Chapter 6
1268 Words
Sunday mornings in Willow Creek always seemed quieter than the rest of the week.
The streets were nearly empty as Ava pulled into the parking lot outside St. Matthew’s Community Center. It was one of the few places she never missed on a Sunday.
Twice a month, she volunteered at the center’s free breakfast program, helping serve meals to families, college students, and anyone else who needed one.
She had started volunteering during her freshman year after one of her nursing professors encouraged students to become involved in the community. Four years later, she still looked forward to every shift.
As soon as she stepped inside, the smell of bacon, pancakes, and fresh coffee wrapped around her.
“There she is!” Mrs. Wilson called from the kitchen. “You’re just in time.”
“I was aiming for early.”
Mrs. Wilson laughed.
“You know I always say that.”
“I know.”
Ava tied an apron around her waist before joining the volunteers behind the serving line.
For the next two hours, plates disappeared almost as quickly as they were filled.
“Good morning.”
“How are you today?”
“Would you like more eggs?”
The words came naturally.
She smiled at everyone, remembered names whenever she could, and knelt beside children who couldn’t quite see over the serving counter.
Around ten o’clock, an elderly man carefully carried his tray toward an empty table.
Before Ava could step out from behind the counter to help him, someone else reached him first.
A tall man in a gray sweatshirt steadied the tray with one hand and pulled out a chair with the other.
The older man smiled gratefully before sitting down.
Ava watched for only a moment before another family stepped forward.
She didn’t see the volunteer’s face.
Only that he quietly returned to the kitchen without waiting for a thank-you.
“Who was that?” Ava asked Mrs. Wilson as they refilled the fruit bowls.
Mrs. Wilson looked over her shoulder.
“Oh.”
She smiled.
“One of our Sunday volunteers.”
“I don’t think I’ve met him.”
“He usually helps with deliveries before breakfast starts.”
“He seems nice.”
“He is.”
Mrs. Wilson lowered her voice.
“Never wants recognition. Just shows up, works hard, and disappears before cleanup.”
Ava smiled.
“The best kind of volunteer.”
Mrs. Wilson nodded.
“They’re rare.”
By eleven-thirty, the dining room had emptied.
The volunteers gathered around a table with coffee and leftover pancakes.
Mrs. Wilson clapped her hands together.
“I appreciate all of you.”
Several volunteers applauded jokingly.
“You’ve made another Sunday possible.”
Ava helped stack chairs while everyone else cleaned the kitchen.
As she carried a box toward the storage room, someone opened the door from the other side.
“Oh!”
The box shifted in her arms.
“Careful.”
A familiar voice.
Strong hands steadied the box before it slipped.
“You’ve got it?”
“I think so.”
The man smiled.
“I’ll take the other side.”
Together they carried it inside.
Only after setting it down did Ava realize who it was.
“Ethan.”
He looked pleasantly surprised.
“Ava.”
“I didn’t know you volunteered here.”
“I usually work in the back.”
She laughed softly.
“I guess that’s why we’ve never met.”
“I guess so.”
An awkward silence settled between them.
Not uncomfortable.
Just unfamiliar.
Mrs. Wilson peeked around the corner.
“Oh good.”
She pointed at both of them.
“Perfect timing.”
Neither of them had any idea what she meant.
“I need these supply boxes loaded into my car.”
She smiled mischievously.
“You two are the youngest people here.”
Ethan chuckled.
“I think we just got volunteered.”
“I believe we did.”
They carried boxes back and forth for nearly twenty minutes.
Between trips, the conversation slowly became easier.
“So…” Ava said as they lifted another box.
“Architecture?”
Ethan nodded.
“Final year.”
“Nursing.”
“I know.”
She looked over.
“You do?”
“I’ve seen you around campus.”
“Right.”
She smiled.
“It’s a pretty small university.”
“It feels that way sometimes.”
Outside, they loaded the final box into Mrs. Wilson’s trunk.
She closed it with a satisfied nod.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime,” Ethan replied.
Mrs. Wilson looked between them with a knowing smile.
“You two should come back next Sunday.”
Ava laughed.
“I probably will.”
Ethan nodded.
“So will I.”
Mrs. Wilson winked before climbing into her car.
Neither of them noticed.
As she drove away, Ava adjusted the strap of her purse.
“I should probably get going.”
“Me too.”
Another quiet pause.
Then Ethan smiled.
“I hope your camera’s getting some use.”
“It is.”
“I took pictures yesterday.”
“How’d they turn out?”
She grinned.
“Better than I expected.”
“I’d like to see them sometime.”
The words surprised both of them.
Ava blinked.
“I mean…”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“If you ever wanted another opinion.”
She smiled.
“I’ll think about it.”
He laughed.
“Fair enough.”
She started toward her car before turning back.
“It was nice seeing you again.”
“You too.”
As she drove home, Ava realized something.
She had spent nearly half an hour talking to Ethan.
Not once had she felt judged.
Not once had she worried about saying the wrong thing.
He listened.
Really listened.
It was… refreshing.
Across town, Ethan climbed into his SUV.
Ben was already sitting in the passenger seat.
“So?”
Ethan started the engine.
“So what?”
“You spent thirty minutes talking to her.”
“It wasn’t thirty.”
“It was twenty-eight.”
“You timed it?”
“I was waiting in the parking lot.”
Ethan laughed.
“You need a hobby.”
“I have one.”
“Apparently it’s managing your nonexistent love life.”
Ethan shook his head.
“We’re just… acquaintances.”
“For now.”
Ben smiled out the window.
“You know what I noticed?”
“What?”
“You smile differently after talking to her.”
Ethan didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he pulled onto the road.
Finally, he spoke.
“She smiled today.”
“So?”
“So that’s enough.”
Ben looked over at his friend.
“You’ve liked her for years.”
Ethan nodded once.
“I know.”
“When are you finally going to tell her?”
He thought for a long moment before answering.
“When she smiles because she’s happy.”
Ben frowned.
“I think she’s getting there.”
Ethan glanced in the rearview mirror as the community center disappeared behind them.
“So do I.”
Neither man realized that somewhere across town, Ava had just opened her laptop and started editing photographs for the first time in nearly two years.
For both of them, something small had shifted that morning.
Neither could have explained it.
Neither would have called it fate.
But for the first time, their lives had crossed in a way that felt intentional instead of accidental.
And neither of them knew it was only the beginning.
- Writer
