"Where is that man? He's never late, especially for our standing date!"

She looked at her watch one more time as she straightened her glasses and glanced at the doorway.

This wasn't like him at all.

She fought the urge to worry.

Maybe he had trouble finding the lunch spot, or had stopped to pick up her favorite flowers. A wardrobe snag, perhaps. Twenty minutes passed...and no sign of him.

She placed a Valentine's Day card on his lunch plate, just like she always had. His favorite box of Godiva chocolates were wrapped and tied with a red bow. "To my sweetheart" it said on the heart-shaped tag. She knew that would make him smile.

The server asked if she wanted a refill of her southern sweet iced tea.

"Yes, please. When my darling arrives he will want the "Arnold Palmer." He likes his tea with lemonade."

"No problem," said the server.

The restaurant looked so romantic and smelled heavenly. The aroma coming from the kitchen was making her mouth water. She knew what the "Special of the Day" was even before she asked. She asked, anyway.

"Is that the pasta with bolognese sauce and garlic toast I smell?" She loved to talk food, especially Italian.

"Yes, ma'am, it is. It comes with a house salad and two glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon. It pairs nicely with it's woodsy undertones. For dessert, we have cream and espresso chip filled cannolis."

She continued with her exceptional service. "Would you like to order now?" asked the college-age server.

"I will wait until he gets here to order, but I just know he will want that for our Valentine feast." She asked for a black napkin instead of a white one, and continued to keep worry at bay.

Still...no sign of her husband.

Finally, she heard his booming voice as he came in the door. The smell of his cologne floated her way. She was relieved to see his form as he was chatting and flirting with the hostess.

"My wife...has she been waiting long? We have been married many years, you see; a lifetime. She lives on one side of the nursing home, and I am on the other."

He inquired about the time, and what the specials were--and if there was something chocolate for his wife in the dessert selections. It was, after all, Valentine's Day.

He shook his head impatiently as he confessed his reason for being so late to the accommodating hostess.

"I had trouble picking out my tie, and then decided to come without it since I couldn't get it knotted right. Stupid ties...who needs em!"

"Your wife has been patiently waiting for you, Mr. Law. She was just hoping you had not forgotten your special date." The hostess offered her arm and escorted him to the dining table that he had reserved weeks in advance.

His eyes began to water as they always did when he sighted her, and hers were already wet with tears.

She spoke softly as she placed the red envelope front and center for him to see. "Hello, my love. How are you?"

He pushed his walker up close to hers; bending forward, he greeted her with a kiss.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Sally. I love you."

He opened his sportcoat and pulled out a big pink envelope with her name written on it. He knew she loved mushy cards.

"I rode the assisted living bus over to Publix and picked out a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I had your nurse take them to your room and arrange them on your table. I hope that was okay, Sal."

She smiled at him with loved-filled eyes."It's better than okay. Thank you sweetheart."

They dined on the "Special of the Day" and held hands as they always had. The young server commented how nice it was to see an older couple who were still married and in love.

She asked him to dance. "Honey, do you hear that? Our song is playing on the jukebox. Shall we?"

He made his way to her side of the table, and gently guided her a few feet to an open space. There really was not a dance floor to speak of, and no song was playing on the jukebox, but they didn't care.

Their bodies fit together like a hand in a glove. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and pressed her mouth close to his ear. She sang "their song" by Van Morrison. Sweetly, she whispered,

"Have I told you lately that I love you
Have I told you there is none above you
Fill my heart with gladness
Take away my sadness
Ease my trouble that's what you do..."

They left the dining hall three hours later; walkers side by side, and their hearts as one.