Anonymous Valentine

For Madeliene Finch she felt this Valentine’s Day was going to be one she remembered. At just 22 she hadn’t experienced the holiday like some. She’d never been given flowers or chocolates. She hadn’t ever met someone special to enjoy it with, until now.

She had just moved to a new town and started working at the coffee shop. With so many new people coming in it gave her many opportunities to meet someone new, but she also loved those familiar faces that appeared so often, especially that of Lewis Knight.

Lewis was the reason she was looking forward to Valentine’s Day. Since meeting on just the second day of her new job they spent a lot of time together. He would come in in the mornings, and at night they would spend hours talking at his place.

When Valentine’s Day came she was ecstatic at the flowers waiting for her when she arrived at work. She couldn’t wait to get them back to her apartment and let them light up the tiny room.

Around ten she made her way up the stairs, holding tight to the bouquet. Her mind was on where she put the vase her mother gave her, and the frustration of her overstuffed purse hiding her key that she didn’t notice the box of chocolates setting in front of her door, until she tripped over them.

She unlocked her door, pushing it open, and then grabbed the box. She walked into her apartment and laid the flowers and her purse down, then opened the note attached to the box.

Madeliene,

A treat for a girl so sweet

Soft and warm as your chocolate locks

Filled with cherry red as your lips

Held in a heart shaped box

She smiled thinking how sweet Lewis was, first the flowers and now chocolates. She sent him a quick text thanking him, but when he replied telling her it wasn’t from him it dawned on her. Lewis had never been to her apartment. Sure he knew which building it was, but she had never told him which apartment she lived in.

She thought maybe her mother, but she would never write a poem like that. No, that was more romantic; flirtatious even.

She walked over to the window to shut the curtains. She noticed someone down below leaned against a tree. Through the dark it was hard to be certain, but it looked like he was looking up at her. She closed the curtains and made her way towards the back.

She turned on the hall light and on the floor were rose petals. She followed them into her room; lit with a candle on each nightstand. Petals covered the bed and on her pillow a note.

You’re so beautiful when you sleep.

She turned, her bedroom window open to the apartment across the street.

She rushed back opening the curtains, but he wasn't there.

Then from the open door in a voice she didn’t recognize she heard, “Hello, Madeliene.”