Hey!

“Hey! Hey you’ve dropped…!”

Emily tried to catch the attention of the dark-haired man who had dropped his wallet, but the street was too busy and she lost him in the crowd.

“Dammit.”

Fumbling with her bag, an umbrella and now the dropped wallet, Emily moved the side of the street, the London rush-hour hustle and bustle ignoring her completely.

“Just what I need.” Emily mumbled to herself as she popped the wallet into her bag. She caught sight of her watch. “Crap. Now I’ll miss the train.”

Emily re-joined the river of people trying to get home after a busy day in the city and made it to the tube station just as her train was pulling in. Well-practiced, she forced her way to the front of the platform, hot, flustered and desperate to find somewhere to sit.

Stupid new shoes.

Emily dropped into a miraculously empty seat, and finally having a moment to catch her breath, she sighed, heavily.

“Bad day?”

Emily jumped. Great. Weirdo on the tube.

She turned to look, but the speaker turned out to be an older gentleman, newspaper folded on his lap. Ah, okay. Safe.

She smiled. “Long day.”

He returned her smile, blue eyes crinkling. “Home now, though, right? Done and dusted for the day?”

Politeness and manners demanded an answer. “Yes. Headed home.” She turned her attention to her bag, hoping the man would get the hint.

“I’ve had a strange day, myself.”

Great. A talker. She turned back to look at him. White-haired, three piece suit, well dressed. Harmless.“You have?”

“I met someone who I hadn’t seen for a long, long time. Quite a coincidence. It’s a small world, isn’t it?” His kindly face was hopeful, and Emily felt her resolve disappear.

He’s probably just lonely. “Yes, it definitely seems that way sometimes.”

“I was walking down the street and he just appeared, around the corner.” The gentleman laughed. “Who would have thought it?”

“That does sound like a coincidence.” Emily replied, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.

“Do you know, he didn’t look at all different. Like he hadn’t aged a day.”

“I guess some people are lucky.” Don’t give him anything. Maybe he’ll stop talking.

“It must be forty years.” The gentleman shook his head in disbelief. “And looking just the same. I’d like some of what he’s been taking!”

Emily smiled again, still maintaining polite indifference. “Hmm. Very strange.”

The tube pulled in to its next station and the gentleman stood, a little unsteady on his feet. “Thanks for the chat, Emily. Not many people will talk to a stranger on a train.”

“Not a problem. Keep safe now.”

The gentleman turned and left and it wasn’t until the train pulled away that Emily realised she hadn’t told the man her name. She frowned, but then her thoughts were disrupted as she suddenly remembered the wallet. Emily routed around in her bag for a minute and then pulled it out, making eye contact with the man sat opposite her on the train. His eyes widened as he recognised it.

“That’s mine!”

*******************************

“Hey! Hey you’ve dropped…!”

Emily tried to catch the attention of the dark-haired man who had dropped his wallet and he turned, spotting her waving in the street.

He made his way against the stream of people like a salmon forcing its way upriver. She held out her hand, trying to push her damp hair out of her face as he approached. “Here, you dropped your wallet.”

His eyes widened. “Wow, I mean, thanks! Not may people would have given it back!” He replied in an Irish burr.

Emily looked at him. Around her age, wavy hair, twinkling blue eyes. Crap. He’s really good-looking.

Emily flushed. “Well, I mean… I wouldn’t have just taken it.”

The man smiled. “Then you’re one of the good ones.”

Emily looked down at her feet focusing on anything but the handsome stranger. Her new shoes were ruined from the rain. Stupid shoes.

“I don’t usually do this, but, would you like to have a drink with me? I mean, it’s the least I can do. You’ve saved me hours of canceling cards.”

Emily looked up again. “Really? Er… I’m not sure.” She bit her lip.

He tilted his head. “I promise I’m not a weirdo. Look, you’re wet and I’m grateful. There’s a pub on the end of the corner. Let me buy you a drink.”

“Well, okay then.”

“Here, let me take this.” The stranger took her umbrella and held it over both of them.

They walked together until the end of the street and then ducked into the pub. It was a traditional, old, London pub; Emily’s favourite kind.

They quickly found a seat and she put her bag down, using her hands to try and straighten her hair, nerves showing.

“Horrid weather.” Well done, Em. You sound like an idiot.

“It’s certainly not the best. Now, I’ll go to the bar. What can I get you?”

“Wine…. White wine, please.”

He nodded. “Coming right up.”

As he walked away, Emily sighed, loudly.

“Bad day?”

She turned to see a well-dressed, white-haired gentleman sat on the table next to her, and her heart sank. Be polite, Em. He’s probably lonely.

“No, more a strange day.”

“Me too! I met someone I hadn’t seen in a long, long time.” The man swilled his whiskey around in his glass.

Emily smiled at the gentleman. “That’s nice.” She smoothed her dress.

“Don’t you think it’s strange, how life turns out?”

She frowned. “How do you mean?”

“Your gentleman friend is coming back, Emily.”

She turned as the stranger approached and he handed her a glass of wine. Now, be smooth. Charming. Like you have your crap together.

“I got you a large. And I’ve just realised I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Finn.” He smiled as he sat down on the bar stool next to her.

“Emily.” She took refuge behind her wine glass and looked at him more closely. He was a little older than she first thought.

“I really do appreciate you finding my wallet. I don’t know what I’d have done without it.”

She smiled, shyly. “I’m glad I saw it. Wait…”

Emily suddenly realised the old gentleman behind her had known her name. She turned, but he was gone.

“Did you see the man behind me?”

Finn looked over, but the table was empty, expect for a whiskey glass. “No, why?”

Emily shook her head. “No reason,” she laughed. “I’m just being silly.”

Finn frowned. “I doubt that.”

Emily took a deep, brave breath. “So, Finn. Tell me about yourself.”

*******************************

“Hey! Hey you’ve dropped…!”

Emily tried to catch the attention of the dark-haired man who had dropped his wallet. She set off after him down the street, drenched from the rain, but instead of catching up to him, she managed to fling herself into a passing stranger.

“Hey, watch it now!”

“I’m sorry… I just need to…” But the dark-haired man was gone, lost in the rush-hour crowds. “Dammit. And I’ve ruined my shoes!”

“Hush now, it’s okay. What happened?”

Emily turned to look at the gentleman she had careered into. Elderly, well-dressed. “That man, he… he dropped his wallet. I was trying to give it back to him.”

“Come, let’s sit. The bus stop is dry.”

Emily let herself be maneuvered to a covered bus stop where she managed to untangle herself from her bag and umbrella. “I suppose I’ll have to hand it in to the police,” she sighed as they sat down.

“Maybe not. Let’s have a look now, shall we?” The gentleman took the wallet from her with slightly shaky hands and looked inside. “See? A driving license with an address.”

“So, what? I’m supposed to go and deliver it?” Emily sniffed, feeling the cold.

“Why not? That’s an adventure, surely?”

Emily looked up at the gentleman and smiled. “You’re being very kind, thank you, but I think I’ll just go and hand it in.”

His blue eyes crinkled as he smiled back. “Of course.”

“I suppose I’ll have missed my train.” Emily said, quietly, mostly to herself.

“I don’t suppose a gentleman could offer a lady a lift? It’s been a while since I have had the company of such a charming young woman.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly…!”

“Well then, let me at least summon you a taxi.”

“Oh no, I can’t afford… I mean, I’m fine on the train, really.”

The gentleman stopped and spoke gruffly. “Now, you listen to me. I am an old man, with nothing to spend my money on. Let an old gentleman do something nice. I will get you a taxi and pay the fare.”

He held his hand up as Emily began to object. “No, I won’t hear of it. You are cold and wet, you have had an awful day, and now I am helping you.”

He stuck out his arm to hail a taxi.

Emily resigned herself. “Then, thank you, I appreciate it. I really have had an awful day.”

“And your new shoes are spoiled. Here we go, Emily. Now, hop in and dry off.” The gentleman had a quick word with the driver and then backed out onto the pavement. “Until next time!”

Emily hopped in the thankfully warm taxi and it set off. She turned to wave, but the man had gone.

She gave the taxi driver her address and they set off, Emily wondering about the man she had just met. Had she given him her name?

Soon, the taxi began to slow and Emily readied herself to get out. Hang on… This isn’t home. “Err, I’m sorry, but this isn’t where I am supposed to be. You’ve made a mistake.”

“I know, Miss, but it’s what the gentleman asked for, a quick stop en-route. We will be off again in a second.”

The driver pipped his horn and a dark-haired man came out of the front door and stepped out onto the path. The wallet.

*******************************

The white-haired gentleman with the three-piece suit smiled to himself. Watching Emily like this was against the rules, but he couldn’t help himself.

In that one, specific moment, the dropping of a wallet seemed entirely inconsequential, but it changed the path of someone’s life in a way that couldn’t be altered. In all three situations, Emily and Finn found each other, because Emily and Finn were supposed to find each other. He knew that, because it was on the list that was sat in front of him, on his desk.

A cough from the doorway. “Do you have your report, Finn?”

Finn’s heart sank. Caught, again. “Yes, yes. It’s here somewhere.” He waved at a pile of papers without turning around.

Finn’s supervisor looked over his shoulder. “Finn, are you at it again? You know how much trouble you’ll get into. I can’t always cover for you.”

“I like seeing her like this. Young, innocent.”

“She’s gone, Finn. Properly gone. You can’t bring her back.”

“I know. I just like watching her.” He ran his hand through his snowy-white hair. “Derek, why is it that some of us get to do this,” he gestured at the office, a room full of people working at desks just like his, with equipment that controlled people’s lives. “And some of us are just… gone?”

Derek sighed. “I don’t know, Finn. But I do know that if you don’t hand in your report again, it may be you that gets fired this time.”

“Maybe that’s what I want. Maybe that’s the way I can be with Emily again.”

Derek turned Finn’s chair so he was facing him. “If you get fired, Finn, that’s it for you. The end. Nothing after.”

“Blissful peace, then.”

Derek threw his hands in the air. “Then I give up! Do you what you want, Finn. You always do anyway.”

Derek left the little booth and Finn turned his attention back to the screen. “One more,” he whispered to himself. “I’ll just do one more, and then I’ll stop.”