Second Best

Olivia was only thirteen years old when her father passed away on a somber evening in her family's home. Ten short years ago on Valentine's Day, February the fourteenth, he disappeared from her world. Valentine's Day would never be the same for her. It was a day she would not ever forget and would always detest.

    She thought this year would be the same as all the others. She would pretend it was just another day exactly as she had done in the past years. She was already preparing herself now that the dreaded day was only two weeks away. What she didn’t realize was this time around was going to be different.

    Olivia was an early riser. She reached over to her bedside table to turn off her blaring alarm clock. It once again read five-thirty a.m. She slowly got out of bed and trudged to the restroom. She paused a moment to look at herself in the mirror. Her dark blonde hair was a mess from the night’s slumber. It fell just below her shoulders in a loose ponytail. Her green eyes boldly stood out against her ivory complexion. She decided to have a cup of coffee before grooming the frazzled lady in the mirror. As she walked to the kitchen, she heard her phone ringing. There was only one person that called her so early in the morning, her mother. She found her phone where she always kept it on the charger in the kitchen. When she answered the phone, she heard her mother, Alice, on the other end. She had called because she couldn’t sleep and knew Olivia would be awake. Her mother also mentioned that she had something to give Olivia when she saw her next. Olivia listened to her mother and then politely dismissed the call. She loved her mother very much, but they didn’t have a close relationship. She was ready for that cup of coffee now.

    As she was going through the motions of getting ready for the day, she wondered what it was that her mother had for her. It was not like Alice to go out and buy a gift for someone. Her mother had a more personal style than that. Olivia was not accustomed to getting presents or gifts. She fondly remembers the last thing her father gave her. It was small but special. A simple heart shaped box of chocolate candy. He surprised her with it the morning of that fateful Valentine’s Day. She thought that box of chocolate was so special. She eventually ate the candy, but she kept the heart shaped box for several years before she finally lost it. It broke her heart to misplace such a sentimental gift. She often wondered what happened to it. It was the most treasured thing she can ever remember owning.

    Her curiosity was getting the best of her. Maybe she would stop by her mother’s house today while she was out running her errands. Paying bills wasn’t the most pleasant experience so a surprise might brighten up the experience. She finished getting ready and turned everything off in the house. She would be gone for a while. Her key turned to lock the door and with that she was off for the day.

    Her mother greeted her at the door when she arrived. Alice always seemed so happy to see her when she came to visit. Olivia had often wished she could form a closer relationship with her mother. Maybe she built a wall between them when her father died. She wasn’t sure but she knew she loved her mother very much. Olivia looked at her mother on the other side of the room from her. Alice was preparing coffee for the two of them in the kitchen. She was a vibrant lady, full of life. Olivia noticed the aging signs in her mother. Alice’s black hair had silver strands all through it and her face was showing the inevitable fine lines that come with age. Olivia also noticed the trembling in Alice’s hands as she placed two steaming cups of coffee on the table in front of them. Seeing the changes in her mother gave her a feeling of heart sickness that she couldn’t explain and opened the wound of losing her father just a bit. She didn’t want to lose her mother. She wasn’t ready for that.

    Alice sat down with Olivia at the table and handed her a shiny red gift bag. She told Olivia she wanted to give it to her on Valentine’s Day since it was coming up so soon. Instead, she decided she would give it to her as soon as possible. Olivia was excited but didn’t really want to show it. Everyone knew she disliked Valentine’s Day. She put her coffee cup down and reached in the bag. She pulled out the second-best gift she had ever received. There it was. The chocolate box she had lost years ago. She could not believe what she was looking at. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she realized that this gift had been given to her a second time. It was just a simple cardboard candy box, but it meant so much to her. Her mother explained she found it in the attic in an old trunk beneath some papers. She told Olivia when she first saw it, she thought it was just trash. Fortunately, she realized it wasn’t garbage when she saw the inscription on the front. Olivia’s father had left her a message on the cover of the box. There was nothing but Happy Valentine’s Day my Livvy, I love you! She thanked her mother for finding her priceless treasure.

    As she walked out the front door to leave, she turned and kissed her mother on the cheek. Alice was surprised by the gesture, but Olivia could see her mother was happy. They said their goodbye’s and shut the door.

    Olivia drove home with a smile on her face and a realization that Valentine’s Day wasn’t all that bad. It could be an amazing experience. She might even go out this Valentine’s.