LOVERS MET ON A STROLL

CHAPTER ONE - LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

It was a pleasant sunny afternoon in mid summer 2015, in the city of Losangeles, California, when Paul decided to take a leisurely stroll to a store nearby his home. As he entered the street he saw this slender, beautiful girl, whom he greeted and asked for her name, which she said was, Rochelle.

Paul was utterly amazed and with his beaming eyes open wide, he looked at her and said, "good afternoon beautiful", can I walk with you?" Rochelle replied, "who are you?, I do not walk with strangers" Paul then introduced himself to her, by telling her he was from the community and the son of a well-known Lawyer in the the city, where they lived. Paul proceeded to say , " my father's name is Attorney Peter Marshall, whose office is on Main St. downtown, Losangeles. "I am the son of someone whom I cant afford to deceive, said Paul.

Rochelle was really impressed and felt more comfortable to walk with this stranger, so she accepted his offer. As they slowly walked down the street, Paul told Rochelle how he admired her gentle, soft voice and her beautiful face and figure. He further went on to tell her about his career goal and what his intentions were for the future. As they gingerly walked along the way, their conversation became more and more interesting, so little sparks of love started to fly. "

"What is your real goal in life," asked Rochelle. Paul was surprised to hear this question and quickly answered her. 'I am studying to be a Lawyer, like my Dad, so that I can be his successor. " Oh that's nice, that is a good profession", said Rochelle. She further asked him where he attended school and Paul told her, he attended Harvard University. Rochelle was more encouraged when she heard that and said, "Really, Harvard University? that's an expensive college, of very high grade." "Oh yes, said Paul, it is but I earned a scholarship so my parents do not pay too much.

As the walk continued they conversed with each other, until Rochelle reached her destination at her best friend's house, which was a few blocks away from where she lived. Paul was a bit disappointed that their walk was ended but he thanked her very much for the opportunity to walk with her. Paul verbally said," Rochelle I really enjoyed your company and I would like to be your friend, so can I have your phone number, so we could talk sometimes? I like you very much". She agreed and told Paul she liked him too. They said goodbye and parted company, wishing each other a great day, until they connect again..

CHAPTER TWO - FIRST DINNER DATE

It was about 3 weeks after Paul and Rochelle met,that they eventually became friends. Paul called Rochelle and they talked on the phone almost every day since. After many phone calls since they met, Paul decided to ask her if he could invite her out for dinner on a week end. He said, "Rochelle if you will accept my offer, I would like to take you to a fine dining restaurant in the city, will you come with me?" Rochelle hesitated at first and told Paul she would think about it. The next day she returned the call and said, "Paul I would have to let my parents know about this invitation, since they have never met you". Paul agreed and waited patiently for her reply. Hours later Rochelle called to say she would accept the invitation but it had to be in the afternoon at 3.30pm, instead of in the evening.

Paul was satisfied with the time of Rochelle's convenience, as they had just met and principles were involved. Paul said to Rochelle on the phone, " I am quite ok with that time at 3.30pm, so please let me know what time I can pick you up". Rochelle's replied, "Ok you can come for me at 3pm, I will meet you at the door, so you can come inside to meet my parents." Rochelle was curious as to the reaction of her parents to Paul, so she told her Mom about Paul's ambition and his father's profession. Her Mom was also impressed to hear about the kind of family Paul had and was pleased to meet him, so she could see what he looked like.

Paul was very punctual and arrived at Rochelle's house at 2.55pm. He rang the door bell and she came to the door to meet him. Rochelle peeped through the peep hole on the door to make sure it was Paul. She opened the door and said, " Paul, come on in and meet my parents". As he entered the livingroom he saw Rochelle's parents sitting in the Loveseat together. Paul said to them, " Good afternoon Mr and Mrs Weinstein, I am Paul Marshall and it is my pleasure to meet both of you. They greeted him in a welcoming manner with a smile and told him he could have a seat.

Mrs Weinstein asked, " How are you doing and do you still live with your parents? . Paul replied, " I am doing great Mrs Weinstein and I am still living at home, since I do not graduate college yet." I am going to Law school and I will finish next year. " " Oh so you are going to be a Lawyer and may I ask what kind of law would you be practicing?". " I am studying to be an Immigration Lawyer, since there are so many illegal immigrants in the country who needs help and there are many other areas in immigration that needs my service", said Paul. Mrs weinstein told him he was in a good field of work. Paul thanked her and it was Mr Weinstein's time to ask questions. He said, " Paul I heard the converstion between you and my wife and you seemed to be a wonderful young man"." I understand you will be taking out our daughter to dinner, this afternoon". "Yes sir and I promise I will take good care of her and return safely with her. We will be wearing our masks to protect us from this deadly virus and keep our 6ft distance, as we move amongst people." said Paul. " Great to hear that Paul, as we would not like to see our daughter infected with this virus, just be careful both of you and return safely before its dark, said Mr Weinstein. "We will Sir and we will leave now before the trafic gets bad", said Paul.

Rochelle told her parents they would be back as soon as possible, so they went through the door. They drove off to the restaurant about 3.20pm feeling very relaxed and comfortable with each other, as they talked along the way. Paul told Rochelle how beautiful she looked in her strapless navy blue dress and he liked the perfume she was wearing. By 4.15pm they arrived at the "All Season Seafood Cuisine" on the west side of the city. Paul parked his car close to the restaurant so that Rochelle didnt have to walk too far. He opened the door for her and saw her out safely. After he locked the car they both walked up the steps in front of the restaurant and he opened the door and allowed Rochelle to go inside. They had to wait to be seated so they sat on the chairs near to the door, while Paul talked to her about meeting her parents and how nervous he was. "

"Rochelle I was afraid that they would not allow you to come with me but I am happy they responded to me so well. I like them already and we are just starting our friendship. I pray that we can have a relationship as I like you a whole lot. How do you feel about me?"asked Paul". " Well Paul, I think I like you too but it is too soon to say what I think about you, since I really do not know anything much about you. It will take more time for me to say, so lets see what happens after a few more dates with you" said Rochelle. It was time to be seated, so the hostess took them to their table and handed them the menu. As they looked over the menu, Paul asked Rochelle what she was going to have. Rochelle said, "I like grilled salmon with baked potato, brocoli, carrots and coleslaw. I will not eat much as I am watching my weight so I keep healthy". "Thats fine with me, just eat what you want. I only want to know you will enjoy your dinner", said Paul.

They placed their orders and had their favorite drinks while waiting to be served. "This place is nice and I am here for the first time", said Rochelle. "Thank you very much, I had to take you to a nice place because you are a nice girl and deserves the best", said Paul. It wasnt long after before they were served and started to eat dinner for the first time together. Paul was very careful at the table as to his table manners, since Rochelle seemed to be very observant. He ordered Lobster tail with rice, cauliflour, green beans and carrots. This was a seafood restaurant of course, so the dishes were really delicious. As they enjoyed their dinner the waitress would drop by to see if they were satisfied with their service. They were happy with their food so Rochelle would say to her, "Mmmmm yummy, its delicious".Paul was happy to hear that, for the compliment that he took her to a nice place for dinner for the very first time.

After finishing dinner it was time for dessert and the waitress came to take the order. " What would you like to have Rochelle" asked Paul. " I would like cheese cake and ice cream" said Rochelle. Paul took some fruit salad and they closed their dinner with 2 glasses of light wine. It was now time to pay the bill and get back home before it got too late, so Paul settled the bill and left a tip for the waitress. As they walked through the door, Paul came across one of his friends from the college. " Hi Paul, whats up buddy? its nice to see you out with a lovely girl" said his friend Andre. " I am just fortunate Andre and we are rushing back home now so we will talk some other time", said Paul. They got to the car and Paul opened the door for Rochelle and see her safely in, then closed it. They started their journey back home to Rochelle's house before it was too late.

It was about 6.35pm and it started to get dark already, so time was running out on them, as Rochelle wanted to get back home before dark. Paul took the highway way to cut down on time, so they got to Rochelle's home 30 minutes later. Paul drove into her driveway and opened the door for her again and she got out and said, Thank you Paul for a great dinner date and I really enjoyed the dinner and your company, have a good evening. Paul replied and said, "It was my pleasure to be with you Rochelle and I also enjoyed your company and hope we will repeat this very soon. Thank you too . Have a great night's rest.

CHAPTER THREE - SPARKS OF LOVE

The next day Paul called Rochelle to find out how she was doing and what was the reaction to her, from her parents when she got home. Rochelle told him everything was fine and she believed her parents liked him. Paul was very happy to hear that and told her he was going to call them to thank them to allow her to go on that date with him. Rochelle told Paul that was a good idea and it would be a plus for him in having another date with her, as her parents are very protective of her. " I understand why your parents are worried and concerned about you but I want to assure them that you are safe with me" said Paul. He asked her what was the best time to call them and she told him that after their lunch time 12.30pm was the best.

It was two days after the dinner date with Rochelle that Paul decided to call her parents to thank them for allowing their daughter to go to dinner with him, so at 1.30pm he dialed their number, given to him by Rochelle and Mr Weinstein answered the phone. " Hello, good afternoon, can I help you", said Mr Weinstein. " Good afternoon Mr Weinstein, its Paul and how are you, Sir? I just call to say thank you for allowing your daughter to dine with me Saturday afternoon. She is a very lovely young lady and I want you to know that if she has another date with me she will be safe and I say thanks again". " You are welcome Paul and I would not expect anything less because she is our first child and only daughter, said Mr weinstein, thanks for calling".

Paul and Rochelle talked to each other every day since and their relationship blossoms daily. They talked about their childhood days and how they grew up. Rochelle told Paul that her parents took her to church every Sunday and she learnt a lot about God. She was not really an overly religious person but she believed in God. Paul also told her that he was taken to church too as a young child and believed that there is a higher power than who are on earth. " Rochelle would you like to have your own family one day in the future?" asked Paul. " Of course Paul, when I get my masters degree and saved enough money. if I find someone compatible, I will consider that." said Rochelle. " Ok that sounds good" , says Paul. They tried to engaged themselves in doing things together online, like playing games, even though they were far away. Technolgy is so high today that people can connect even from overseas., through video calls or texting.

CHAPTER FOUR - CAREER FOCUS

It is now six months since Paul met Rochelle and they had been on a few more dates, like dinner, movies and even going to the beach. Due to Paul's studies the dating could not be too often, as he didnt want that to interfere with his goal of becoming a Lawyer. Rochelle worked at the City Hall down town and went to school at nights, so she needed time to study too. Paul would be graduating in six month's time, so work became harder for him and he must pass the Bar. They both cut back on talking everyday, to four times per week. Paul told Rochelle on one of their calls, that he wants her to meet his parents very soon. " Ok thats fine, so why not say, your parents to meet me,? hahaha laughed Rochelle". Paul replied, " I know they will like you". "Hope they will" said Rochelle.

One day Paul called Rochelle and told her how much he had been thinking about her and where this relationship could end up. He told her he would like them to have a long term relationship, to last into the future. Rochelle's reply was, " we will have to have a long discussion about that and my parents would be a part of it". " That's fine with me" said Paul. Paul was a full time student at Harvard University but had a job in a Lawyer's office on the weekend. His father was a wealthy Lawyer so he was well taken care of. Paul's mother was the home maker as she did not need to work, so she kept everything balanced at home. Mrs Marshall was a very reserved person so she did not enquired into Paul's love affair but was a bit curious about the girl he was dating.

CHAPTER FIVE - PARENTS ATTENTION AND SECOND DATE.

One Sunday afternoon while Paul's Mom was relaxing with her husband in the family room, she called Paul and asked him about this girl he was going out with and who she was. Paul told her all about Rochelle and she was impresed and wanted to meet her. Paul asked Rochelle out on another dinner date and told her after he picked her up he would take her to his house, to meet his Mom and Dad. Rochelle agreed and told her parents of the plan they had. Rochelle's Mom Mrs Weinstein said, " This is getting very serious now. You are going to meet his parents? mmmmmm". " Yes Mom", replied Rochelle, " I have fallen in love with Paul". " Ok my love, you are an adult now, so you can make your own decision", said her Mom. "I only want to know you will be safe and he is a respectable guy". " Yes Mom I found him to be very responsible and caring." said Rochelle. " I am happy to hear that ", said Mrs Weinstein.

It was a week before 4th of July, America's Independence and everyone was busy shopping for the holidays. Paul decided to give Rochelle a surprise by taking her to a Bowling Alley on the south side of the city. He called Rochelle and said, "Rochelle do you like bowling? she said "Oh yes and I have not been to one in a long time"." Will you be free on Friday after work?" asked Paul. " I have to stop by the Pharmacy to pick up prescription for Dad but I can make myself available", said Rochelle. She did what she said she would do and was home on time to be ready for Paul. Paul had a plan to give Rochelle a beautiful dinner ring, for accepting his dinner dates since they became friends but he wanted to do so at the Bowling Alley, where he was meeting a few of his friends. He bought this beautiful ring at " Gold N Things Jewelry Store" in the city and placed it in a lovely gift box to present to Rochelle.

It was 6pm on a Friday evening when Paul went to Rochelle's house to pick her up to go to the Bowling Alley. Rochelle was ready and waiting, being so anxious to bowl again after such a long time. She went outside to meet Paul and asusual he opened the door for her to see her in then closed her door and off they went. They chatted along the way and Rochelle asked, "How long will it take us to get there Paul? Paul replied, " About 25 minutes or at most 30 minutes, my dear". " Thats fine with me, I am only so anxious to get there and to see how well I can bowl again", said Rochelle.

They arrived at 6.30pm and the place was very crowded, with bowling fans. Paul said to Rochelle after they got out of the car, " Lets get inside quickly to see if we can get in line for bowling before others take our place". They finally got in line and was able to bowl for 15 mimutes. Paul was very good at bowling, while Rochelle was only learning. She was very excited when she hit a pole and would laugh out loud and jumped with joy. Paul felt happy to see Rochelle enjoyed herself at that Bowling Alley. He then called his friends Andre and Sheldon, who were at the Bowling Alley with him for Rochelle's surprise, to witness the presentation. Paul stood beside Rochelle and said, "Rochelle I am very happy and grateful to be in your company at such a lovely dinner tonight and I decided to show my appreciation to you, by presenting this georgeous dinner ring to you, I hope you will accept it" said Paul. " Oh dear, yes I will, it is a beautiful ring, I love it and thank you very much", said Rochelle. " You are welcome, enjoy it" said Paul.

Paul and Rochelle had enough of that evening out and started on their way back home about 8.30pm. "Paul I had a good time at that Bowling Alley", said Rochelle. Paul replied, "would you go again Rochelle". "Yes I will" said Rochelle. It was a pleasant moment for both of them, going on that date and they had a very heart-warming conversation on their way home. Paul took Rochelle to her home and excorted her to the door and they hugged and said goodnight. There will be more romantic dates but their studies were the priorities. This was just the beginning of a new journey of two people met on a stroll.

Composed by; Olive Taylor.