A Willing Heart
By Elizabeth Lindsay
“Hearts,” he said. “If I had more than one, you could have them all. But one is all I have to give. And I promise not to share it with anyone else.”
She smiled up at him and he waited for her to respond.
“Dear sweet Jake. Yours is the only heart I’d ever need. I can’t be that selfish – you have a heart that was destined to be shared – without jealousy. I’d like to think my motives are far above that.”
His warm brown eyes searched hers, where tears threatened. Her delicate hand folded around his. It was so warm against the chill of her skin.
“Listen, Sam – February 14th is almost here and it would mean the world to me if you said yes.”
A gentle sigh escaped her lips. “It’s a big day isn’t it, for us. I mean, if I were to accept. It means that much to you?”
He caressed the side of her face and pushed back a lock of hair. “All my life I’ve wanted to make a difference – a real difference – in someone’s life. And then you came along, turned my world upside down you did.”
“That wasn’t my plan you know.”
“Hush – I know. Fate, or maybe Cupid, intervened. And well, here we are.”
Approaching footsteps threatened to bring their time of intimacy to an end. Jake reached into his pocket.
“What’s that?”
“For later,” he smiled, handing her a thick document.
With great reluctance, he began to rise from the chair. A large mitt of a hand bore down, gently, on Jake’s shoulder. “Time to go.”
Jakes eyes pleaded with Sam. “Say yes, please say yes?”
Her lips quivered and now the pent up tears began to stream.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Relief flooded his face. “Thank you. You’ve made my life complete.”
She watched as the prison guard led Jake away. The nurse by her side turned her wheelchair back towards the exit.
Sam’s shoulders shook and the nurse gently handed her a tissue. “He’s so brave.”
Summoning strength, Sam spoke, “What cruel twist would have the man I love put to death on Valentine’s Day.”
The nurse was quiet and didn’t speak, but continued to wheel the chair holding the wan and delicate woman down stark corridors and out to a parking lot.
She faced Samantha and looked her in the eyes.
“Such a love I never thought I’d see, Sam. You’ll get your new heart after all.”
Elizabeth Lindsay is one half of Jamie Tremain (the one on the right). She has worked with her her writing partner Pamela Blance for several years. She says, "Its been amazing to see how our similiarities have translated into the flow of story writing and its been a great journey!"
Find out more about Liz and Pam on their blog: Jamie Tremain - Remember the Name.