Happily Ever After

"It had been twenty-four years since she'd last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same.

It was a dump, Jackie had to admit, but it was home. Or it had been..."

The children sat, wide-eyed, as I read the story. Each leaned forward as if I just said the most intriguing thing they'd ever heard. I smiled as I read, adding as much expression as possible.

The story began with the protagonist, Jackie, trying to fix her damaged home. Everything seemed to be going amiss until she meets James. Then, like every story, it ended with a 'happily-ever-after'..

If only that were true for me, I thought sullenly as I gazed at the bill in my hand. I loved my job, but it doesn't pay as well as I'd like it to. I sighed and sat back, flinging it back onto the hard wooden desk.

My mind wandered back to the children's story I read today. I couldn't help but compare it to my life. "It had been twenty-four years since she'd last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same," Just like my love life, I thought sourly.

Tomorrow would be the twenty-eighth Valentine's day I'd spent alone since I've moved out. Twenty-eighth, twenty-eighth, twenty-eighth. The number echoed around in my skull like a haunting mantra.

I groaned, placing my head in my hands. I guessed tomorrow would be another year I wore fuzzy socks and ate pizza while watching Netflix alone.

It wouldn't have been so bad if I weren't the only one without a significant other in my social circle. All of my friends were married and having children, my sister days away from giving birth, my parents had a long and love-filled relationship, and my brother was planning to marry his girlfriend. I had no one.

Standing up, I shuffled toward the kitchen. Kraft Dinner sounded good right about now.

* * * *

I was making good on my Valentine's day binge-watching when I got the call from my brother-in-law. He sounded frantic, panicked, and possibly a little confused.

She's going into labour. That was all it took for me to throw on a jacket and rush out the door.

I cursed my rotten luck. My car up and died just yesterday, and I hadn't found the time to rent another. I had to run to the station if I was going to get to the hospital at all.

I ran as fast as my old legs would carry me. Probably not a very smart idea, because not even ten minutes later, I was huffing and puffing like I just ran a marathon.

I don't think I've run this much since Highschool.

Leaning against a pole, I tried to catch my breath. I could feel strangers staring into my back, but it didn't bother me. Much.

I knew I needed to get to the hospital as fast as possible, but my entire body didn't want to move an inch. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to just die here...

"Miss, are you alright?"

My head snapped up to look at the speaker. A tall, gorgeous hunk of a man stood in front of me. His perfectly shaped brown eyes looked, worry creasing the edges.

I sucked in an unholy breath.

"Um, miss?"

My face felt hot as I realized I was staring. In an attempt to override my embarrassment, I blurted the first thing that came to mind.

"Don't call me 'Miss'; it makes me feel young,"

He looked at me a moment before laughing. He had a nice laugh, deep and rumbly. And hot, my heart sings at this thought. Shut up, I tell myself. This is a stranger. He could be a murderer for all you know.

He stopped laughing gradually, grinning at me instead. I couldn't help but grin back.

I stood up straighter, looking into his mesmerizing brown eyes. I could get lost in those eyes.

I thought he said something, but I was too far gone.

A tap on the shoulder snapped me out of it. My cheeks heated up again. "I'm so sorry," I croaked out, embarrassment flooding it's way to my ears, "Did you say something?"

He grinned again. "I asked what I should call you instead," he told me. His eyes seemed alight with laughter and amusement.

I blinked and then blushed again. "Aadhila," I breathed out, staring at my feet.

He smiled. Real and genuine. I was no doubt staring again, but I couldn't help it. His smile was beyond gorgeous. He was beyond gorgeous. Beyond imagination. Beyond fiction.

He looked at me like he was expecting me to say something. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. His face showed slight disappointment.

He gave me a nod. Turning, he started to walk away, his strides long.

"Wait," I croaked. Then, stronger, "Wait!"

He turned around, a curious smile on his face. I swore my heart stopped.

"I-um-what should I call you?" I asked breathlessly.

His responding smile was dazzling.

"James," he told me.

The name tugged at a memory. Everything seemed to be going amiss until she met James.

"Aadhila," he said, trying my name out. My heart fluttered. "Would it be alright with you if I said I wanted to see you again?"

I smiled shyly, unable to hide how pleased I was he asked. "Yes," I told him.

His smile was all it took for me to offer my number. I didn't have even a second to question whether or not this was a good idea because suddenly I remembered where I was supposed to be.

I gasped. "I need to go!" I told him. Before I rush off, I looked him in the eyes. "Call me?"

He nodded, seeming almost mesmerized. I blushed and run off.

For a minute or two, it seemed as if I was flying rather than running, but the feeling immediately ended as I felt a sudden cramp.

I leaned on another pole, and I thought I hear a deep, rumbly laugh coming from somewhere behind me. I grinned.

This may not turn into a 'happily-ever-after', but at least it would be magical, and that was all that mattered.