David's Note

David's Note

It was a warm Spring evening - Carly's last night in New Orleans. She and her coworkers had been there for a month, and were to return home to Washington, D.C., the next day after their work was completed. On this final evening, their local support staff joined them for a sort of goodbye celebration.

Carly, a slender, 23 year-old green-eyed blonde spent the entire month exchanging meaningful looks with David, a 25 year old tall, handsome dark haired supervisor from Baton Rouge.

There were twelve people in their party, all ready to relax, kick back and have a good time. Carly had all but given up hope of anything happening with David - since they'd seen each other every week day for four weeks, as March gave way to April, with nothing developing.

Now, he hadn't even tried to sit next to her - instead it almost seemed as if he wanted to watch her from a distance, rather than be in any sort of proximity to her.

Still, he seemed to respond to every word she said and on this night his eyes never left her, except when he looked down to concentrate on something he was writing on his cocktail napkin. They all ended up at an outdoor cafe, listening to the music blending from the open doors on Bourbon Street.

It was a starlit, magical April night way before Hurricane Katrina - perfect for romance. New Orleans was in full glorious bloom.

Carly sighed with frustration, watching David out of the corner of her eye. He seemed deep into whatever it was he was scribbling.

Taking another sip of her fruity Hurricane drink, she closed her eyes imagining what it would be like to be in David's arms for just one dance. When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her.

Still, he made no move to bridge the distance between the two of them.

The night wore on and the revelry subsided and finally, the leader of Carly's group asked for the check and everyone said their goodbyes.

Not even looking his way, Carly murmured, "Goodbye David," as she started to turn away.

To her surprise, the young man took her hand, kissed it tenderly, then pressed into it the napkin he'd been scribbling on. His soft brown eyes pleaded with her to look at him and she reluctantly met his gaze.

"For you," he said quietly.

The moment was there and gone in an instant. With one last lingering glance her way, David and his group made their exit.

Carly, instead of leaving with her own group, told them she needed to do something and then she'd catch up to them at the hotel. She waited for them to leave, then took a deep breath, the memory of David's kiss, still lingering on her hand, sending shivers through her.

Sitting back down at her table, she slowly unfolded the napkin to read what he'd written - the words that would change her life:

Carly, I've never loved anyone the way I love you.

I have someone in my life that I love and am going to marry, but you are my heart.

And you will always be the one I want to have close to me. I know you can feel how much I love you because you are part of me. I dream of taking you with me in the morning - eating beignets and getting powdered sugar on our noses.

To laugh with you and be there for you is all I would ever need to make me happy. But, the next best thing is knowing that you love me and will always remember me, no matter where life's journey takes you. I see it in your eyes, Carly.

And one day you will write about the guy who loved you so much that Spring evening in New Orleans - he loved you so much that he kissed your hand and walked away and didn't involve you in hurting a wonderful person who never did anything to deserve it.

Some times in life, you have to do what is right no matter what it costs you in the end.

And even though, David never really kissed her, he was right on two counts.

Carly always felt as if she'd been made fiery passionate love to that night and she lived to write about it.

And she kept his note in her heart forever so she always felt loved.

The End

This was written for a contest years ago about a time long ago in a beloved city that since has seen devastation and now hopefully rebirth. The contest has since been deleted.