By Natasha Wynterborne
Valentine's Day! Oh, how Lacey hated Valentine's Day! When she was growing up, the kids in her class at school would give each other really cute “Be My Valentine” cards, and while her best friend Wanda always got ten or twelve, the only one Lacey ever received was from Wanda. No boy ever wrote her a love letter, or gifted her with chocolate. Now she was sixteen, and while she had been on a couple of dates, she was not dating any special guy, while Wanda was practically engaged! Lacey never felt she was very attractive, and didn't have the money to buy really beautiful clothes. She earned really good grades, but that didn't seem to help her dating life. If anything, her grades were so good because she had plenty of time to study. Life seemed so unfair! Wanda had everything she ever wanted.
Lacey decided to spend the day at home watching horror movies, hoping they would distract her from having no cute guy to spend the day with. She arrived home and tossed her books on the couch. She selected a really good horror movie she hadn't seen in a couple of years and curled up on the couch.
Samantha came home from work about an hour later. She knew at a glance how her daughter was feeling, because she'd felt the same way at her age. Life got better, but she remembered how hard it could be to be an unattached teenager on Valentine's Day, especially when your best friend was the most popular girl in school. “I suppose I could tell her I understand how she feels, and remind her that she is very pretty and has her own own unique qualities, but I'm her mother and she'd probably expect me to say that,” Samantha thought to herself. There was something she'd been considering for several months, and she decided today was the perfect time.
Samantha sat down next to her daughter. “Lacey, I've been thinking. Remember how you wanted a dog for Christmas, but I said the holidays wasn't the best time, because of all the stress and activity? Well, how about today we go pick out your new friend?”
Lacey stared at her mom, shocked at the unexpected surprise, before becoming excited. “Can we mom? Really?” “Yes. Put on your coat, and let's go,” her mom responded.
The two ladies drove down to the local animal shelter. “Uh, mom, shouldn't we find a puppy instead?” Lacey wondered. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
Lacey decided to spend the day at home watching horror movies, hoping they would distract her from having no cute guy to spend the day with. She arrived home and tossed her books on the couch. She selected a really good horror movie she hadn't seen in a couple of years and curled up on the couch.
Samantha came home from work about an hour later. She knew at a glance how her daughter was feeling, because she'd felt the same way at her age. Life got better, but she remembered how hard it could be to be an unattached teenager on Valentine's Day, especially when your best friend was the most popular girl in school. “I suppose I could tell her I understand how she feels, and remind her that she is very pretty and has her own own unique qualities, but I'm her mother and she'd probably expect me to say that,” Samantha thought to herself. There was something she'd been considering for several months, and she decided today was the perfect time.
Samantha sat down next to her daughter. “Lacey, I've been thinking. Remember how you wanted a dog for Christmas, but I said the holidays wasn't the best time, because of all the stress and activity? Well, how about today we go pick out your new friend?”
Lacey stared at her mom, shocked at the unexpected surprise, before becoming excited. “Can we mom? Really?” “Yes. Put on your coat, and let's go,” her mom responded.
The two ladies drove down to the local animal shelter. “Uh, mom, shouldn't we find a puppy instead?” Lacey wondered. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”