Winds of Chance Revisited

   The paper flew maniacally around, until it tapped Elena on the head. She snatched at it, hesitating to read the message scrawled on it. Never again would she fall for the treacherous wind message. She looked back mentally as she unconsciously squeezed the paper. 

    Two years ago she had almost died. Carefree and naive, Elena had come across a paper blown in the wind. A thrill of adventure lit her brandy brown eyes as she read the handwritten message: Meet me in the gazebo at ten pm. There was a gazebo in the nearby park that was used as a meeting place by friends and more- than-friends alike. She thought, “that gazebo has to be the one.” She lived with her sister and aunt a few miles from the park. She planned to sneak out and drive there that night.. 

     Back at home, the door stuck as usual, and no one commented on her arrival. Her aunt was listening to an Agatha Christie on audiobook, and her sister was polishing her toe nails azure blue. Good. She just wanted to bide her time, and go meet a stranger. Nothing ever had happened to her, and she wanted adventure more than anything.

     Dinner was chicken and mashed potatoes, and hardly a word was spoken between the three, all going their separate ways right afterwards in the small and cluttered two-bedroom apartment. The wind was audible from within. Elena wanted the wind to accompany her and guide her back to the park later. 

      As luck would have it, her sister and aunt both retired at 9:30, her sister collapsing on the other twin bed in their room, face down. The escape would be easy.

     Elena tiptoed out, a frisson of excitement rippling all over her. Or was that the playful wind?

She stumbled around her car, laughing at herself, and wondering who awaited her at the gazebo. Just a short drive, and she would know. 

      When she arrived at the gazebo, she realized she was early. She parked her car a block away. Back by the gazebo, she quickly spied a clump of hydrangea bushes nearby, and hid in them. She could see what happened at ten first, and then approach if he was appealing. How did she know it was a he? Well, the writing seemed more like a man. Hiding was a good idea. 

     A few minutes later, a tall young man entered the gazebo, one hand in his pocket, and glancing at his watch. He had blond hair, fair and handsome, with regular features, and nice clothes. Elena clutched the paper in her hand, straightened up her windblown dark hair, and slowly made her way back to the gazebo. 

       She entered without a word, but with an expectant look. His features instantly brightened at the sight of her, and he looked at her hand, which held the paper.

“So, you found my message!”

“Were you expecting me?”

“Well, I thought I’d try and see what would happen, you know, like the song ‘Message in a bottle’. My name is Troy.”

“Hi, I’m Elena.”

“Elena, a beautiful name, it suits you. Okay, Elena, tell me, you don’t like popcorn, do you?

Elena did, but it was a leading question. She looked up into his sapphire blue eyes. She decided she could do without popcorn, and answered, “No, it gets stuck in your teeth.”

Troy seemed pleased.

“So tell me all about yourself, Elena.”

“Well, I enjoy the outdoors, and swimming. I live with my aunt and sister near here. I work at the library. I love the band The Script, and I like k-dramas.”

“Wow, me too, me too, me too. We have so much in common!”

“Tell me more about yourself, Troy.”

“Well, I live near here too with a brother. I sell cars with him. But let’s hear more from you. Do you swim in pools, or lakes?”

“Either is fine with me.”

“Do you go to concerts?”

“Sometimes, not often.”

“Me too. What a lucky wind that blew my paper to you!”

      They spoke for another hour, Troy learning all there was to know about Elena, while Elena didn’t learn more about Troy, except that he seemed to approve of her, and find a lot in common. As they parted that evening, Troy touched her face gently, and kissed her mouth briefly. She was amazed. It was like a fairy tale, she thought. She drove home a little dazzled and distracted, but running the red light had no bad consequences. She tried to get in quietly, but the darned door made a scraping sound. However, all was quiet at home, and soon Elena was in bed, staying awake, thinking of Troy.

       That was the first encounter. Though they hadn’t set up a second meeting, both were there the following night at ten pm. Troy was a cheerful companion, and soon, they were getting quite physical. Elena thought he was her husband-to-be, and she tried to reassure herself, that he must be as fond of her, as committed to her, as she was to him. He was her prince, and she had never felt that way before.

        They only ever met in the gazebo. Troy spoke grandly of taking her out on a boat, and concerts, but somehow those plans never happened. They would meet there, and after a time, they would leave in separate cars.

Several nights later, her younger sister couldn’t sleep. This sister, Amelia, followed Elena to the gazebo with her bicycle. She hid in those same hydrangea bushes, and looked on in concern when she saw her sister passionately caressed by this stranger whom she had never mentioned to her or their aunt. 

Amelia quickly rode home on her bicycle. She waited for Elena to come back. When Elena finally did, Amelia didn’t waste any time.

“Elena, I followed you tonight.”

Elena froze and blushed.

“Ella, why didn’t you tell me about your boyfriend?”

“I don’t know, Amelia. I’ve only known him for a week or so.”

“Don’t you think things are getting pretty steamy pretty fast between you?”

“Yes..but I love him.”

“Who is he?”

“His name is Troy, and he sells cars with his brother.”

“Where does he live? Has he talked about your future?”

“Well no, we hardly talk anymore,” Elena admitted, blushing darker.

“Next time you see him, you should ask him a few questions, about his family, about his intentions towards you..”

“Okay.”

The next day, Elena drove Amelia to her college, and then headed towards the used car lot in town. She was almost there when she spotted her handsome prince on the sidewalk, strolling and holding hands with a beautiful red haired girl! 

She quickly parked at the nursery on her right. She watched them walk, and heard the girl say, “See you later, Tristan!” after they had kissed and parted. Elena bore holes into the man to make sure that that was her “Troy.” She could not mistake that certain walk, with one hand in his pocket. He was going back to the dealership as if he worked there. Yes, it was him. She was crushed. It hurt like a dagger inside her, but she was determined to hold in her feelings under a facade of calm. Elena had an idea. 

She slowly drove after the red headed girl, and waved her down. Then she said, “Come to the gazebo in the park tonight about 10:05 pm. There is something you have to see.” The red head looked unsure, but said, “I’ll try.”

Elena smiled at her cheerfully, and drove home, letting the tears spill out after a few blocks. 

       When she went to pick up Amelia at the college hours later, she couldn’t hide her tear-ravaged face from her sister. Amelia was shocked that things could have gone wrong so soon. Then Elena told her that she was being used by someone who may have even given her a fake name! She told Amelia about her plan, and Amelia approved.

        About 9:20, Elena put on her best dress, a swishy emerald colored chiffon, and took extra care with her makeup and hair. She would make him sorry, somehow. She drove carefully to the gazebo, and was waiting for “Troy” when he entered. He looked at her approvingly, and immediately took her in his arms. She was in such an agony of conflicting emotions, as she pretended to respond to his kisses and caresses, when she knew things would end badly and soon. Now that she thought about it, what a little fool she was to answer this anonymous summons. He never even invited her back, she had just kept coming like a faithful dog, she thought bitterly. 

          At last, she heard the words she had anticipated, “Tristan, how could you!” Troy/Tristan pushed Elena away, and turned. The red head was at the entrance, boring holes into Troy/Tristan with her mouth open in outraged surprise. 

As Elena suspected, this discovery would have him concerned at the red head’s anger more than anything else. He immediately began to apologize, and to say that “she doesn’t mean anything to me,” pointing at Elena carelessly, but flushing in dismay. The red head came forward, strongly slapped him, and said, “It’s over!” She slipped into her white car, and zoomed away. Tristan chased her car for a while, then returned to the gazebo. 

“So who are you,” Elena demanded, “Troy or Tristan?”

“Tristan,” he replied. 

Elena stared at him for a few seconds, and then said, “You know, I thought you were The One. You just used me. I was such a fool. Goodbye.”

Tristan said nothing, which seemed like a fresh dagger in Elena’s heart. He only cared that the other girl was going away. 

         The tears just flowed and flowed as she stumbled into her car. She couldn’t stop thinking about his warm kisses, and then his cold words of rejection that came so soon after. She was blinded by her tears. A truck drove forwards as she crossed a red light again. 

She crashed right into the side of the truck, and was hit hard on the head.

         Elena's next conscious thought was, "Where am I?”

She soon understood she was in the hospital, and had been there for about three days already. There was a dry erase board that told the tale: when the patient had arrived, and how many days unconscious. She saw signs that her sister and her aunt had visited. There was a silly card, the type Amelia always enjoyed buying for people, and some blondies that her aunt would bake for her on special occasions. She couldn’t wait to see them, and reassure them that she was on the mend. Oh, this hospital bill, how would they pay it? 

         Amelia soon came bounding into the room.

“The nurses say you’ve woken up! Thank God! I’ve been so worried.”

“I’ll be better, my head only hurts a little.”

“What happened?”

“Oh.. let me see. His real name is Tristan, and he told another girl that I meant nothing to him.”

“I’ll kill him.”

“No, I feel like such a fool. Deep down, I knew I was wrong to let him use me like that, that’s why I never brought him home. It has been a painful lesson.” 

“You deserve so much better.”

“Yes, Amelia. I don’t think anyone deserves that jerk.”

         After a few more days, the hospital consented to let Elena go home. She changed more than a little after her accident. She was more serious and thoughtful than before. She was a little more shy meeting people. Two years went by, and she was the quiet librarian, while Amelia had met a nice man at her first office job out of school, and they were getting to know each other in a very natural way. 

All this flashed through Elena’s mind as she held the crumpled piece of paper. She was forming a resolution through it all. I will confront the sender, and warn him/her that this wild method of getting attention is not the way.

        She peered at the note. It said,”Meet me at the slide at 9 pm.” Hmmm. Elena saw that it was only 6 pm. Her aunt would be getting dinner set. 

Elena hurried home, and told them both of the new message and her intention to talk sense into the sender. They both agreed, and couldn’t resist adding that they appreciated being told about her plans. Elena smiled a little sadly. 

At ten minutes to nine, Elena made her way purposefully to the park and the playground area. She stood under the shadow of the slide and waited. Then she heard footsteps. Someone was coming. 

“Tristan! What! Will you never learn? This is not the way!”

She tore his note up in twenty pieces, while he looked amazed, and embarrassed.

“Elena, I know, I’m sorry. I was so stupid to throw your love away, and I just wondered what would happen if I aimed another message at your head.”

“Do you mean, you singled me out for the message?"

“I did both times, yes. I’m so sorry I hurt you.”

Suddenly, the whole sad chapter of her life felt really really funny somehow. She was over him, and she thought she finally had closure with his apology. She laughed for a minute, then turned on her heel, and said,

“Fool me twice..”