My Funny Valentine

Dear Lord, he's going to be here in twenty minutes and I haven't even put my face on Natalie screams. Where did I put my Private Collection perfume that makes him swoon over me? CoCo, I'm coming after you if you don't stop barking. Robert is going to be here soon and you better be on your best behavior or no Scooby Doo treats for a solid week. I mean it this time. This is a very special dinner with the love of my life. I'm counting on you to put that cute face on and be adorable. I've been fantasizing about this dinner now for three years and it's finally happening. God, please don't let me cry mascara all over my face when he shows up. Stay strong woman!

The doorbell rings, Natalie screams, takes one last look in the mirror and runs to open the door, reminding herself to remain cool, calm and collected. She gently opens the door and there he stands, looking as dashing as ever. She holds out her perfectly manicured hands. Robert gets down on one knee while kissing both hands ever so gently. She giggles softly and invites Robert into the bungalow. “Come inside darling, we'll get your bags later. Let's just stay in the moment of celebrating being together again after three long, hard years.”

Natalie has the essential oil diffuser going with a blend called “Love Potion.” It consist of Clary Sage, Juniper, Grapefruit and Fir Needle. The lighting has been well thought out, low and complimentary to the face. Two tall candles are burning around a bouquet of yellow and purple wild flowers Natalie picked earlier in the day. Frank Sinatra is singing “Fly me to the Moon” on a CD Natalie spent days putting together for this romantic evening. CoCo is being a good girl, sitting on her favorite pink pillow looking adorable. Dinner is staying warm in the kitchen for whenever they decide to eat. But food isn't what either one of them have on their mind at this very special moment.

“Natalie, you look more beautiful than a ray of sunshine. You smell so divine with the Private Collection perfume I gave you for our tenth wedding anniversary. Yes, I remember.” Natalie seems embarrassed by his compliment and shyly looks up into the air. “Thank you Robert. You look as dashing and debonair as always. You've still got that special glow in your eyes and sweet smile. Considering what you've been through, you look amazing. Would you like a glass of champagne with wild orange and a twist of lemon?” “Sounds delicious Robert replies. Go easy on the wild orange.” Natalie goes into the kitchen and comes back with their drinks on a beautifully carved antique tray with a small candle burning between the two glasses of champagne. Also on the tray is something small wrapped in beautiful magnolia paper.

He follows her into the living room while he lovingly looks at the back of her from top to bottom. She's dressed in a pair of black leggings with a red vintage Chanel sweater and black flats, an Audrey Hepburn kind of style. She motions for him to sit down on the cobalt blue velvet love seat while she puts down the drinks and candle on the mahogany glass table with red flowers and a specially wrapped package.

“The place looks exactly as it did when I left to go get us a bottle of red wine as we were beginning to celebrate our 10^th wedding anniversary. I'm sorry I was gone so long. Three years to this very day. But here we are, together at last.” He looks at Natalie with his big brown, sad yet happy eyes, as if he wanted to grab her and never let go.

“I'm so sorry I forgot to buy the wine to celebrate our 10^th wedding anniversary that day Natalie fretted. Had I not forgotten, we'd be celebrating our 13^th wedding anniversary without any time apart. There hasn't been one minute of the day I haven't thought about you, the love of my life, man of my dreams, my loving husband and best friend. I wished you would have come back home after you were well enough after coming out of the coma.”

“Please don't apologize Natalie. We all forget to do things. I didn't want you to see me weak and frail Robert replied. You've always known me as a pillar of strength and I wasn't about to come back into our home and have you take care of an invalid. I'm suppose to take care of you Natalie.”

“Remember our wedding vows Robert, in sickness and in health? That's what married couples do. They take care of one another, no matter what the circumstances. You are my husband, I wanted nothing more than to care for you. It broke my heart into a million zillion pieces when your parents told me you'd be staying with them after you left the hospital. They didn't give me any explanation at all. Of course, they never liked me to begin with but to leave me hanging, not knowing if you wanted me out of your life completely. They wouldn't let me have any contact with you in any way. Since receiving your letter in the mail letting me know you wanted to come back home and spend the rest of our lives together, I've cried non-stop. And you waited until this special day, our wedding anniversary. I've pretty much cried every single day since you left to go get that bottle of wine three years ago. I'm so happy you're back now. Oh, in all the excitement of what's happening now, I forgot to introduce you to CoCo, our new addition to the family. She's a mixture of Chinese Pug and Chihuahua. I found her on the front doorstep crying the day after I found out you'd been in the car accident. CoCo is no accident, she rescued me.”

“Come here CoCo. You're such a pretty girl. Thank you for rescuing my lovely wife while I was gone. Your mother and I will be taking you for lots of long walks together now that I'm back. I can't wait to get to know you better.” CoCo jumps off her pink satin pillow and prances over to Robert, putting her paw on his knee, looking so adorable at him.

“Hey Robert, let's all go out on the patio and sit under the stars. There's a full moon out as well!” They walk hand and hand with CoCo trailing behind, her tail wagging. They sit down, Natalie turns on the CD player with Frank Sinatra singing “My Funny Valentine.” After all, it was February 14^th, their now 13^th wedding anniversary. They sit down on the hanging swing, Natalie pulls out the package wrapped in magnolia paper. She unwraps the package and they hold the photo together. It's their 10^th wedding anniversary photo. This was taken on the day of the accident, so Robert was seeing it for the very first time.

“Look at us, together again forever and always, My Funny Valentine, Robert replies.” They look at each other with glowing love in their eyes, kiss and hold hands while sitting under the full moon and sky full of stars, Sinatra swooning in the background

Together at last.