My Best Friend’s Valentine (2 of 4)

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A Brief Introduction

Welcome to the second of four episodes of the Donald Jay Author Podcast featuring my short story, My Best Friend’s Valentine. In this episode, I’ll read Scene 3: Rejection and Scene 4: The Promise. I’m Donald Jay.

In the first episode, we found out that Mason Carver has feelings for Jacob Marley’s mother, Leah, but that Leah believes Mason’s attention is born of duty and loyalty to Leah’s deceased husband, Evan.

In this episode, Mason overhears a conversation between Leah and Charlotte Flowers that crushes his planned romantic gesture while Leah takes steps to test Mason’s intentions.

Without further ado, here’s My Best Friend’s Valentine, Scene 3: Rejection and Scene 4: The Promise.

My Best Friend’s Valentine – Scene 3: Rejection

MY BEST FRIEND’S VALENTINE
A Dickens Station Romantic Short Story
By Donald Jay

Scene 3 – Rejection

Mason tightened the last screw on the breaker box cover. “Tabby, tell your mom to leave the back door unlocked when you close up tonight. I’ll come back later and switch out this box when I can shut the power off.”

“Will do.” Tabitha approached Mason with a small, waxed paper bag. “For the road.”

Mason grinned. “Just like your mom.”

His ears perked up as he heard Charlotte say to someone, “Are you sure you don’t want me to ask Mason to come by and look at the swing?”

Swing? Mason mouthed to Tabitha while raising an eyebrow.

“No. Don’t you dare. I don’t want Mason Carver anywhere near that swing. He’s done enough.”

That’s Leah Marley, Tabitha mouthed to Mason. He blinked, nodded, and continued to listen.

“I’ve got to find a way to tell him to stop coming around. He needs to move on.”

Mason lowered his gaze and dropped his shoulders. He felt his entire body deflate.

Tabitha knit her brow, pressed her lips together, and rubbed a hand down Mason’s arm.

The bell above the outer door tinkled once more.

Mason beckoned Tabitha to follow him away from the curtain. “Can I have that order back?” he asked without looking at her.

Tabitha fished it from her pocket and returned it to him.

***

My Best Friend’s Valentine – Scene 4: The Promise

MY BEST FRIEND’S VALENTINE 
A Dickens Station Romantic Short Story
By Donald Jay

Scene 4 – The Promise

The next morning, Leah heard a familiar knock at her front door. Excitement quickened her heart. She scurried to the hall mirror, pulled the pins from her housework bun, and fluffed her hair. When her gaze met her eyes in the mirror, she remembered what she needed to do. The twinge faded. She took a deep breath and said a brief prayer before opening the door.

“Mason. What brings you out this early in the morning?”

Mason held a cowboy hat in his hands, but that didn’t stop him from talking with them. “Good morning, Lee. I just thought I would stop by and ask if you wanted me to look at that swing.”

Leah recoiled and shifted to one hip. “How did you …”

“I was on my way out to the Morning Star, and I spotted it from the road.” Mason’s eyes met hers, and then he lowered his gaze. “Do you want me to take a look?”

Leah stepped out onto the porch. “Aren’t you going to ask me what happened?”

“No, I figure you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”

“Look, Mason.” Leah’s voice trembled. To distance herself from his enticing cologne, she cut in front of him and sat on a porch chair. She faced away so she could say what she had to. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about some things.”

Mason perched on the other chair. “Have I done something wrong, Lee?”

Leah pivoted to look at him. “Oh, no, Mason. You haven’t done anything wrong.” She half-turned away. “It’s just that …”

Mason stared down at his hands, fidgeting with his hat. “No, it’s okay. You don’t have to say it. I’ll make this easy for you. I’ve overstayed my welcome.”

Leah turned back and placed a hand on his arm. “Mason.”

His head snapped up. “Look, ah, that swing looks pretty mangled. It was a hard thing for Evan to build. Those timbers are pretty big. How about if you let me put that back together for you, and for Evan, for old times’ sake? Then I won’t bother you anymore.” Mason stood and jammed his hat on his head.

Leah stood and blocked his path. “Mason, wait.” She knew her hands resting on his broad chest would coax him to sit back down. As he did, she slid her hands up to rest on his shoulders. Remembering Evan, she retracted her hands. “You haven’t overstayed your welcome. You’ve helped me keep this farm afloat for a year now, and, well, it’s just that it’s time for me to stand on my own two feet. I can run this farm, you know?”

Mason squinted and looked up at her from beneath his hat’s brim. “I never thought for one minute that you couldn’t, Lee.” He bowed his head again like a little boy being scolded. “I was just trying to be a good friend, is all.”

“I know.” She stepped to his side and rubbed his back before giving him a reassuring hug across the shoulders. “You are a good friend. And you’ve been a good friend to Evan, too. But I can’t keep taking advantage of your friendship like this. You’ve got your own family to take care of and your business.”

Mason twisted his head to look at her. “I always kinda thought of you as family.” He stood. “Look, Lee, if you don’t want me around, I get it. People see me out here so much some of the available men in town, men with lots to offer a fine woman like you, might get to thinkin’, well …” He stepped to the edge of the porch. “I get it, Lee. You don’t have to say any more. Now, can I fix that swing for you, or is your mind made up?”

Her mission accomplished, her words were as empty as her heart. “My mind is made up, Mason. I’m sorry.”

Mason stepped off the porch, glared at the swing, and walked to his truck. He stopped after two steps. “Ah, Ms. Marley.” He spun around. “As the owner of the only hardware store in town, I should probably tell you that those brackets that hold that main beam aren’t standard. You won’t be able to order them off the internet. They’re custom made to fit those timbers.”

She shielded her eyes to look in the swing’s direction.

Mason approached the porch, took off his hat, and held it in both hands like a man approaching the altar in church. “Lee, will you at least let me do my job and find those brackets for you? I’m not trying to weasel my way back into this but, nobody can fix that swing without those brackets.”

He reminded her of a puppy laying his favorite bone at his master’s feet to make amends. In some ways, she was relieved. She threw up a hand. “Sure, go ahead.” She joined Mason, and they walked over to the swing.

Mason picked up a piece of splintered wood and used it to beat free the twisted metal brackets.

While she waited, Leah’s gaze fell upon the bare timber crossbeam jutting from the mangled pieces of wood. She knelt beside it and ran her finger along an inscription burned into its center.

Mason noticed her and gently pulled aside some scraps so she could see the whole inscription.

It read, “I captured a star for you.”

“Did you ever find out what he meant by that?” Mason mumbled.

Leah stood bawling. Nodding, she melted into Mason’s powerful embrace and sobbed into his soft flannel shirt. “He tried to tell me that the metal was from a fallen star. I miss him so much.”

“I know, Lee.” Mason hugged her closer. “I know. I miss him, too.”

Car tires crunching up the gravel road to the farmhouse interrupted their moment.

Leah wiped her eyes, flattened her hands on his chest, and gently pushed him away. A boy who looked barely old enough to have a driver’s license stepped from the car carrying a small package. “Hello, Mrs. Marley.”

“Hi, Todd. What brings you out?”

“The stationmaster asked me to run this out to you.”

As Leah studied the face of the package, Mason tipped the messenger and thanked him.

“Who’s it from?” Mason asked as the driver retreated.

“Terrance Wickham, Evan’s attorney,” Leah replied, tearing open the plain brown wrapper. Inside, she found a crimson felt box. She passed the wrapping paper to Mason before opening the spring-loaded lid.

She covered her open mouth. “Oh, my.” Then she lifted from the box a sterling charm bracelet bearing a lone charm, the word “promise” in silver. Through blurry eyes, she glanced up at Mason. “It’s from Evan.”

“Lee, I …”

“It’s got to be from Evan, don’t you think?” she interrupted. “He promised me once, after we’d been married a few years, that he’d try to make every Valentine’s Day as special as our wedding day.” She clutched the bracelet to her chest. “Do you remember the charm bracelet I had in high school? I loved that bracelet. Evan must have arranged this with his attorney before he passed so I wouldn’t be forgotten this first Valentine’s Day without him. This charm. He’s keeping his promise.” As her tears flowed, she closed the box and snatched the wrapping paper from Mason.

Evan was back. Guilt for destroying his swing, for being attracted to her best friend, for not remembering him in some special way on the approach of their special day enveloped her in a wave of sadness. “I’m so sorry, Mason. I have to go.” She ran into the house, sobbing.

***

A Few Closing Thoughts

Be sure to join me for the next three scenes of My Best Friend’s Valentine on the next episode of the Donald Jay Author Podcast. Until then, I’m Donald Jay.