Last Valentine
Written By: Zehra Nasirali

Date: 14th February, 1997

 

 

            It was the fourteenth of February and my fiancé wasn’t in town.  It was a gloomy day.  I could not do anything but think about him.  I had sent him a card two days earlier but I hadn’t received any response.

            I passed the afternoon watching Valentine shows, seeing how the couples were so happy to be with each other and the special ways they shared their feelings.  I was the only one out of the Valentine spirit; the only one who wasn’t enjoying Valentine’s day.

            It was precisely six o’clock when I heard a slight, haunted knock.  I shivered with curiosity at who could be at the door.  I lifted my sulky face and went towards the main door.  I refrained from switching on the light for safety purposes.  I looked through the peephole.  It was very dark outside and I could barely see.  When my eyes came into focus, extreme focus, it looked like a macho guy, brought built, with a huge turban and something in his hands.  His elbows were a little far apart from the side of his body; he was carrying something sideways.  At that time with fright, my imagination was running wild.  I thought he was holding a machine gun.  I started praying to God for safety and that this ‘macho guy’ would leave.

            After an hour or so I became sober, but just then an echoing doorbell jumpstarted my heart.  The macho guy had come back.  I was ready to call the police but, however something was stopping me; it was my feelings.  I tried to ignore all the knocking and before I knew it, the sun was setting.

            Later in the night, my fiancé’s parents who lived only twenty minutes away rang me up.  They had asked me where I had been all day.  I told them that I was at home and didn’t step out of the house.

            I told them of my story and they had a big laugh.  Later I found out that ‘the macho guy’ happened to have a delivery for me; a bouquet of flowers (not a machine gun) and a huge box that my Valentine had couriered for me.  I felt like a scared old cat when I learnt of this.  I received my parcel that same very night as but of course I was impatient.  The bouquet consisted of a beautiful, fresh dozen of roses with a card of love.  In the package were two beautiful, sweet, cuddly, white teddy bears; one that was supposed to be me and the other that was supposed to be a gentleman like him.  Also in the box was a delicious heart box of chocolates, a large intimate card and another small intimate card.  Tears of joy rolled down my cheeks when I saw all this.  I could not believe my eyes; I was just so happy.

            I called him later at twelve midnight; I was overwhelmed to hear his voice.  We talked about… it’s personal!

            Overall, my gloomy Valentine’s Day turned out to be a spectacular, special and forever remembering valentine!!!

 

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