What If?

Tiam never expected anything in his life would start with a meet-cute. Of course, no matter how often or admittedly he denied it out loud he knew that’s exactly what it was.

He had been walking through the park one morning during a light drizzle. The rain was more like a heavy mist and helped to cool his heated skin. It was cleansing in more ways than one and he was feeling more clear headed than he had in awhile.

He preferred when the park was deserted, it gave him space to play. He raised a hand in front of him, twirling a finger in a fast circle. The dead leaves littering the path rose and twisted off the ground in a lazy tornado, moving along in front of him.

Tiam used the other hand to animate some small sticks into an actual stick person. He bobbed his hand and fingers like he was working a marionette, making his little wooden puppet dance in the floating leaves.

As he came to the edge of the woods he threw his hands in the air dramatically, causing his creations to explode upward and rain back down on the ground. He laughed at himself and left the dirt path when it turned into a concrete walkway.

The trees on either side of the sidewalk dwindled and opened up to grass fields where people were usually playing frisbee or laying in the sun. This morning there weren’t many people in the park and it only served to elevate Tiam’s already good mood. With the park so empty the sounds of nature were easier to make out and that had always been his favorite soundtrack.

There were ducks in the lake on the right side of the trail, splashing and bathing in the drizzle. Their happy quacking made him smile as he jogged by. Ahead was an empty playground, too wet now for anyone to be climbing on the metal fixtures. Beyond that was a workout area for adults. The designers of the park had set up some generic equipment for people to use; and there was one person there.

Tiam was a bit surprised, as all the equipment would be slippery when wet, but she was out there. Stepping up and down on the bench, hands on her hips, back straight. She looked like a pro, so he figured she knew the risks of using the outdoor gym in the rain.

He slowed his jog to a brisk walk, putting his arms up over his head and breathing deep and purposefully. He watched the woman out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to look like a creeper, but very interested in her technique. That is until she slipped on the balance beam, over corrected and slammed her face into the hard rubber surface.

“Oh, shit!”

Tiam was running to her side before he registered the urge to. By the time he was crouched next to her the entire bottom half of her face was covered in bright red blood. The water in the air mixed with the blood pouring from her nose to dilute it and make it spread faster. Her eyes were wide as she looked at her blood soaked hands, then up into Tiam’s face.

To the girl’s credit, she never screamed.

“Oh, crap. Okay, let’s get you up. Did you drive here? Do you have a car?” Tiam asked, rapid fire, as he helped her up with a hand on her elbow.

“I didn’t, I don’t live far. I’ll be okay, I just need it to stop bleeding.”

Her voice was a bit nasally, there was so much blood. But she still seemed overly calm about it. Maybe she was in shock, he decided he probably shouldn’t leave her alone.

“Well, how about I call an ambulance for you? You should really get that checked out, it might be broken.”

His own eyes grew a bit as she reached up with careful fingers and prodded at the bridge of her nose, her eyebrows furrowed as she poked. She then shook her head, poking out her bottom lip.

“No, feels okay. It’s not broken,” she said, waving him off.

Tiam couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. His face had hurt just watching her fall on her own and she was taking it like a champ.

“What are you? A nurse or something?” he asked as he directed her away from the equipment.

He guided her to a park bench and she sat without complaint as she searched the pockets of the fleece vest she was wearing.

“Oh, no. I just, I’m kinda clumsy. I’ve had a few nose bleeds before.”

Tiam barked a surprised laugh and handed her an unopened water bottle from seemingly nowhere. She looked at him with narrowed eyes as she slowly took it from his hand. He watched patiently as she inspected the cap and squeezed the bottle to search for pinholes. She must have been satisfied with her inspection because she opened it and took a sip, spitting pink liquid to the ground.

“Hey, you stay here for a second. I’m going to run and grab you some paper towels,” Tiam instructed, backing away.

He ran to the bathroom on the other side of the playground and took a handful of stiff brown paper towels out of the dispenser. There was a strange wave of relief when he emerged to find the girl still sitting on the bench.

“Here. They aren’t very good, but it’s the best we’ve got.”

She smiled up at him with blood stained teeth and took the paper towels. She wet them with a little water and started wiping at the blood on her chin and lips. The flow from her nose had stopped and they sat in silence as she wiped her face down.

“Well, this is not how I planned on starting my day, but I guess it could have been worse. Thank you, for stopping to help.”

Tiam just nodded his head, smiling softly at her. She looked down at the crumpled red paper in her hand and tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear with the other. One sneakered shoe scuffed across the concrete of the sidewalk.

“So, I guess I better head home. I’ve got to get ready for work,” she said slowly.

She hesitated to stand before huffing a laugh and getting to her feet. Tiam stood quickly next to her, watching her toss the paper towels in the trash can next to the bench and fidget with the bottle in her hands.

“Yeah. Maybe I’ll see you around?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

Her shoulders sagged slightly and she pressed her lips together as she nodded her head. Tiam watched her turn and walk slowly down the sidewalk. The air had dried slightly, leaving just the chill from damp cloths and the wind.

As he watched her leave the park it occurred to him that he’d never gotten her name; and more importantly he definitely wanted to see her again. He started to run after her, trying to catch up before she got too far ahead.

“Hey! Hey, wait!”

She turned to look over her shoulder, hands gripping the half empty water bottle tightly in front of her.

“I’m Tiam,” he said holding out his hand.

She looked at it before smiling up at him, reaching out to return the shake.

“It’s nice to meet you, Tiam. I’m Logan.”

Tiam had known that day that he never wanted to be away from Logan; and he never wanted her to be hurt again. Their friendship grew quickly and within five years they were married.

Life was great.

Tiam and Logan shared a two bedroom two story town home just on the outskirts of a quaint little downtown. They had plans for kids later and a dog and cat now.

Liam made breakfast before they walked to their little used bookstore on the main street. They would work together all day then head home where Logan would make dinner and they would what if their lives.

“What if,” Logan started.

She trailed off on the word, pausing to get her train of thought in order. Tiam watched from their small kitchen table tucked against the window. He flicked a finger and moved the jar of exotic salt away from Logan’s elbow as she swung around to grab a wooden spoon from the pitcher; narrowly rescuing it from crashing to the floor.

“What if we decided to open another store? Would we work in different locations or hire more staff?”

Tiam just grinned and sipped his beer before answering. Logan opened a top cabinet to her right and rummaged for something while she waited.

“Well, either way we would have to hire help. We may as well stick together and have them run the other store.”

Logan looked over her shoulder and grinned at him as she stirred the contents of the cast iron skillet. Tiam winked at her as he swirled his finger around under the cover of the table top, successfully keeping the skillets contents from sloshing over the edge.

She turned back to the food and hummed tunelessly as she waited for Tiam to come up with his own question. He tapped his fingers on the table and sipped his beer, trying to think of something new. They had been playing this game for years and covered just about any topic imaginable.

“I got one, I got one,” he said leaning forward in his chair, “What if you had superpowers? What do you think they’d be?”

Logan laughed and Tiam closed the cabinet with a flick of his hand. She turned to face him, without hitting her head on the door, with her hands on her hips. She pressed her lips together and tipped her head to the side in an exaggerated show of thinking.

“Are you asking which power I would want or which I’d most likely have? Because I want to fly, but I would probably have the power of messing everything up.”

Tiam cocked his head to the side, looking much like a confused puppy.

“What do you mean, you’d mess everything up?” he asked softly.

Logan just laughed and turned back to the stove.

“I don’t know if you remember, Tiam, but the first time we met I’d fallen and smashed my face. I used to be really clumsy. I think sometimes you’re my good luck charm, it doesn’t happen nearly as often when you’re around,” she said bemusedly.

Tiam sat back and laughed at that. Logan threw him a playful glare over her shoulder. He did remember. Like it was yesterday. She looked so gruesome sitting there covered in blood and she was still the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

They ate dinner at their tiny table, the dog had his own meal across the kitchen. After they cleaned up together they sat down to watch a show, curled on the couch with the cat.

Later, after they’d been reading in bed for a few minutes Logan set her book heavily in her lap and blew at the hair falling in her face. Tiam continued to look at his own pages, but was no longer reading; he just waited for his wife to organize her thoughts and speak up.

“Hey, Tiam.”

“Hmm?”

“What if I’m ready to try for a baby?”

While she had had his attention before it was now undivided as he set his own book in his lap and turned to look at her. Her eyes were wide and wet, her lips set in a soft frown. Tiam slowly let his curl up.

“What if I am, too?” he returned.

Logan’s smile grew wide and she leaned in as she reached back to put her book on the nightstand. Tiam flicked his finger up, sliding the book fully onto the table so it wouldn't fall on the cat who was sleeping on the rug.

They kissed sweetly, whispering what if’s to each other. Tiam’s silently asking himself what if his baby had powers, too?