Shane held the box in her hand. She'd wrapped it carefully, tied the bow. It looked perfect. She'd been stressed about what to get him for Valentine's Day, when just more than a week ago, an idea presented itself, right in the DLO.
They'd had a particularly busy day, an early Valentine's rush? Cards, letters, and packages were entering the DLO at a frenetic pace, and the conveyer was in operation almost nonstop, until it wasn't. Then a package came barreling down the conveyor, toward Rita, who'd been lifting a full bin of lost packages, when the hem of her dress caught the edge of her conveyor.
Perhaps it was good timing (you have to trust the timing) or divine delivery, but Oliver was there, reaching out to stop the errant package. It clipped his wrist, breaking one of what she knew to be his favorite cuff links. His face had temporarily shown disappointment, but he simply moved toward his desk, removed the cuff links, put them in his drawer, and replaced them with a new pair. Of course he'd had a back-up pair in his drawer.
She'd gone into his desk drawer before, conflicted that last time she had, but this time, she'd done so with the purest intentions. And now, the gift was in a nice, neat package. She knew he'd be touched. But she also knew her other gift, the one that was not a "material trapping" as Oliver put it would be the one that touched him more.
She picked up her gift and the card, donned her coat, and waited for Oliver on her porch swing.
Oliver had brought her yellow roses, and a gift that touched her heart, he'd gotten an iPhone for himself, to ease her concern for him. It had been perfect, as was the kiss they'd shared. It was now time for her to give him her gift.
She handed him the package, anticipating his reaction. He opened the card, read the words carefully, looking in her eyes afterward, clearly touched both by the sentiment on the card and her handwritten words. He carefully untied the ribbon, unwrapped the package without ripping the paper. He opened the box and sharply breathed in. "Shane…how did you…?" His voice trailed off.
She smiled. "Norman helped. Books with pictures. Rita's incredible memory provided some assistance too. And some internet research helped me locate this pair. He began to slip off the cuff links he wore now & lifted the insert in the box to pull out this treasured pair. He noticed the slip of paper underneath, pulled it up and read the handwriting he'd come to treasure.
He looked at her intently. She'd known she'd touched him deeply with her simple handwritten statement. "I promise when I am with you that I will put my electronic devices away unless we absolutely need them."
He smiled, touched her cheek, dropping his gaze to her lips. He moved in to kiss her.