Chance Encounters

As rain fell upon the gum strewn pavement she walked along, Danica listened to the music pumping through her headphones. The volume was turned up as loud as it would go as it was after each of her shifts, every beat hitting her eardrums until it drowned out the rest of the world. Being disorganised and unprepared was one of her biggest flaws, which she mused on as rain seeped through her light jacket. Her hair was soaked only minutes after leaving work, the water dripping from each strand and running down the back of her neck. Shivering with each gust of cool Spring wind, Danica cursed herself for yet again lacking the foresight to bring an umbrella. The short walk between Royal London Hospital and Danica's house had become monotonous in the year she'd been walking it. When she first started working there, she walked through the streets doe-eyed, taking in every sight and sound. Different to the suburban streets she'd grown up in, Danica had revelled in the hustle and bustle London provided. Now, it was merely a reminder of another long hard day in the emergency ward, struggling with an underfunded and understaffed NHS. One of the patients she had triaged in A&E during her 14 hour shift had been a sufferer of Multiple Sclerosis, much like her mother. And try as she might, she hadn't managed to separate the two. Watching them suffering from an attack reminded her of the fact that her own mother sat at home, alone in her house as Danica worked, struggling more every day with her symptoms. The day had gone downhill from there, and she couldn't wait to be in the safety and silence of her apartment. Less than 5 short minutes into her playlist, the wind was knocked out of Danica as something heavy hit her from behind. Wet fur pressed against the side of her face as she lay on the ground. Turning around, she was met with the hot, rancid breath of a panting dog, the dopey look on it's face almost emulating a smile. "What are you doing out here by yourself?" Running her fingers through his damp fur, Danica found his collar and the lead that led on from it. She grasped it tightly in her hands as she stood up, stroking the dog unthinkingly as she glanced around at passing commuters for the owner. Through the crowd emerged a man, his arms spread wide as he scuffled his way through the throng of people. Much like Danica, he'd been caught out by the weather. The camel coloured coat he wore was sopping wet, but he seemed none the wiser. His plump lips were open as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Henry!" He shouted as he frantically scanned the street. At hearing his name, the dog barked and began to pull on its lead, desperate to reach its owner as Danica struggled with the lead. She was distinctly aware of the fact that she'd just fallen head first onto the rain sodden path as the owner approached. There was little doubt in her mind she looked out of sorts. In a futile attempt to clean up, she dusted down the front of her jacket and scrubs, and brushed the hair from her face. A smile of relief spread over the man's face as he spotted them, illuminating his tan skin. As he bent down to embrace his dog, Danica admired that it didn't bother him one iota that his suit trousers were being covered in muddy paw prints. "You made a friend," the man said, looking up at Danica as he fussed his dog. Even on a dull, grey day, his blue eyes were irridescent. "I hope he's not given you any trouble. He can get a little excitable." "I hadn't noticed." Danica's sarcasm drew a laugh from him. It was a low, rumbling sound that was music to her ears, and it didn't last nearly long enough. Taking back Henry's lead, the man stood and extended his spare hand to her, his bright smile never faltering. "I'm Fraser. Nice to meet you." Although her heart was thrumming in her chest, Danica took his hand with a neutral expression and shook it. The moment their fingers touched, his skin warm in spite of the rain, she felt a few of the day's stresses melt away. There was something about physical contact - even the smallest touches - that acted as a salve for her soul. Fraser's touch both comforted and unsettled her. "You, too. I'm Danica." She retracted her hand as though burned, the skin tingling with the ghost of their handshake. "Can I take you for a coffee? There's a cafe just stone's throw from here. My way of saying thanks for keeping hold of Henry." "Sorry, I can't," was all she could mumble. She wanted to give him a reason, but struggled to find a way to explain she was going to help care for her Mother without the usual pity party ensuing. "If not today, then maybe another day," he said, retrieving a business card from his wallet and handing it to her. After glancing at it for only two seconds, enough to see the number scrawled across it, she stuffed the card into her pocket and tried to offset the growing blush on her cheeks. Danica was sure he was just being polite, but a part of her wondered if he was hitting on her. The more she pondered the thought, the more red she grew. She wasn't ready for anything like that. Not yet. 'Not yet' had been the tune she'd sung for the past 2 years. It was beginning to seem as though there would never be a good time for her to move on, or that maybe she was better off by herself. At least alone, she couldn't be hurt. But something about the handsome stranger before her made her think that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to simply go for a coffee with him. "Sure," she said with a wide smile. "I'll call you." Danica didn't plug her headphones in as she continued her walk home. They were waterlogged from her fall, and in any case she wanted to take notice of her surroundings for the first time in a long while. As she reached her apartment building she tilted her head back, enjoying the feel of cool rain against her skin. Even through squinted eyes, she could appreciate the orange and yellow hues dancing across the sky. In amongst all the grey clouds, the sun was trying to break through.