Moments that define us

Chapter One

Emily

Can one moment define the rest of your life? If you asked my momma, she would tell you everything happens for a reason, and that God predestined that moment for a good reason.

I was graduating college, finally after four years of barely making it, I was now a nurse. But you see, that's not what I wanted to be. I wanted to be a writer, but my daddy said I needed a job that would pay my bills. So now I was a nurse, even though the sight of blood still made my stomach queasy. I had just gotten everything packed into my white Ford Focus, and saying bye to my roommate Beth. We hadn't really formed a relationship in the four years we had been roommates. She was too focused on boys, and me, well I was just trying to survive. With a quick awkward hug, and a "Bye" I was getting into my car and saying goodbye to Eastern Kentucky University.

I was headed home to my family's small farm in Sharpsburg, about 30 minutes into my drive when rain just came out of nowhere. After another ten minutes into my drive it was so bad I couldn't see. Just as I pulled over to wait it out, lighting struck a tree about 15 feet from my car. My heart was racing, and panic had set in. Just as I stepped out of my car a utility truck came up behind my car. As I looked behind me two men got out wearing hard hats, jeans and flannel shirts. We are all getting pelted by the freezing rain that was a complete contrast to the 85 degree weather. One of the men went as close as he could without getting too close to access the damage, and another came to access me.

"Ma'am are you alright?" His voice was deep and soft.

"Y-yes. Just a little spooked." I answered. Looking down, and realizing my clothes were really drenched now.

"Everything is gonna be okay. I need you to get back in your car. As soon as the rain stops, we will get this fixed, and you can be on your way." He looked at me and smiled, one perfect dimple in the side of his cheek made my belly take off with a flight of butterflies.

I got in my car, turned the heat to full blast in a weak attempt to get my clothes dry. I must have dozed off after sometime, because the next thing I remember is his knuckles rasping against my window.

I jumped a little, which made an easy smile come to his full lips. When I opened the door and got out, he smiled again. "We got it cleared away. You are good to go." Then I looked up into his eyes, that were such a vibrant gray, I had never seen eyes so beautiful, and hair that was a dark brown, that I could now see since he didn't have a hard hat on. "My names Jameson." He said to me. A beautiful man with a beautiful name.

I smiled back at him, held out my hand for him to shake cause I didn't know what else to do. "Emily." I replied.

His big calloused hand grasped my dainty one. "It's nice to meet you Emily. Would you like to go out with me sometime?"

So you see it begs to ask the question. 'Can one moment define the rest of your life?' Well for Jameson and I, we had obstacles ahead that made it hard to answer that one simple question.