Fate

He knew she was trouble when she first walked into his life. In that one night in Paris where he was wounded while carrying out his duties. He still vividly remembered how she helped him selflessly, even when he was nothing but a rude, ungrateful and sullen young man. After taking her leave, he hoped it would be the last time they would be seeing each other. For his sake and hers.

But it was not to be. Business found him again in Paris and a rain drenched one at that, too. He was patiently waiting for the lights to turn green, when he saw her again. Right in front of him. Loose brown hair soaking in the deluge, arms spread out as if to catch every bit of the water that she could and  that wonderful smile that could turn hearts and heads. But why could she not hear or see the car coming straight at her? He knew he had to act and  with a reflex sharpened by time, he grabbed her roughly and pulled her towards him to throw her out of harm's way. Unfortunately in doing so, she lost her balance and she fell, head first, to the pavement. It was a hard fall and he noticed, with horror, the blood seeping out from under her head, becoming one with the rain and the mud. Immediately, he lifted her and bundled her into a taxi, hoping they would get to a hospital in time. His clothes were soaked with her blood as he tried to stop her head from bleeding. He would not let her die.

Once at the hospital, he entrusted her to the care of doctor. As he sat in the waiting room, he found himself remembering the few days that he had spent in her home. He remembered her soft and gentle touch as she undressed and dressed his bandages. He remembered the probing eyes which seemed to look straight through him. He remembered how she sang effortlessly while cooking his meals, how she coaxed him to eat, how she pulled the blanket over him at night. He pretended to sleep whenever she got up at night to check on him. He pretended to not notice how beautiful she was as she bent over him to inspect his injuries. He pretended to be unmoved by her kindness, patience and tolerance.

She regained consciousness after two whole days-two days of agony and torture being ridden with guilt as he was. Guilt which stemmed from him being unable to thank her for saving his life and being helpless and unable to save hers. He wanted to go see her but knew that she would be too fragile to see him right after she woke up and he had put himself at enough risk as it is by staying at the hospital. But he knew that this time, he wanted to say everything he had not said the last time. So instead of meeting her the minute she regained consciousness, he checked himself and went back to his hotel. He waited two more days until she was discharged and was fit enough to go back home. The night she returned, he lounged in the street as her friends came and left. He then went straight up to her apartment and knocked. After getting no response, he let himself in quietly. And found her sleeping on the couch-just like he once lay with her by his side. He pulled up a chair beside her and waited for her to wake up.

As he saw her sleeping peaceful form, he sighed and muttered, "Fate has a cruel way of bringing us together again."

Rain

Rain. The inevitable, inescapable rain. She laughed hysterically as rivulets of water ran down her-her hair, her neck,her shoulders, her entire dress till the tips of her toes were soaking wet. Who knew that Paris could be so rainy all of a sudden? Definitely not the weather 'experts' by whose predictions she had long ago stopped living, Well they were right for a change-they predicted a storm and here it was. And she was in the middle of it.
She watched the others scurrying for cover, watched how they opened their umbrellas to battle against the wind, watched them lose the war with the weather and watched them retire to their fate. She was not one to succumb to hers-she was going to enjoy this rain. She spread her arms and turned her mouth towards the heavens and smiled as the rain washed her. In her delight and bliss, she never realized that she had stepped off the pavement and onto the road. It was only when someone screamed that she saw the car coming towards her. But before she could react, she was flung away on the pavement and she saw the world go dark. The last thing she remembered was the taste of rain in her mouth-oh the sweet rain.

She awoke to the sounds of machines around her and as she slowly opened her eyes, the room swam into focus. White, sterile and clean. She tried moving her hands and realized there were needles attached to them, feeding her IV no doubt. A nurse came in with a big smile. She could only smile weakly in return. The friendly nurse soon checked her vital signs and went to call the doctor. He came in minutes later with an even bigger smile and asked her how she was feeling.

"Weak and dizzy, doctor." she replied in a raspy voice.
"Well you are lucky to be alive, madame."
"What happened doctor? I think I remember a car."
"Why don't you rest now and I shall tell you the details later. We are glad that you have gained consciousness.Try get some sleep now. "
She was too weak to protest so she took his advice and slept.
When she awoke next, she saw the nurse by her side who coaxed her to get up and eat some food. After the meal, she asked for the doctor who came in a few minutes later.
"Good evening Madame. Good to see a little colour coming back to your face.How do you feel now?"
"Hello Doctor. I feel much better now. I think I am now strong enough to hear what happened to me."
"Well, Madame, you were on the road and a car was coming straight at you. And at the very last minute, a stranger pushed you out of the way. But in the process, your head hit the pavement and you lost consciousness. A very close shave, indeed but you escaped with nothing but a slight head injury."
"A stranger saved my life? Who?"
"Well he just gave in his first name. One Tom."
"That's curious, I know no one by that name.Anyway bless his soul."
"Indeed Madame. You will be discharged in a few days. The nurse will take care of the formalities."
"Thank you, Doctor."
When he had gone, she asked the kind and chatty nurse to see if she could give a description of the man who had saved her from the clutches of death.
"Well all I can tell you was that he was tall and handsome. A most striking aquiline nose and high cheekbones. Quite like a prince charming, Madame. But I only saw him for a few minutes sadly" she giggled
Mila frowned and tried to remember if she knew anyone of that description but nothing came to her mind.

A few days later, she was discharged and sent back home. Her friends who had come to pick her up settled her in her apartment and left reluctantly after she persuaded them she could manage alone. She lay down on her couch and for the first time realized that she was glad to be alive. And that she should find the stranger who had helped her. She drifted off to sleep. She awoke to the sign of the pattering rain drops on her windowsill. And to a stranger sleeping on a chair next to her-an incredibly handsome man, with an aquiline nose and those high cheekbones. And she smiled knowing that the handsome stranger had crossed her path again.