It was nearing the Christmas time of year and David decided to take his holiday over that period. He hadn’t seen his mum and dad’s sisters and husbands because he was always working and had been staying at a hotel far, far away because his boss had asked him to oversee the takeover of several companies that would keep him away from home for the following five years especially at Christmas when most families get together to celebrate. David missed that homely feeling – but he had volunteered his services to the company and was paid handsomely for his expertise for the work he knew best how to do. He had to take the odd four days which included a weekend to see his parents during the summer months. His job would take him to exotic places around the world and this would tie him into a two part scenario of business combined with a holiday feel.
David was one of those persons who never smiled and never believed in smiling when he met others when out and about and since the accident he never had the opportunity now to do so.
It was a Winter’s day when he went for a bicycle ride about a year ago when a lunatic in a very fast car came careering round a corner and ran him down. He would have taken action against the driver of the vehicle, but had found out that the driver was a beautiful eighteen year girl who was celebrating her birthday and was taking the car out for a spin.
Had the daughter realised that her father, a very rich and powerful man, had blackmailed David not to take any action against her, it would have been a different outcome to the story. After a couple of weeks had gone by David spoke to a friend and he suggested that David should speak to a solicitor about the girl’s father. David said that he didn’t want to involve the girl. His friend said, ‘Well don’t – just tell him about the blackmail part, because she probably doesn’t know about the action her father had taken.’ After a few enquiries the solicitor was able to confirm that the girl hadn’t been involved in any conspiracy regarding the outcome of the accident and why the victim had not put in a claim for dangerous driving. The rich man had said, ‘It was icy that morning and she had lost control of the car because of black ice.’
An invitation had been delivered and David’s mother persuaded her son to attend. She said, ‘It seems a shame to waste the opportunity of meeting other people.’ David’s argument was that since the accident he had a disfigurement and had for the past year kept busy studying at home. He was to take on new work in the Company and was hoping to pass the Engineering exam in the new year and gain another degree to the three he had already.
It was a strange way in which he had received the invitation and it looked as though a member of the rich man’s staff had sent it privately. And of course his mum kept on and on about him going. . He went as he had found out it was father of the beautiful girl who lived in the big house on the hill who had asked him not to spoil his daughter’s eighteenth birthday.
He smartened himself up and wore a brand new suit that he bought for when he was to receive his Engineer’s degree. He looked quite handsome excepting for his mouth.
The doctor who had operated on David’s mouth said, ‘If you start to smile gradually, you will found that your face will begin to look normal – not quite as good as it was before, but it will get better. Nature is a very powerful thing, so exercise a smile every day.’
David had not done what the doctor had told him to do, so on the way to the house on the hill he started his exercise, although he thought it wouldn’t make much difference and as he approached the front door of the house, a young girl came running towards him and kissed him fully on the mouth. It was a long lingering kiss and not a five second peck. In some way an instant cure and miracle had happened as the young lady linked her arm in his and for every dance she was his partner – no one else stood a chance and as the last dance was in progression she walked him out into the garden and said suddenly, ‘Aren’t you going to ask me?’
‘Ask you what!’
‘Aren’t you going to ask me to marry you?’
David was taken by surprise and as he recovered to a more normal composure, he said, ‘Do you want me to?’
‘Yes!’ she said. My father said you would be the ideal husband for me and I kissed you because I wanted to see if you came up to my expectations.’
David thought about this and said, ‘Did I pass the test?’
‘Yes!’ she said, ‘With flying colours!’
‘Will you marry me?’
‘Of course I will!’
She rushed off to tell her father the good news, but it wasn’t the response she was hoping for.
‘I don’t know how he could have – he didn’t come to the dance and the reason was’– he handed her the screwed up telegram and it read:
“Unfortunately can’t come – Stop – Met the girl of my dreams – Stop – A whirlwind romance – Stop – I’m just off on my honeymoon. Stop. Best wishes – Mark.”
The one good thing about this case of “Mistaken Identity” was David’s smile – in no time at all it began to look normal, especially when the court case voted in his favour.
He was awarded £65,000 and David managed to persuade Samantha to elope with him and they married in secret!
The End
