Quintessentially Quilly

It’s February 15th! I hope you’ve published your story and come to link up! Your assignment was to write a complete story in 500 words or less using the scenario below to kick-start your thinking.

February is the month of love. Your prompt required only that you write a love story. Fashion it as you will, and remember there are many kinds of love.

The Valentine Gift

Valentine’s Day. Jared stared at the date on the calendar. Two years ago Anna broke up with him on Valentine’s Day. Last year Steph broke up with him on Valentine’s Day. Both of them rejected him and his gifts because he hadn’t brought them diamonds or roses.

“Not good enough,” they’d said. Jared knew they were right, they weren’t good enough. He was looking for a girl who wouldn’t judge his value by the price tag on the gifts he offered.

He pulled his 1977 Orange Capri up in front of Janie’s house and grabbed the fern and daisy bouquet he’d placed on the passenger seat. He’d gone to his grandmother‘s greenhouse and picked the flowers himself, then he wrapped them in white wrapping tissue covered in red polka dot hearts. He’d secured the bouquet with a bit of red velvet cord and it looked every bit as glamorous as any professional presentation would have.

Jared carried the flowers to Janie’s door and rang the bell. He was wearing blue jeans, a blue and white stripped, long-sleeved shirt and a dark blue v-neck sweater.

Janie came to the door in a simple pink shift. It had a rounded neck line, flutter sleeves and cute little flirty pleats in the skirt. She looked as fresh as the wild flowers.

“Hi!” She lifted her face for a kiss. Their lips touched, then she said, “I hoped I’m dressed all right, you didn’t say where we were going.”

Jared smiled, told her she looked lovely, and offered her the flowers.

She accepted them exclaiming over the wrapping paper. “How beautiful! I almost hate to take them out of the tissue.” Even so, Janie took the flowers to the kitchen and arranged them in a simple glass vase which she then carried into the living room and placed on the coffee table.

Jared said, “I thought we’d go to the movies first and after we’d catch a bite at the diner.”

Janie smiled. “Great, let me get my coat!” She disappeared into the closet for a moment, then emerged carrying a blue jacket and a little red gift sack. She handed the sack to Jared. “Here, I got this for you. It’s kind of silly, but I’ve been wanting to give you this since the first time I saw your car.”

He opened the sack, parted the tissue paper and found — a Matchbox car! Not just any Matchbox Miniature, but a replica of his little orange Capri. He held the car up in the palm of his hand and grinned at Janie. “Thank you!”

Janie said, “I spent the day in my mother’s attic going through our old toys. I wasn’t even sure we still had it. I was so excited when I found it that I brought it home, cleaned it up and even gave it a coat of wax. I know it’s silly – “

“It’s perfect,” Jared said. “You’re perfect. This car tells me I’ve found the girl of my dreams.” He’d finally found a girl he was willing to buy diamonds and roses because he knew she valued thoughtfulness and time more.