SPARK

Womb Heart

Response piece to

Inspiration Piece:

Valentina and Valentino

By: Phyllis Weissman

Valentina Love didn’t always hate February 14th. Her Bah Humbug attitude began almost two years ago when her fiancée left her at the altar with a Dear Jane note and a nice fat check to pay for everything. To make matters worse, six months after that Valentina inherited a group of love themed stores in Florida called Love Is in the Air.  The stores sold everything from cards and books to clothing and lingerie.
It was a sunny Saturday morning on February 7th. Valentina was at her Palm Beach store on prestigious Worth Avenue to institute some new ideas and procedures.  An attractive, beautifully coiffed and groomed woman in her mid-fifties had entered the establishment thirty minutes ago. She had selected several pieces of clothing and custom-made jewelry and was looking at the lingerie when Valentina walked over to talk to her.
“Hi, I’m Valentina, the owner. Call me Tina. I just brought in a new line of sexy and tasteful lingerie for the mature woman. Would you like to see some of the pieces ma’am?’
“I’m Bev Amour, dear and yes I would.  “Lowering her voice to almost a whisper, Bev continued. “My husband Jim has lost interest in me for more than a month now. We’ve been married almost 40 years and this has never ever happened to us. Jim won’t discuss it and he’s become a workaholic. I don’t know what to think.
Would you mind if we talked about it? You see all of our adopted and foster kids are coming for our anniversary party on the thirteenth and I’d like them to really enjoy themselves in a tense free and loving atmosphere. I can’t talk about this with them.”
“I’d be happy to talk with you Bev. Remember, I’m not a therapist, just a very good listener. Please have a seat and I’ll get you some things to look at, I see that you wear the cool colors. Would you like some iced tea and fruit salad while we talk?”
“That would be great, Tina, thanks so much.”
An hour later, Bev was in a much better frame of mind. Tina had been a great listener and had a few very good suggestions. Liz, one of the sales reps, was ringing up all her purchases as Tina helped another customer.
The chimes on the door sounded playing the theme from Love Boat as a tall drop-dead gorgeous hunk of a man entered. Every eye turned to look at Mr. Hottie.  Bev looked around and shouted with glee: “Val, you’re here three days early. Val opened his arms and embraced Bev saying, “I’m so glad to be home, mom…permanently home.” Bev excitedly called Tina over to meet her son.
“Valentina, I mean Tina, this is one of my son’s Valentino. We call him Val.”
Val looked at the tall gorgeous woman and held out his hand. As their hands touched Val grinned.
“Now isn’t that interesting, mom, I meet a girl name Valentina who calls herself Tina.” Val grinned broadly and continued. “You might say that Valentina meeting Valentino is no coincidence.”
Tina looked down at their still joined hands. The universe had sent her a very clear message and she knew that Val had gotten the message as well. They looked into each other’s eyes and then saw into their souls and Valentina Love’s guarded heart that she had shielded so well for almost two years cracked wide open.
Val became a permanent fixture at the store and in Tina’s life. A little over a year later on Valentine’s Day, Valentina Love and Valentino Amour were married.
Love wa
s forever in the air and they lived happily ever after.