7:00 a.m. , Springfield Hospital
Michelle gazed into to Danny's eyes, which shone brightly in the darkness. Anticipating his lips, she readied her own for his sweet kiss. She leaned forward�
And meet with the cold, hard reality of her desk.
Slowly it all came back to her - the hospital, and the past three nights she had spent on the graveyard shift so she could have the weekend off to spend with Danny. They really did need to hire more doctors, there didn't seem to be enough to go around.
"Good morning sunshine!"
Now really, who was trying to talk to her this early in the morning?
Blinking at the harsh hospital light, Michelle opened her eyes to see Susan standing over her.
"Susan," she mumbled. "What are you doing here?"
Susan laughed loudly, too loudly for Michelle's tastes.
"Dr. Susan Lewis, fellow colleague," she grinned "Springfield hospital�sick people..Medicene. Any of it ring a bell?"
"Whatever Susan," Michelle grumbled." You try working all these graveyard shirts and see how coherent you are."
Michelle glared as Susan laughed loudly again, and then noticed her hair.
"And aren't you well past the age for butterfly clips. I mean, isn't 40 right around the corner?"
Susan sobered.
"These are my daughters, and they were all I could find this morning, so I don't want to hear it."
She couldn't hold back anymore. Michelle laughed.
Yawning, Michelle started to lay her head on her desk once more.
"Oh no Dr. Santos," Susan chided," Your shift is over."
Michelle ignored her and closed her eyes.
"Go away butterfly girl, I want a little more sleep�."
She was interrupted by a thud as Susan dropped something right in front of her.
"Susan!"
"You aren't going to scare me Michelle. Wake Up!!"
Sighing Michelle opened her eyes once more, only to see a long white box lying right in front of her.
"Oh my God," Michelle breathed," I've got to wake up!"
"THAT'S what I have been trying to tell you. Today is your�"
"�My anniversary!"
Michelle opened the box gently, and there surrounded by gold tissue lay one dozen white roses.
"Even more beautiful than before." Michelle whispered.
"What?" asked Susan.
"Nothing," smiled Michelle. "What time did these get here?"
Susan looked down at her watch.
"I saw the delivery guy as I was coming in for my shift, so I guess around seven.
Frantically, Michelle gathered up her belonging.
"I'll see you later Susan�I've got to go!"
Susan laughter followed her down the hallway.
"I bet you do!"
6:45 a.m. The Santos Home
Danny hurried down the curved staircase of his home, moving to open the heavy front door.
Didn't whoever was knocking know he had let all the servants have the weekend off so that he and Michelle could celebrate their anniversary in privacy?
Really, some peoples manners.
"Good morning Mr. Santos."
Danny blinked at the bright morning sun that surrounded the deliveryman like a halo.
"If you could just sign here, I have a delivery for you."
Now who would have thought, Danny contemplated as her signed the form, a delivery boy with a delivery.
"Thank you Mr. Santos." Smiling, he placed into Danny's hands an arrangement of two dozen, long stem red roses, placed in an ornate crystal vase.
Using his back to shut the door, Danny set the flowers down on a table in the hallway, and reached for a letter tucked in the center of the arrangement.
Smiling, he moved to open it, and Michelle's familiar scrawl greeted him.
"Good Morning Sexy�No, I mean it. Good MORNING"
Laughing, Danny continued.
My dearest husband,
Twenty-four years ago today you made me the happiest woman in the word. Twelve years ago today you made me feel that I was the most loved woman in the world.
I still do.
Those dozen roses you sent me were so beautiful, and the letter was even more so. Thus, I have decided to beet you to the punch (mob joke there, you may laugh now) and be the first to send you flowers today.
One dozen�and one dozen more.
Twenty-four in all, twenty for reasons why I feel blessed to love you, a love I know will last forever. They are red to your white. For, Danny, if I gave you strength, then you gave me passion. A fair trade in my book.
So, dear husband of mine, for a few moments place you ego in check as I prose on about how truly wonderful you are.
How do I love thee Daniel Santos? Let me count the ways�
1. The way you kiss. I now know I loved you the minute you lips touched mine that very first time. How could I not?
2. That little hollow beneath your cheek bone. I could write entire books on that subject.
3. Your laughter. Not always easily given, but always worth the effort, the sound of your laughter is wonderful.
4. The way you whisper "I love you" at all the right moments.
5. The way you know the moments when silence is the best thing that could be said between us.
6. Our fights. We both get a kick out of them and you know it.
7. After the fights
8. Our children that you fathered. I know that you had a dark childhood. But you never let our children know it. At least, until they needed too. Thank you.
9. The purity of your heart.
10. The way you kiss the nape of my neck and whisper things I am ashamed to write.
11. The way you fought to make your family legitimate.
12. The way you fought even harder for me.
13. Your thoughtful, romantic soul. Who would have thought it lurked there?
14. The way you sing in the shower when you think no one is listening; Did I ever tell you about those audio tapes I made?
15. That when we walk hand in hand, you will always give mine three simple squeezes. "I love you"
16. The way you rescue me, by cooking all those big family dinners.
17. The way you let me save face by forcing an apron of me, throwing flour in my face, and let me stumble of the kitchen sweating. If they only knew that I was sweating you kisses, and not the stove.
18. The look on your face when you gave our daughter away at her wedding. It was so similar to ours, and yet so different.
19. You really are a cute grandfather.
20. The way that you go out and mow the lawn sometimes, even though you don't have to. Such a manly man you are!
21. How sexy you look in black.
22. How much sexier you look in nothing at all. (Okay, I stole that one..I admit it!)
23. Your beautiful smile.
24. Just because�I love you.
So there you have it Mr. Santos. Two dozen reasons why I thank God every day I thank God I am your wife. You know that I will love you always.
Here is to dozens and dozens more.
Michelle.
Smiling, Danny set the letter down and picked up the roses to carry them up the stairs. With images of Michelle and their life together fresh in his mind, he moved towards the bedroom.
Flicking on the light switch with his free hand, Danny blinked in surprise to see his wife.
Michelle lay in the bed, the dozen roses her had sent her as her only covering.
Looking at the clock beside her, she smiled.
"I won."
Danny set the flowers down, and slid into the bed next to his wife. Silently, he picked up one of the roses and ran it over the curve of her shoulder. Even after all these years, she was as beautiful as ever.
"Looks like I did too."