Once upon another time

It was the summer of 75. Delilah had barely turned 18 years old. She was a beautiful girl but chose to spend most of her days at home. When she wasn't at school or working at the library part-time, she would hang out with her few friends, but she kept to herself. Her natural circle included herself, her dog Zucky, and her grandma. But she would often force herself to go out with friends. 

Delilah didn't like the pressure of dating and realized that if she stayed home, she would avoid a lot of creeps and the craze that everyone chased called love. 

After work, one day, Delilah avoided going to a concert, so she ditched her friends by telling them that her mom asked her to drop by her grandma's house and help with tasks her grandma could not complete. Delilah knew that meant she faced the daunting task of clearing her grandmother's cluttered attic. Still, it was better than having to get dolled up for a boy as his only hope is to grope you, so she decided to see this as an opportunity to help her grandma, avoid the social scene, and maybe find some cool clothes. After a few hours and an asthma attack later, she carefully sifted through the dusty boxes and forgotten whiffs as her attention was suddenly captured by an old, decorated locket in a corner. With a mixture of uncertainty and excitement, she delicately opened the locket. She revealed a photograph of a young man held inside. This captivating picture ignited a genuine curiosity within Delilah, driving her to embark on a quest to uncover the locket's story. Her heart raced with anticipation as she delved deeper into the past, feeling a mix of emotions from intrigue to a growing sense of connection. The man was handsome and had movie-star qualities. Delilah felt as if she knew him. It was an instant crush.

Delilah's tenacious pursuit of knowledge led her to unravel the poignant tale behind the locket. She learned that the young man in the photograph was a brave soldier who had fearlessly fought in the Vietnam War. The previous homeowner, the soldiers' mother, lost the locket when they moved some five years back. Driven by an insatiable desire to delve deeper into his story, Delilah contacted veterans' organizations. She painstakingly pieced together the fragments of information until she eventually succeeded in locating the man named Nikko.

Delilah sat on all the information at first. She went to school and worked as if she didn't spend every second thinking about this stranger named Nikko. She was eager to see Nikko, whom she had heard had returned home from the war a few months ago. She also found out that His family lived just a few blocks away, and she couldn't contain her excitement for his homecoming as it appeared to be fate. Delilah carefully selected a beautiful outfit, adorned herself with her favorite accessories, and took her dog for a leisurely walk, hoping to catch a glimpse of Nikko. She imagined their potential union and how their paths might cross, filling her heart with anticipation and butterflies.

Delilah had barely taken ten steps out of the driveway when her faithful dog started barking at the cars parked on her street for the party. A sudden feeling of unease washed over her, and she contemplated turning back. "Should I go through with this? I don't even know this guy. This seems like such a bad idea," she murmured, tugging on Zucky's leash.

As she yanked on the leash, she was taken aback as she collided with Nikko, who had been running errands for his mother and had to park on Delilah's street due to the crowded party. Her heart raced, and her thoughts seemed to vanish. It felt like fate. Nikko paused to pet Zucky and introduced himself. He shared that his family used to live in her house, but they had moved when he went off to war. He mentioned they hadn't moved far up the street, and she laughed nervously.

There was an undeniable connection between them, and Delilah felt his intense gaze on her, causing her to look away. Her hair fell across her face as she turned to escape his piercing eyes.

Nikko gently brushed aside the strands of hair that had fallen before Delilah's eyes as her hair slipped out of the clip holding it up. "Your eyes are too beautiful to be hiding behind that hair," he remarked, his gaze lingering on her as if waiting for her to interject her name. Delilah laughed and stumbled over her name, "D, Deli, Lilah, DELILAH," she finally managed to say. They shared another laugh, and he complimented her on her beautiful smile. A brief silence followed, but his intense gaze held her captivated. "Come to my party, D, Deli, Lilah, or DELILAH. I want all of you there so I can get to know you," he urged. She walked with him back to his house, and from that night on, they began speaking daily. They formed an immediate, intense connection, and Delilah felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with Nikko as if they had known each other their entire lives. Their communication quickly delved into sharing intimate details about their childhood memories and their aspirations for the future. Their emotional bond grew stronger with each day that passed. He loved to send her unexpected letters and phone calls that lasted hours. Delilah's mind raced with the thought of the future possibilities like being his wife or the children she never wanted, but her ovaries now ached for his sons. With his towering stature and captivating presence, Nikko exuded an undeniable charm. His deep, dark brown eyes held a mysterious allure, complemented by his luscious black hair. His smile had a magnetic pull, melting Lilah's resolve with its warmth. As they locked eyes, it felt as if they had known each other for lifetimes, as if their souls were intertwined in an unbreakable bond. Delilah had never experienced this type of feeling. She couldn't wait to get out of school to see him standing in his car, waiting for her. She raced into his strong arms, which pulled her into his broad chest. She loved when he was wearing a soft hooded sweatshirt that smelled like his sexy cologne. She knew instantly that he was the man she would spend the rest of her life with. 

The locket was the catalyst for their meeting, a fateful object that seemed to have orchestrated their union. Nikko was unaware of the locket, but they were confident their love was predestined an unshakeable and eternal force.

 Delilah, or Lilah as her family called her, courageously decided to tell him the truth about the locket she found of his mom in her grandmother's garage. This was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love, and the connection between them was undeniably electric. 

Delilah embarrassingly told Nikki everything and how she had been walking her dog outside on purpose that night six months ago. Nikko looked at Delilah, held her face in his hands, and said, "It wasn't on purpose; it was fate. Fate had your grandma buy our old house, and it was fate that my mom lost that locket. It was fate that you found it six years later and looked for me. It was fate that my mom only moved a few blocks away to be closer to my grandmother after I enlisted in the Marines. It was fate that kept you home and helpful to your grandma. It was destiny that your heart told you to look for me. You are everything I have ever dreamed of and ever imagined love to feel. You and I were never strangers, but instead, think of us as once upon another time, another space, in all dimensions of this universe, and I want to Marry you and explore the possibilities of wonder with you."

They cherished the enigmatic locket, holding it close to their hearts as a source of comfort and a tangible representation of the intricate bond that had united them. With its ornate design, the locket transcended its function as a mere piece of jewelry. It served as a poignant symbol of the unexpected and profound connection that fate had intricately woven between them. Their friendship developed into a deep bond with each passing moment. They held the locket close to their hearts, finding solace in the delicate intertwining of silver and gold that had initially brought them together. The locket, adorned with intricate patterns, was a tangible representation of the unforeseen and profound connection that fate had meticulously woven between their souls. It served as a constant reminder of the exquisite beauty of life's unpredictable nature, reminding them of the beauty of life's unpredictability and to follow the unknowns; in this case, it was the locket that led to the heart of true love.