He walked through the house with an air of excitement about him. He shuffled and organized and cleaned, knowing that she would be so much happier if these things got done. It was, after all, Valentine’s Day, and he needed to make sure that things were special.

He took out the steaks from the refrigerator and put them in the oven to warm them up. His cell phone began ringing. He answered it.

“Dad?” his daughter said on the end of the line.

“Hello, sweetie.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Dad.”

“Happy Valentine’s.”

“What are your plans?”

“I’m cooking steaks and setting the table for your mother.”

His daughter was silent for a moment. “That’s great, Dad. I know she’d love it.”

He smiled to himself as he told his daughter that he loved her and hung up, going back to the task at hand. He seared the steaks and cooked asparagus (her favorite).

As the asparagus was in the oven, he took out the fine china and set the table. He placed two forks down for each of them because this was going to be an appetizer, entrée, dessert kind of occasion. He had salad ready, the steak and asparagus ready, and he baked a strawberry pie for dessert. He began putting the food on the plate, and before he sat down, walked into the living room, picked up a picture from the side table, and brought it to the dining room.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, my love.” He kissed the frame and set the picture down at the other placemat. Now, his wife’s smiling face watched him as he ate his dinner, and he smiled back at her every time he looked up.