Saint Valentine

It is popular to hate on Valentine’s Day – the holiday itself, the people who enjoy it, and those in your life that fail to live up to it.

I’m not a particular fan of the day myself. To me, it is up there with holidays such as President’s and Flag day. If you happen to be a president, a flag, or a valentine, then the holiday has some significance for you. If not, it is just another day.

Except – it’s not. On Valentine’s day, so many were dissappointed with how things turned out. I did not read a single story of a Valentine’s day that had a happy ending.

But I did hear about one. So I made her write it down.

***

NE’s Words:

My husband looks at Valentine’s Day as a way to reflect…not as a responsibility. Well, that is not entirely true; he does have some responsibility due to the fact that Valentine’s day is also my birthday.

I woke up and he was getting ready to go to work. He brought me tea in bed. I had some things to finish downstairs before I went to work, so we went downstairs together. While I was working he made me breakfast of eggs and toast, all the while being sweet and wishing me a good day. I finished my work and I went upstairs to get ready for work. He packed me lunch and met me by the cars to leave. I asked, “Are you going to be home when I get off work?” He said that he would be here. I noticed he forgot his badge and so I said that it was upstairs by the bed. He told me to go ahead and leave…he knew I had to get to work. So I did. I was completely fooled into thinking he was going to work, he played me so well. I even left the freaking garage door open for him.

I went to work and soon enough I was at my desk, working furiously through my lunch hour and I turned around and there he was…in the door of my office. Standing there with balloons and flowers. He had taken off work that day to surprise me! I was so happy to see him. I had somewhere I had to be, so he tied the balloons in my office and dropped me off at the building. I was worried about the flowers, but he said that he would go home and put them in a vase for me. I want to add here that I was so freaking surprised to see him. We kissed and hugged in my office. He was so cute with the balloons and flowers. The flowers were all different kinds and shades of my favorite color, purple. When he dropped me off at the building, he instructed me to be outside at 3:45, so that he could pick me up (we would get my truck later). We had some place to be at 4pm. I said no problem.

I breezed through my afternoon, happy and smiling. I was outside at 3:45 on schedule and he picked me up. He had a snack in the car, because he knew that I usually eat something when I get off of work before dinner and he had my favorite soda cold and ready for me. So I said where are we going? He said, I finally made that hair appointment for you that you haven’t had time to schedule. Now to some of you this may sound silly, but for those of you who are really busy, you know that the little things that make you feel good, but don’t have time to take care of really matter. This was a really sweet thing for him to do. So I got my hair cut, got to relax and get a shampoo (get off of my feet that I had been on all day), and generally not worry about anything.

We left my hairdresser and picked up my truck, so that I would not have to worry about it for tomorrow. On the way, he said that he picked up the next DVD in the series that we were watching (Lost, which is a totally fun and cool series) and that we had 45 minutes or so before we would leave again. He thought it might be fun to watch part of an episode. I said, awesome. We got home and settled in the family room. (I might add a clean and beautiful family room; he cleaned up the house for me!) Before we started, he came in with a gift bag. “I want to spread out your gifts and so here are your first ones.” Now I want to preface this with the fact that we had agreed for our birthdays this year that we wouldn’t do anything big…we are currently re-doing our study. I was surprised. Inside the bag was a beautiful small stuffed lion. (He used to call me his Lioness when we were younger, because when I was on top of him my blond hair would fall and frame my face…Ok we both know that female lions don’t have manes, but it is still a great nickname). I loved it.

Underneath were a pair of comfy pants and matching sweater. He got this for me because I only have stupid old hang out clothes of sweat pants and my best friend has cool hangout outfits that not only are comfy, but look good. He remembered that I had been wanting something similar to hers. I am always jealous when she says that she is going upstairs to put on comfy clothes and comes down looking just as good. So he got me a perfect outfit, and it was the right size although I didn’t try them on then due to the fact the we were going back out in a half an hour.

So we left at the appointed time and we arrived at a beautiful Italian restaurant in our neighborhood. He had made the perfect reservations, and I only felt slightly bad for all the couples waiting. (There were so many men and women waiting and you could see in the men’s eyes that they had forgotten it was Valentine’s Day and said…ok, where can I take her to a nice dinner? Little did they know they would have to wait at least an hour.) He ordered us a bottle of wine and we sipped at that and had the bruschetta on the table while we decided on our meals. I got the baked chicken stuffed with wilted spinach and smoked mozzarella in a garlic, white wine sauce over angel hair pasta, while he ordered the veal. While we had our wine, I got my second bag of gifts. He got me 2 books, and a set of DVD’s I wanted. He also got me a small box of Godiva chocolates, because he knew that I wouldn’t order dessert and he wanted me to have something sweet for my birthday. But the best part of the bag was my card. It was a beautiful Valentine’s Day card, but inside was a typed note.

The note was folded in the same manner that we used to give each other notes when we were kids. The note first had a small printed picture of 2 teddy bears, meant to be him and I (in case you didn’t figure it out, I have an attachment from my childhood to stuffed animals) placed in one of the folds. I opened the note. Inside he had composed a typed letter about all of the different times and ways that he has fallen in love with me over the years. (we have known each other since we were 11 and been together on and off since we were 14). It was amazing. Hearing someone reflect on why they love you and how that happens is truly eye-opening. I of course balled while I read it at the table.

We had lovely dinners and afterwards, wanted to go to the bar for an after dinner drink. Unfortunately, all of those sad couples were clustered around the bar, so thick that we couldn’t have even found room to speak to the bartender, let alone, sit down. So we sat at our table for a minute while I finished my glass of wine. He looked at me, and said, do you want your last present here, or at home? I couldn’t believe it. (Hell, the card was all he had to get me and I mean it!) I said here, why not? So he unzipped his jacket pocket and pulled out a small gold-wrapped box with a red bow. I was so surprised. I gave him a dirty look for spending too much and then I unwrapped it. Inside was a stunning diamond and amethyst necklace to match the earrings that Djaevle had given me for Christmas. I was amazed. I was ready to get out of the crowd and hug and kiss him properly, so we left for home.

We got home and I rushed upstairs to try on my new comfy outfit and my necklace. He took up his normal position on the bed when he watches my try things on; laid out, head propped up on the pillows, arms behind the head. Luckily, I was wearing some sexy underwear, and when I was undressing, I did a little sexy dance for him and came over and crawled on top of him. And the sneaky guy says, Ok, well, there is one more gift for you. He pulled out from behind the pillow another wrapped box, this one a clothing box. I couldn’t believe it! The fucking timing was just amazing. I ripped it open while I was straddling him and inside…you guessed it, an incredibility sexy negligee with a robe. As with everything else for this day, I was absolutely surprised. He made my day perfect. We spent the rest of the evening by the fire together. It was wonderful. I walked away from the day feeling so loved, but even more than that I felt incredibly understood and cherished. I think that is what the day is really for.

***

I will end this with a final thought.

Some of you may be wondering, after reading the previous story, why she would ever want anything other than the man she sleeps next to every night; why would she want me? The answer is simple. Bear is perhaps the single most giving, intuitive, and genuiniely nice person I have ever had the grace to know.

On the other hand, I am, perhaps the single most cruel, unyielding, focused person that NE has ever known.

Would you choose to give up either one?