Message in a Bottle

The woman opened the side door and the neighbor’s child held out the old wine bottle. “A man asked me to give you this,” he said.

The blond woman popped the loose cork and peered inside. “A message in a bottle,” she said, withdrawing the rolled paper held tight with a wrapped ring. She looked at the boy and said, “Thank you Michael.”

“I’m supposed to wait until you read it, Miss Dunham. Oh, he said to make sure you read the note before unwrapping the thing.”

It had to be Jacob. Smiling, she unrolled the letter.



My dearest Lucy, I have been a complete cad, and for that I am most sincerely sorry. Not for chasing Amy, as you had thought, but for letting you continue to think so. I hope you believe me when I tell you the reasons I misled you were good ones, and perhaps I'll be forgiven.

Remember how me met? It was a sweltering August day. We made eye contact from across the crowded swimming pool and I had to meet you; I had to drown in the eyes of an angel.

I tore a page from a notebook and sealed it up in this very bottle, the bottle too precious for me to lose. I dropped it into the water and watched it go. It must have changed hands twenty times. Then, as I remember, in slow-motion a lady in the water rose, holding it like she was delivering you Excalibur.

We walked for hours, just talking and talking about nothing. Before we knew it the first stars began to twinkle. Laughing, we ran across the street to Tiffany’s Diner where the sidewalk ends. Tiffany herself prepared our basket and we had a night-time picnic in the sandlot. I still have that basket. Tiffany refused to take it back. The next morning we had breakfast at Tiffany's and she refused to charge us.

It was the good life.

Then came the break-up.

I called a lady friend to visit for a few weeks, but you were listening to the wrong people. Amy was not a new love, but my best friend and cousin. I needed her help with some personal questions that would have been awkward for me to ask you, even as much as I love you. No, ESPECIALLY because of how much I love you.

It was a horrible fight, and I’ve thought of nothing else these weeks. I never thought you would leave so I didn’t answer your accusations. That was a terrible mistake. For a month I’ve listened to your final ultimatum, “If you ever manage to figure your own ass out, you know where to find me! Meet me in St. Louis.”

Now hand the letter to my young helper and unwrap the ring.



Puzzled, Lucy handed the note to the boy and carefully unwrapped the tissue paper on the ring. Her cell phone rang. Without taking her eyes off the ornate band she answered the phone to hear her man’s sweet voice.

“Cousin Amy is a jeweler. I called her because I needed her help with this next part: the perfect ring.

“The band of the fairest gold, the color of your hair when the wind runs it through its fingers.

"The peridot center reflects the green of your eyes in their happiest moments, and birthstone for the month of August, when we met. It is a stone of protection, for I will never again make you feel alone and afraid, my love.

"This is surrounded by diamonds, your own birthstone and sign of devotion.

“Now look at the symbol in it’s entirety and know that it is but a mere reflection of your own angel eyes, forever shining and forever guiding our love.”

There was a flash of color in the street and Lucy nearly dropped the phone. The man of her dreams was in the driveway in her father’s ‘59 pink Cadillac!

Her lover continued as he got out of the car, “Your dad gave me this car on one condition only.” Jacob was now at the door and disconnected the call. He watched the beautiful woman as she wiped her eyes. “It must be a wedding present.” On bended knee Jacob gazed into the eyes of an angel and said --

“Lucy Dunham, will you marry me?”