Happenstance

      On a chilly fall weekday, a young woman with nothing but time takes a walk down the bustling street near her home. As she rounds the corner, a familiar aroma piques her interest and guides her closer to the entrance of her favorite establishment and further from her worries of the past few days. 

           She puts on her armor of confidence and bravado, but underneath is uncertainty and fear. She intentionally conceals her true feelings as she has learned the only way to keep herself safe is to do it all on her own; a reality she has accepted. Unrequited love and disappointment have been clouding her otherwise sunny mornings, but not today. Today she will shrug off the plaguing despair and indulge in what was once a regular and pleasant morning ritual. 

           The ding that accompanies a patron entering through the door beckons her further, arousing her with an echoing bliss. In less than a block her day can start, and the libations inside will ensure that things will go her way, or at least that is the plan. 

           Finally, the bell chimes for her and those that know the routine greet her with warm smiles and salutations. Within moments, her usual beverage of choice is delivered to her table. A quick smell and the first piping hot sip of the rich flavorful fluid, dark as a forested night but warm as the midday summer sun heats her from the inside out, igniting every sense. 

           “How long has it been since I have taken time for myself? When did I stop treating myself to the simple pleasures that once sustained me?” she silently asked herself. “It doesn’t matter,” she thought, as she took another sip. Her phone impatiently buzzes in her jacket, tugging at her to come back to reality. She instinctively reaches for it but quickly stops herself. “Not right now,” she whispers. “You don’t get to impede on this moment; today is about me.”

           The entrance bell rings here and there, and the chime becomes enjoyable background music, reminding her that she has made the right choice coming in today and spending most of the morning doing exactly nothing. Each opening and closing of the door bring a cool breeze carrying the city smells as she settles into the comfort of her spot by the window. Her little bit of paradise would be spoiled, but that could not have been seen. 

           If only she had left home sooner. If only she had gone a different route.  If only she had picked a different shop in the area, this chance meeting could have been avoided. Her comfort would remain intact if not for the universe and its ever-present curve balls. Just when she was starting to enjoy this state of bliss, someone else walked through the door. She doesn’t realize it at first, and how could she, being so entranced by the mood and ambience. Suspended in the moment, she closes her eyes to savor every warm sip. There was only one thing that could rip her from the clouds and back to earth. Her name, “Juliana,” a man’s voice called out from somewhere nearby. With her eyes held shut, she pauses, and holds her beverage clasped so closely under her face the steam fogs up her glasses. She holds firm at the sound of the familiar voice; it is the last voice she wants to hear. As she opens her eyes to meet his gaze, she is stricken with regret. Here he is standing right in front of her. Her confidence shakes as she is anything but prepared for this chance encounter. You see, ever since he showed up where she works, her stomach has been in knots. Her face flushes warm and her ears burn at the sound of his voice. 

           During previous interactions, she would nervously fidget with her phone looking at the screen and mindlessly moving through apps just to avoid direct eye contact with him. She knows if she lingers too long in his mossy green eyes there is no coming back from the torrent of emotions that lie dormant in her heart. The safety of the firewall she has created is shattered now that he is standing over her with that gorgeous smile and glowing aura. Before she can think of a way out, he politely inquires if he can sit with her at her table for two.  She does not want to leave. She needs to leave. She cannot be here with him, right now. She cannot feel this way about someone and risk rejection or disapproval. The crushing feeling of being let down makes her heart race and her hands tremble. As he talks, all she can hear is the blood pulsing in her ears until he says her name again, “Juliana.” He asks if she is okay, seeing how she hasn’t responded to anything he has said. She quickly answers and explains that she is surprised by the unexpected run-in outside of work since she has never seen him here before today. He tells her that he happened to be in the neighborhood and decided to stop in for a break. Her heart begins to slow but is by no means at a comfortable rate. His conversation is so casual that she forgets how long she has held steady eye contact. She cannot help but think that he might just be as normal as she is, and not the demigod that she had imagined him to be. 

           After engaging in the casual conversation, she thinks to herself how after all this time spent staring at the floor and avoiding his gaze, she never thought it would be this easy. “Why did I not do this sooner? Why did I take the long way around the building to avoid getting flustered by his visage? What was I so afraid of?” The conversation is more than okay, it’s wonderful. They banter with each other like old friends or siblings, and his pleasant and inviting scent reminds her of home somehow. 

           Without noticing an hour had passed and then another, everything felt right in the world. He exclaimed with a shine in his eyes how nice it is to see her outside of work and have a chance to get to know each other and they should do it again soon. She is delighted, and without thinking says, “It’s a date!”  She quickly looks down at her lap to scold herself for being so formal and presumptuous when he agrees and tells her that he would very much like that. 

           His genuine charm and warmth have won her over, and there is no going back. They part ways with a hug, and she no longer feels like her armor is needed. They met up by happenstance, and it changed the course of their lives. It did not matter what they did before or where they were because Juliana and Erich decided they had met at exactly the right time. Those curve balls aren’t always so bad after all.