一条带摺的清凉夏裤和一件宽松的白色棉质衬衫，配上一头稍稍凌乱的黑发，然而他看上去依然是魅力不可挡，当他凝视着自己的准新娘时，眼神里写满了爱意。他们手牵手，聆听太平绅士宣读他们的誓言。他们为年轻而欢呼，为爱情而雀跃，为身处多米尼加共和国加勒比岛屿的五星级胜地而陶醉。他们似乎看到未来的幸福之路在眼前展开，直至相携到老。他们商量着生孩子的事，她说要两个，他却想要四个，最终各退一步，决定生三个（当然是两女一男）。他们计划着安居的地方，计划着一起旅游——所有事情都显得顺理成章，或者大约他们当时便想到这些。
然而这一切似乎是许久以前的事了，短短几年时间就可能发生许多变故。太多的伤痛可以改变一个人，可以破坏最牢固的关系，甚至可以摧毁最刻骨的爱情。三年后的今天，他们又回到了这个岛上，但并非因为此地闻名的海滨婚礼，而是因为此地同样闻名的闪电离婚。
莉萨深深地叹了一口气，带出了心中的痛苦和悲伤。除了继续前行，寻找新生活和新梦想她还能做什么呢？——毕竟旧的已经无法弥补。这里有繁茂的绿色海岸线、无边的蔚蓝大海和绵延的沙滩，可是现在如此美丽的地方怎么就成了她心中无法隐忍的痛？
