Gah, waking up to another Valentine's Day. I've never really hated the holiday, but I was never really a big fan, either. It was going to be another day of work for me: a twelve hour shift from ten in the morning until ten at night. A full two until ten to give another girl or two a chance to have a date night. I don't have a steady man or any plans so I might as well make some evening shift difference pay.

I make my bed and begin to head to the bathroom in a groggy state. I sit on the toilet and rub my still sleepy eyes as I pee. I get up in disgust as I notice my urine is a darker than usual color.

"You're a nurse, Terri," I tell myself out loud as I flush and run the faucet to wash my hands. "You need to drink your water. You know better."

I turn off the faucet and run my still wet fingers through my hair. I'll wash it tomorrow on my day off, a wet down and a brush will be just fine for today. I moisturize my face and decide I will worry about makeup after breakfast. I walk out of the bathroom and catch a whiff of something sweet. Did Jack make cinnamon rolls? No, it wasn't that spicy: It was more of a vanilla scent.

"Are your eyes closed?" Jack asks Janet as I walk into the kitchen.

"What the…?" I ask as Jack puts his finger to his lips in a hush position. I nod in understanding. It was a plate of heart shaped cookies with red and pink icing and decorative sprinkles. They looked yummy.

"Good morning, Terri," Janet greets me with her eyes obediently closed.

"Good morning, Janet," I greet back as I take a seat and watch as Jack sets down the plate of cookies in front of us both.

"Jack, can I please open my eyes now?"

"Yes, you may."

Janet gasps at the cookies. Immediate tears well up in her eyes and again I'm left wondering what the hell? Janet grabs Jack's face and gives him a kiss on the lips. Of course Jack is always happy to return the favor.

"I can't believe you did it again. That you remembered," Janet remarked as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"I feel funny about this but what's going on here?"

Janet laughs while they kiss each other's cheeks. These two, honest to God. I've never seen not lovers so in love with each other before.

"Last year was rough for us," Jack began to explain as he took a seat.

"Oh?"

"Before Cindy moved in," he began again as he picked up the plate and handed it over to me. "Have one."

"Thank you," I said as I picked a red frosted one. The first bite tasted like the color red in the best way. "Delicious."

"Thank you."

"So?" I asked as I took my second bite.

"So, what?" Janet asked as she bit into her pink frosted cookie.

"Why was last year so rough?"

" I was unemployed and Janet was the only one working. Cindy hadn't come along quite yet. All the bills and the rent, it all fell on Janet. I felt absolutely horrible and she was having a rough time."

"It wasn't that hard," Janet protested.

"Janet, you would come home and cry."

"Once."

"Yeah, once a day, maybe."

"Okay, a week tops."

"You felt bad so you made her some cookies?" I asked out of frustration and with my hands in the air. My Lord, can't get anywhere with these two!

"What else could I do? I didn't have much money, I never did," he sighs heavily. "Two years after graduation and I still have next to nothing to show for it."

"Don't say that!" Janet and I squeal at the same time. The table goes quiet for a few minutes but Jack takes a deep breath and begins again.

"I surprised her with these exact cookies last year on Valentine's Day and I told her that every year until I become successful and can actually buy her something worthy, I will bake these."

"That's the sweetest thing I ever heard," I said, no lies. I look over at Janet and tears have welled up in her eyes again. I chuckle. "You can taste the love."

"I'm happy we have a room mate like you to share them with," Jack says as he pulls me close and kisses my cheek.

"Ditto," Janet agrees as she grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze.

I can't believe it took me until the year 1982 to fully understand what Valentine's Day was really all about.