Chapter Thirteen

Tuesday had come and gone, and Valerie had spent much of the day getting her hair and nails done, at Sophie’s insistence. She didn’t usually pamper herself that way, but she really wanted to look her best for the dance. She’d returned to find a good-sized box on her porch containing beautiful new heels in just the right size that matched the handbag and jewelry perfectly. She’d tried them on right away and danced around the living room for a while, pretending she was with Alec. When Sophie had come in the front door, she’d frozen in her tracks, and they’d both broke into a fit of giggles.

Now, on the morning she’d been waiting for all month, she sat on the sofa contemplating exactly the best way to go about setting up for the dance and then getting dressed. She’d already decided to wear a nice pink sweater and black slacks when she left to go set up, but that wasn’t what she intended to wear to the dance itself. She’d contemplated buying a new dress, but Sophie had talked her out of it somehow reminding her that she had lots of cute pink dresses in her closet. Valerie wasn’t quite sure which one she’d wear, but she’d narrowed it down to two.

Her sketches of what she’d like to do with the center pieces were laid out on the table in front of her and she was looking them over, trying to concentrate on the task at hand and not what she would wear or how she’d get dressed, or whether or not she’d have another chance to dance with Alec, when the doorbell rang. It startled her, and she glanced down to make sure she’d changed out of her pajamas, which she had, though she’d yet to shower, and her hair was tossed up in makeshift bun. As much as she’d like to see him, she prayed it wasn’t Alec.

She crossed the living room to the front door and peered out the window at the top of the door to see Frank standing on the doorstep, his arms behind his back. She was surprised to see him, but she hastily threw the door open. “Frank! What are you doing here?’

“Good morning, Valerie.” He had a big grin on his face. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“No, not at all. Come in,” she replied stepping out of the way so he could enter. As soon as he got past her, she realized he had a large box in his hands. He pulled it around in front of himself as she closed the door. It was wrapped in pink paper with white polka dots with a large bow on top. “What’s this? Did someone leave it at the diner.”

“No,” Frank replied. “May I have a seat?”

Still startled at his response, Valerie gestured at a chair. “Sure.” She went around to resume her seat on the sofa. “Frank, what’s going on?”

“Valerie,” he began, his voice quiet and a bit emotional, “I know I don’t speak about her as much as I should, but you do remember that I once had a daughter, don’t you?”

Thoughts of a picture she’d once seen in Frank’s home came to mind. A small girl with long, curly blonde hair. “I do remember that, Frank.”

“Vanessa was only six when she passed away. I think part of me died that day as well. Oh, sure, her mother and I found a way to continue on. For our children’s sake and the sake of our friends and family. We wanted to keep Vanessa’s memory alive, and yet, I’ve struggled to do that. Sometimes it just seems easier to pretend she’s just off at school or grown up and moved away.”

Valerie nodded, not sure what to say.

“When I first met you, Valerie, you reminded me of what I was missing. She wasn’t much younger than you. Same curly blonde hair. Same sparkling eyes. Same smile. I know I tease everyone and tell them they are my favorite this or that, but you, Valerie, really are my favorite.”

Her eyes glistening with fresh tears, Valerie said, “Thank you, Frank. That means a lot to me.”

“I can’t tell you how much it hurt my heart to see you so distraught as Valentine’s Day grew closer. I wanted this to be a special time for you. You bring so much joy and light to so many people, not just at the diner but everywhere you go. Words of encouragement, a smile, taking an interest in the lives of others. So… I thought it might be nice to do something for you for a change.”

The realization of what he was revealing to her sunk in. “You’re my Cupid?” she asked, quietly, not sure what to make of it.

“Yes, Valerie,” he replied. “With the help of Mrs. Bishop.”

Suddenly, it occurred to her that Mrs. Bishop was a poet. It all began to make sense. Most of the gifts had shown up at the diner, or when Frank knew she was out. “Wow,” she muttered. While part of her was slightly disappointed that it wasn’t Alec, she’d already come to that conclusion. He’d told her outright it wasn’t him, and she had no reason to doubt it. After all, it was a bold move, and he had always been timid, until recently. The idea that it wasn’t someone else trying to win her heart was a relief, but at the same time, she was a little astonished. “But why?”

Frank shrugged. “Like I said, I wanted to see you happy. Now, Valerie, it occurred to me from day one you were misinterpreting my messages, and I didn’t know exactly how to correct your thinking.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, tentatively.

“You were under the impression, at least for a while, that your Cupid was a secret admirer. But, Cupid doesn’t fall in love; he makes other people fall in love.”

Once again, Valerie was flabbergasted. Of course, that was true. She should’ve known all along that the person sending the gifts didn’t have a secret crush on her.

Frank continued. “I was hoping to bring some light and joy into your life, as you’ve done for so many others, and with this newfound happiness, you’d attract love yourself.”

Her eyes widened once again. All of that made perfect sense now that she had the full picture in front of her. “I see,” she whispered. “Frank, I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything, Val. Just accept this last gift on behalf of me and the missus.”

With a small smile and a nod, Valerie reached out and Frank handed her the box. She carefully set it on the coffee table and untied the bow. Lifting off the lid revealed a stunning pink gown in the same exact shade as the shoes, clutch, and jewelry. It shimmered as she held it up. Waves of taffeta and tulle spilled out of the box. It reminded her a bit of a dress from the 1950s with it’s sleeveless top and full skirt. “Oh, my, Frank! It’s absolutely stunning.”

“You like it then?”

“I love it!” She carefully placed the dress back in the box and stood to embrace him. He rose to meet her, and tears streamed down her face as she buried her head in his neck. “I can’t say enough to thank you.”

“You don’t have to say anything, Val. Just wear it tonight, and fall in love. That’ll be thanks enough.”

With a small laugh, she stepped back, wiping her tears. She nodded, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep one of those promises. She couldn’t fall in love that night; she was already in love.

“Now, Mrs. Bishop and I will be there to help set up,” Frank said as he crossed to the door. “We are looking forward to an evening to remember.”

“Timeless Memories,” Valerie reminded him, “that’s the theme. And I think it will be full of them.”

“Take care, sweetheart,” Frank said, stepping out onto the porch.

“See you later, Cupid.” She gave a little wave and watched him walk to his car before closing the door. Her family might be far away, but she would always have people like Frank looking out for her. Her heart overflowed with love and admiration as she went back to study the dress, thoughts of what might happen in just a few hours filling her mind. It seemed, at last, she would have a Valentine’s Day to remember.