Sometimes

Tanya Zelinsky finished the romance novel she had just bought. The cover and the title inspired the purchase. Then she closed the book and with a long sad whisper she said, “It never happens that way.”

She went to bed.

Light from the street lamp caused shadows to dance across the bedroom ceiling. Tanya was amused that the images, dancing shadows reminisced the characters still vivid in her mind from the closing paragraphs of the novel. She was watching them whirl and swirl when her eyes closed, it seemed, on their own.

Now it was not just shadows dancing on the ceiling. They had taken form and it was her, and Mark in a graceful, magical ballet. But then, even as it was growing into the perfection of heart born love the scene changed and her soldier boy disappeared into the mist at the edge of a dream, away to some forsaken place shrouded in uncertainty.

Now Tanya, dressed for a gala with out joy, danced alone among a garden of roses.

A single tear trickled down her cheek.

The click of a door latch woke her. She opened her eyes slowly to find the silhouette of he soldier boy standing in the door way.

“A dream. No. He’s is real.” Tanya whispered as she climbed out of bed and ran into his waiting arms.

Mark put his finger to her chin and lifted her head so that their eyes met. In a soft wistful voice he said, “Tanya. My Sweet Valentine.” The he kissed her with a warm she knew would never end.

At last she pulled away, only an inch and said joyfully, “But sometimes it does happen that way.” And they kissed the kiss only true hearts can know.