Violet was super excited. She would finally be 21 years of age – a young woman in her own right. Not a kid any longer! How long had she waited for this just as she was waiting for something else….a dear person to profess his love for her. Her parents had left for the day so that Violet could usher in her birthday with her close friends at home. As a young woman now, she wanted to have her own party, sans parents. However, she planned to have her birthday lunch with family the next day. The eve, however, was reserved for her friends.

Henry took Violet by her hand as they shook legs to the booming music that had filled the Victorian drawing room of Violet’s grand house. It was her birthday eve and Violet, Heidi, Henry, May and Rony were having a gala time, dancing their hearts out. With Violet’s parents out, the group simply talked about anything and everything. What fun!

Violet was having a good time, but she was missing someone as well – Jacque. How she wished he was there too! She had met Jacque two years back in her college. What had started as a crush on her part, had turned into something deeper long back. Violet, herself, did not know when.

She wasn’t sure of Jacque’s feelings though. For him, she was just another of his girl friends. Violet was pretty, but there were other girls far more beautiful than she was. Would he ever notice her love for him, she wondered.

She couldn’t help sighing as they sipped their wine and sang at the top of their lungs. “It’s so cool having our own party,” said May, “I will have one on my birthday too.” The others present nodded in agreement as Violet was jerked out of her own thoughts. The clock would strike 12am in a few minutes and they planned to shower their gifts on Violet then.

Violet got up to get another bottle of wine from the cabinet when something caught her eyes. Out of the frosted window of her house through the thick snow, Violet noticed a figure move up the driveway. She ran to see who the shadowy figure was, especially since it was so late. As the doorbell rang, Violet left the room with her friends behind her to see who was at the door.

As Violet looked out of the peephole, she was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face, a face whose contours she knew a little too well.

It was Jacque. Heidi opened the door for her and greeted him with, “Hey Jacque, get in here. It’s freezing outside!” As he walked in, the others too greeted him, but he didn’t bother to respond. He simply stared at Violet.

“Jacque am so glad to see you. What are you doing here? Did you remember that it’s my birthday eve?” Violet asked, almost dragging him into the living room and then giving him a bear hug.

“I know tomorrow’s your big day. I….I have got something very important to tell you,” he said. Everyone, including Violet, could tell he was nervous. So very unlike the confident and cool guy he was!

“Okay, go ahead,” said Violet rather intrigued, as May and Rony announced that there was only 30 seconds to go.

“Well…..” Jacque stammered, “I……..I want you to know that I’ve liked you for, well, a while now and I decided I must tell you I am in love with you. Tonight had to be the night. I have resolved to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you be mine Violet?”

Everyone was dumbfounded. All was quiet! Violet felt the room was spinning. She had liked him for almost two years, but hadn’t been able to tell anyone her feelings. In fact, she hadn’t even been able to admit it herself for fear of being rejected.

Jacque moved closer to her and placed both his hands on her shoulders. The others surrounded them and started saying aloud the countdown. “And I couldn’t”…5 seconds … “have forgiven myself if I”…4 seconds… “had left you”…3 seconds… “without a special person”…2 seconds…“to kiss you when”…1 second…“the clock struck 12 and you turned 21….Happy Birthday my love!”

With that Violet’s gang of friends broke into a loud applause for the couple, while Heidi uncorked a bottle of bubbly champagne. For Violet, it was the perfect moment as Jacque took her in his arms and passionately kissed her on her lips and then all over her face.

For one moment Violet felt she had been swept off her feet by her Prince Charming, felt as if she would never ask God for anything else…..

Another kiss brought her back from her dreamy paradise to reality in her love’s arms… Yes, she wouldn’t have to be alone or with good friends on Valentine’s Day or special occasions any longer.

We have a many interesting short romantic stories, one amongst them is All in a day’s work.