Halloween Surprise
written by: Verona Jones
@VeronaJ57
The brilliant orange box lay on my kitchen table as I thought about how to wrap it.
Two years ago, my love gave me his heart, shaped into a chocolate heart with the inscription, “I give you my heart.”
It was so romantic, and I wanted to give him something in return to show my love. A package of orange and black tissue sat next to the heart. Red with the Halloween theme seemed a bit much.
However, the red tissue had some orange highlights, making it appear lighter than the usual red. It offered a beautiful contrast, but I chose the orange and black tissue to layer the inside of the box…
As I arranged the tissue inside the box, memories of all the beautiful times Stephen and I shared floated in my mind. I especially savored the ones we created on Halloween. Fall is my favorite season, and I especially loved All Hallows’ Eve.
Last Halloween, we spent a romantic holiday at a bed-and-breakfast in Flagstaff. The honeymoon suite had a patio overlooking the distant hills and streets dusted with multi-colored leaves. Stephen then proposed with a crimson heart-shaped box. Inside was a chocolate heart, and a heart-shaped pink diamond ring was embedded.
Stephen kneeled on the patio, taking my hand, “Heather Lee Thomas, will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?”
Of course, I said, “Yes.”
The layered and crimped tissue looked beautiful inside the box. I placed Stephen’s gift in the center of the box, adding more tissue to enclose it like a diamond setting. I put the lid on top, closed the present inside the box, and picked up a roll of glittering ebony ribbon.
I rolled out what I thought I would need and began entwining the ribbon around the box.
After Stephen proposed, I walked around on cloud nine and happily planned my wedding. Everything was perfect until SHE came into my world: Tawny Crawford, the epitome of feminine beauty with her white-blonde hair and emerald-green eyes.
Even I had to admit, she was drop-dead gorgeous, but what was worse? Stephen fell under her spell, and gradually, I was nothing but a memory in Stephen’s mind.
We used to spend every day together, but like rain in the desert, the visits trickled away. Stephen stopped calling and visiting, and soon, I stopped hearing from him altogether.
In our two years together, we have evaporated like mist in only a few months. I was stunned. How could one day, Stephen declare his undying love to me and, in only a couple of months, act like I never existed? That we never existed?
My dream of the fairytale wedding disappeared in the nightmare that was a blonde, green-eyed tramp.
I wrapped the glittering ribbon around the box, ending with a big bow glittered with gold stars in the light.
It lay finished on the table, a pumpkin-colored box framed with an ebony bow. Inside, wrapped in orange and black tissue, the symbol of my love for Stephen.
Now it was time to call Stephen and ask him to meet one last time so I could give him his present.
I was pleasantly surprised he agreed, and we decided to meet at Saguaro National Park at the Saguaro henge. It was a favorite of mine as it is a natural replication of England’s Stonehenge, a sacred pagan place of power. Saguaro didn’t have the same mysticism, but it was perfect for my plan.
Stephen arrived, looking so handsome with his Raven hair and Amber eyes. He only wore dark blue machine-washed jeans and a sky-blue polo shirt. The only difference was the indifference in his eyes when he saw me.
That hurt so much that even my heart ached in real pain. It was okay; I took a fortifying breath, pulled out the beautifully wrapped heart, and handed it to him.
“Happy Samhain, Stephen.”
His eyes widened in surprise, but he reached for it and looked at me questioningly. “Why would you give me a gift when separated?”
“Because I still love you, and no matter what, I always will.”
Stephen slowly unwrapped his present with trembling hands and lifted the lid to see his gift.
Inside, tucked within the ruffles of the brilliant orange and black hues of the tissues, was the heart of his bitch. Still covered with her blood, Stephen screamed and dropped the box in horror.
“She ripped the heart out of my body, so I thought it was only fair I ripped hers out in return.”
- Halloween Surprise - October 31, 2024
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