As Fate Would Have It

The Café

I sat in the little corner café watching the interesting girl from afar. She had been coming here for about a week now. She was a beautiful woman. She had light blonde hair cut short and she had these stunning blue eyes. She had an air of confidence around her. People paid attention to this girl whenever she walked into the room. Her bright laugh and wide smile she always seemed to wear were noticeable.

Today she seemed different though. She didn't seem to stand out as much. She wore the same stylish clothes-but something had changed. I studied her for a few minutes and then I realized, it was her smile. Her smile wasn't the same. Her whole face wasn't lightened up. It wasn't her real raw smile that made her stand out.

I made my way over to the woman in the dark red waist jacket. "Hello Miss." I said with a smile.

"Hello sir. May I help you?" she asked.

"I was wondering if you needed any help." I replied.

"What would I need help with? I'm just a stranger sitting by a window." she inquired.

"Well it's never too much trouble to ask is it?"

"No I guess not," she smiled,"Thank you but I must be on my way." And with that she stood up and walked out the shop. I noticed that she left a paper on the table under her cup. I slid it out and unfolded it. It read,

Thank you. You are very kind. People like you who notice people in the world who seem different or in need of help keep this world turning. You have a kind soul.
-The Stranger by the Window

I went home and puzzled over this little note. Had she noticed me these past few days? I went to bed late that night, thinking about the girl in the dark red jacket.

I returned to the café the next day with my typewriter. I was a writer for a small newspaper. I was ready to type a story about the owner of the little café when I noticed something. A dark red jacket draped over a chair where the woman had been sitting the other day. I sat there for a long time thinking about why she would leave it. I started typing an idea forming in my head. I had a new story. One about a woman with a dark red jacket.

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Three Months Later

I headed out the door and towards my car. I was going to a party. A party for myself actually. I was being promoted. My stories about a mysterious woman in a dark red coat and what she might be doing had taken off. I was writing a series that was being published in the weekly newspaper. The story was about a woman spy who went on amazing adventures. I had meant to thank that mysterious stranger who I had met in that little corner café but I hadn't seen her again.

I entered the mansion of the owner of the newspaper. The party was in full swing already. I had run into trouble with my car so I was a tad late.

I took off my jacket. It was quite hot in the crowded ballroom. I was talking with my boss and a few other employees when I noticed her. The woman I had been writing about for the past few months. She was wearing a stunning red dress with a matching feather in her hair. She started to walk the opposite direction from me through the crowded ballroom.

I excused myself and followed her to the other side of the room. I lost her momentarily but she caught my eye as she walked out through some double doors leading onto an outside patio. I followed quickly. I paused in front of the doors took and deep breath and walked through them.

She was sitting on a stool smoking. She was leaning forward her elbow resting on her leg. Her necklace was moving slightly in the cool fall breeze. I walked up the the short wall she was facing and leaned against it while swinging my jacket onto my back. I took a drink from the flask I had been holding.

"Well look who I ran into," crowed the man.

"Please," flirted the woman,"this was meant to be."