Patricia Rockwell - Essie Cobb 03 - Valentined by Patricia Rockwell

admirer, the men apparently annoyed,
possibly even threatened.  How could she dispel the bad vibes that she felt
from this group and avoid prompting a mini-battle?
    “Oh, Dave!” she declared.  “Don’t worry!  I don’t mind
showing the card to Mildred and Hazel.  I’ve shown it to just about everyone
else here at Happy Haven!”  She lifted her walker seat and produced the
cream-colored envelope that remained on the top of her precious pile.  She
handed it to Hazel who pulled out the card inside and examined it.  Mildred
reached across the table and grabbed it.
    “Oh, let me see!” she cried.  The two women gushed over the
valentine while Dave and Hubert fumed. 
    “It’s not all that amazing,” noted Dave.  “I’ve seen
better.”
    “What do you mean you’ve seen better?” asked Hazel. 
She clutched the card to her chest so Dave couldn’t see it.
    “I mean I’ve given my share of fancy cards, Hazel,” replied
Dave, “and some of them have been a lot nicer than this one!”
    “Oh, really?” said Hazel.  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen any
valentine quite so elaborate as this.”  She held the card with both hands and
brought it close to her face.  Essie grimaced in fear that the little heart
would fall off with all of the handling it was getting, but the glue in the
center of the doily held strong.
    “Do you have any idea who your admirer is, Essie?” asked
Mildred.
    “No,” replied Essie.  “I wish I did.”
    “Just forget him, whoever he is,” continued Dave, now full
of his original confidence.  “I told you, Essie, I’m the man for you!”  He
winked at her.  Hubert’s eyes widened.  He looked over at the flowery card from
Essie’s secret admirer. 
    “Hubert,” exclaimed Mildred.  “What’s wrong?”  Indeed,
Hubert Darby’s face was a bright shade of red and his mouth looked as if it
might explode with some horrible swear word at any moment. 
    “Hubert,” added Hazel, “are you okay?”
    Hubert grabbed his suspenders and looked at Essie.  Then he
looked at the valentine in Hazel’s hands.  His hands and shoulders shaking
uncontrollably, he ran from the table.
    “What’s wrong with him?” asked Dave. 
    Essie was shocked to see that the discussion of her secret
admirer valentine had brought out so many emotions in the residents at the
table.  She had certainly not expected Hubert Darby to react in such a dramatic
way.  Now she felt terrible.  Hubert had always been sweet to her and always a
gentleman.  The last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt his feelings.  Now
apparently, she had.  She looked up and only then remembered her plan to track
Santos’s coming down her hallway.  With all the excitement over her valentine,
she had completely lost track of the people coming and going from the hallway.
    “I think Hubert’s sweet on you, Essie,” whispered Mildred. 
“I’d like to know just what you do to get so many men to adore you!”
    “Nothing!” retorted Essie.  “Nothing at all.  In fact, if
anything, I discourage them.  I was a lot happier before this strange person
sent me this valentine and I truly wish he’d never sent it in the first place!”
    “You’re kidding!” said Hazel.  “I wouldn’t feel that way. 
I’m jealous of you, Essie.”
    “See, Essie,” noted Dave, now having disposed of his cards,
the hand evidently over with Hubert’s departure, “the women here all want to be
you!  And the men all love you!  At least, I know I do!”  Dave stood elegantly,
bowed to Essie in a majestic fashion, and then departed.
    Left alone with just the two lady card players, Essie took
the seat that Dave had just deserted.  Turning her back on the hallway, she
faced the females, giving up her attempt to track Santos.  I guess I’ll have
to check out that room later , she thought.
    She sat with Mildred and Hazel, smiling politely while the
two women continued to examine her valentine.   Much later, when the women