For the past five years, Valerie spent Valentine's Day alone. It wasn't for lack of trying. Five years ago, her boyfriend, Todd, broke her heart the week before the day set aside for lovers. She didn't leave her one-bedroom apartment that year. The next year, still being single, she pampered herself.
Flowers arrived at her desk promptly at 11, complete with an enclosed love-note. It left her coworkers wondering just who the mystery man could be that sent her flowers on Valentine's Day. They all knew she hadn't spoken about having a new man in her life. No matter how much pleading and prodding they did, Valerie kept silent about her mystery man.
By 3 that afternoon, she had the entire office building perplexed when she received a large package by messenger. It was wrapped in interlocking heart wrapping paper with a large white bow tied on the top. She took her time opening the large box to reveal a skimpy red teddy, panties and garter belts.
Her coworkers continued to ooh and ahh over this package and questioned Valerie about the sender of the gifts. She still kept silent. Just before she was set to leave for the day, one more messenger came to Valerie's desk and dropped off an envelope. Inside were not one but two tickets to see one of the local off-Broadway shows—sold out of course so none of her coworkers could try and sneak a peak at her man.
Little did any of them know Valerie sent herself each of the carefully orchestrated gifts. She did attend the show by herself that year and enjoyed the day—ignoring the fact that she again spent Valentine's Day by herself. Each year, she continued the tradition of flowers, gift, and tickets. One time she sent the tickets first, occasionally chocolates.
This year, again without a boyfriend on Valentine's Day, she began planning for her day in mid-January. She knew that it would just be a matter of time before any of her coworkers would find out her little secret. She debated over whether or not to call an escort service this year and have a man deliver her gifts but quickly discarded the notion.
Even though she continued to be burned in the love department, she was ever the hopeless romantic. Her last boyfriend, Bill, told her he needed space just before the Thanksgiving holiday and other than a few dates here and there she hadn't been seeing anyone.
By the first of February Valerie still hadn't come up with any new ideas of what she wanted to do for that day. She was growing tired of all her coworkers speculating over what she would be receiving February 14. She also began to doubt that true love existed.
"To hell with them," said Valerie to her cat, Fluffy, as she sipped on her glass of red wine. "I think this year will be different."
And it was. She arrived at worked dressed in black from head to toe. To complete her outfit she even wore a pillbox hat with a black veil. All her coworkers couldn't figure out what was wrong. What none of them knew was Valerie was tired of the charade. She was tired of trying to pretend she was happy on Valentine's Day. Today was a day of mourning for her. She mourned the loss of her romantic side.
Valerie heard the whispers and waited for someone to approach and ask if she lost someone near and dear to her heart. When no flowers or packages arrived for her at 11 as it had for three years prior, everyone assumed her mystery man died and she was in mourning.
Valerie decided she would leave the office at noon and go home. At five minutes till, flowers arrived at her desk. Her coworkers nodded and smiled. Valerie looked truly shocked. She knew she didn't send herself flowers this year and had no clue where they came from.
The bouquet was beautiful. It had red and pink carnations, yellow roses, orange daisies and enough baby's breath and greenery to balance it out.
With her hands shaking, she took the card from the envelope and read. "I HAVE ADMIRED YOU FOR GOING ON THREE YEAR. Its TIME CUPID PAID YOU A VISIT. HEAD HOME AND AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH OF A LOVER YOU ARE."
She read the card twice before taking the envelope from the bouquet and putting the card back inside and tucking it into her purse. She logged off her computer, grabbed her bouquet and told her secretary she would be taking the rest of the day off. On pins and needles, she rode the bus home. She had no clue whom could be sending her flowers.
When she arrived at home, she opened her door and found a card slipped underneath her door. "I HAVE ADMIRED YOU FROM NEAR AND FAR. TO HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE, MEET ME OUT FRONT IN THE BLACK CAR."
"What should I do?" Valerie asked herself out loud. She couldn't stand to not know who was behind this. She quickly sat down her flowers on the table in the foyer and locked her door.
When she stepped outside, a black limo was parked in front of her building. The chauffer stepped around the car and opened the back door for her. She tentatively looked inside the limo and her face dropped a little when no one sat inside. "Here you go miss," said the driver, his head bent to obscure his face. "I have instructions to pick you up and take you to your destination."
"Will you tell me where?" she asked. He shook his head. Valerie stepped inside and sat down. She found champagne chilling on ice, strawberries with chocolate dipping sauce beside it, and another note.
"I KNOW YOU ARE A ROMANTIC AT HEART. SO THE PARK IS A GOOD PLACE TO START. I PROMISE THE MYSTERY WILL SOON BE OVER. THEN YOU WILL KNOW I AM THE ULTIMATE LOVER."
Valerie poured herself a glass of champagne and had another for good measure. She dipped one of the strawberries into the chocolate. She slowly brought it to her lips and sucked the sauce off before nibbling some of the berry. She licked the rest of the sauce around the strawberry and took the rest of it in her mouth, biting it off at the stem. She smacked her lips as she took it out and sat the stem back on the plate. ••• Perry, one of her neighbors who admired her for years, drove the car. Little did she know he was her Cupid. They occasionally watched movies together and had even gone to a few movies together. He found out about her Valentine charade two years ago.
She never told him what she was doing but he could guess. He didn't realize this year she had no plans and was happy of that. Valerie didn't notice her driver take a quick intake of breath while she enjoyed yet another strawberry. She looked out the window as they approached the park.
