“You don't have any tables for that night? Are you sure?”
“Yes, sir.” The gentleman's voice on the other end of Everett's phone was polite but firm. “Most people book weeks in advance for a popular time like Valentine's Day.”
Everett sighed, thanked the man anyway, and hung up the phone. His chin dropped into his arms on the table. That was the fifth fancy restaurant he had called, and every one had told him the same thing. No one had any space for him to make a reservation, even really early or really late.
No special necklace... no fancy dinner... What was he going to do? Una was going to be so disappointed if he didn't have any plans for her – and more to the point, Everett was disappointed in himself, not being able to think of a single thing he could do for his girlfriend to show her how much he loved her on Valentine's Day.
“What do you think of this one, Mother?”
Mrs. Stratton looked up as Una made her way down the stairs, striking a pose or two as if she were on the red carpet. She wore a long, glittery red strapless gown that swept the floor, along with a matching feather boa draped around her shoulders, and no less than three of her golden necklaces.
Mrs. Stratton smiled. “It's lovely, Una honey – but you don't know where Everett's taking you. Don't you think you might be a little overdressed?”
Una shook her head and laughed. “It doesn't matter if I'm overdressed for wherever he's taking me! This outfit isn't about that. It's about him.” She stood tall and proud in her glittery gown. “Everett's special enough to dress up like this for – no matter where he takes me.”
A tender look came to Una's mother's eyes. “Yes – that was how I felt about your father. He could have taken me absolutely anywhere, and I would have loved it, because I was with him.”
Una nodded. “Yes, exactly,” she said softly. “That's how I feel about Everett.”
Her mind briefly flickered to the movie she had been dying to see... to the box of chocolates sitting in her closet waiting for the perfect time for her to open and share them... but it was like her mother said. She didn't need those things to make Valentine's Day special. Not when she had Everett.
“Yes, sir.” The gentleman's voice on the other end of Everett's phone was polite but firm. “Most people book weeks in advance for a popular time like Valentine's Day.”
Everett sighed, thanked the man anyway, and hung up the phone. His chin dropped into his arms on the table. That was the fifth fancy restaurant he had called, and every one had told him the same thing. No one had any space for him to make a reservation, even really early or really late.
No special necklace... no fancy dinner... What was he going to do? Una was going to be so disappointed if he didn't have any plans for her – and more to the point, Everett was disappointed in himself, not being able to think of a single thing he could do for his girlfriend to show her how much he loved her on Valentine's Day.
“What do you think of this one, Mother?”
Mrs. Stratton looked up as Una made her way down the stairs, striking a pose or two as if she were on the red carpet. She wore a long, glittery red strapless gown that swept the floor, along with a matching feather boa draped around her shoulders, and no less than three of her golden necklaces.
Mrs. Stratton smiled. “It's lovely, Una honey – but you don't know where Everett's taking you. Don't you think you might be a little overdressed?”
Una shook her head and laughed. “It doesn't matter if I'm overdressed for wherever he's taking me! This outfit isn't about that. It's about him.” She stood tall and proud in her glittery gown. “Everett's special enough to dress up like this for – no matter where he takes me.”
A tender look came to Una's mother's eyes. “Yes – that was how I felt about your father. He could have taken me absolutely anywhere, and I would have loved it, because I was with him.”
Una nodded. “Yes, exactly,” she said softly. “That's how I feel about Everett.”
Her mind briefly flickered to the movie she had been dying to see... to the box of chocolates sitting in her closet waiting for the perfect time for her to open and share them... but it was like her mother said. She didn't need those things to make Valentine's Day special. Not when she had Everett.
