That Valentine

My Heart's Desire

"I wonder where you're taking me Luke." Linda murmured while being blinded by a blindfold.

Luke held her hand, leading her along the way. The path felt hard like concrete under Linda's heels, and the cricket sounds were were faint to her ears, but she knew the place was quiet.
"Be patient, we're almost there." Luke said.

Under the blindfold, light beneath her, slowly met her view, many lights infact. The blurry view of a little house, addressed with red and white colours.
Luke stopped walking and went behind her.
"We're here." He said as he gently untied the blindfold. It felt to the ground.

Linda's mouth dropped at the sight just a few feet away from her.
It was actually a small yet fancy canopy. Not a house, which was adored with red and white flowers at it's edges and poles. Candles and lanterns lit the inside illuminating the canopy from the dark. Under it, were two red tulip chairs opposite each other at the exquisite fancy round table, where a candelabra was placed at the center. Flower petals, specifically roses, were scattered around the canopy on the sandy soil.

Sandy soil?

Linda explained her view and figured they were on a beach. That's why the canopy stood on a stage that wasn't too high with two steps-so it won't sink in the sand.

She looked at the rocky ground she had been walking on, it also had flower petals but with lit up candles aligned on the sides of the rocky pathway to the small canopy.
Linda was... amazed...impressed even.
"I can see your mouth dropped." Luke said in a low voice.

Linda closed her mouth and blushed.
"It's just so... so beautiful. Luke," She turned to him. "this is wonderful. And in a beach... it's so surreal."

Luke said, "I'm glad you like it Linda."
He opened his palm. "Shall we?"
She placed her hand in his. "Yes we shall."

♥️🤍♥️🤍
Inside the canopy was warm, so moderately warm that Linda wished she could never leave. The sweet smell of the air was soothing. That's when she figured,
Incense candles.
"The waiters will be coming to serve us soon, so why don't we use the time we have to know each other better." Luke said with a smile as charming as the twinkle of a star.

Linda blushed again.
The way he spoke to her, it's was as if this was the first time they were going out together.
But it was... and wasn't at the same time.

They had eaten together at her house, they had gone to church together a few times and thier bond had strengthened when Luke protected her from Ken and when God used Linda to heal his mother.

They had been together... but NOT together.
He talked to her like she was a stranger.
It clicked that this was the first time they had been alone. And now she was going to know him better, know about his life, his happiest and darkest moments, times when God had proved He was the greatest by saving him from his distresses, times of his courage and doubt.
All about Luke Mario Walker.

"You should start. So, how did you come to live in town?"

But, she had to talk first.

She stayed cool... why was she scared to talk about her past?
This was Luke, not Ken, not her abusive aunt, not her dead parents, not the cruel and wicked orphanage manager.
He was none of that.
He was human, a creation of God's pure hands. She could trust him, she believed she could trust him.
"Well, I never lived in the city. I was a teenager when I left my locality to live with my aunt in town. I started living on my own when I was eighteen years old."