Valentines Morning

It’s early morning on Valentines Day, little sweetheart and your mom texted me to say that the flowers I sent for each of you arrived safely.

You are so very much in my heart, today, as ever. I remember our first two Valentines Days together especially being noteworthy.

The very first was during rehearsals for Tir na nOg. Edna wanted to take us all to dinner but when we got to the restaurant the lights were out and there was no power in the kitchen (or anywhere else for that matter). Instead of going somewhere else - and there was absolutely nobody else in the place, they would have closed for the night otherwise - the manager offered to have their sister restaurant cook dinner for us and drive it over in somebody’s car. We each had a choice between Irish Stew or a burger. You got the burger and I got the stew as they went around the table taking everyone’s order and offering free drinks while we waited, the place lit by candles.

We weren’t officially a “thing” yet, little sweetheart. That was still about 4 weeks away but I had such an enormous feeling of affection and protection for you. I think we would have been a “thing” far earlier had I not been so oblivious to the fact that that is exactly what you wanted (as you famously demonstrated one night a month later).

Anyway, you had made a point of sitting next to me and I was glad you had. You told me I could have some of your fries (ha!) and the two of us sat together very close, the only two not drinking, as it happened. To pass the time, Edna suggested that each of us either tell a story or sing a song. When it was my turn, I sang an old Roberta Flack song, a cappella, “Let Them Talk”.

It was an uncannily prescient choice, I couldn’t know how much at the time with its lyric about how…

“They’ll try to break up this romance.
Darling they don’t stand as chance.
We’ve got the kind of love that’s so strong
We’re going to be together from now on.
I don’t care what comes from the devil’s workshop.
True love is going to make it stop.
I want the whole wide world to know that I…
I love you so.
They’re envious of everything that we do.
But its so wonderful
When you love someone.
And that someone …
Loves…
You.!

Needless to say, the whole thing was very emotional. And seemingly out of place. Everyone seemed a bit embarrassed and keen to move on. Except, of course… of course, you, little sweetheart. You squeezed my hand and said, “I want you to sing that to me again, sometime when we’re alone. Just for me.”