Heart Shaped Flower Box
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One day as I was walking home from work I saw a heart-shaped flower box laying on the road. I stopped and grabbed it, I was just about to open the box when a man ran up and snatched it out of my hand.
He took off running down an alleyway and then disappeared around a corner. The box contained two dozen roses inside with a note that read “For my love.” That’s what got me started making these boxes for others in need.
I’ve been selling them all over town and even had one order from New York City. A woman there ordered four dozen for her husband who she hadn’t seen since he went off to war six years ago. She said she’d be waiting by the mailbox every morning until they arrived.
The other day while working at the hardware store someone stole five of my heart-shaped boxes. I wasn’t sure how many people knew I made them but figured this was some sort of vendetta against me.
It didn’t help matters any that I happened to know the thief personally. After work that evening I headed straight home. When I opened the front door I found my entire living room covered with rose petals. Someone had gone through the trash can in the kitchen and stolen the empty boxes. They left behind the last three orders for delivery tomorrow.
“What are you doing?” I asked, knowing exactly what she was trying to do.
She walked into my arms and we kissed passionately. “Nothing,” she said as she pushed me onto the sofa. Then she proceeded to undo my pants. As soon as our clothes hit the floor she climbed atop me, straddling my waist, pressing her body tightly against mine.
We were so close together now, neither could think clearly. We were both too excited and nervous. Neither wanted to stop kissing the other. Our lips never parted as our bodies moved against each other.
Our breathing increased, our hearts raced faster, and then we came together. Both of us cried out and clung tightly to each other.
When I woke the next morning I reached for her side of the bed only to find it cold and empty. I hurriedly dressed and rushed downstairs. I was surprised to see Sarah already sitting at the breakfast table eating a slice of toast.
“Sarah, where did you go last night?”
“Nowhere!” she replied quickly, not looking up from her plate. “You were snoring pretty loud. You must have fallen asleep before I returned.”
“Where did you go? Why aren’t your things packed yet?”
“Don’t worry yourself, everything will be fine. Just leave it to me.”
As I stood watching her eat I couldn’t believe the changes I’d witnessed in her since that first night we met. There was no doubt that Sarah had become my wife—a very beautiful, loving wife.
We spent the rest of the morning preparing for the trip. Sarah called ahead and arranged for us to stay in a hotel near the train station. By noon we boarded the train. While riding to Chicago I was shocked at how many people were traveling alone or with small children.
In fact, more than half of those on board looked like orphans. Most were accompanied by an adult or parent; however, most of these adults looked exhausted and worn out. All I could picture was a single mother carrying a child under each arm, dragging along another child by the hand, and pushing a baby carriage.
In Chicago, we bought tickets and then waited outside the terminal for several hours before boarding the train back to Kansas. At least we would get to sleep on the way home. But when the train pulled in and everyone was getting off, Sarah suddenly froze in place.
I followed her gaze and saw a group of men approaching. One of the men stepped forward and addressed her directly. “Excuse me ma’am, but we’re here to escort you to the police station. We want to make sure you don’t cause any trouble for us again.”
It took me a few seconds to realize that the man standing before me was actually the same man who snatched the heart-shaped boxes. He handed the stolen flowers back to Sarah and then escorted us toward the depot. Once inside the building, I told him we just needed to catch our connecting train.
“Ma’am, please follow me.” His tone was firm. I turned and saw two uniformed officers coming toward us. One officer stayed with me while the other led Sarah away.
They marched her into a small office, closed the door, and locked it. I tried knocking but got no response. Finally, after much banging and shouting, I finally heard their voices.
“How dare you! You’re going to pay dearly for stealing from us.”
“And you’re lucky we don’t press charges for assault. Now tell us where you got them!”
“That’s none of your business. What makes you think I’m guilty?”
“Because you stole our property!”
“Well, you can search for me if you want but you’ll be wasting your time. Those heart-shaped boxes belong to me. Not to you.”
I sat down and listened as they went on arguing with one another. The longer they argued the angrier they became. Their voices grew louder and shriller. Before long I felt faint, dizzy, and sick to my stomach. I leaned over, put my head between my knees, and began praying for strength.
If this continued for much longer I thought I might collapse. I prayed harder. I was about to call out when I realized my hands were shaking. My voice wouldn’t work. I had to calm down, clear my mind, and regain my composure. That’s all there was to it. It wasn’t worth being arrested for. After all, it was only a box of flowers.
Then I remembered something else. Maybe the thief was right. They might try to search me because it was possible I still had the stolen boxes hidden somewhere. I slowly rose, approached the desk, and knocked on the window. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
The officer opened the door and let me inside. When he saw my face he said nothing. Instead, he motioned me to sit across from him. “What happened to you? Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes, thank you,” I replied. “But now I need your help. I’m afraid someone is trying to steal my wedding gifts. Can you help me stop them?”
He gave me his full attention. Then he nodded and picked up the telephone. He dialed the number, spoke briefly into the receiver, and then hung up.
“Now what do we do?” I asked.
“Wait here until we hear from headquarters.”
While waiting I watched the crowd move around us. A couple of men walked past and glanced at me, then continued walking without saying anything. Others stared openly as they passed by, making no attempt to hide their curiosity.
“Why are they staring so intently?” I wondered aloud.
“Could be a lot of reasons,” the officer replied, leaning against the wall next to me. “Maybe they’re wondering why a woman isn’t married yet. Or maybe they’re jealous. And even if they aren’t, they may not approve of interracial marriages.”
“Interracial marriages?” I repeated. “You mean like yours and mine?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Although ours has caused quite a stir. Our marriage will probably take some getting used to for most people. I’ve been surprised by the reaction. There are always exceptions, though.”
When I didn’t reply the officer continued. “Look, I know this whole situation must seem strange to you. Don’t worry about it. Just wait here for a little bit longer. Headquarters should contact us soon enough.”
After waiting an hour and a half, we finally received word that we could leave. We left the station together and returned to the hotel room. I showed the officer the heart-shaped boxes and explained how they belonged to me.
“If you’ll look through those papers, you’ll see that the sheriff already confirmed it. So now you know the truth. But you haven’t answered my question: Why did you steal the boxes? And why did you come here instead of turning yourself in?”
I looked directly into his eyes and spoke calmly. “Those boxes represent love and happiness. For many women, myself included, these boxes are symbols of romance and true devotion. No matter what happens, we hold onto them, cherish them, and never let go. They make us feel special. That’s all there is to it.”
For the first time since I met him, I saw the real Adam Clayton. His handsome face wore a serious expression, and I could tell he was weighing each word before he uttered it. “So you admit you took the boxes,” he said softly.
“No, I didn’t admit it. I just told you what they symbolize. Because you’re curious, I suppose.”
“Okay, then why would you risk your life by coming here and stealing them? Wouldn’t it have made more sense to turn yourself in and return them?”
“It doesn’t make any difference. As far as I’m concerned they’re still gone.”
Adam paused to think for a moment. Finally, he said, “That’s interesting. You say they’re gone—but you won’t say where you hid them.”
“And why should I tell you? I don’t owe you an explanation. All I wanted was justice. But you can’t give me that unless you find the boxes.”
“Don’t get angry. Let’s discuss this rationally. What makes you think I can find them?”
“Because you were right when you guessed that whoever stole the boxes knew exactly which ones I owned. It wasn’t hard to figure out who might be behind the theft.”
“How?”
“They only tried to steal two boxes, but both were heart-shaped. If it weren’t for that, you’d never suspect anyone besides me. But I own three boxes, so you wouldn’t expect anyone else to steal them either. In fact, it would be impossible.”
“Is that so?” The officer turned away from me and went over to the window. “Let’s assume you’re telling me the truth. How did you manage to get all the way to Kansas City without being caught? And why would you risk your life doing something like this?”
“Because I had no other choice. Someone is trying to destroy my family. I couldn’t stand by and watch it happen. This person thinks she knows better than me; that her way is better for my husband and son. She wants to control everything. Now I want her to suffer.”
The officer stopped pacing long enough to look back at me. “Do you really believe this woman is going to kill you and your child?”
“Yes! I know she’s capable of such a thing. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. And I also know she’s not going to stop until I die. She’s too powerful for me to fight on my own.”
“But why would someone try to hurt you or your family?”
“What does it matter? It happened once, and it could happen again. When that happens, I’ll have to defend myself. I don’t care whether I live or die. I just want to protect my loved ones. My family deserves justice. That’s all that matters.”
I thought for a moment. Then I added, “As for your last question—”
“Hold up!” Adam interrupted me. He pulled out his pocket watch and examined its face. “We have to hurry. It looks like we’ll be meeting our boss sooner than expected.”
He put the watch back inside his coat pocket and quickly walked across the room toward the door. After opening it, he stepped outside. “Wait here for me. I’ll be right back.”
While Adam was gone, I sat down on the bed and opened one of the packages. Inside lay a large box wrapped in red paper. I picked it up and carried it over to the chair next to the desk. The lid popped open, and I lifted it off the top of the box. I placed the lid on the floor and removed the contents.
Inside the box were five small silver trinkets: a ring, a bracelet, a pair of earrings, a necklace, and a pendant. Each piece had a beautiful design etched into it, and every one was engraved with a name.
After removing the jewelry from its wrappings, I laid each item carefully on the table. With careful hands I slipped on each piece, admiring how it looked against my skin. There was no doubt in my mind about what these items represent. They were meant to help me save my family.
***
When Adam returned, he brought with him another man I recognized. It was Tom Thumb.
Tom held a pistol in one hand while the other gripped the reins of the horse. Before the animal reached the house, Tom jumped down and ran around to the front gate. Adam followed him through the yard, then entered the house. A few minutes later Tom reappeared carrying a bag.
I stood up and hurried across the room. I took the bag from Tom, and he left us alone in the living room. I set the bag on the table and opened it. I removed the jewelry from within, leaving only the ring.
For a minute I stared at the ring, wondering if I should wear it now. Would it make any difference in what I planned to do? Did wearing the ring mean I was ready to take action? Or did I need to wait until the time seemed right before I acted?
Then I realized there was nothing to delay this decision anymore. It didn’t matter whether I wore the ring or not. Whether I waited until tomorrow or ten years from now, it made little difference. All that mattered was protecting my family. So I slipped the ring onto my finger.
“Why are you wearing that ring?” Tom asked as he came over to join us. His voice sounded suspicious.
“It’s mine,” I replied. “Adam gave it to me.”
“You shouldn’t even be allowed near firearms,” Tom said as he pointed the gun at me. “They can go off when they aren’t supposed to.”
“Don’t worry. Everything will work out fine.” I smiled. “Now let’s go see Boss Hogg. We have some important things to discuss.”
Boss Hogg wasn’t in the dining hall but rather standing behind a small wooden desk in his office. He glanced at Adam and frowned. “This has to do with the sheriff’s investigation?”
“That’s right, sir.”
Hearing the sound of horses coming up the driveway, Boss Hogg waved Adam to come forward. He motioned to the door with his chin. “Go ahead and bring them in. Make sure nobody else comes inside.”
The men went into the hallway where they found several deputies waiting. As soon as Adam passed by the doorway, two of the officers grabbed him. One of the others pushed me back inside the room.
With the door closed, the deputy who’d first entered turned to face me. “How many times have I told you not to follow me? Now I’m going to arrest you for interfering with an officer of the law.”
Before I knew what was happening, I was being shoved against the wall. Two more deputies joined the first, and together they forced me to sit on the edge of the chair. They kept me pinned there, threatening to beat me.
One of the officers produced handcuffs and locked one end of the chain to the chair. While holding the other end, the second officer moved closer and whispered something in my ear. At least that’s what I thought he was saying because I couldn’t hear anything except the pounding in my ears.
As much as I wanted to run away from all the commotion, I remained seated. If I tried to leave the room, it would give them a reason to throw me in jail. And if I got caught again, I wouldn’t be able to escape so easily. My only hope was to get close enough to the window to jump out. That way I could grab the rope tied to the porch ceiling and climb down to freedom.
But before I could reach the window, three of the deputies grabbed me and threw me on the floor. The last one stepped on my foot. Then someone slammed the door shut.
While trying to regain my breath, I watched the officers drag Adam across the room toward the door. In doing so, they pulled the chain taut, which caused me to bounce on the hardwood floor.
Suddenly the door swung open and Boss Hogg entered the room. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and surveyed the situation. After glancing at me, he turned and walked slowly down the length of the room.
“What is this about?” Boss Hogg asked. “We’re just here to talk to Mr. Stroud.”
“Mr. Stroud is busy,” Deputy White answered. “And we were told to bring everyone in. Don’t try to fool us.”
Boss Hogg looked at me and shook his head. “I don’t know why I hired you. You’ve done nothing but cause problems since day one.”
“Do whatever you want with her,” I mumbled.
“Shut your mouth,” Deputy White barked as he reached over and slapped me across the cheek. “Nobody talks like that around me.”
After another slap, I finally understood how Sheriff Sawyer felt whenever he had to deal with these thugs. But unlike Sawyer, I refused to fight back.
Instead of responding, I raised my hands to protect myself while trying to block the blows. With each hit, I fought harder, hoping to make their job easier. I wished I could somehow convince Boss Hogg to put a stop to this madness, but I knew it was impossible. It wasn’t long before the beating became too much. All the noise seemed to disappear as I slipped into unconsciousness…
The End