Be Mine, Valentine

by Jennifer Johnson

****

  The next day when I arrived home from shopping, Gran was sitting in the living room watching General Hospital. “Child, there is a package for you on your bed.”

  Something else?

  “Thanks Gran,” I hollered and headed up stairs, my arms full of shopping bags. I figured, since I was making a life change, why not get a whole new wardrobe? But my purchases weren’t the first thing on my mind at this moment.

  I dropped the bags by my closet and looked to the bed. There lay a small box with no return address. I went to it and opened it.

  Inside were two letters—the first addressed to me, and a second one that said, Open Me Second, No Cheating.

  In Mrs. Hoffman’s Senior English class, that we had together,

  she made us write a letter to ourselves to open when we turned

  thirty. You will find mine in the next envelope. Besides each item

  there is a check, meaning I completed it—except for two. This letter

  should help you guess who I am.

  I paused for a moment. So, we had Mrs. Hoffman’s English class together. There were only eight students in that class if I remember. That should narrow this down.

  I opened the next envelope.

  By the time I am thirty I will have done the following:

  Becoming a public servant (either a cop of firefighter)

  Go to college and play football

  Travel out of the state, and see some of America

  Tell Ashlyn how I feel about her

  Get married and start a family of my own

  Wow. More pieces to the puzzle.

  This narrowed things down quite a bit. Mystery man and I were in the same Senior English class, and he is either a cop or firefighter.

  I grabbed my notebook to make a list. Senior English class was twelve years ago, and if I remembered correctly, Kasey and I were the only females in the class, which left six possible mystery men....

  I made my list.

  Possible mystery men:

  James (but it couldn’t be him because he wasn’t outgoing).

  Drew (he is a firefighter and outgoing)

  Brian

  Curtis (again not outgoing, and very shy)

  Julian

  Kevin (my old high school crush)

  The clues were narrowing but there will still so many unknowns. I hadn’t kept up with my classmates over the years, and wasn’t sure about all of them on the list, but I knew Kasey would have the gossip. I reached for my Blackberry and sent a text: After work can you stop over? Think we made a breakthrough.

  ****

  While carrying two large trash bags of clothes for Goodwill out to my car the next day, the Cedar Grove Police Chief truck pulled up into the driveway.

  Out of the truck stepped, Kevin, my high school crush. I immediately thought of ‘the list’ and swallowed hard. Would Kevin…? No, it couldn’t be….

  Back in high school, I regularly daydreamed about him in his football uniform, but that didn’t hold a candle to how awesome he looked now. There he stood, all 6’2” and 190 pounds, looking as if he just stepped out of a GQ photo shoot. His auburn hair, cut short in military fashion, the uniform shirt pulled tight across his obviously toned chest, and his bulging biceps peeking out from the short sleeves. If I thought Kevin was a heart-stopper back in high school, he was a Greek God now.

  “Hey Ashlyn, let me help you with those.”

  Admiring how yummy he looked in uniform made me glad I changed into one of my new outfits, and had added a little makeup before running the bags down to the car. “Oh, thank you.” After he loaded the bags into the trunk, I risked giving him my brightest smile. “I can’t be in trouble already, I just moved back. What are you doing here?”

  The same lighthearted chuckle from high school filled my ears. “No, your Gran offered to bake some cookies for the police officer’s Valentine’s dance. Just stopping by to pick them up.”

  “Umm, she isn’t here at the moment, but come on in and let’s if I can find them. Would you like some of Gran’s famous ice tea?”

  “Wouldn’t mind if I do. It’s been a busy day and I haven’t had time to grab a drink or stop for lunch yet.”

  He stepped up beside me as we made our way up the walk. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. “If you have time, I can make you a sandwich to go with that tea.” My heart pitter-pattered at the thought.

  “Only if you will join me.” Kevin said, as cocky as he was in high school.

  Ten minutes later, we were having lunch on the back deck. “Police Chief now, huh? Interesting job. I thought you were getting out of this town and never looking back?”

  He took a bite of his sandwich before answering. “That was the plan. Funny how life doesn’t work out the way you want. You can work at it, but something always seems to go wrong. Dad passed away right before I graduated the police academy, and I felt bad leaving my mom all alone. I planned to just be here a little while, until she was okay, but six months later she was killed in a car accident. I don’t know why but I couldn’t leave then. I feel rooted here.”

  Looking out over the expansive backyard, I said, “I know what you mean. While I was away I missed this place. Now that I am back, I wonder why I ever left.”

  “Now that you’re back, you can make up for lost time. Your Gran really missed you.”

  Before I could say anything, his police radio came alive.

  “Chief, your needed back at the station.”

  “Thanks Connie, ETA five minutes.” He took the last bite of his sandwich. “Sorry, gotta run. A police chief’s duties are never done. Tell your Gran I’ll swing by tomorrow for those cookies. It was real nice seeing you again, Ashlyn. I’m glad you’re home.”

  Long after Kevin returned to the station, I sat on the deck reminiscing. As a teenager, I had pined away for him, daydreaming that one day he would show up on my doorstep confessing his true feelings about how he couldn’t live without me.

  Chuckling to myself and thinking, boy I was a hopeless romantic back then, I headed back to the house.

  I’d loved the fantasy that Kevin and I would get married, have a few children, and grow old together, but that fantasy bubble popped when Kevin took off for the police academy, and I fell in love with the not-so-good-choice of a husband….

  Later that evening after Gran came home, I opened the door to find an out-of-breath Kasey, arriving five minutes before she was even supposed to be off work.

  “I couldn’t wait. I left as soon as I could,” Kasey said, gasping for air.

  I shook my head and pulled her toward the stairs. “Gran, we’re going up to my room. I need Kasey’s help with something and want to show off my new clothes.”

  As soon as we were behind closed doors, I nodded towards the bed. “Another package.”

  She picked up the letters. “This is the breakthrough? We still don’t know who it is. I can’t remember who was in that class over ten years ago!”

  “I have a list, but I need your help.”

  The excitement was gone from her voice as she sat next to me on the small sofa I kept in my room. “Where is it? Let’s get this over with.”

  I handed her the notebook. “I already crossed off two names. What about Brian?”

  “He’s married, is the town’s handyman, and owns the hardware store. I don’t think it’s him.”

  I crossed off Brian’s name. “This is going to be easier than I thought. Hopefully we can narrow it down to one name.”

  “Doubt it,” she said before turning to look at me, “Kevin is the police chief, never married. He is possible.”

  My heart thrummed.

  “Well, two isn’t bad. I am sure we can figure out which one it is between those two. Is Julian married?”

  She looked over the list again, “Oh. Julian was killed a year ago by a drunk driver.”

  “Oh man. I didn’t know.”

  We sat there for awhile in silence. Julian was a sweet guy, would do anything for someone else.
Why was it that the good ones were always taken before their time?

  Finally, Kasey spoke. “We’ve narrowed it down to Drew and Kevin, now what?”

  The rest of the evening we tried to cross one of them off the list, but it was impossible. She thought it was Drew, but I yearned for it to be Kevin. As Kasey was leaving she stopped dead in her tracks and turned to me. “With each letter he sends he drops more clues. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. I think he is going to finally reveal himself.”

  After she left, I strolled toward my bedroom and noticed Gran’s light on. “Gran, you still awake?”

  “Yes child, come in.”

  I opened the door to find her setting aside one of her romance novels. “Kevin stopped by today, about the cookies you made for the Valentine’s Dance, but I couldn’t find them.”

  “Oh, that’s because they were in my car to drop off. I forgot to do that on my way home. Could you drop them off at the police station tomorrow?”

  She picked her book back up, not giving me eye contact. I stood there for a short moment, and then replied, “Sure Gran. Get your rest.”

  That night while laying in bed, I tried to brush off what Kasey had said, but I had the same feeling. I wanted to know who my mystery man was—if he was Kevin, or not—and at the same time I was nervous. In high school I had a major crush on him but never showed it because I didn’t want to be hurt. Kevin was the star quarterback for our high school football team—what were the chances he would date someone who wasn’t on the cheerleading squad?

  Drew and I were friends in high school but I couldn’t see us as a couple. But who knows, maybe he has changed. It’s been years since I’ve seen him.

  I must have finally fallen asleep sometime in the early morning hours because I woke to Gran knocking on my door. “You up? A package arrived and it’s marked urgent!”

  Sitting up, my voice barely working, I said, “Come in, Gran.”

  She did and handed me the package. “You must have had a rough night. I heard you up a number of times.”

  “I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Why don’t you open your package and get dressed. I’ll make you something to eat.” She started for the door.

  “Thanks, Gran.” By the time she had left I was awake enough to know that the package on my bed was from him. It was a square box with a red and white ribbon, and a note attached.

  Do you know who I am yet?

  Are you willing to live for the moment?

  Tonight, 8 pm at Carleon’s Restaurant.

  They will have a table reserved for you,

  and I will meet you there.

  Tonight we will have dinner and go dancing.

  Happy Valentine’s Day beautiful!

  Walking into the kitchen to join Gran for brunch, I had a few doubts about dinner with a mystery man. All my life I dreamed of the happy-ever-after like all the other girls, but that didn’t happen for me. I ended up marrying an abusive jerk who ran off with his assistant. Maybe I wasn’t meant to have a happy-ever-after; maybe some of us were meant to be grouchy old ladies.

  “Child, I know what you are thinking and I only have one thing to say about it. Go!”

  I was so shocked by Gran’s statement, all I could do was stutter, “What?”

  “Don’t play me. I have more years on you and I know what’s been going on.”

  I stood there staring at Gran with my mouth hanging open. “What? How?”

  “Your Gran isn’t as out of touch as you think. She knows what is going on and who has been sending you all these packages.” She handed me a turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich.

  I looked from my sandwich to Gran. “How can you just make sandwiches and not tell me who it is?”

  She shook her head, took a bite of her sandwich, and ignored the question.

  “Gran?”

  She took a drink sweet tea. “It’s not my place to tell. I am flabbergasted you haven’t figured it out yet. Tonight you will go and meet your mystery man.”

  I sat there nibbling on my sandwich trying to process everything. “How did you know?”

  “That’s easy, child, he told me. He wanted to let you know how he feels before it was too late again. All the years you were away he has had a candle burning for you. I wish you could have seen his love for you all those years ago. But I won’t let the two of you make another mistake.”

  She took another sip of tea. “Now, go get dressed so you can run those cookies down downtown.”

  About thirty minutes later I was parked outside of the police station, and still confused about what to do. Gran thought I should go, but could I put the past behind me and move on? I just didn’t know. I glanced up to the station.

  Boy, this place doesn’t look as intimidating as it did when I got caught partying on the football field my senior year. I opened the door to the reception area and noted nothing had changed; even the receptionist was the same.

  Before I could ask if Kevin was in, Drew nearly knocked me over coming out of one of the rooms. “Oh Miss, I’m sorry… Ashlyn, is that you? It’s been years!”

  “Hi Drew, yeah, it’s me. Good to see you. How have you been?”

  “Been fine, just counting the days until you came back home. You look amazing.” Drew smiled with a flirtatious wink.

  Heat filled my cheeks. “Thanks Drew. You look great yourself.”

  He adjusted his jacket before finally meeting my eyes again. “I know its short notice but you wouldn’t want to go to the Valentine’s Dance with me would you?”

  Before I could answer Kevin stepped out of his office. Leaning against the door frame, he stood watching. At that moment I was more confused than ever about who my secret Valentine might be, or who I wanted him to be. But I knew I was going to find that out later that night. “Sorry Drew. I’m meeting someone for dinner.”

  “Okay, maybe another time.” Before leaving he drew me in for a hug, “It was great seeing you, but I need to get going.”

  Kevin still leaned against the door frame. His warm voice drifted over me. “Just when I was hoping you would ask me to the Valentine’s Dance, I find out you are meeting someone for dinner.”

  I wanted to pull my hair out! The two men I thought could be my mystery man were both acting like they didn’t have plans for tonight. Was I wrong? Or were they sending mixed messages on purpose? “Isn’t it the man who is supposed to do the asking, especially with southern boys?”

  A sly grin crossed his face, “I do reckon you are right there. What are you doing down here anyways? Got caught speeding?”

  “I don’t speed. But that is beside the point. Gran asked me to drop off those cookies.”

  His gaze narrowed and he glanced at my empty hands. “She always bakes way more than needed, and I doubt you ate them all, or that they would fit in your purse.”

  Despite myself, I snickered, “They are in the car, silly. I couldn’t carry them all in. I was hoping you could help me.”

  “I have a better idea. They need to go over to the fire station, so why don’t we drive them over. You can drive, that way I can check out your driving and make sure you’re not a maniac driver.”

  “Just because you have a badge and gun doesn’t mean you are big and bad. I seem to remember someone totaling his brand new truck a week after he got it,” I teased as we headed out.

  “Hey, not fair, that was over ten years ago. Plus it wasn’t my fault. I was trying to miss the driver that ran the red light.”

  ****

  Later that evening, Gran came in while I was pulling up my hair. “I see you’re going. Would you like some help? Since you have it curled already I could pull it up into a sweeping twist, with ringlets falling down.”

  I let my hair fall back down my shoulders. “Thanks, Gran, that would be nice.”

  Yes, I am going.

  After spending part of my afternoon joking around with Kevin, I secretly hoped it would be him who would meet me tonight. I still cared for him, daydreamed about him, and like Gran
said, had to take the jump to find out.

  An hour later I was dressed to kill, sitting at the table at Carleon’s with shaking hands and butterflies in my stomach. A little nagging voice in my head kept saying this was some kind of prank and that I should leave before my heart was broken.

  Just as I was about to leave, a deep voice behind me said, “May I join you?”

  I turned to the voice to find a six-foot-two, tanned and sexy god standing before me. Shocked, I blinked to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. “Kevin?”

  He nodded. “May I join you, so everyone can quit staring?”

  “Oh yes! Please sit.” I couldn’t believe it.

  He sat across from me. “Were you expecting someone else?”

  “No. In my heart and soul I wanted it to be you.”

  He smiled and reached for my hand.

  I squeezed his right back.

  And I knew at that very moment, that my secret Valentine had always had a special place in my heart. I just had to come back home to find it.

  Bittersweet

  Tracy March

  Lilly Warren took her change from the Farm Fresh cashier, the coins cool against her palm.

  “Granny Lil.” Her grandson, Brady, tugged her arm. He cupped his warm, little-boy hand over hers, pressing her fingertips against the coins. “Can I have the quarters?” He pointed to the bank of gum and trinket machines lined up near the store’s exit. His face glimmered with hope and excitement.

  “Please.” Brady’s blue eyes twinkled with eight-year-old mischief—the same color and twinkle that she’d seen in her husband Mac’s eyes for fifty-four years. Her heart still ached with the sadness of missing him, yet fluttered with joy to see Mac alive in Brady’s eyes.

  Lilly dropped the quarters into Brady’s hand and winked, “Don’t tell your mother.”

  Brady dashed away and Lilly wondered when that determined disciplinarian that had raised her children had disappeared.