As Fate Has It

Shaun started out the window of his small log cabin. It was the middle of winter, and there was still no show on the ground. He couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed at the lack of cold weather. He wondered if this was global warming's fault.

Usually, he didn't mind the fact that it didn't show. Shaun wasn't the biggest fan of cold weather, especially since he moved out of his parent's house, but something had changed. About six months ago, Shaun went to see a fortune-teller. He didn't believe in such things, but his sister did and she wanted to go. He played along and even got his fortune read. He remembered the fortune-teller's voice as clear as day, "Come the first snow, and your soulmate will come knocking on your door."

He didn't believe in fortunes, or magic, or anything like that, but there wasn't any harm in wishing. He promised not to get his hopes up too much, but yet, every morning he was at the window with coffee waiting for the snow to fall.

It never did.

Until the morning of January 14th. Shaun got up like every morning and made his coffee. Once it was done brewing, he poured himself a cup and went to the window sill.

Then he saw it, the beautiful white snow, blanketing the ground. It covered the trees. There was only white as far as Shaun could see. There were no other houses, or cars, or people as far as the eye could see. It was just Shaun and the snow. There was no soulmate, he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up.

He finished his coffee at the window before stepping away. He was a little cold, so he started up a fire. Just as he lit the match, there was a knock on his door.

Could it be, no he was being silly, and yet, he couldn't help but hope that it was his soulmate. He took a deep breath before opening up the door, standing there was a girl around his age with long brown hair and matching eyes. She wore a short dress and a long fur coat over top.

"I'm sorry sir, but my car broke down and I have nowhere to go. It is freezing out here, and this is the only house around," the girl said.

"Of course, come in," Shaun said.

He led her over to the fireplace before going to make them both some hot chocolate. He returned moments later holding both the mugs. She smiled up and him and thanked him as she took the mug.

"How far away if your car, maybe I can try to fix it," I said, "Did you call anyone to get it?"

"I didn't bring my phone with me," she said, "I'm Dellila by the way, but you can call me De. That's what my friends call me."

"I'm Shaun, would you like to borrow my phone?" he offered.

"Yes, thank you, Shaun," she said.

I reached into my back pocket and gave De my phone. She took another sip of the hot chocolate before calling a repair shop.

"They're closed," she said.

Shaun lived in a very rural area, and there wasn't much around. A lot of the shops were closed often, and Shaun often had to drive at least 20 minutes away from the cabin to go grocery shopping.

"I'm gonna call my dad and tell him what happened. I was supposed to meet him for dinner tonight, but it looks like that won't be happening," De said.

"You are welcome to say here as long as you need," Shaun replied.

She thanked Shaun once again before calling her dad. He didn't listen that closely to the conversation but he did hear her say apologize at least four times. Shaun wondered if her father was upset.

Before she hung up the phone, there was another knock on Shaun's door. He was confused for a second, but he got up and answered it.

He didn't normally get guests, so that fact that there wasn't just one, but two people coming to his small cabin was a bit of a surprise.

Shaun opened up the door to see a man around his age at the door. He had black hair and hazel eyes. He wore a white knitted sweater and jeans.

"Sorry to bother you, but I was on my way to visit my brother when I crashed into a deer. My car is completely destroyed, as well as my phone-" he pulled a shattered phone out of his pocket, "I was wondering if I could borrow yours to call my brother."

"Of course, come in," Shaun said, "I'm Shaun."

"Peter."

Shaun offered Peter some hot chocolate, but he turned it down saying he was on a diet. Shaun introduced Peter and De to each other. De gave Peter Shaun's phone and he called up his brother.

"Shaun, is it already if I stay here the night, my brother won't be able to come to get me until tomorrow," Peter explained.

"Of course," Shaun said.

After a while of warming up by the fire, De suggested that they should go out and enjoy the snow. Shaun allowed them to barrow his snow clothes so that they wouldn't be cold.

The three of them went outside and had a snowball fight like they were little kids once again. Shaun's smile had never been so wide. Together, they built a snowman and made snow angels.

It was getting late, and Shaun was starting to get hungry. They went inside. De and Peter warmed up by the fire as Shaun made the three of them dinner. He just made plain pasta and alfredo sauce. He wasn't the best cook, but he knew how to follow directions from a recipe.

They ate together and shared stories of when they were younger and were snowed in. They laughed together, as though they were old friends having a reunion.

When they were finished, Shuan cleared the table and they agreed to play a game of clue before bed. De won the first round and Peter won the second. Shaun had never been very good at the game.

It was around eleven when De admitted that she was feeling a little tired.

"There is only one guest bedroom, but one of you are welcome to sleep in mine and I can take the couch," Shaun said.

"No need, I can take the couch," Peter said, Shaun didn't argue.

Shaun slept soundly. Maybe the fortune-teller was right and he did meet his soulmate that day, but he didn't care, he was just happy to have company over. He had a fun time, it had been a while since Shaun had hung out with anyone other than his family.

He got up the next morning to find De busy in the kitchen, making waffles. It smelled amazing.

"Morning," he said.

"Good morning," she replied, "I wanted to thank you for letting me stay the night, so I'm making breakfast."

"No problem, and thanks for making food," he said.

Shaun helped her finish up and started to brew some coffee. Peter got up just as he finished pouring the coffee.

They welcomed each other and Peter informed him that his brother would be by to pick him up around ten that morning.

There was still snow on the ground, but it was warm outside and it was melting quick.

"I still don't know what I'm gonna do, but hopefully the repair shop is open today," De said.

"If you want, I can drive you down and we can check it out," Shuan suggested.

"That would be wonderful!" De exclaimed.

They began to eat the waffles that De had made. They tasted even better than they smiled. After breakfast, there was a knock on the door. Shaun answered it and learned that it was Peter's brother.

Peter said his goodbyes to Shuan and De before following his brother outside. It was now just Shaun and De. They smiled at each other.

"Tell me when you're ready to go and I can take you to the repair shop," Shaun said.

"I'm ready now if you want to go," De said.

Shaun agreed that the two of them traveled down to the repair shop. Luckily, they were open. De explained her problem to the guy at the desk, and he sent someone out to go get her car towed over.

"Thanks for letting me stay the night," De said once she had finished talking to the employee.

"It was my pleasure, feel free to come by any time you wish," Shaun said.

"Maybe I will," she said.

That gave Shaun a little bit of hope. Maybe that old fortune-teller was right, maybe he did meet his soulmate, or maybe he gets bet a new friend. Either way, he was happy.