Valentine's Day. A man had to come up with the idea. Leave it to a man to ruin a normally perfect day, Alison mumbled to herself. Being alone on Valentine's Day never bothered her. This time it did and she felt a little guilty feeling that way. She knew he traveled a lot and could be called away at a moments notice. He was already gone eight days, twelve hours, and some odd number of minutes and seconds. "How pathetic I sound." she laughed, shaking her head.
She knew the problem, but she didn't want to admit it. She was in love. Why else would she keep track on how long he's been gone? She could be temporarily insane. She worked with lawyers and judges, she could ask them to confirm her theory, but knew they wouldn't.
Hearing squeals of delight, Alison stepped out of her office to see what was going on. Alison saw her best friend in the world hugging her boyfriend. "What's going on?" Alison asked a person next to her.
"Renee just got engaged." was the reply she got.
Alison walked over to the happy couple and gave her congratulations. Renee and Josh have been a couple for five years. They had their good times and bad times, but the good outweighed the bad. Alison envied her friend for that. After promising that she would go out and celebrate with them tomorrow night, Alison walked back to her office and slumped into her chair. "He could of at least mailed a card before he left," she muttered going back to work.
A few hours later Renee poked her head into Alison's office. "Lunch time. My treat. And I won't take no for an answer." she smiled.
"Sure, but I thought you would have lunch with your new fiancé?" Alison teased grabbing her coat.
"Nope," Renee replied, "Josh had to go back to work. He's in his all work, no play mode now."
"Where to for lunch?' Alison laughed. "I'm not picky today."
Ten minutes later they were sitting in a little café a few blocks from work. Alison was admiring Renee's engagement ring.
"Still haven't heard from him yet?" Renee asked. She knew Alison since grammar school. She knew when she was hurting.
"No." she replied, stuffing her chicken in her mouth.
"Want to talk about it?" she offered.
"No. Yes. I don't know." Alison complained, "I don't want to ruin your day."
"You can't," Renee beamed, "so talk."
"Being alone never bothered me." Alison started to say.
"But?" Renee prompt.
"But, I feel he should have at least mailed a card or something before he left. At least acknowledge today," she complained.
"I knew it. I know what's wrong." Renee smiled.
"Don't say it Renee." Alison warned. She didn't want her friend t confirm her earlier thoughts.
"You're in love." Renee sang.
"I am not!" Alison protested. "It's temporary insanity."
"How?" Renee asked, dying to hear her friend's explanation.
"I started to count how long he's been gone." Alison admitted, hiding her head in her hands.
"I knew it!" Renee exclaimed, "He broke that wall down you built around your heart."
"Okay, I love him." Alison admitted, "I don't think he feels the same way."
"How do you know?" she asked, waving the waiter down for the bill.
"Well, you know he's not exactly Mr. Show the Emotion." she answered.
"True, he doesn't show that much in public," her friend admitted, "but you can't tell me he doesn't express it when you guys are alone."
"Renee!" Alison exclaimed.
"Tell me he doesn't rock your world. I've seen you with a smile on your face that's lasted for days. Don't tell me he's not the reason for that." Renee laughed.
"Of course, he's not the reason. Chocolate is." Alison laughed. It was good to finally laugh today. She looked down at her watch, "We have to get back."
"What are you doing tonight?" Renee asked picking up her purse.
"Thought I would go see a movie. Why?' she asked.
"I'll join you. As long as it's not Blackhawk Down," Renee said, "I'll see Kate and Leopold or Lord Of The Rings, nothing depressing."
"What about Josh?" she asked.
"He has to work and since I can't spend it with him, I want to spend it with the other person who means a lot to me." Renee reasoned.
"Geez, enough sucking up. We'll see Kate and Leopold. Afterwards when he gets back I can compare him to Hugh Jackman in every way." she plotted.
"Oh, I'm sure he'll love that." Renee laughed, "By the way, what ever happened to you Deuce DVD?"
"I have no idea." Alison sighed, "He hid it after I kept lusting over Rob Schneider."
The workday went quickly and Alison was thankful for that. Off and on florists delivered flowers to her co-workers. It was a little depressing.
"Ready?" Renee sang walking into the office.
"Yes." Alison replied turning off her computer.
Before the movie they went out to dinner. Nothing fancy, something fast and near the theater. McDonald's. A few hours later they walked out the theater laughing.
"Josh is going to hate me," Renee laughed, "I'll be comparing everything he does now to Leopold."
"Same here." Alison laughed, "but think of how fun it could be. Thanks for cheering me up today."
"No problem. You're my bestest friend in the world. I want to see you happy." Renee said hugging Alison.
"Oh, look, a tear." Alison laughed pointing to her cheek.
"Leave it to you ruin a moment. I'll see you tomorrow." Renee laughed.
Alison got in her car and drove to her apartment. The drive only took a half hour since rush hour has been over for one hour. She pulled into her parking spot. She checked her mail. Bill, bill, ad and a letter from her parents. Alison sighed as she opened her apartment door. She tossed her purse and mail onto the table next to the door. She was going to go take a long hot bath and read a good book. She wanted to forget about today. She kicked off her heels and walked into the living room. Alison stopped and looked around her living room. Soft jazz was playing on the radio. Candles lit around the room.
"Happy Valentine's Day." a voice said.
Alison looked towards the kitchen and she couldn't believe her eyes. He was here. He was leaning up against the wall, arms crossed, watching her. He pushed himself off the wall and walked towards Alison. He stopped in front of her and looked into her eyes. He raised his hand and caressed her cheek. He bent down placed a kiss on her lips. "I missed you," he whispered.
Alison wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into his chest. She was happy he was here. "When did you get back?" she asked.
"Yesterday afternoon." he smiled, leading her into a dance.
"Yesterday! And you let me think." she started to argue. He silenced her with a kiss.
"You have no idea how I drove my team crazy. They actually took my phone from me so I couldn't call you." he laughed, twirling her around the room. "I am surprised Renee didn't tell what I had planned."
"She knew? No wonder why she took pity on me." Alison laughed.
"We also had a very interesting conversation," he hinted.
"What did she say?" Alison asked, not sure if she wanted to know.
"I do have something to tell you." he smiled.
"Okay, but first tell me what Renee told you." she demanded.
"Chocolate is the reason you smile?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, "You know how to wound a man's pride. I guess I have to prove chocolate wrong." He picked Alison up and flung her over his shoulder and proceeded to walk towards the bedroom.
"Damn it," Alison laughed, "put me down Frank Donovan!"
"As you ordered." he smiled dumping her on the bed. Donovan turned a slammed the bedroom door. "No cat is going to attack my feet tonight."
Donovan climbed on the bed next to Alison. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.
"I have one more thing to say," he said taking off her blouse.
"Has anyone told you, you talk too much?" Alison laughed, helping him out of his shirt. Donovan stopped what he was doing and looked at her. "This looks serious."
"It is." he replied, "I love you."
She knew the problem, but she didn't want to admit it. She was in love. Why else would she keep track on how long he's been gone? She could be temporarily insane. She worked with lawyers and judges, she could ask them to confirm her theory, but knew they wouldn't.
Hearing squeals of delight, Alison stepped out of her office to see what was going on. Alison saw her best friend in the world hugging her boyfriend. "What's going on?" Alison asked a person next to her.
"Renee just got engaged." was the reply she got.
Alison walked over to the happy couple and gave her congratulations. Renee and Josh have been a couple for five years. They had their good times and bad times, but the good outweighed the bad. Alison envied her friend for that. After promising that she would go out and celebrate with them tomorrow night, Alison walked back to her office and slumped into her chair. "He could of at least mailed a card before he left," she muttered going back to work.
A few hours later Renee poked her head into Alison's office. "Lunch time. My treat. And I won't take no for an answer." she smiled.
"Sure, but I thought you would have lunch with your new fiancé?" Alison teased grabbing her coat.
"Nope," Renee replied, "Josh had to go back to work. He's in his all work, no play mode now."
"Where to for lunch?' Alison laughed. "I'm not picky today."
Ten minutes later they were sitting in a little café a few blocks from work. Alison was admiring Renee's engagement ring.
"Still haven't heard from him yet?" Renee asked. She knew Alison since grammar school. She knew when she was hurting.
"No." she replied, stuffing her chicken in her mouth.
"Want to talk about it?" she offered.
"No. Yes. I don't know." Alison complained, "I don't want to ruin your day."
"You can't," Renee beamed, "so talk."
"Being alone never bothered me." Alison started to say.
"But?" Renee prompt.
"But, I feel he should have at least mailed a card or something before he left. At least acknowledge today," she complained.
"I knew it. I know what's wrong." Renee smiled.
"Don't say it Renee." Alison warned. She didn't want her friend t confirm her earlier thoughts.
"You're in love." Renee sang.
"I am not!" Alison protested. "It's temporary insanity."
"How?" Renee asked, dying to hear her friend's explanation.
"I started to count how long he's been gone." Alison admitted, hiding her head in her hands.
"I knew it!" Renee exclaimed, "He broke that wall down you built around your heart."
"Okay, I love him." Alison admitted, "I don't think he feels the same way."
"How do you know?" she asked, waving the waiter down for the bill.
"Well, you know he's not exactly Mr. Show the Emotion." she answered.
"True, he doesn't show that much in public," her friend admitted, "but you can't tell me he doesn't express it when you guys are alone."
"Renee!" Alison exclaimed.
"Tell me he doesn't rock your world. I've seen you with a smile on your face that's lasted for days. Don't tell me he's not the reason for that." Renee laughed.
"Of course, he's not the reason. Chocolate is." Alison laughed. It was good to finally laugh today. She looked down at her watch, "We have to get back."
"What are you doing tonight?" Renee asked picking up her purse.
"Thought I would go see a movie. Why?' she asked.
"I'll join you. As long as it's not Blackhawk Down," Renee said, "I'll see Kate and Leopold or Lord Of The Rings, nothing depressing."
"What about Josh?" she asked.
"He has to work and since I can't spend it with him, I want to spend it with the other person who means a lot to me." Renee reasoned.
"Geez, enough sucking up. We'll see Kate and Leopold. Afterwards when he gets back I can compare him to Hugh Jackman in every way." she plotted.
"Oh, I'm sure he'll love that." Renee laughed, "By the way, what ever happened to you Deuce DVD?"
"I have no idea." Alison sighed, "He hid it after I kept lusting over Rob Schneider."
The workday went quickly and Alison was thankful for that. Off and on florists delivered flowers to her co-workers. It was a little depressing.
"Ready?" Renee sang walking into the office.
"Yes." Alison replied turning off her computer.
Before the movie they went out to dinner. Nothing fancy, something fast and near the theater. McDonald's. A few hours later they walked out the theater laughing.
"Josh is going to hate me," Renee laughed, "I'll be comparing everything he does now to Leopold."
"Same here." Alison laughed, "but think of how fun it could be. Thanks for cheering me up today."
"No problem. You're my bestest friend in the world. I want to see you happy." Renee said hugging Alison.
"Oh, look, a tear." Alison laughed pointing to her cheek.
"Leave it to you ruin a moment. I'll see you tomorrow." Renee laughed.
Alison got in her car and drove to her apartment. The drive only took a half hour since rush hour has been over for one hour. She pulled into her parking spot. She checked her mail. Bill, bill, ad and a letter from her parents. Alison sighed as she opened her apartment door. She tossed her purse and mail onto the table next to the door. She was going to go take a long hot bath and read a good book. She wanted to forget about today. She kicked off her heels and walked into the living room. Alison stopped and looked around her living room. Soft jazz was playing on the radio. Candles lit around the room.
"Happy Valentine's Day." a voice said.
Alison looked towards the kitchen and she couldn't believe her eyes. He was here. He was leaning up against the wall, arms crossed, watching her. He pushed himself off the wall and walked towards Alison. He stopped in front of her and looked into her eyes. He raised his hand and caressed her cheek. He bent down placed a kiss on her lips. "I missed you," he whispered.
Alison wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into his chest. She was happy he was here. "When did you get back?" she asked.
"Yesterday afternoon." he smiled, leading her into a dance.
"Yesterday! And you let me think." she started to argue. He silenced her with a kiss.
"You have no idea how I drove my team crazy. They actually took my phone from me so I couldn't call you." he laughed, twirling her around the room. "I am surprised Renee didn't tell what I had planned."
"She knew? No wonder why she took pity on me." Alison laughed.
"We also had a very interesting conversation," he hinted.
"What did she say?" Alison asked, not sure if she wanted to know.
"I do have something to tell you." he smiled.
"Okay, but first tell me what Renee told you." she demanded.
"Chocolate is the reason you smile?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, "You know how to wound a man's pride. I guess I have to prove chocolate wrong." He picked Alison up and flung her over his shoulder and proceeded to walk towards the bedroom.
"Damn it," Alison laughed, "put me down Frank Donovan!"
"As you ordered." he smiled dumping her on the bed. Donovan turned a slammed the bedroom door. "No cat is going to attack my feet tonight."
Donovan climbed on the bed next to Alison. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.
"I have one more thing to say," he said taking off her blouse.
"Has anyone told you, you talk too much?" Alison laughed, helping him out of his shirt. Donovan stopped what he was doing and looked at her. "This looks serious."
"It is." he replied, "I love you."