A Day of Coincidence

‘Look out!’ I screamed running and then dramatically tackling the unsuspecting woman to the ground, the falling window from the 5th floor, narrowly missing both of us.

For a few harrowing minutes we lay there on the concrete path shaking and shocked before attempting to help each other up.

‘What the hell was that!’ the other woman spoke looking around scared and confused.

‘I’m so sorry, I heard a wizzing and cracking and looked up and seen the window coming for you from the skyscraper, I didn’t know what else to do, I knew I couldn’t get to you quick enough, so I literally just threw myself at you’ we both began to laugh.

‘Thank you’ she said breathlessly, brushing the dirt from her pants.

The workmen from the overhead site came running.

‘Are you both ok, sorry the window just fell out, it shouldn’t have, but it did’ one of them stammered nervously looking around. The last thing their company needed was another lawsuit. They were quickly becoming known in the industry as Dodgy Brother are us.

‘We are ok, I’m sorry I’m assuming you are too, I do that a lot, I’m ok, are you ok’ I asked turning to the woman.

‘Just shaken, not used to being tackled’ she laughed.

‘I’m Katherine’ I extended my hand.

The woman began to laugh again.

I was puzzled, maybe she had hit her head or was going into shock or something.

‘Are you ok’ I asked.

‘Yes, sorry, but my name is Katherine, too’

We both laughed again.

‘Did you want to go and grab a coffee and calm our nerves’ I asked.

‘Better still let’s go grab a wine, that will surely calm our nerves better’ she laughed and taking my arm, she led the way.

We went into a nice little pub I had passed it many times but had never ventured inside. Katherine ordered a bottle of white wine, and we sat outside in the beer garden in the afternoon sun and enjoyed the wine.

‘What a day, would you believe I just quit my job today because it was boring me to death. I have been craving adventure or even just some excitement and bang, fate throws a window at you’

Katherine gave an understanding smile.

‘I know just what you mean, my job is slowly sucking the life right out of me, I think of quitting everyday, but then I remember I’m poor and sadly too old to start a new career’

‘Never, your never to old to start over’ I insisted.

Raising my glass to Katherine ‘Cheers to starting over’ Katherine raised her glass and added, ‘and cheers to you my guardian angel’

‘Now look we are about the same age I would guess’

Katherine nodded.

‘I’m 51, and you’ I asked.

‘Yes, me too’ We both laughed.

I was feeling a bit tipsy from the second glass of wine it was going straight to my head, probably all the excitement of the day and having skipped breakfast and it was well passed lunch.

‘Let’s say our date of birth together just for fun’ I suggested.

‘Ok, let’s do it after three, one two three’ Katherine joined in the fun.

‘23rd March 1974’ we both said.

‘No way!’ This was crazy, how could we have the same name and birth date.

We sat looking at each other and both burst into fits of laughter.

‘This is absolutely insane; I wonder if we have anything else in common’ I pondered.

‘Let me start’ Katherine said.

‘I’m divorced for 1 year now; I left my lying cheating son of a bitch husband, I have 3 kids, all grown up, I’m now just waiting for grandchildren ‘she paused a moment.

‘I work at LGB Insurance, in the claims department, been there 10 long years and as I said before it’s slowly sucking the life out of me’

‘Your turn’ she looked to me to continue.

‘Ok, so I’m a widow, no children, I just quit my job of 10 years, I worked at Bensons, on High Street, as a receptionist’

‘I’m so sorry for your loss Katherine’ she said sympathetically patting my hand.

‘That’s ok, I’m getting there, I guess that’s where our coincidences end though’ I smiled.

‘I guess it does’ smiled Katherine as she patted my hand again.

‘So, what are you going to do about a job ‘she asked.

‘I’m not sure, Im actually pretty comfortable financially, so I was feeling that I would like to do some volunteer work, there is this soup kitchen I have passed every day for years and I have had a bit of a chat with one of the volunteers and they're apparently always looking for helpers’ I finished with a shrug.

‘That sounds awesome, I have always wanted to do that myself, seriously I have’

‘We should exchange numbers and grab a meal together, that’s if you want’ Katherine said as she grabbed my phone, demanded I put the passcode in and typed her number in my phone and saved it. She called the number and the saved my number in her phone too.

She looked at her watch, gave a cry, jumped up and grabbed her bag.

‘Sorry Katherine, I’ve gotta go, but I will call you or text you soon, you are my new friend and guardian angel, let’s catch up soon’ with a hug she was gone.

I sat and pondered on the events that had occurred. I had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I poured another glass of wine from the unfinished bottle and picked up my phone. I opened my social media and typed in Jackson Worthing. I slammed down my phone onto the metal table, swearing loudly. Startling patrons at a nearby table, I sheepishly apologised. How on earth could this be? So many coincidences, how was this possible? I slowly picked up my phone again and stared in disbelief as the face of Katherine on the arm of Jackson Worthing starred back at me. The man I had slept with in a moment of desperate loneliness was her husband. It had happened over a year ago, only the once at a retreat I had attended for work, could I be the reason her marriage ended or was I one of many women he had slept with? I didn’t want to know. I went through my phone numbers and hit block on Katherine’s number. I never wanted to hear from her again. I couldn’t bare the thought of looking into her eyes and seeing the hurt of what I had done. Was it fate that brought us together today, had the universe decided that I had to save Katherine as some form of penance for what I done to her marriage or was it just a day of coincidences? One thing I felt sure of, I wasn’t her guardian angel, more the devil that destroyed her marriage.

The end