Victoria's Bell

The bell clanged loudly in the distance. "Grandma, why does the bell ring five times every day at this time?" She smiled down at little Timmy. Tucking him in for bed, she muttered, "I don't even want to think about what they're not teaching you in school." Then she perched on the end of the bed and began to tell the story of Victoria's bell.

Years ago, Victoria was engaged to marry a duke. His title was not what drew her to him, for when they first met, he was just Jeffrey. A sweet man, one who stood in stark contrast to lovers past. Jeffrey was kind where there had been hostility; gentle where there had been abuse. He would always be there, always support her. Jeffrey was a good man but...harmless and vanilla. Though Victoria loved him, there was always something missing. She didn't even realize it until the night she met Edward.

It was the night of the Summer Ball. Jeffrey twirled her around the dance floor, when she first saw him. Incredibly handsome, despite his brooding. He raised his hand to his lips and took a long drag off a cigarette. Victoria continued the dance, but was captivated by the man across the room.

When the dance ended, she spotted him leaving the room. Victoria quickly slipped away, through the same doors and out onto that balcony. Edward stood in the shadows, smoking yet another cigarette. Victoria watched for a moment before going to him.

The details of that conversation, of that first interlude have been lost in the passage of time. But those few stolen moments on the balcony set in motion a chain of events which would alter all their lives.

Victoria began seeing Edward in secret. As nightfall approached each evening, her pulse quickened in anticipation. She slipped away in the darkness, eager to find herself again in his arms. He was nothing like Jeffrey. While that was, of course, part of the appeal, there was so much more. Victoria felt smothered in her life and Edward provided a breath of fresh air. With him, she never had to pretend. With him, she was herself. Her best self. And still wanted to be so much more for him.

The daylight hours were consumed with memories of their moments together. She had memorized the feel of his lips pressed against hers, the caress of his fingers, the warmth of his embrace. It wasn't just that he made her feel so alive and with him she experienced greater passion than she'd ever known. He saw her better than anyone, knew her better than she knew herself. He was her match - a fact which both delighted and terrified Victoria.

She never told Edward how she felt, afraid that it would ruin what they had together. Victoria lay next to him, her head on his shoulder, marveling at how well they fit together. He stroked her hair lovingly and pressed his lips against her temple. Once again, the words were on the tip of her tongue and, despite the intimacy of the moment, she still questioned whether his feelings matched her own.

She kissed his neck tenderly and blissfully drifted to sleep in his arms. When Victoria opened her eyes, sun streamed through the windows and she was alone. To her left, there was a tall vase on her nightstand full of roses. Jeffrey, she thought. To her right, was a small cream envelope where Edward's head should have laid on the pillow next to her. Victoria slipped the note from its envelope. Edward.

Victoria's heart pounded as she read his words. He loved her and wanted Victoria to run away with him. If she accepted, she should meet him at the old bell tower at 8:00. Victoria was hardly able to believe his words, but when she found the silver band nestled at the bottom of the envelope, she couldn't believe her eyes.

The day seemed endless, each hour feeling days long. Finally, Victoria stood in the bell tower at the appointed time. She had rung the bell exactly five times when Jeffrey stormed through the doors. "He's not coming," Jeffrey spat. Victoria sank to the floor, her slim frame wracked with sobs. Her fingers gripped the silver band inside her pocket. In that moment, her whole life - the life that could have been with Edward - flashed before her eyes. Their marriage. Kids. The passion. The intense friendship. And most of all, a love so deep that it would have transcended time, distance, any obstacle.

Victoria never learned what kept Edward from her that night. Part of her always hoped that the bond they shared would lead them back together again one day. Victoria never stopped loving Edward and not a day went by that she didn't wonder what if...

Their story was a tragic romance for the ages. Two victims of poor timing or fate's cruelty. Whatever you called it, Victoria's Bell still clangs every night at 8:00 exactly five times to remind us not to let one day go by without telling the ones we love how we feel.

When the tale was done, Timmy looked up at his grandma and whispered, "I love you." She kissed him on the top of his head, stroking his hair lovingly. Then she left the room so Timmy would not see the tears slide down her cheeks.

She reached into the back of her desk drawer and removed a tiny package. With trembling hands, she carefully unwrapped the white tissue and ran her fingers along the silver band. Sliding it onto her ring finger, where it belonged, she whispered the words she could never say when she had the chance.

I love you.