It's been a long time since you have seen me, not that you minded, the occasional sign, a bird or flower would bring a smile to your face as you remembered our times together. You look out of your window at the blue sky and the rolling hills and your eyes fall to the Christian retreat on the hill. You drink your tea and your eyes fall to the package that I have sent you sitting on the table.
It brings a smile to your face; you reread the message on the outside of the box, "do not open until you return from work this evening".
You put your mug down and take your bag and leave for work you are wondering what is in the box and whether you would see me soon and this brings a smile to your whole face and your eyes sparkle. You struggle with your day, your mind wondering, you keep going back to the box. Your colleagues ask are you ok and you nod and carry on, what is in the box?
You struggle through the afternoon, it is amazing never have you watched the second hand on the clock and how slow it seems, it is almost as if everything is happening in slow motion.
You zoom home, passing your friendly village off license and you look through their bottles, hmmm, champagne, well that is a yes and a bottle of red and white. You go home and when you get home there are more boxes waiting for you in your porch.
You use your key and jump over the boxes with even a bigger smile on your face as you juggle your bottles in your arms.
You wonder what is within the boxes as there are a number of them, now and each has instructions on the box, you drag and carry them in and place them on the table.
You look towards your answer phone to see if I have called, but no, you feel a little deflated but looking at the boxes put them on the table and your spirits are lifted.
You put the champagne and white into the fridge and open the red and leave it on the side, and move to the box labeled number one, the one that was delivered this morning,
You open the box and there lying on the material is a list, you grab the list and you see it is some instructions and you smile.
Number 1. Please open all of the curtains in the house.
You put the list down and open the curtains and let the setting sun stream into the house, with the dust motes catching the golden light.
Number 2. Get all of your candles out and arrange them downstairs and upstairs. But do not light them
You wander over to the cupboards and get your candles out, still wondering what is going on but smiling as you place them around your house.
Then you go back to the list
Number 3. Go back to the box and unwrap the silk and take the package from within
You go back to the box and start to open the deep blue silk, as you touch it you feel a fission of expectation. You take the brown paper package out of the box and place it next to the box on the table. You glance back to the list.
Number 4. Open the package and place one upstairs and one downstairs.
You open the brown paper package and see a bag of red rose petals and two glass plates, you smile and pour equal measures of the petals into each plate and place one at the end of the table next to a candle and then take the other upstairs to your bedroom,
You return downstairs and take the list again and look at the next instruction.
Number 5. Take the silk from the box and lay it across the back of the sofa unfolded to remove the creases from the material
You lift the silk from the box and look at the deep blue material and wonder at how it catches the light and you take it to the sofa and you drape it across the back of the sofa and pull it to remove the creases. The setting sun creates rivers of light as it pools from the windows. You go back to the table and return to the list.
Number 6. Remove the box and place outside the back door.
You take the now empty box to the back door and place it outside.
Number 7. Go to the box numbered number 2
You glance your eyes over the boxes and you see that the number 2 box is the next largest, you place that in the centre of the table.
Number 8. Open box number 2
You open the box and within are toiletries, all made for you, you see, each item lifts a gentle scent of roses and citrus fruits, you take them from the box and place them on the table.
You smile to yourself you are still bemused by the boxes but it is making for a pleasant evening even without me being there.
You look to the list again
Number 9. Move the toiletries to your bathroom and leave them there for now.
You wander into your bathroom and you can sense a subtle change in your house the air seems to be slightly charged and smells of a rose garden as the you smell the rose petals. You place the toiletries upon the bath and return to the table.
Number 10. Place the empty box number 2 and place into your box number 1.
You place the box inside the box outside your back door.
You think now you know the routine.
Number 11. Open the box numbered 3