A Big Surprise

Friday, the 8th of February, afternoon, there was a noise under Lucy's desk. It was her mobile phone with a new text message.

"I'm away this weekend. Wednesday, 13th. Salsa dancing at Marco's Club. You coming?" From Bea. 1430, 8th Feb, 2010.

Lucy smiled. The message was from Bea, her good friend Becky. Becky was always busy with something new. New clothes, a new club, a new man. She was a beautiful girl. And, of course, men liked her.

Lucy sent a text back.

"13th, OK." From Lucy. 1435, 8th Feb, 2010. Lucy's boyfriend Sam was always busy on the 13th of February because the 14th was Valentine's Day. Sam made cakes and had a cake shop and cafe called the Sunflower Cafe. Everybody in the town loved Sam's wonderful Valentine cakes. On the 14th of February every year, the window of the Sunflower Cafe was full of them.

"Be my valentine," they said, "or love me always."

Lucy looked out of the window. "Love me always." Oh, yes, she loved Sam. They met three Christmases ago at a party. Sam was tall and quiet, but he was full of good ideas. Soon he and Lucy went everywhere together.

"Is it love?" asked Becky after the first year.

"Of course it is," said Lucy.

"Well, does he say, 'Lucy, I can't live without you. Lucy, marry me. Be my valentine always.' Does he say all those things?" laughed Becky.

Lucy laughed too.

"No, that's not Sam. Sam doesn't say things. He does things."

But today, Lucy thought, three years is a long time to love somebody. Perhaps this year. Perhaps this Valentine's Day. Perhaps... Monday, the 11th of February, afternoon.

Becky phoned Lucy on the 11th.

"I saw Sam this morning," she said. "He's so nice, Lucy. You're a lucky girl."

Lucy was surprised.

"Where did you see him, Becky?"

"At the Sunflower Cafe, of course. I went there for a coffee."

"Again," Lucy thought. She went there three times last week, twice the week before. The sunflower isn't near her office. Why does she always go there for coffee?

"Oh," she said. "Well, Sam's very busy just now. I'm not going to see him for a day or two."

Becky laughed.

"We've got a surprise for you, you know," she said. "I'm so excited. Can you wait for a few days?"

"We've got a surprise? What do you mean?" asked Lucy.

"I can't say anything now," Becky answered. "See you on the 13th. Bye." Suddenly, Lucy wasn't so excited about Valentine's Day. She began to feel worried about her Sam and beautiful Becky. What surprise? She didn't want any surprises. And a surprise from Sam and Becky? Becky often went to have coffee at Sam's cafe these days. Why? And Sam liked Becky. He often said that. He laughed a lot when he was with Becky. Perhaps he was in love with Becky. He didn't phone last night. He didn't phone the night before. Wednesday, the 13th of February. Afternoon. Late on the 13th, the Sunflower Cafe was busy. There were beautiful cakes everywhere. And people went out of the shop with happy smiles on their faces and big red boxes in their hands. Sam went outside and looked at the window. He had a plan for Valentine's Day. And he was nearly ready. "Hello, Sam." It was Becky.

"Hi, Becky. Are you meeting Lucy?" "Yes, we're going salsa dancing tonight. So, what's going in the window, Sam?"

"Ah, I've got a new idea. It's your idea, but better. Come into the shop." A moment later, Lucy arrived at the door of the shop. She wanted to see Sam before she went dancing with Becky. She looked in and saw Becky. Becky and Sam, heads together, talking and laughing. Lucy stopped at the door.

"So it's true," she thought. "There they are, together." She could not hear their words. But they looked happy, so happy. Then Becky suddenly kissed Sam on the cheek. And Sam kissed Becky back. Lucy went quietly away, her eyes full of tears.

"My heart is breaking," she thought. "I love him so much. But lots of men like beautiful Becky. And now he does, too." She took out her phone and sent a text to Becky.

"Sorry, not feeling well. Going home to bed." From Lucy, 17:40, 13th Feb, 2010. Sam put his cakes in the window and smiled. Becky went dancing and laughed. Lucy went to bed and cried.

Thursday, the 14th of February, morning.

Lucy woke up the next morning. "It's Valentine's Day," she thought happily. But then she remembered Sam and Becky. And the happy smile left her face. "Did it really happen?" But it was Valentine's Day. She waited until nearly nine o'clock. Perhaps a letter? Some flowers? A cake from Sam? But nothing came.

Becky phoned.

"Are you OK, Lucy? How are you feeling today? Do you want to meet me at lunchtime at the Sunflower?"

"I... I don't know," Lucy said. But she did know. She didn't want to see Sam and Becky together. She needed some time.

"It's going to be busy at work today," she said. "Perhaps later. OK?" Then a text message arrived from Sam.

"Can you meet me at the cafe?" From Sam, 8:55, 14th Feb, 2010. Lucy sent her answer.

"Perhaps later." From Lucy, 8:59, 14th Feb, 2010. "But I'm not going to see Sam," she said to herself. "And I'm not going to see Becky. And I'm not going to the shop. Valentines. Love. Hearts. Kisses. No, thank you." And she turned off her phone and went to work.

Thursday, 14th Feb. Afternoon. Later that afternoon, Lucy turned on her phone again. There were two texts. One from Becky.

"Come to the cafe! Exciting news!" From B, 16:32, 14th Feb, 2010. And another from Sam.

"Come to the cafe! Exciting news!" From Sam, 16:35, 14th Feb, 2010. But Becky sent her text at 16:32. And Sam sent his text just three minutes later. "So they were together," Lucy said to herself. "Exciting news! Well, not for me."

She did not want to think about it. On the bus home, she looked out of the window. But everywhere she saw hearts and red roses.

"Forget Valentine's Day," Lucy said to herself when she got home. "I'm going to watch a film."

But when she opened her door, there was a piece of paper on the floor. The message on the paper said:

"Watch the local news on TV at 18:00."

There was no name.

"Who wrote this?" Lucy said. "Watch the news? Why?"

She turned on the TV and went to make a cup of coffee. Suddenly, she heard the name Sam Morris. And she ran back to the TV.

"It's Valentine's Day," said the TV reporter. "And Sam put a message in the Sunflower Cafe for his girlfriend Lucy." Sam made all the cakes, and he put them in the window last night. "You can see them here." Lucy looked. There in the window of the Sunflower Cafe was a big red heart cake. Around it were lots of little cakes. And they made a message. A special message for Lucy. "There's the message. But where's Lucy?" the reporter said. "She often comes to the Sunflower Cafe. But she didn't come today. And she isn't answering her phone. Is Sam going to have a happy Valentine's Day? What's your answer, Lucy?"

But Lucy didn't tell him. She didn't even stop to turn off the TV. She got her coat and ran out of the door. She had a very important message for Sam. She didn't want to phone him. She didn't want to send a text. She wanted to give him the message face to face.

Friday, the 15th of February, evening.

The next evening, Becky arrived at Lucy's house. Sam opened the door.

"Congratulations, Sam," said Becky. "And Lucy, too."

"Oh, thank you, Becky. Come on in," Lucy said.

"I've got some champagne for you," Becky said. "Here."

Sam took the bottle.

"Wonderful," he said. "Let's drink it now." He went away to open the bottle. Becky turned to Lucy.

"You look so happy," she said. "But what happened yesterday? I was really worried, you know. You didn't tell me anything on the phone this morning."

Lucy laughed, but her face was red.

"I know, I'm sorry," she said.

"But why didn't you answer my phone messages or my texts?" said Becky. "Come on, tell me everything."

"Well," Lucy said. "I went to the cafe on the 13th. And I was at the door and I saw you inside with Sam. You looked so happy together. Then you kissed Sam and he kissed you. And on Monday, you remember, you talked about a surprise. Well, I thought that was the surprise. You and Sam."

"Oh, Lucy," said Becky. "That wasn't the surprise. Sam and I talked about Valentine's Day. He wanted to make a special Valentine's Day for you. So I said to him, 'What do you do best, Sam? You make wonderful cakes. So make her a cake.'" "And he thought about it and he had a better idea. He made lots of cakes. I kissed him because I was so excited for you."

"Well," said Lucy. "When I saw you two, I got the wrong idea and I went home. I didn't want to talk to anyone. And I really didn't want to talk to you or Sam."

Becky laughed.

"Oh, Lucy," she said. "You thought me and Sam! Well, it doesn't matter now. And I wanted to tell you. On Tuesday night at Marco's Club, I met this man. He's called Matt and he's really nice. But go on with your story."

"On Valentine's Day, I didn't answer my phone. And Sam couldn't leave the cafe," Lucy said. "So his friend Nick put a message under my door. It said, 'Watch the local news on TV at 18:00.'" "And at last I saw the cakes and the message. And I ran to the Sunflower Cafe."

"And now it's all OK," said Becky. "Can I see your ring? Oh, that's beautiful."

Sam brought three glasses of champagne.

"To Lucy and Sam," said Becky. And they all drank. Sam looked at his watch and turned on the TV.

"Hey, Becky, watch this," he said. "This is the end of the story." After a few minutes, the local news began. And they saw the same reporter from the day before. He was outside the window of the Sunflower Cafe.

"Everyone wanted to know the answer to Sam's question to Lucy yesterday," the reporter said. "Well, Sam got his answer. Lucy came to the Sunflower Cafe last night after she saw the news on TV. And this was her answer. Here in the window." The television camera went closer to the window. In the window there were just four cakes now. There was the big red heart cake and three little cakes above it.

"Lucy wanted to do that. She took my little cakes and wrote her answer with them," said Sam. He gave Lucy a little kiss. Becky laughed.

"Oh, you two," she said. "You're wonderful."