Short Fiction: Claire (A Valentine Story)
Claire woke and lay still for a moment, warm under the heavy comforter. The house was quiet, but she could hear the ticking of the grandfather clock down the hall and the gentle roar of the furnace starting up in the basement. She smelled coffee and thought for a moment that Nick had woken up before her and made it.
But then she remembered that he was gone. And it was Valentine’s Day.
She opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling, wondering what would happen if she stayed in bed all day.
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Happy Valentine’s Day!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you! Man, it’s challenging to have Valentine’s Day the same week as Chinese New Year, but we pulled it all together last night by the skin of our teeth.
Lily was happy to see her favorite heart-shaped-candy box-with-the-red-cellophane-wrapper waiting for her at breakfast this morning. She’d reminded us about the heart boxes several times, not wanting to take any chances.
Lily’s not the only one. I ran into a neighbor last night and she told me her daughter starts checking in with her dad about two weeks before Valentine’s Day every year to make sure he’s on the ball. Only instead of candy, she asks for “a piece of Alaskan King Crab.”
Will and Lily set off for school this morning with valentines in hand after giving me strict instructions not to eat all their chocolate while they’re gone. Who, me?
Is there a tradition you or your family couldn’t do without on Valentine’s Day? Please share!
Improvising
Tim bought a guitar nearly 20 years ago when he dropped out of the Air Force Academy. It’s pretty much unheard of to leave the Academy once you get in. I don’t think Tim really had a plan, but maybe he was hoping the guitar would help him figure it out.
This same guitar stands propped against the wall next to the piano. Every now and then Tim will sit down and play. Usually it’s that “Whole Wide World” song from Stranger Than Fiction. But he’s just as happy—maybe even more so—listening to music.
Mug of Wisdom #42 / Ernest Hemingway
