MOMENT OF CHOICE
Ella stood at the counter of her favorite coffee shop adding
sugar to her cup when someone bumped into her.
She had spent the morning arguing with her husband so having her coffee
spilled on the counter and dripping onto her old sneakers was not making it any
better.
She turned to give a piece of her mind to the culprit but
came face to face with the most beautiful blue eyes she’d ever seen. For a moment she couldn't speak.
“I’m so sorry! Let me help clean up that mess,” he apologized. “My name is Joe, by the way.”
Ella stood speechless staring at Joe. He took a pile of napkins from the counter
and wiped up the spilled coffee.
Joe noticed Ella’s shoes and once again apologized.
“I’ll pay to have
them cleaned,” he offered. “Unfortunately,
I do this all the time so I’m on a first name basis with the dry cleaner.” Joe smiled at Ella.
Ella fought to find her voice, “No, no, that’s fine. Accidents happen.” She fumbled with the words. Never in her life had she been so mesmerized,
not even when she’d met her husband. She couldn’t imagine someone so strikingly
handsome being clumsy.
Joe ordered two coffees and two muffins while Ella dried her
shoes and continued to stare at this well-dressed stranger.
“Join me, please,” offered Joe as he placed the drinks and
muffins on a nearby table.
Thoughts of her husband raced through Ella’s mind as she
considered her uneasy feelings for this complete stranger. She glanced down at the simple wedding band
on her left hand and wondered how could she be feeling this way about someone
whom she had barely met or spoken to?
She stood unmoving for several minutes contemplating her
feelings, her past – everything about her life that led her to this particular
moment.
Ella sat down in the chair across from Joe and extended her
right hand.
“I’m Ella. It’s nice
to meet you.”
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