That was our first valentine. Nothing seemed special. Lazily we got up, made tea and coffee for ourselves, sat in the balcony and discussed about the world in general as we sipped our hot beverages. The sun was bright and up and all the people from the building looked busy and were trying to finish their chores. Right across from our balcony, we could see the maid sweeping the floor of our neighbor's house. She caught a glance of me and gave a smile and with gestures informed me that she will come to our house after her work was done in the neighbor's house. I smiled back at her and nodded my head. My husband, looked at me and slyly commented, "you bond really well with the maid." I twitched and opened my eyes wider and gave him the glare like telling him to stop teasing. Well, to tell the truth, the maid and I were absolutely made for each other. She didn't understand my language and I didn't understand hers. Yet, she would understand what exactly I wanted her to do. Our chemistry was just great. She would skip my neighbor's house and tell her that she was sick but wouldn't miss even a day of work at my place. My husband teased me saying that maybe she didn't know how to gesture and tell me that she wanted a day off. And I argued that I took good care of her. Well, I did make it a point to give her breakfast and tea everyday and some days she would even take it for her family. Mostly because I was new to cooking and I would make in abundance and I would offer her whatever was left. But then, this generosity also helped me get the real feed back of my cooking skills. She would gesture and tell me to add some more salt or pepper or chilli. Some days she would even come early and show me how to make some breakfast items. I would just stand and see while she cooked breakfast for us. My husband would come and whisper in my ears, "maybe she wanted to eat good food today." Anyways, there was an unique bond between us and I just loved her for helping me out in my daily chores.
By that time I had finished my tea. Holding the empty cup, I was turning the pages of the newspaper when the door bell rang. I glanced at my husband, he was still sipping his coffee. Well, it must be the maid, I thought. I got up and opened the door. It was not the maid! A man stood there with a large bouquet of roses. "Yes", I said. "For you Ma'am." and he started handing me the bouquet. Bewildered, I took a step back, and said, "Well, you came to the wrong house. We didn't order any bouquet." The man wearing a decent dress, put his hand in his shirt's pocket, took out a small sheet of paper and asked me, " Is it building number ## and apartment number ## Ma'am? I said "Yes". "Then this is for you Ma'am," he said.
Still very sure that there was some mistake, I asked the delivery man to show me the the sheet and the address. He gladly obliged and then he also told me to look at the card that came along the bouquet and check my name.
It was my name and my address but my mind was still confused as who would have sent it to me. I took the card from the bouquet and there it read , "From your loving husband...." I was totally surprised!! I looked back and there stood my hubby smiling and wickedly giggling at my expression. I didn't know how to react. It was the first time I had received such a beautiful surprise in my entire life. I stood there motionless while my husband tipped the delivery man and closed the door. By this time, I had started blabbering that I felt like a movie star. I had seen such surprises only in movies and had never expected anybody to shower me with so much love. "100 red roses", he said "Each rose for every year I want to spend my life with you." It was like a movie. I was speechless, shocked, happy, full of all kinds of emotions. I gave a him big bear hug and for the first time in my life I could FEEL a day. The door bell rang again. This time my husband opened the door and there was our maid. She came in and took the broom out and started sweeping the floor. I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast and my husband started getting ready to go to his work. Everything was going on as routine yet I could feel my heart skip beats and hum its own tune. We had our breakfast and my husband left for work. The maid finished all the cleaning and chores while I got ready to go out. Finally, locked the door behind and I headed out for the day. All the time, I was dreaming. I wasn't aware what are going on. Everything felt so mechanical. By afternoon, I was unlocking the door to get in the house. As I was stepping in, my neighbor called me from behind. By the way, my neighbor was the sweetest soul I had ever known. She was like a big sister to me. She always looked out for me and would always make things easier for me. She would sometimes even get vegetables for me when she went to vegetable market. She was the only person I knew in that new city and we would chat for hours sitting on our door steps and discussing lots of nothings and gossiping.
So, when I saw her. I told her all about my husband's surprise valentine day's gift. I think I might have gone on and on for at least half an hour while she kept listening and smiling and being happy in my happiness. When I had nothing else to say we just stared at each other, smiling. Then finally, she said, " You know it is your first year of marriage. So, I am not surprised that your husband gave you roses. All the men are like that. First five years of marriage they try to make you happy and please you but as days goes by everything fades. You enjoy your days while it lasts." "What do you mean?" I asked. "Well, we will talk about it after 5 years. You will then know what exactly I meant." I wasn't quite sure what she meant by that but I was no longer flying in the sky in the dreamy world. I was shown the reality of love in life on the day that was meant for love! That day, I made promise to myself that I will count the years and see if my husband indeed meant 100 roses for 100 years or was it just a phase in life.
Next year, second Valentine approached. I kept a low profile and low expectations. We were in a different country by then. Everything had changed. The place was new, I had some new friends, everything was different. My husband came home from work that evening and was trying to hide something from me. When I tried to peek, he handed me a small basket with two mugs with hearts print on it and couple of roses that were neatly decorated in the basket. I was overjoyed. Well, three more years!! I thought to myself. Hiding my insecurities, I gave him a big smile and a warm hug. The following year, he got a lovely card for me. "From a big bouquet, to a gift hamper, to a simple card...I sighed! I think it won't even last for 5 years!!" Still thankful that he thought of me I opened the card, read the lovely lines (written by somebody else) and smiled and gave him a hug for being thoughtful. As the fourth Valentine started approaching, I started getting jittery. I didn't know what to expect and I was getting myself mentally prepared to receive a simple wish. I didn't let him know my feelings and I waited. And sure enough, it was 14 th Feb again and he woke up and wished me "Happy Valentine's Day V" As I was mentally prepared, I accepted the wishes and smiled back. At least he remembered it was Valentine's Day! I thought. But, to my surprise he came home with a box of chocolates. Hmm. it is still the 4th year, my devil mind thought.
Now, the dreaded fifth year was approaching... I was trying to show as if Valentine day is just like any other day. "Oh, I don't believe in materialist presents", I told him one day. But deep in my heart I wanted him to get me something as materialistic as possible, just to prove my sweet neighbor wrong. As the day started approaching, my heart started sinking. By this time, our daughter had become our main priority and I was pretty sure that celebrating Valentine's Day was the least of our priorities. We had so many other responsibilities that Valentine Day would just be like any other day. I kept acting like Valentine's Day didn't matter to me. "It is just a day, like any other day." I told myself. "I love him and he loves me and that is the only thing that matters." I tried to console myself. Finally, the day came. He got up, went to office. "He didn't even wish me!" I thought. The whole day went by and I just tried to divert myself any ill feelings and thoughts that came to my mind. Evening he came home. We had dinner. As I was cleaning the kitchen, my daughter shouted , "Surprise" in her cute, sweet little voice. I turned and saw both father and daughter holding a card and a wrapped box. I was taken aback. I couldn't stop smiling. I read the card filled with lovely words, then slowly, I opened the wrapper and was stunned to see what my husband had got me!! Oh dear! It was expensive! Well, that year, it would not have mattered even if he had got me a painted rock. The five year mental bond was getting over! I was plain happy that even after 5 years I could tell some exciting story to my neighbor if ever I met her again.
Today is 16th year of togetherness. I just know, like every year, rain or shine, be it a single rose from the gas station, or a dinner at a restaurant, or simple cooking together in our kitchen, we will be there for each other if not a 100 years but at least this lifetime.
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!