My Valentine

Counting down the days before her baby came back and into her arms. Just thinking of him, the picture in her mind brought a smile wide as the ocean and dimples as deep as a baby’s cheeks.

They sat side by side in elementary school. In high school he asked her for a date. The two knew they were meant to be. He had seen her fall and scrape  her knees. She had seen him missing his two front teeth.

They danced their first Junior High party together. They sneaked their first kiss under the elm tree. They wrote love letters each night and before first class started each had the others in their hands.

His parents were modern. Her parents were strict. The two weren’t allowed to date until she was 16. He drove his parents car up to her sidewalk. When he rang the doorbell and she opened the door he had one single, red rose that he gave her.

They went to a pizza joint for supper and then went to the Roller Dome for skating. Holding hands on all couples dance; they fell more in love than ever. Taking her home he held her gently in his arms and he kissed her nose.

She wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her on her lips and the two explored each others mouths. The porch light flickered on and off. She knew it was her cue to return inside. He touched her cheek with his hand and kissing her nose he jumped out of his door and walked her to the front door.

For the next three  years they dated every Friday and Saturday night. They went roller skating, to the movies, to football and basketball games. During the week nights it was study time. Her parents insisted she get an education before considering serious commitments to any gentleman.

The days flew by and soon it was graduation day. They visited each others homes for parties  From that day forward the two worked  and spent all the time together they were allowed.

One day when it was smoldering outside he walked to her front door. When she opened it tears flowed down his cheeks as he handed her the white envelope. He followed her to the sun room and she opened it up and read the letter.

She looked up and saw his tears still streaming and felt her own cheeks become wet. He was leaving. He was being shipped off for the military. They had one week left to be together before they said their goodbyes.

The hours turned into minutes. The time drew to an end. Hugging and kissing she waved to him as he stepped up into the bus. Her heart was breaking. When the bus was no longer in sight, she turned and dried her eyes, walked back to his car that he had left her to take care of until he returned.

She drove the streets until she ended up at the city park. Sitting on the swing her mind went back to the first time they had met. Memories took her from there unto the present. Filling the days ahead would be a hard job to do. Every free moment she had her thoughts returned to him.

The six weeks did go by and he did return. The two melted into each others arms. Hugging and kissing he lifted her off of the ground spinning her around with excitement of holding her once again.

They had three glorious days to spend together before he was to leave  for his next orders. He was going over seas and this time she would not see him for almost a year. The night before he was to leave he drove them to the park.

He let her out and picking up a blanket from his back seat they walked to the sandy beach. The moon shone bright. The air was still, the night was warm. There on the open beach they made love to each other.

The next morning she once again had tears of sadness as she waved to him as he entered the bus. As it went out of sight she sat in his car and wept. This was going to be a long time apart. The days would slowly turn from one to the other.

She asked for more hours at her job and she received them. She poured herself into her work. The two wrote to each other daily. They poured out their hearts and he told her to start planning for their wedding. He let her know of his expected return date and wrote that they would be married two days after he came home.

For a few weeks she thought of nothing but weddings, flowers, and her dress. Work took on a new goal for her as she saved every penny she could. But one morning she woke up and she felt awful. When she stood up she became ill and rushed to the toilet.

A few days later she learned that she was pregnant. She wrote to him to let him know. She received nothing in return. She waited for days, but yet nothing. One morning she opened the front door for  work and two officers stood there.

They asked her name. They asked to come in. The three sat on the couch. They said their news and expressed their regrets. They let themselves out. She sat alone and cried. She touched her belly. She whispered she would take good care of him while daddy lived in heaven. She whispered to the heavens, We love you my Valentine.