Dear Diary, February 14, 1915

Tonight was possibly the best night ever. As you probably know, it's Valentines Day. Dad doesn't really approve of the holiday but I still like to celebrate it when I can. I had just closed the doctor's office (by the way, the office was decorated in red and white hearts and streamers) and was about to leave when there was a knock at the door. Normally I don't answer the door after I've locked it because the few times I have, I've ended up having to assist Dr. Kingly because the nurse on duty, either Samantha or Helen, had already left. I ignored the knock and got my coat and bag together and was about to go out the back door when the knock became more urgent and I heard someone cough on the other side of the door. My instinct told me I'd better answer the door so I walked over a looked through the window. Low and behold, there stood Jamie, his hand wrapped in a towel. I think I gasped, I'm not quite sure. I quickly undid the door and let him in.

"Jamie, what happened?" I asked, locking the door again. I turned to look at him and he smiled sheepishly back at me.

"I'm not sure. I was working on the farm and when I looked down and my hand was covered in blood."

"Well, sit down and I'll look at it. Dr. Kingly has already left but I can call him if I need to."

I led Jamie to a chair and slowly unwrapped the towel from his hand. Jamie flinched as I unwound the layers.

"Sorry." I said.

"It's okay." Jamie said, not making eye contact with me. I finished unwrapping the towel and saw Jamie's clenched hand, which looked perfectly fine to me. He uncurled his fingers and revealed a small heart-shaped locket on a silver chain. I looked at him and he was smiling at me.

"Happy Valentines Day, Char." he said.

"Jamie!" I cried delightedly. I lifted the necklace from his hand and looked at it.

"It's beautiful." I said. "Thank you Jamie."

"You're welcome." Jamie said standing up. He took the locket from me and put it on and then gently lifted my curls out of the chain. I felt my neck and the necklace fell in perfect position, resting just above the cross from my parents. I turned around to face Jamie. He pulled me into a hug and then kissed me.

"Shall we go for a walk?" he asked. "I have a picnic waiting."

"A picnic?" I asked. "It's nearly minus fifteen degrees outside."

"You don't worry about that." Jamie said, handing me my coat. I smiled, not sure what Jamie was up to, and checked to make sure the front door was locked. Jamie took my hand and we went out the back door. As I was locking the back door, a blindfold came over my eyes.

"Hey!" I cried, struggling to get the blindfold off.

"Jamie! What are you doing?" I asked.

"Nothing Char. Just calm down."

I felt Jamie take the key from my hand; he checked to make sure the door was securely locked and then took my hand. He led me to Nick's car which was waiting and helped me up. He closed the door and then we started moving. I don't know how long we drove for but eventually the car stopped and Jamie helped me out again. He led me down a bumpy path and then into a warm building.

"Here we are!" Jamie said, undoing the blindfold. I looked around, my eyes adjusting to the light. I recognized the building to be the little cottage that sits by the creek. The building, as far as I knew, had been empty for years. Even so, Jamie had a fire going in the big stone fireplace and a table was set for two and a picnic basket was resting on it.

"Oh Jamie!" I cried. Jamie smiled at me and then helped me out of my coat. We sat down and began to eat dinner.

"Who lives here?" I asked, about halfway through the meal.

"No one does. It's abandoned."

"And you fixed it up?" I asked.

"Well, Nick, Sara, and Grace helped me."

"That's so sweet." I said.

"I'm glad you like it." Jamie said smiling. "I wanted to make this Valentines Day special." Jamie didn't say it, but I know we were both thinking that this could be our last Valentines Day together and that was the reason Jamie had wanted to make it special.

"Don't say that. We're going to have other Valentines Days."

"Just in case we don't Char. I want you to remember this one."

"Jamie, please. Don't talk like that. There'll be plenty of time to think like that."

"Just not tonight." Jamie finished my thought.

"Right."

"Okay." Jamie said. "So."

"So." I responded. "What were you going to do if I didn't answer the door at the doctor's office?"

"Nothing. You wouldn't have gotten out of the office until you answered the door."

"What?"

"Nick was blocking the back door. You wouldn't have been able to leave from the back door so that left you opening the front door."

"You locked me in the doctor's office?"

"More or less."

"Jamie!" I cried, laughing.

"What? You didn't even know you were locked in!" Jamie was also laughing.

"True."

"Do my parents know where I am?" I asked suddenly.

"They think you're at Sara's house for dinner."

"Oh good. Dad would be furious if he ever found out. But he won't." I added, noting the look of fear that flashed on Jamie's face.

Eventually, we finished eating. After dinner, we danced on the wood floor to the sounds of the fire crackling and wind blowing.

"Jamie?" I asked, my head resting on my shoulder.

"What?"

"Please come back."

"I'll do my best Charlotte."

"Okay."

We danced for a few more minutes and then we pack up the food and put out the fire. Nick was waiting for us and drove me home. Before I got out the car, Jamie leaned in and kissed me.

"Good-night Charlotte. Happy Valentines Day."

"Thank you Jamie, for everything. It was perfect. Good-night."

I got out of the car and walked to the kitchen door. I found my mom sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and reading the paper.

"Did you have a good time?" she asked as I kicked off my boots.

"Yes."

"That's good. Was Grace there?"

"Yes." I lied. "Nick and Jamie too."

Mom turned to look at me and I felt uncomfortable under her stare.

"Where'd you get that?" she asked.

"What?"

"The necklace."

"Oh, um…" I tried to think of an excuse and I felt my face flush.

"Jamie gave it to you, didn't he?" Mom asked gently.

"Yes." I hung my head.

"It's okay, Charlotte. Just don't let your father see it."

"Thank you Mom."

"You're welcome. Now you'd better get on upstairs and to bed. It's late."

"Okay. Good-night Mom. Love you."

"Love you too."

Tonight was absolutely perfect! In a way, I'm glad Jamie was thinking the way he did because if something does happen to him, I'll always have this memory to look back on. But the thought that I might lose my best friend still scares me but I won't let them ruin the evening. I've been thinking about Eve lately. I wonder what she and Daniel did for Valentines Day. I'll have to send her a letter soon.

Good night and happy Valentines Day.

Charlotte