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February 14th: Just Another Hallmark Holiday

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On the last full day of their vacation, Laura awoke to an empty bed. She wasn’t sure if it was the sound of the front door closing that woke her, but it was apparent her husband Roger was no longer in the room. The bathroom was dark, and there was no sound, save the chirping of birds outside.

It was Valentine’s Day, and although Roger often dismissed days like these as “Hallmark Holidays”, she was hoping for at least a little special treatment, regardless.

“Maybe he is bringing me breakfast in bed!” she thought to herself. So she waited, enjoying the lack of urgency that was their day-to-day lives back home, and gave herself the luxury of settling back on her pillow.

When she heard someone outside struggling with the lock, she propped herself up, hoping for a tray of croissants and tropical fruit with coffee and juice. Much do her dismay though, Roger came in fully dressed and empty handed. He looked at her with surprise.

“You’re not up yet?” he asked. “Come on, we’re going to make it an early beach day.”

Why?” she asked. “Aren’t we even going to have breakfast?"

“We’ll grab something at the beach or on our way,” he replied. “I’m going golfing at two o’clock with those three people I was talking to last night at dinner. They need one more for a foursome.”

She knew who he was talking about. Roger had left her alone at their table in the restaurant to strike up a conversation with two men and a woman standing outside. Laura had been pretty angry about him not bringing them over to introduce her, but she didn’t want to make waves. It had been a wonderful trip, and he had been very attentive…at least up until now.

She noticed there was no greeting card on the dresser, no flowers, and no mention of this day at all as she quickly gathered their belongings for a short beach stay.

Later on at the beach, Roger seemed distracted. He frequently got up from his beach chair to make phone calls and never once asked her if she needed anything as he wandered about, talking.

When they returned to the room, Laura decided to read by the pool until her husband returned. Tiring of this after a couple of hours, she returned to the room and took her time getting dressed up for a nice dinner out.

Surely he is at least going to take me someplace elegant, she pondered as she put on the dress she had been saving for this particular evening. Should I remind him it’s Valentine’s Day, or just write it off to him forgetting and enjoy our final night in paradise?

When the room phone rang, she began to worry. He should have been back by now; it was approaching sunset.

“Honey, I’m pretty smashed,” her husband said on the phone when she answered. “I got dropped off in Grand Case and I need you to drive me and our car back to the room. I’m sending a taxi that should be there in a minute."

She heard the honk of a horn outside and grabbed her purse, now becoming furious. Not only did he forget, he got drunk, and I’m going to have to sober him up instead of enjoying a romantic dinner.

Instead of dropping her off, the driver parked and led her by the hand out of the taxi.

Great! He can’t even stand up long enough to meet me on the street.

They walked through the shallow hallway that led to the beach restaurant. She looked here and there; searching for Roger’s inebriated face in vain. He didn’t seem to be anywhere inside. When the deck of the restaurant gave way to sandy beach, she halted and turned around, but the driver beckoned her to keep walking. She reluctantly continued, struggling with her heels in the sand as they ventured out across the beach.

Laura finally caught sight of Roger, wearing a white suit with no shoes and not appearing to be drunk in the least. He was smiling ear-to-ear as he took her hand and led her towards a trellis adorned with tropical flowers. Under the trellis waited one of the men she had seen Roger with the previous night, and the other man and woman were few feet in front. Roger asked her to remove her shoes, and got down on one knee when she finished this task.

“Laura,” he said. “I love you even more than the day I met you. Even more than the day we married. If you would do me the honor of marrying me all over again, that man under the trellis is waiting to officiate over the renewal of our vows. Bertrand will walk you down the aisle, and our wedding planner Elise will be our flower girl and photographer.”

Tears streamed down her face as she stood under the trellis and listened to words of love from this man, regarding her with the same affection she had seen from him some 25 years earlier.

“Thank you for remembering,” was all she could muster, she was so caught up in the moment.

“This day is just another day to me,” Roger whispered in her ear as the reverend recited the vows she was supposed to repeat. “But I know it is special to you. Every single day I get to spend with you is a gift from God.”

The reverend interrupted the couple by clearing his throat.

“Miss Laura, it is time to say I do.”

T. Stelma is the author of Happy Bay, Cole Bay Band, and Sandy Ground; The Happy Bay Novel Trilogy. Happy Bay Romance Novel Trilogy