My Sweet, Sweet Valentine: The Greatest Valentine Day Gift of All
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At first, ever though Diane was a successful lawyer, in Tennessee, she was still considered an outsider. However, since she lived here as a little girl, she was tolerated, but because she quickly proved exactly how good of a lawyer she was, she earned their respect.
Everyone in the justice field learned with little effort, that if you were dealing with Diane you were going to get honesty, whether you wanted it or not and a commendable amount of fairness.
Those were the pillars on which she built her career in New York City and those ideals only intensified when she opened her doors as a new Tennessee firm.
Diane and Harley agreed that they would take their relationship slow, although it seemed they were gradually and mutually doing things to speed up the pace. Diane was perfectly alright with that; especially because they resolved that no matter how serious it became, they would continue to remain in their own homes for the time being. They both were very busy people and they could not be distracted, at least without a solid reason.
Diane knew that if Harley asked her to marry him, on any given day, she would say yes and they would take their living arrangements to the next step, but she didn’t tell him that. She wanted to give him time, just as he had respectfully done with her.
Remember, he is still getting over a pretty bad breakup as well. Neither of you should be entering into another legally binding contract at the moment. Diane found that she was reminding herself of that almost daily.
However, they saw plenty of each other throughout the course of the week and had sleepovers every weekend.
Diane was happy and for the first time, things really did seem perfect.
Then, one day while Diane was waiting for Harley to get off work and come to pick her up, she heard a knock at the cabin door. Diane thought for a moment, she certainly was not expecting company, other than Harley and he would be a little bit early, if it was him.
When Diane opened the door, her heart sank and she automatically felt as though she was going to be sick, “Dan?”
Dan smiled, disarmingly, “Hello Diane. How have you been?”
“I am fine,” Diane replied, as her guard automatically went up, “How are you?”
Dan looked around and, instead of answering her question, he asked, “Can I come in?”
Despite herself, Diane felt a twinge of concern for him, by the sound of his voice. After thinking that she probably shouldn’t, but disregarding the dread that weighed heavy in her gut, she opened the door all of the way and backed up so that he could get through.
Smiling weakly as he passed, Dan mumbled, “Thanks.”
Once he was inside, Diane closed the door, but did not lock it, as she normally would have. Something told her that there was now more of a threat inside of her home than outside.
“Nice place,” Dan remarked, making a point to look around, “Far cry from New York, huh?”
Not in the mood for small talk, especially with Dan and especially about her home, Diane crossed her arms and said, “Why are you here, Dan?”
Dan sighed and covered his face, before giving her his best distraught look and saying, “I want you back, Diane! I am crazy without you!” Rushing toward her, Dan grasped her hand before she could stop him. Now on his knees, Dan continued, “I know what I did was wrong and I am so sorry. I will never do it again. I didn’t appreciate what I had…but I know what I have now and I will never put us in jeopardy again.” Dan looked up at her with wet eyes, as though holding back tears, but Diane would have none of it.
Pulling her hand away from him, she replied, “You’re right, Dan. You didn’t know what you had, but it is far too late now. You’ve lost me.”
In an instant, Dan’s eyes transformed from sad, sullen and remorseful, into a set of piercing, angry lasers, which spliced right through Diane’s soul, immediately striking fear into the very depths of her being.
“Diane!” He boomed, getting to his feet, “How could you say that? After all we have been through. You are just going to throw us away like an old rag?”
Even though she backed up, away from him, she forced her voice to be solid and even as she said, “No, Dan You did that to us. Not me. Now, get out of my house!”
“Your house?” Dan demanded irately, forcefully grabbing Diane’s arms and bringing her close to his face, “Whose settlement money do you think pays for this house? Who made you everything you are?”
Diane was shocked into silence. Dan had never laid a hand on her before and now that he had, she feared what he was capable of.
“That’s right, me! I’m the reason you moved to New York and it was me who pushed you to succeed.” Dan shook Diane violently and Diane screamed, to stricken with fear, shock and now pain to do anything else. “Me! I was there with you, every late night, every failed exam and every bad day. I put up with you; I supported you through all of the difficult times. I fell off the wagon just once, Diane,” Now, Dan seemed to be crying, but that seemed weird to Diane.
Hearing this, however, Diane found the strength to fight him, but he slapped her, hard cross the cheek and hardened his grip. Diane cried out, unable to resist him.
Realizing that she was powerless, she cowered and closed her eyes, praying for it all to be over soon.
“Just once, out of all the years we were together,” Dan screamed, “To know how it all ended, it makes me sick to think about all of the lost opportunities. I was somebody, Diane and somebodies are tempted…”
Finally, in the middle of his rant Diane suddenly felt Dan get ripped off of her and pulled backwards.
Collapsing from horror and disbelief, Diane slid down, against the wall.
It took her a moment to gather the strength to open her eyes, but when she did, she saw Harley, holding Dan up, just as he had held Diane. Harley shook him, his face red with anger, “How do you like it?” Harley shook him again, more violently this time. He then dragged him out of the house and threw him off of the cabin steps before rushing after him.
Now, fueled by adrenalin, Diane got up and ran to the door just in time to see Harley knock Dan back down when he tried to run away. Holding him on the ground, Harley punched Dan hard in the jaw. He punched him again and again until Dan lay lifeless, too exhausted to move.
When Harley decided that Dan had had enough of a beating, he picked him up off of the ground by his throat and pulled him close. Although Dan wriggled and gasped for breath, he could do little else to defend himself.
“If you ever come near Diane again, you will not be leaving this place with your life, do you hear me? If you even look at her in a way that makes her uncomfortable, I will kill you. Understand?” Harley hissed.
Dan did not reply and so Harley shook him again.
“Do you understand?” He boomed.
“Yes...Yes…I’m sorry,” Dan sputtered.
“Don’t apologize to me, just get the hell out of here,” Harley answered, shoving Dan backwards, onto the ground.
Dan squirmed for a moment, before scampering to his feet, getting into his car and hurriedly driving away.
After Harley made sure Dan was gone, he rushed back to Diane to make sure she was alright.
He apologized profusely for not getting there sooner, but Diane smiled and shook her head, “That had nothing to do with you, but I am so thankful that you ended it.”
Then, looking at Harley with tears in her eyes and overcome with emotion, she said, “Harley, I love you so much! Thank you!”
Harley smiled softly and hugged her protectively, “Diane, I would do anything for you. I love you too!”
Diane relished in Harley’s strong embrace, finally one hundred percent sure that Harley was still, and will always be, her one and only true and lasting love.
Diane never did hear from Dan after that and she could not have been any happier or better for it.
10. A Valentine Forever
A few months later, while the two were on a date at a very nice restaurant, while spending the weekend in Memphis, Harley proposed.<
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The wedding date was set for February 14th of that year and in true Valentine’s Day fashion; there would be an abundance of rose pedals, pink and red streamers and hearts.
The couple decided to get married at Diane’s lake house, because it just seemed to fit. It was a place of wonder for Diane since she was a child and now that she was living there, she felt that it would be all the more memorable.
Plus, the couple decided to keep it relatively intimate and so only close family and friends were invited, but that still ended up being half of Birdwell and some of Diane’s closest friends from New York.
The decorations were beautiful against the green of the woods behind her house and the shimmering of the lake, whose bank provided the perfect spot for an altar.
When Diane saw Harley, he was speechless at her beauty, but Diane almost laughed. Although he looked undeniably handsome, she had never seen him in a tuxedo before and it was a stark change.
Harley didn’t mind. He thought he looked funny too.
The vows were simple and traditional, but the couple meant every word of them.
Gazing into Harley’s eyes that day, with their family and friends surrounding them, Diane felt a sense of closure and completeness like nothing she had ever experienced before.
Even though the two had decided to wait to honeymoon as soon as school let out, so that Harley would not have to worry about work, this moment, they truly felt joined body and soul.
All of their memories and past experiences no longer mattered. There was nothing that could keep them from one another. They had finally found one another and now, they were truly whole.
Their decisions had kept them apart for a little while, but that they both knew it was only so that they could gain an appreciation for one another and create a lasting bond of love, loyalty and happiness.
As the two completed their vows and Harley pulled the veil up over Diane’s face and prepared to kiss the bride, his bride, Diane was astounded and overwhelmed with emotion.
Finally, Diane could say, with absolute certainty that her life was perfect and she was doubtlessly looking forward to enjoying her one-of-a-kind, happily ever after!
Happy Valentine Day!
10.1. Other Novella's by Marcia Dickson
Grace of Redoak Manor
Vic Adams, Master of Redoak Manor
A Matter of Trust
Table of Contents
1. The Perfect Couple
2. Day of Betrayal
3. Heartbreak
4. Going Home
5. Passing the Bar Exam
6. A Familiar Visitor
7. A New Beginning
8. Moving Day
9. A Ghost from the Past
10. A Valentine Forever
10.1. Other Novella's by Marcia Dickson