January and the Single Heart (8 page)

“I know, the day we bumped into each other and had a nice walk together.”

“No, it started
long before then, on a cold day in winter just a few days after my 30
th
birthday.  It’s an odd story.  I’ll tell it to you someday.  But not now, not yet.”

Glen looked at her quizzically.  He pointed to a bench nearby. “Let’s go sit down over there for a minute.  I have to tell you something.”

For just a second, Jan had a queasy feeling in her stomach.  Not of excitement, but of dread.  After they sat down, Glen popped back up again and announced, “Jan, look, I know it is really pretty quick and I’m sorry, but I just don’t want to date you anymore.”

Jan wasn’t sure what to expect but she knew it wasn’t that.  “You what?”

Glen saw the look of concern on her face and rapidly backpedalled.  “No, oh God, I always say it wrong.  No, I meant I don’t want to date you anymore … I want to marry you.”  He paused as Jan took it in.  “I love you Jan.”  He pulled a small box out of his pocket, opened it and showed her a sparkling diamond engagement ring.  “Will you marry me?”

Jan almost leaped off the bench.  “Yes,
oh yes, I will marry you Glendon Bay!”

They kissed as another fine mist began to fall.  People gawked at them and they couldn’t have cared less.  After a few minutes
in a stationary embrace, they were both getting cold. 

“C’mon, let’s walk.  We have a lot of planning to do.”

Jan nodded and they headed back onto the circular path.  After a few steps, Jan stopped and said, “Wait here for me.  I have to do something.”  She ran back to the bench, pulled something shiny out of her pocket and placed it in the corner of the seat.  Then she hurried back to Glen and pulled out a foldable umbrella from her purse.  Her arm safely in his, they continued their walk.

Glen looked at her funny.  “What was that you put on the bench
?”

“Something I just didn’t need anymore.  My heart is full.  I think
it’s someone else’s turn.”  Glen looked even more mystified so Jan patted his arm and said, “It’s another story I’ll tell you later on.  In the meanwhile, it’s good for a girl to have a few secrets.”

They walked a few short strides further and then Jan spoke up.  “Speaking of secrets, there is something else I wanted to tell you.  I tried to tell you a few times before but somehow I never did.”  When she was sure she had his full attention, she continued, “See, my name isn’t Jan.  Well, it is sort of, but it’s not.”

Glen looked at her wide-eyed.  “Your name isn’t Jan?”

“No
… it’s January.  But, you know, January Falkenberg is quite a mouthful, so many years ago, it just became Jan and sometimes even I forget that it’s not really my name.”

“January
?  January!  That is a beautiful name.  I love it.  Would it be OK if I called you January from now on?”

“Oh God, I wish somebody would!”

They walked along, both chuckling alternately.  Finally Glen broke the silence.  “Well, I know one thing.”

“What?”

“That pretty much solves the whole Mom problem!”

“There was a problem?
”

Glen held up his hands.  “Not with me. 
But she was still trying to get over me being in love with a girl who only had three letters in her name.”

Glen stopped in the middle of the path forcing others
to go around them.  He held her tight and kissed her firmly.  Then he looked into her deep brown eyes and said, “January Bay.  It has a nice ring to it!”

January kissed him again and smiled her agreement
. 

It would be a double walk day.

THE END

About the Author

Hi, my name is Vi Zetterwall and you just read
January and the Single Heart
, my very first book.  As you probably figured out already, I am not a professional writer.  I have a day job in Seattle and a private life but for years I have whiled away spare time dreaming up plots and imagining stories about men and women and their unique interactions. 

The Single Heart series is something that I thought would always end up as a paperback book but times change and I found it was much more fun
(and a lot quicker) to write a short story and offer it as an ebook for all you Kindle readers out there. 

I am busy writing my next book now, which, predictably enough
, is called
February and the Single Heart.
  I am so pleased that you read my story.  It really means a lot to me.  If you would be so kind as to leave a comment or review on Amazon, I would greatly appreciate it.  Or if you like, drop me an email and say HI and tell me where you’re from. I will put you on my list and send you a notice when my next book comes out and a sneak preview to it as well.

Thank you again for giving me the chance to entertain you.  If your heart is already full, I hope that my story brought you a little more happiness.   And if you are still searching for that one true love, I wish you Godspeed and I pray that my story gave you hope. 

Vi Zetterwall

[email protected]