“My Valentine’s Day Fantasy, Part II”

      In just a twenty-four hour period, nearly fifty people have already viewed, “My Valentine’s Day Fantasy.”  Only one person commented but people have been reading this, which leads me to realize some things:  

1. I should finish the ending.
2. More people are drawn to the word, “fantasy” than they are fitness (as they outnumbered my high ranking fitness article hits). 
3. People could not comment because they do not have anything nice to say, or… there could also be just as many people who don’t want others knowing they were drawn to read someone else’s fantasy. 

No matter which category you fall under, without further adieu, here is the ending I’ve written on the fly and partially one-handed as I balance my youngest on my hip, entitled, “My Valentine’s Day Fantasy, Part II.”

“My Valentine’s Day Fantasy, Part II” 

“Mom!!!! There’s a knock at the door!!!”  Johnny yells as I turn my hair iron off and make my way out of the bathroom, then down the hall towards the door having a sense of déjà vu from my dream, wondering what the chances of Nanny Deb showing on my doorstep might be.

I finally make it to the door and look through the peephole on the door.  No one there. 

I open the door and start to close it when something red catches my attention on the outside of the door.  

There was a red heart-shaped card taped to it.  I take the card and go back inside, closing the door behind me.

“What’s its say?! What’s it say?!”  Johnny excitedly jumped up and down.

I opened it up.  It read:

“Hi neighbor, we’ve not met,

This I admit is my great regret.

I’m the guy that’s kinda shy

But thought I’d risk saying hi

To the girl next door I’d like to meet

I think you’re cute and awful sweet

Please respond back by writing on the note

If you’d be up for a day with this bloke

Replying back is not very hard

Just write yes or no on the card”

“Well?? What’s it say?”

“It says Happy Valentine’s Day,” I didn’t want my son to get all excited about a stranger and his creative little poem especially if he was some crazy psycho or child predator.  Hmmm… Crazy psycho stalker?  Weird dude?  Or just a harmless guy next door?  

Curiosity once again got the better of me and I watched my hands write on the card:

“Howdy neighbor who likes to rhyme, sorry but I don’t have a sitter or time, if you’ve watched me come and go then you already know I’m a busy mom with my hands full, sorry to sound boring and dull but I don’t know you, lol.”

I taped the card back outside the door and began fixing my kids their breakfasts which usually end up being an assortment of cold cereal, hot cereal, bananas and anything else they decide after-the-fact that they would rather have. The kids were busy eating at their kiddy table when there came another knock on the door.

I inhaled deeply.  Ok, maybe he’s actually at the door?

I walk over to the door and peek through the peephole.  Nope. Nada.  Coward.

I open the door and see a pink heart-shaped card taped to the door.  I look around, still no one in sight, and go back inside, closing the door behind me.

“Another card! You got another card!!!”  Johnny yelled with his mouth full of cereal.

“Yep.” I opened the card and this time it read:

“Roses are red and violets are blue

I’d really like a chance to meet you

Since good sitters are hard to be found

Why not meet me on the playground

You can take your kids and let them play

And then it could be kinda a fun way

For us to meet and me to say hi

And then if I’m not your kinda guy

You can just say bye bye.”

Ok hopefully he’s not some child predator out to have an excuse to watch my kids…but what if he’s just…gasp… normal and not psycho?

I decided that there wasn’t that great of a risk, the playground is right in the center of everything, lots of people always coming and going, very public, and might be okay.

I responded back on the card, “Ok you didn’t say when so I’ll meet you out there in ten.”  I taped the note back on the door, went back inside, closing the door behind me.

“Ok guys, let’s finish breakfast up and get ready, we’re going to go play on the playground.”

“YEAH!!!!!”  They immediately got up and put their bowls in the sink.  Guess they’re done eating, I laughed to myself.

Socks, shoes and hats lined the hallway as I got them ready in assembly-line fashion.  I march my troops out to the playground which is so far completely void of any other life form.  My kids immediately run and start climbing and sliding.  I help my youngest up a miniature rock climb wall when I see a dark figure coming towards me.  

I wait for him to turn towards a car but instead he continues towards the playground, towards me.  This is so awkward!!  Be nice, don’t be mean.   

 I lecture myself to remember my manners even if I don’t like him, if he’s a neighbor I need to be nice to my neighbors.  Plus, if he is psycho, he could not respond well to rejection. Be nice, be nice.

I couldn’t see his face very well but I could see a very sharp-looking white hat with some type of detailed stitching on it and equally sharp and unique-looking jeans and shirt, not quite Neiman Marcus but also not the local GAP, definitely not from around here.  Where did you come from?  Whoever he is, he dresses nice.  I had an unfortunate appreciation of men who don't just slap on a holy t-shirts and want an applause for changing their socks and underwear.  

Somewhat on the more youthful R & B side, somewhat younger-dressing, but not like what I’d imagine for the majority of the neighbors here, the darker-skinned man got closer and I could see how much of a younger man he was, much younger.  Drat. What am I? I am NOT "Stacy's mom." Okay be nice, he’s really young, probably too young, but be nice, he’s a neighbor and you want your neighbors to be nice back.

He was holding something in his hand.  Is it?  It is!  Oh!  Okay!  I think I have a new friend!  Not quite soul mate but definitely a friend!

 “Mommy catch me!”  I caught my daughter in mid-air as I see the shining white Starbucks cup being held out to me to my right.

“I thought you might need this,” a surprisingly nice voice said, the type of voice that one might imagine hearing on the radio everyday, not quite high-pitched but also not deep.

“Wow thank you!” I gladly took the Starbucks and didn’t even stop to consider possible dangers like a drugged drink before  I took a sip.  Not my favorite soy chai but vanilla lattes are still good too.  Probably a universal safe latte to get, and I really do need it!

I looked up and saw him smiling at me with these huge, gorgeous brown eyes that seemed to sparkle.   “My name is Paulo, nice to finally meet you.”

He reached out his hand which I noticed was a little darker than his face, not quite African American but darker than most Hispanics.  Blaxican?  Mulatto? Very lovely whatever nationality he is.  I shook his hand, “yeah nice to meet you, thanks for the latte.”

This writer has run out of time but essentially they chat and become good friends; he’s several years younger but she eventually gets over it, he’s recently moved from South America and is an amazing ballroom dancer, they become dancer partners and he gets her into competitive dancing.  The end, haha, I’m too busy.  Maybe I’ll finish this later… again… lol.   I think the overall point is that I daydream of coffee no matter what, even in my fantasies, lattes always find their way in. ;)  If food is the way to man's stomach, then lattes are the way to my heart haha. 

Move over 50 Shades of Grey, if I had a millionaire doting on me, here is what my Valentine’s Day would look like for this busy single mom of three (3):

My Valentine’s Day Fantasy

By Rebekah Carter

Knock knock.

“Moooom!  Someone’s at the door!!” Johnny jumps off the sofa and follows me to the door; Makhailah and Tristan also come sliding at my feet reminding me again that I definitely need to get them signed up for little league when they are old enough.

I can’t recognize the person through the peephole so I open the door with the sliding chain lock still in place.  This must be some type of joke, I think to myself as I can’t believe who is standing in front of me. 

“Nanny Deb?!! Nanny Deb from Nanny 911?”  Nanny Deb smiles and in her awesome British accent says, “Yes dear, can I come in?”  She looks at me and looks at the chain.. 

“Of course, of course!  I’m one of your biggest fans! I miss your show!”

Nanny Deb looks around, smiles at my children, hands me a red heart-shaped card that looks like a first grader made it and begins chatting with my kids and acting as though I am invisible.

I open the card and it reads:

“Roses are Red,

Violets are Blue,

You get the day off today because I’ve got a nanny for you.”

That was it, that’s all it said.

“Oh wait dear,” Nanny Deb’s delightful accent broke through my thoughts, “I forgot this one.”  She hands me a pink heart-shaped card and goes back to chatting away with my kids.

I open the second card and it reads:

“Oh wait there’s more in store, but you need to open the door.”

 

Ok cheesy but definitely has my curiosity piqued, I think as I open the door.  Christopher Hewett?

There’s a man in a suit who I swear is a spitting image of the actor, Christopher Hewett, dressed as his famous role of Mr. Belvedere.  British-looking Actor Appreciation Day? I muse.  

He hands me a box and instructs me to put it on and to hurry, we haven’t much time, and the limousine is waiting.  I look down expecting my kids to be at my feet and curious over what is in the box, but they are already off in a bedroom being busily entertained with Nanny Deb.   

I take the box to my bedroom, close the door and open it up.  Is someone reading my thoughts?  This is fantastic, I love it. 

 

Victoria’s Secret cute but comfy sweats and matching flip flops.  Whoever this person is they’ve got to be a woman, gay or extremely metro, no average single straight guy knows women this well.

I’m no longer concerned about needing to do my makeup; I can see where this is headed (Spa day??) and walk back to the door smiling at my kids still completely focused on Nanny Deb and oblivious to me even walking by them.

The British Butler-looking man is still there at the door waiting for me, this time he has a tall recognizable cup in his hand.  Love at first sight!!!

“Oh good you got her the latte,” I hear my mom’s voice coming from behind me. 

“Mom, when did you get here?”

“Oh they wanted to make sure you knew it was safe to leave your kids.  I’m having fun with Nanny Deb, so it’s okay, you can go.”

I hear other voices in my kitchen and look over.  Strangers are in my kitchen finishing up my dishes I had been working on and…

“Excuse me ma’am,” a man said politely as he took my kitchen garbage out the door.

The man who looked like Mr. Belvedere interrupted my gaze, “We must go dear.”

I take a sip as I’m ushered towards a limousine.  Mmmmm….Venti Soy Chai Tea Latte… This truly is Valentine’s Day in a cup.

I get into the limousine and have flashbacks to the very few times I’ve ever been in a limousine.  The first time was in the seventh grade when I’d been a top magazine seller and got to ride around town with a few other students.  Being junior high kids we had no idea where to go so we did what any other suburb kids would do, took the limo to Jack in the Box.  On the way we pulled our windows down and ushered other cars to do the same, and then copied a commercial that was famous at the time, saying to other drivers, “Pardon me, do you happen to have any Grey Poupon?”  

 

I started giggling thinking about that, half-tempted to do that but was enjoying my latte too much and gave way to more memories of being in friends’ weddings, etc.

I’d never understood all the hype about limousines, but I certainly wasn’t going to disparage it.  I continued to sip on my latte and drink in my liquid form of heaven.  I closed my eyes savoring each sip, and in spite of all the excitement somehow managed to fall asleep.

I woke up in what felt like a salon chair with a man leaning over me who looked just like…

“Michael Caine???”  This really is the day for English actors wow.

“Eyebrows, nice to see you have two, but they need damage control.”  I just smile and nod as I couldn’t agree more, my eyebrows have always been like Japanese bonsai trees in need of special trimming and maintenance.    

I looked around and appeared to be in some type of recreation of Miss Congeniality in the scene where she is taken to a warehouse full of highly specialized people who in one great organized sweep attack her hair, teeth, makeup, body with a total makeover overall.  I can’t help but smile as I remember that movie until I recall the part where she screams.

“OOOOWWWEEEEEEE” OK wow that just happened.  There are no words to describe what just happened because this author has never had a Brazilian wax before and this is a fantasy, so one can only imagine how excruciatingly painful that might have just been. 

Something is put in my right hand, something warm and calming, Sigh, my latte.  Whatever pain was just felt is quickly soothed with each sip.  I can literally feel the caffeine starting to flow through my veins, I sit back and sigh.

At this point it feels like every part of my body is being worked on in some way.  My toes, my feet, my calves.  I hadn’t noticed my clothes were off and I was covered in massage towels, Nice, oh massages how I’ve missed you. My memories trailed back to the days of my first marriage where I regularly enjoyed luxurious Rainforest tans and massages.  I had left that lifestyle all behind when that husband became a mean drunk and was also caught cheating on me.  But we’re not going to think about that, that’s all in the past and this… this is in the present…mmmm.

I fell into another deep sleep, this time dreaming of my kids and imagining all the fun they were having with Nanny Deb, and trying to not worry about what type of criticisms or admonishments she is going to have for me when I get back of what I need to do differently with them.  I am already constantly meeting with their speech and occupational therapists to incorporate better routine and activities. My mind was starting to wander again so I lectured myself: You’re doing it again, stop, and breath, relax, whatever this is, enjoy it!

I open my eyes and can still hear tranquil music and water sounds playing in the background.  I look around and am still in a spa place, but no one in sight. I look down and see that I’ve been dressed back into the cute Victoria’s Secret sweat-suit outfit.

Something red and pink catches my attention on a table beside me.  I pick it up and open it.

“Dandelions are yellow,

Sunflowers are too

And now I’ve got something special just for you.”

By the rugged hand-made nature of the cards so far and this person’s rhyming poetry, I am starting to get an image in my mind not of a handsome guy but of some rich kid with a crush on me hoping I’ll either be his mom or his Mrs. Robinson.  Why do only younger guys ever hit on me?  Seriously, it seems like no matter where I go, whether it’s the grocery store or even random guys trying to friend me on Facebook, they are always younger guys practically half my age. It really grosses me out. 

My mind continued down rabbit-trail venting when a door opened and a shimmer of rainbow-colored light broke into the room. 

“Oh good, you’re awake.  The limousine is waiting.”

I started to get up when I realized I needed to…  Before I could even finish my thoughts, the spa person pointed at a restroom door next to me.  Amazing, I marveled.

Back in the limousine, I enjoyed a glass of water with lemon and the most delicious California sushi rolls I’ve ever tasted. 

I hope this is what heaven is like, because I could really do this every day.

The limousine pulled back up to my apartment.  Oh well maybe that was it, maybe it was just someone giving me a spa day, and I have no complaints!

Feeling my vacation must be over now, I open my door and can’t believe my eyes.  I hadn’t noticed the IKEA and Pier 1 Imports vans outside, but now I can’t help but notice. 

My entire apartment has been remodeled and looks more like one of those “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” shows.  I pinch myself, nope, this still feels real.  My hands trail over the new furniture.  This is so surreal. 

I hear laughter and happy-sounding shouts coming from down the hall.  Trails of rose pedals create a path to my bedroom where sounds of my children laughing are coming from.I turn the knob but there’s something behind the door.  

 

“You have to really give it a shove” I hear the voice of Mr. Belvedere from behind me.

I give it a big heave, the door budges and I all I see and feel are colored balls pouring in on top of me and all around me.  My room is a giant ball pit.

This is the greatest, coolest, most fun thing ever!!!  I dive in and join my kids playing in the balls.  

“BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP” Faint sounds of an alarm are heard from my bathroom.  “BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP” They get louder and louder until…

I open my eyes and realize it’s time to get up and start my day but can’t help but muse that THAT truly was the most fun I’ve ever had in the bedroom on Valentine’s Day.