petite anglaise

smile

14.07.2005 10:52 pmmills & boon, navel gazing

A train carries me in the direction of Paris, away from my lover, at breakneck speed.

There is a plane to be caught the next day, a long-anticipated university reunion to attend in Bath. However, the excitement I felt when I first booked that trip, my elation at the possibility of a weekend where I could slip back ten years and catch a fleeting glimpse of my twenty three year old self, has largely evaporated.

I wish I wasn’t going alone.

I know we will have a fantastic jaunt down memory lane. I also know that I will have to bite my lip so as not to tell anyone who cares to listen with the story of how I met a lovely man two short months ago. A man who fell in love with petite anglaise before he even met me. Nor will I tell them that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I intend to marry him one day.

Every single time I close my eyes, whether it be in a train, a metro, at home in bed, or even, for the briefest second, in front of my monitor at work, I see his face. I taste his skin. Flashbacks to moments of overwhelming intensity cause me to inhale sharply.

Soon after I began writing petite anglaise, the blog was mentioned in the Guardian newsblog. That day I almost skipped around the office. I was unable to share my glee with any of my colleagues, so I hugged my glowing secret to myself.

That is how I feel today. Almost by chance, I have stumbled upon something unbelievably precious, which not many of my nearest and dearest dare to believe in, at this early stage.

I smile a secret smile whenever I think of what we are, and will be.

35 comments

  1. I’m really happy for you that you have found this beautiful love. This is what I have share with mon amoureux for 6 years now, and everyday with him is a wonderful day. Even if we are just watching tv together, or cooking what’s leftover in the fridge. And everytime I think of him when he is not around, I get butterflies in my stomach. Aah l’amour….

    mélanie | 11:09 pm

  2. awww… This is just the best story. Ever. You’re going to have to send out electronic wedding invites—you’ll get fabulous presents! :)

    theinsider | 11:56 pm

  3. Hope of love is good but love itself is just the BEST…congratulations, you, two, PEGF (petite anglaise et grand francais) rule!

    caroline | 12:27 am

  4. YAY!

    *Claps hands wildly*

    Good for you Petite.

    xxx

    PPQ | 12:44 am

  5. Oh my god, you’ve met someone new?

    When did THIS happen?!

    (insert smiley face thing *here*)

    anna | 12:47 am

  6. Forgive my newness, but does this mean you met him through this blog?

    *gasp*

    I feel somewhat dirty for reading it…and a little honored as well.

    Ronica | 1:07 am

  7. I’m jealous! It gave me shivers down my spine when I read your message today. Ouh la la!

    Maurine au bout du monde | 1:23 am

  8. Then it must be true love. When I met my boyfriend, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to be the mother of his children. We are now married and have a 21 month old boy. Congratulations to you.

    Monreve | 3:18 am

  9. To coin a phrase……reading that “warmed the cockles of my heart” Petite.

    Warm wishes to you and your loved one…….

    Kasey | 4:17 am

  10. You are soooo IDA (Internet Display of Affection). Keep it quiet over there. Some of us are trying to study!
    ;)

    nardac | 4:42 am

  11. I, too, am very happy you’ve found someone so special. I know the feeling of being apart from your lover and seeing his face everywhere. Thinking about that last touch, those last words, and of course, the last time you made love. And then you sit and wait for the next time you’ll see him again, while thinking everyday about how it was the last time you did.

    I know exactly what you’re going through. Because I’m still waiting to see my lover for the next time.

    All the best. I’m sure you and this mystery man will have a beautiful future.

    juliana | 4:45 am

  12. Trop mignon, petite! C’est beau, la vie, hein?

    ludivine | 4:46 am

  13. IDA??!!! He he. Love it.

    petite | 7:30 am

  14. My favourite post you’ve ever written. Heart warming.

    Ellie | 11:52 am

  15. I feel somewhat nostalgic for the early days of my relationship with BF (nearly 2 years ago), where we were living 100 miles apart so every second we spent together was precious and every text message was eagerly read and left you with a secret smile and a tear in your eye. The intensity of the Sunday nights where both of us cried in each other’s arms because we would be apart for another week or two…

    Your post reminds me of that time, and also of how lucky I am. Sometimes, when dealing with the stresses and strains of everyday life together, you can start to forget how special that other person is.

    Thanks for reminding me of what it’s all about.

    witho | 1:10 pm

  16. OMG this post is mega monumental. The celebration of true love has just taken your writing to an even higher level.
    Err…Am I the only bloke who’s enjoying this so much?
    Err, again….Why don’t you want to tell everybody at the reunion about your happiness?

    Parkin Pig | 1:27 pm

  17. Presumably you felt the same about Tadpole’s father or was he just a convenient shag?

    Wulvern | 1:55 pm

  18. Love is inconprehensible until you are in it. I am so thankful for my love, with whom, like Monrave, I knew within a month I was in love with and wanted a family with. Congratulations, Petite!

    Leslie | 3:13 pm

  19. Petite, does this new love have a brother?!

    Gab | 5:21 pm

  20. Well, since the combined bureaucracy of German and French post and trains has just robbed me of my weekend visit, thanks for reminding me of what I’m missing. Going to eat a big vat of chocolate now.

    EasyJetsetter | 5:44 pm

  21. It’s a Mills and Boon moment in the worst sense.

    Sarah Mackenzie | 8:14 pm

  22. Oh

    backroads | 10:04 pm

  23. No Parkin Pig - there’s at least two of us!

    Martin | 11:18 pm

  24. I’m so happy for you, Petite! That’s so amazing! I hope it works out for you!

    Taarna | 1:43 am

  25. Is there anywhere more perfect than Paris when you are in love? Enjoy!

    Pat | 12:14 am

  26. I’m happy for you. I know the feeling, because I have just met a lovely French lady who has come to Angleterre to live; in fact she comes from Paris. (I have always wanted to live in France, but never had the courage to move!)We are both getting on in years, but are still young at heart, and enjoy being together. Enjoy your love and your life.

    Keith | 1:47 am

  27. no parkin’ pig - there’s four of us now!

    cool for you petite - that is an unbelievable place to be!

    jan | 2:06 am

  28. Isn’t love the best? Sigh.

    Karla | 3:30 am

  29. Sarah - please note that I have created a new category, in your honour!

    petite | 9:47 am

  30. As always, in awe, Petite…

    This comment perhaps more to do with Def of Frustration, but just *had* to share…
    I’m currently nationality-less - no Brit passport, never asked for French nationality when got married as thought probably not necessary. As I’m taking our three kids to England in two weeks time, I need to find means of taking them out of the country. As British passports for all will now cost 320 Euros, I figured could be time to get cursed Identity Card. Trundle off to Mairie, and what do they tell me? *I’ve been married too long!!!!*
    If I want to be so**ing French, I have to follow the procedure for immigrants. After seven years of marriage, 3 kids born on French soil and all the impot, paying the caisse de retrait and having to put up with SNCF, Bouygues bloody telecom, French education system, government of past-best-before-date-morons etc etc etc.
    310 Euros seems pretty reasonable to stay Brit actually.

    Lucy-Jane in Rennes | 11:50 am

  31. The last comment from Lucy-Jane in you know where makes me wonder, Petite. Are you still pursuing your strangely motivated quest for French nationality?

    Parkin Pig | 12:08 pm

  32. PP - Yes. Insofar as my birth/adoption certificates are sitting in my desk drawer with apostilles from the Foreign office stuck on the back, while I try to find the motivation and cash to spend 70€ per doc on getting them translated.

    I have the rest, including criminal records etc, apart from a letter from the taxman to say my payments are up to date.

    So, progress is being made. Slowly.

    petite | 2:29 pm

  33. Juste pour te mettre du baume au coeur Petite, I spent about 1000 euros in translations and medical and English tests to get my permanent residency here 2 years ago. This year I applied for the citizenship and they wanted a translation of my birth certificate which I already had to provide for the residency. So I gave them the same papers and they said that the citizenship department doesn’t have the same approved translators agencies as the residency department so I had to pay 35 more euros to get my birth certificate translated by yet another agency!!! This is mad!

    Maurine au bout du monde | 6:40 am

  34. That’s funny. I shouldn’t forget just how successful M&B are. I hope for success for you too. Really. I guess I prefer the less lovey-dovey stuff that’s all ;-) So I’ll continue reading and just filter. I’ll be a filter feeder.

    Sarah | 5:42 pm

  35. PS I have to send this link to as many people as possible it is so intriguing. Happy. Sad. Desperate. Funny. And I’m thinking… a challenge… I wonder if your readers would recognise your secret were you to post one here. Hmm…

    http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

    Sarah | 6:13 pm

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