TROUBLING COINCIDENCE

As I walked into the hospital, my mind was racing with worry about my son's critical condition. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even notice the guy who was walking towards me with a bag of groceries. Before I knew it, I had bumped into him, and the contents of his bag spilled out onto the floor.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, my heart racing with embarrassment.

"It's okay," he replied, his voice calm and composed. "It was my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going."

As we both bent down to pick up the items, I realized that the guy was quite good-looking. I couldn't help but steal a glance at him as we worked together to retrieve the scattered groceries.

"I hope nothing was broken," I said, trying to make small talk.

"No, everything's fine," he replied, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I'm just glad the eggs didn't crack."

We both laughed, and I felt a momentary sense of relief from the stress of the past few days. But as I stood up, my mind returned to the harrowing reality of my son's condition.

Stretching his arm for a handshake "I'm Daniel"

"I'm Ava, I have to go," I said, my voice low and strained. "My son is in the hospital."

"What happened?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"He has severe anemia," I replied, my eyes filling with tears. "They need to find a blood donor for him, and I don't know what to do."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said, his expression sympathetic. "What's your son's blood type?"

"AB positive," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Mine too," he said, his eyes meeting mine. "I can donate if you want."

I was stunned. There was a stranger, offering to help save my son's life. I couldn't believe my luck.

"Are you serious?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Absolutely," he replied, his gaze unwavering. "Let's go do this."

As we walked to the blood bank, I felt a sense of gratitude wash over me. This random encounter had turned into a life-changing moment, and I knew that I would never forget the kindness of this stranger who had become my hero.

Daniel and I somehow had a connection. I didn't know what it was but I knew there was something. We became friends, talking at length on the phone, sitting out, and a lot more.

One cozy evening, Daniel dropped me off after a dinner date at a famous diner. I clicked the door handle to open the door and he held it back. He just stared at me as he leaned closer, ran his hands through my hair, and planted a kiss on my lips.

I was starstruck and couldn't move, As our lips locked, I could feel shivers run down my spine, flashbacks of my night with the masked guy hit me and I pulled back immediately.

"I'm sorry I have to go," I said as I alighted and walked straight into my apartment.

I walked straight to my room and cried my eyes out. I didn't know why I was crying but tons of emotions took charge of me. My heart ached down to my stomach and I felt like I was going to explode already.

A few days later.

As I was changing my twins' diapers, my phone rang, interrupting my peaceful moment. I picked it up and saw that it was Daniel calling. My heart skipped a beat as I remembered the kiss we shared a few days back. I hesitated for a moment before answering the call.

"Hey, Daniel," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Ava, I wanted to call and apologize for what happened the other day. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he said, sounding sincere.

"It's okay, Daniel. It wasn't your fault," I replied, instantly forgiving him.

We talked more, and I opened up to him about my ordeal of giving birth to my twins without their father. Daniel expressed shock, saying he thought I had lost their dad.

 I replied, "To me, he's dead." Daniel listened patiently, and I felt a sense of relief after confiding in him.

As we continued talking, Daniel asked me out for dinner at his family's house. I was hesitant at first, but something in me made me say "yes." 

As Daniel drove us to his family house, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. "So, what should I expect tonight?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Well, my family is excited to meet you," he replied, smiling at me. "They've heard so much about you already."

I felt a flutter in my heart at his words. "Really? What have you told them?"

"Just that I've met someone special," he said, his eyes locking with mine. "And that I'm looking forward to spending more time with her."

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me. "I'm looking forward to spending more time with you too," I said softly.

As we arrived at his family house, I could see that it was a beautiful place. "Wow, your family home is amazing," I said, looking around in awe.

"Thank you. It's been in my family for generations," he replied, taking my hand.

As we walked inside, we were greeted warmly by his family. "This is Ava," Daniel introduced me. "The woman I've been telling you all about."

"It's so nice to finally meet you," his mother said, hugging me warmly.

As we sat around the dinner table, the warm glow of the candles and the delicious aroma of the food made me feel right at home. The family was incredibly welcoming, and I felt like I had known them forever. We talked and laughed, sharing stories and getting to know each other better. 

Just as we were in the middle of our conversation, the door creaked open, and a tall, dark-skinned man walked in. My head instinctively turned to greet him. Just as I raised my face to greet him, I felt a jolt of recognition run through me. It was the same guy from the masked party! I couldn't believe it; I had unmasked him in the washroom while we were kissing. I didn't know I'd remember his face ever again.

"Ava…" he muttered my name in shock.

I couldn't help but feel my heart drop to my stomach. "You?" I managed to force out through the tears that were streaming down my face. My heart felt like it was breaking into a million pieces with each passing second.