Valentine

Valentine

“Who’s your Valentine” Gramma asked, making four-year-old Anna giggle.

“What’s a Valentine Gram?” she asked, reaching for another piece of candy.

“Is that your fourth candy girlfriend?”

“They’re little!” Anna said, knowing Gram wouldn’t take it back. “What’s a Valentine?”

“It’s the person who loves you,” Gram said.

“Well, then you and Mom and Dad and Grampa and Aunt Betty…”

“Woah, you can’t have them all!”

“Why not?”

Valentine’s Day is for the one special love. Like your mom’s is your dad.

“Does Mom love Dad more than me?”

“No. But Valentines mean like boyfriend and girlfriend love.”

“Well, I don’t have a boyfriend yet…”

“I think Cupid has a plan for that,

“Who is Cupid?”

“The chubby one with the arrow.”

“Arrow? Isn’t that dangerous?”

“No, Cupid’s only shoots love into people’s heart.”

“Does that hurt?”

“Nope, it actually makes you smile.”

“So, who is somebodies Valentine?”

“When you’re little usually your Valentine would be your dad, or if you were a boy, your Mom.”

“But you just said it can’t be lots of people and Mom and Dad already have one…!”

“I did say that didn’t I… Well, I was wrong! I guess you can have more than one.”

“And why can girls only pick boys? I want to have Mom too, and Sandy and you and…”

“Me?” Gram said.

“Of course! You make the best cookies! Of course I want you to be my Valentine. And can you be mine too, even if we are both girls?”

“I think that can be arranged…”

“What does ‘arranged’ mean?”

“I think it means it’s time to make more cookies…”

“Yippee! Happy Valentines Day!”

Anna never forgot that conversation, it stayed in her heart for the rest of her life, and, of course, it always included making cookies.