image generated from grok
Last Valentine's Day was the best one I had ever experienced in the history of my marriage. My husband has been the type who has this mind of “if you don't remind me, I will not remember to do it”. Two years ago, Valentine was around the corner, and my husband promised to buy me some gifts and also take me out just to feel the great aroma of Valentine's Day. After making this statement, I was so excited and kept hoping that he was going to take me out.
It was like a week before Valentine's Day when he made the statement, and I kept hoping that something special was going to happen after years of marriage. Two days after Valentine's Day, he came home from school, where he teaches. I just wanted him to remember his words and not want it to be like the other valentine which he had been promising and failing. I knew so well that he's the type who loved to be remembered before he takes actions in things like this. I never reminded him of his promises.
Valentine's Day was counting down, but then I knew so well that with his razor-like way of saying it, he was going to do something special for me. In another way, I was just thinking, what if he failed just like before? I was begging the day to get exhausted, for the next day to kick-start. It was just as if the days were too far from Valentine's Day. The more I wait, the more the day seems to be drawing far from me. Maybe it was because of the way I had carried it within me.
It's simply Valentine's Eve Day, and my husband has yet to come back from work as promised. I kept observing, thinking he would remember to come home and fulfil his promises. That evening, my kids said I should call their dad to send them something for their Valentine, but I refused, as I wanted him to remember this day himself. When the day finally came, I did not receive a message from him, not even a gift or a surprise of calling me wishing me, his wife, a happy Valentine's Day.
I just kept mute without saying a word, and was not even ready to say anything related to Valentine's Day anytime he's back home. My children said they would tell their dad that he had failed them and had failed me, their mum. At some point, I wanted them to tell their dad, but on another thought, I asked them not to say a word to him.
When he came home that weekend, no one mentioned anything related to Valentine to him, and he never mentioned anything as well. We kept watching each other doing the usual thing. I was furious, but I was not ready to blow my anger.
When it was like two weeks later, and on a weekend, my friend was narrating how her husband took her out for a Valentine's surprise. She said her husband bought her tangible gifts, and they went to an eatery to chill. Immediately, my husband heard this statement, something was not right. It was as if heaven should fall for him to disappear. He did not say a word, but I knew that he felt something deep inside of him. He later apologized for disappointing his kids. “You are always like that”, I said to him.
Last year, Valentine, it was not in my mind to remind him of what to do, simply because of his usual behaviour. I did not wait to listen to flimsy promises that could not materialize.
That Valentine's Day was a working day. Suddenly, my husband called to say that he was coming home. I never knew the reason, but after a few hours, he was home. My children were not ready to remind their dad of what was happening the following day, as they knew the heavens would never fall. He said the reason he came home was to take a book he forgot, and that book was useful to him at his workplace.
When it was past 4 AM, I received a message, thinking it was an ordinary message. I could not check my phone at that moment as sleep had overtaken my eyes. When it was past six in the morning, I had to open my phone. To my surprise, it was my husband wishing me a happy Valentine's Day. I don't want to believe it. My little thinking went beyond my imagination. In his bag that he brought home, he brought out a gift. It was a gown I had always longed for. Yet, my imagination was still as if I were dreaming.
After taking our breakfast, I was expecting him to go back to his workplace; instead, he said I should dress up. Although the kids had gone to school. That Valentine's Day was a day I could never forget. He took me out and gave me a nice treat. He bought things for my kids before leaving for his workplace.
“What a surprise”. I hope this one is like the last one.