The sun was now setting, gloriously red, proclaiming the close of another day. The fragrant afternoon breeze dominated the atmosphere and the birds began to take themselves to shelter. Linda picked up her green coat, thrust both letter and envelope into its pocket, and walked out of the room.
That afternoon of some two years ago was one afternoon she had tried so hard to forget. But well, at the moment, she just got in her red Ferrari and was on her way to the dry cleaner's to pick up that same green coat. Not having worn it for some time now, she decided on it for the Cocktails later this afternoon where the staff was to welcome the new Junior Vice-President of the Company. Before joining the party, however, she had wanted to drop by the bank to have rectified a couple of transactions gone haywire. Then would she
proceed to the dry cleaner's. A short glance at the clock assured her she had a good hour before the affair. "A lot of time," she muttered under her breath, so she pushed a button for some soft music and kind of leisurely, she drove on.
As the impressive facade of the bank came into view, Linda started to maneuver her car toward the parking lot. She was one of the Company's Department Heads but this was one office mess she couldn't delegate to her secretary. She had contacted the Bank Officer with whom to take the matter up and thus she hurriedly went on her way to meet the appointment. And as it turned out, just a couple of minutes later, time was on her side. "Thank heavens things went on smoothly," Linda half-whispered as shortly afterwards she found herself walking back to her car.
Now, to the dry cleaner's, she thought, as she turned on the ignition. To the dry cleaner's for her coat. Ah yes, the green coat! And her mind carried her away to that last afternoon she had worn that green coat..... that very afternoon she had tried to forget.
Earlier during that afternoon, she remembered having received a letter from Fred -a young man she had met at another office party then. The days after had found them discovering they had so much in common and so much to talk about...so much to enjoy together and so much to look forward to. She had found him intelligent and unselfish, among other things.... a wonderful guy she could have loved. But it was just that - a close friendship between them. There were times, though, specially when they'd be seated at the park relishing ice cream like kids, or by the seashore watching the sunset like lovers, - that she would wonder if he loved her. She would wonder through all the sweet, open thoughtfulness he had for her if he loved her. But there were no answers at all. As it apparently was, they were definitely friends. Just that.
Strangely to Linda, therefore, after she had carefully opened the envelope, Fred was here addressing her, Sweetheart! She was confused at first - naturally! But as she read through the letter, it dawned on her that the letter was meant for his sweetheart and not her. Here was Fred professing his loyalty to this sweetheart by telling her about Linda and the many things he liked about her. Here was Fred writing to his sweetheart that he could have loved Linda but she, his sweetheart was first, and that nothing would change that.... and that they were going to start with their wedding plans the moment he got back home to her. Here was Fred letting his sweetheart know that he would just send Linda a note thanking her for being a wonderful girl. But little did he know that he had switched the two letters and placed each in the wrong envelope!
Linda's reminiscing was cut short as she skidded toward the red lights. She took in a deep breath as she tried to let go that same listless feeling she had after reading Fred's letter, but she could not. She silently scolded herself for her inability to forget. She loved to think that she was indeed good in a lot of things but darn... she simply was no good in forgetting! Now, there went on the green lights. So on to the dry cleaner's she drove. After paying for the service, she hanged her coat inside her car and again, turned on the ignition.
In her beige outfit, Linda had now on her green coat and was entering the reception hall at the office building. She barely caught up with the welcoming ceremonies for the new Vice-President of the company because the President was now introducing him. She inched her way towards the platform for a closer look at the new important person who was acknowledging the applause with a beaming smile, yet with eyes seemingly raking the crowd in search for somebody..... - till they finally found her own in a locked moment. Linda froze. She held her breath in disbelief, ... in an unexplainable disembodying sensation... - because right there just a few heartbeats away was Fred!
In what seemed like forever, she stood there not knowing what to do - until a hand gently took her arm and carefully led her out into the open air. It was Fred's. He managed to cut himself away from the rest to get to Linda, his left hand clutching two glasses of champagne. A couple of meters away from the noisy but festive group and standing under the moonlight, Fred wordlessly offered an equally speechless Linda one of the wine glasses. As frenzied emotions held time in much the same way their eyes held each other, one of them had to break the spell. For want of some movement, thus, Linda kind of mechanically reached into her coat pocket just as Fred deliberately started with, "Something you must know, Linda... -that very day I left two years ago, remember? That was the very day I began to work my way back to you, believe me!"
Linda then felt something in her pocket but she replied trying to divert the topic, "But nobody knew the new VP would be you!"
"Part of the arrangement with management!", was that a wink or just a twinkle in his eyes?
Now curious as to what it was she touched in her pocket, she brought out a letter envelope. "The letter!", she exclaimed in her mind. And Fred seeing the bewildered look of Linda reached out to hold one end of it. She had forgotten that it had been in her pocket all this time. At the dry cleaner's, they had smoothed out the crumpled letter, inserted it back in the envelope and put it back inside the pocket. And as Fred slowly recognized his penmanship on it, Linda too so slowly asked, "So how did the wedding go?"
Fred's turn to look bewildered... "What?.... How?...." Then and there did he realize that he indeed had switched the letters. But he went on as his eyes once again held hers, the envelope now crushed again - but now in both their hands ..... "I couldn't get married to one who had gone off with another even before I got back, could I?
Linda couldn't decide which of two feelings was dominant in her now -joy for herself or sympathetic sadness for Fred. But to her pleasant surprise, Fred's countenance brightened instead. The wrong envelope reopened had confirmed where on the true loyalties were actually anchored.... and where to the true love reciprocation really belonged.
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