The key to locked hearts

5

He opened the door on the left of his car for his kids and quickly strapped them in. Closing the door, Sebastian followed Naomi to the other side, opening the passenger seat door for her. Naomi stared blankly, then opened the back door herself. She didn't want to sit next to him. It's not that she hated Sebastian; she just wasn't comfortable enough to sit there. He stood there, watching her open the door to the back. She thought she saw his eyes twitch, but she dismissed it as her imagination.

Naomi felt safer in the back; the kids kept her company. She got to know their names, Noah and James, and some things they liked. Sebastian got in the car and drove off, asking Naomi for directions. She told him her exact location, a big mistake. Maybe she was too tired to lie? She hoped he wasn't a criminal.

Naomi felt eyes on her; when she looked up, Sebastian's head wasn't turned towards her. She dismissed the idea as she unbuckled her belt, but when she glanced up again, he was staring at her through the rearview mirror above his head. Before he could think to open the door for her, Naomi left, and he drove off. As she jumped into her bed for comfort, she realized the chair she bought wasn't with her. Looking out the window, she saw that he had left with the chair she paid $30 for. Great.

Time flew by, as she read the book she bought recently. It was the second part to the boy who had to choose between family and his country. It finally came down to the decision, she swiped eagerly page after page awaiting the decision. She even managed to forget about that stupid chair and the man too.

And before she knew it, night had fallen, accompanied by a knock on her door. Startled she adverted her eyes directly at the door. She hadn't ordered anything, so could it be the landlord? She wasn't behind on rent this month, she thought. Naomi checked the peephole because she had sense and wasn't about to be the girl in the movie who acted without thinking. She saw no one, and the lamppost outside their unit was on, so there wasn't truly anyone lurking in the shadows. Naomi cautiously opened the door to find the chair she had bought with a letter placed neatly on top, sealed with a black wax crest. Fancy?

Naomi quickly brought the items inside to inspect them. She placed the chair across the table and sat down as she opened the letter. It read:

[Dear kind stranger who helped my sons Noah and James,

I'm the father of the two children you saved earlier. I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude and offer a heartfelt apology. My accusation towards you was entirely unwarranted and displayed a lack of respect. I am truly sorry for my behavior.

I noticed that you had left your chair in my car, so I wanted to return it to you. Since you have declined my offer to buy you anything, I hope you will accept this gesture instead. As the kids mentioned earlier, it is my father's birthday this Saturday, and I would like to extend an invitation for you to join us. It will be a small gathering of family and friends, and the children would be overjoyed to have you there.

I understand if you prefer not to see me again, but I sincerely hope you will consider attending.

Here's the address: 705 Middleton Rd, Fort Lyle, Hamilton, YN, 97730

Warm regards,

Sebastian]

So that's your name, Naomi thought. Sebastian. Makes sense. She tossed the letter on the table and thought deeply. Both events were on Saturday too; what were the chances?

As Saturday approached, Naomi found herself torn. On one hand, attending Sebastian's father's birthday party could be a chance to get away from her family. On the other hand, she was hesitant to get involved further. The memory of their tense encounter lingered, and she wasn't sure she was ready to forgive and forget so easily.