VALENTINE’S DAY CAME AND WENT

 

VALENTINE’S DAY CAME AND WENT

I watched her walk past each day, longing to approach her to start talking.

Courage failed me daily as I stood watching through the curtain, so she could not see my desperate longing and what a fool I could be.

My heart increased its beat as she walked by; my chest tightened with suppressed breath, fingers clenched in agony, at my failure, yet again, to speak.

The next day, someone said it would be Valentine’s Day.

I had to still my beating heart and take my chance.

Picking pale pink roses from the garden, ones my mother once grew with love, I waited.

I opened the door and strode down the path to await her steady approach.

I held out my roses saying, “Hello and a Happy Valentine’s Day to you.”

She stopped, startled, and gazed at me with her beautiful brown eyes, before burying her face in the roses, inhaling their scent for a long time.

Then she looked up at me with tears in her eyes and said, “Thank you. My husband, who is now sadly dead, used to give me pink roses every Valentine’s Day. Thank you so much.”

With the flowers hugged to her chest, she slowly moved on.

I made my way indoors, determined to say another hello to her tomorrow.

2023 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: Pixabay License