Happy Valentine's Day, Darling

February 14, 2000, a day I'll never forget as long as I live. It was another quiet and boring Valentine's Day, at least I thought it would be. I was hopelessly single and not really looking for love anywhere. I just wanted to get through the day without incident, without having to deal with all the sickeningly sweet couples and all their cutesy Valentines plans.

I sat at my desk working, just like I do every other day, working dilligently on the new project I had been assigned to the day before. I was researching upscale places to visit on a budget and I really was enjoying it. I had found out a lot of interesting information that I could use for my own travels when I decided to travel.

I was there, near the end of the day, sorting through some research information and came across an email that I didn't recognize. I looked at the email address, but didn't recognize it, this boggled me, especially since the subject line was "Happy Valentine's Day." I suspected that it was sent to the wrong person, but I opened it anyway. What I found inside made for a day that I would never forget.

The message was sent to me, it was not misdirected like I had thought it was. It was an email from a male friend that I'd known for several years online, but had never met. He had created a new email to send the message so that I wouldn't know it was him until opening and reading it. He had given me a list of simple instructions to follow and he promised me that I wouldn't regret it if I followed them perfectly.

1) Do not read ahead, follow one instruction at a time. Print this email so that you can take it with you. This was easily done, I printed it out on my office printer and crossed off the instruction, then read the next one.

2) Shut down everything, work is now done for the day. Again, another easily followed instruction. I logged off my computer and shut it down, crossing off yet another instruction that I had followed. I was tempted to read ahead, but the first instruction had said not to.

3) Drive to the following location. The location that was listed was for a fairly posh hotel a short distance away. I didn't really care for the place, but I would go anyway. I wanted to know what was coming. I got in my car and following the directions that my navigation system gave, I drove to the hotel, letting valet park my car while I crossed off the instruction and read the next.

4) Go inside and check in. The room was reserved in my name. I went in, finding the check-in desk and checking in easily. I had been slightly concerned, since the room was in my name and I wasn't sure what I was going to be facing. I got the key and headed towards the elevator to go to the room.

5) Once inside the room, find the clothing laid out and the next set of instructions. I was surprised to see that I had come to the end of the instructions. I found the room and went inside, looking for the next set of instructions.

I searched the room, easily finding the clothing that had been left. It was a beautiful deep purple, almost black dress. It looked to be about knee length, which was perfect for her taste. I found shoes, a purse and even underthings to wear beneath it. Great care had been taken in the planning, but I still had no idea where the next instructions where. I finally checked the bathroom, not expecting them to be there, but they were. Taped to the mirror was a print out of more instructions to follow.

6) Shower and dress in the clothing on the bed. I could do that quite easily, I had wanted a shower, I was feeling icky for some reason. So that is what I did, I showered, dried my hair, styled it, dressed in the clothing. I admired the reflection in the full length mirror. The dress looked good, was just the right size.

7) Go downstairs and into the lobby. There will be a man there. Talk to him. I folded the instructions and slid them into the purse along with the room key and headed downstairs. There was one man in the lobby, so I approached him. It wasn't my friend, I knew it wasn't, but I spoke to him anyway.

The strange man told me that he was to escort me to a nearby restuarant to meet up with someone else. I was wary of this, I didn't care for strangers at all, but I steeled my resolve to follow through and went with the man. He helped me into his car, then introduced himself, he was the brother of my friend, and the one who had set up the room for me.

Once we arrived at the restuarant, he helped me from the car and led me inside, leading me to the private dining room that had been reserved for a private party. I was surprised, not expecting that to be the case. I figured it would just a normal meal at the resturant. I was led into the private room and was instantly bowled over by how beautiful it was.

I was led to a table and seated, then left alone. I pulled out the list to see if there were any more instructions, but there weren't, so I just tucked it back away and waited to see what was going to happen next.

I didn't have to wait long before the door opened and in walked the man that I had spent countless hours talking to. He walked over to me and slipped down to one knee. I shook my head, disbelief on my face. He couldn't be doing what it looked like, we hadn't ever met face to face before tonight. We had joked about it before, but it had only been a joke.

He looked up at me, a small box in his hand. I continued to shake my head, watching him. It was as if I was watching from the outside as he opened the box and asked me the question that I knew was coming. He asked me to be his wife. Even though I expected it, I was stunned. I was scared, but I was also excited. I wanted to marry this man. It hit me in that moment, I had been waiting for him since the first time we had talked.

I told him that I would. He slid the beautiful ring on my finger, perfectly sized and comfortable. The diamond was surrounded by several other small gems, mostly garnets and sparkled in the light. We had a beautiful dinner, but to this day, I don't remember anything else that happened that evening. It is all just a blur.

He and I are now happily married and Valentine's Day is now my favorite day of the year.