#AskFaith - Faith's Perfect Valentine's Day

A couple of weeks ago I introduced a new regular feature on my blog called "Ask Faith". With so many people connecting with Tainted Love's Faith McKenzie through her story, I wanted to bring you the opportunity to get to know her a little more.

Faith frequently mentions Valentine's Day in her letters to her brother. It's her eldest daughter's birthday so Faith accepts she and Cal will never really celebrate Valentine's Day again but she never tells us if, in all those years they were married, they ever had one perfect Valentin's Day?

"Ask Faith" - Faith's Perfect Valentine's Day

I’ve run around after the little ones all day, they’ve had preschool visits and day care appointments, play days, and ballet recitals and singing classes. I don’t feel like we’ve stopped since we’ve left the house this morning. I’m definitely too old for two young ones where the eldest is just reaching preschool.

Calvin’s in a very strange mood tonight. He called and asked me where we were. When I said we were on our way to Zoe’s ballet recital at the stage school I expected he'd be upset, demand we come home but instead he met us there. He watched Zoe dance and listened to Caitlyn sing. This is the first time Calvin has ever behaved this way with them and so I don’t know how to describe his mood tonight.

He’s been very attentive with Caitlyn and Zoe and I’ve found his adoring father routine too distracting. Dinner has been a mass of broken glass and crockery as he does something new and exciting for them and my entire world just stops. I never thought this day would come. Of course, I’ve prayed for the day he looked up on Kitty-Cat-Caitlyn with the same loving eyes he does Georgia and Caleb, but it’s been almost five years. Five very long years where he pretends she doesn’t exist most of the time. So this day, this Valentine’s Day as he adorns our two youngest daughters with all the love and attention usually reserved for the eldest, is perfect.

Calvin’s strange behavior has extended toward me too. When I sliced my hand with the sharpest knife in the kitchen he didn’t shout or scream at me like I expected. He didn’t call me the most awful names like he usually does. He leaped up from his chair. He ran to my side. He nursed my wound like... well a loving husband would. So now I wonder why I expect the worse from him.

“Silly Mommy” He told the girls as he bandaged up my palm with a towel. They hovered at my feet. The gash was deep, there was a lot a blood and it hurt like hell. The pressure Cal forced on my hand seized at the urge to pull away. I choked passed the lump in my throat. Tears burned the corners of my eyes. But I refused to let the little ones see exactly how badly I was hurt.

“Kitty Cat?”Cal smiled at her. His voice was gentle. So gentle. So reassuring. “Can you take Fireball upstairs to brush your teeth and then we’ll go out for dinner.”

What? Out for dinner? But we never went for dinner with the girls. We went for dinner when they were in bed and the sitter was here. Besides, it was Valentine’s Day. We’d never get a table anywhere without a reservation. I watched Caitlyn and Zoe skip away with excitement. I can't process all this new information.

“It's okay" Calvin whispered "They'll be gone for a good while, you don't have to be brave for them anymore Fay" The tears welled in my eyes as he removed the makeshift dressing from my palm but I... I can't cry... I don't want to spoil this tender moment with tears.“What happened?"

Heat filled my cheeks and my gaze found my hand wrapped so delicately in his figures. At least the blood has stopped oozing from that awful gash. “You were...” I mumbled “and the girls were...” I find I just can’t explain it. It was just magical to watch Calvin doting on his daughters the way he was this evening. “...I love watching you with them.” His smile widened across his cheeks. “What?” He said nothing. He just looked at me with those big absorbing eyes that tell me he’ll never let me go. “What?” He chuckled. “Calvin what is it?”

“Nothing” He grinned “It’s just that we’ve been married twenty years Fay.” I nodded. “I didn’t think I still held the power to turn you to mush for all the right reasons.”

“Oh you do Cal” I chuckled as his lips hovered dangerously close to mine. “You most definitely do.”

Tainted Love - The Faith McKenzie Story is available for kindle and kindle apps at
Amazon US & Amazon UK. 

Erin

Posts You May Have Missed 

#AskFaith - Why Would You Stay 

#AskFaith - What Brings You Joy 

#TemptationTuesday - Couple's Retreat 

#FridayFeature - Dark Promise