Nothing is accidental. Nothing is a coincidence. Everything is on purpose. The universe speaks intentionally.
                      — Boli Mccoy

A sigh of contentment passed through Gael’s lips as he drove home. He’d done some good work, and he had the sore muscles and bulging pockets to show for it. Despite an unremarkable hunt, he’d been given another way to earn extra shillings, putting him well on the way to repaying his loan. 

But if he were being honest with himself, the main source of Gael’s uplifted spirits was his second run-in with the girl Paloma. She carried herself with such an enviable brightness of spirit. Contagious warmth that made the rest of the world feel colder by comparison. 

Gael tugged his jacket tighter around himself as he braked at an intersection not far from home. There weren’t many people like Paloma, he realized. Many professed faith and used it as an anchor to keep them in trying times, but rarely had he seen someone live it out as unabashedly as her. 

Of course, Paloma’s cuteness only added to the equation, Gael thought with a smirk to himself. Something about that dimpled smile made it hard to look away. 

Soon enough, Gael pulled up in the driveway and hopped out. His mom never came to greet him outside, so she’d either never heard him slam the truck door shut, or she’d engrossed herself in some activity inside. Or least likely of all, she was napping, but Lolita never napped. 

Gael unlocked the door for himself and once he entered, he found Lolita embroiled in a battle of wits with a 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzle fragmented across the coffee table. A quiet chuckle escaped his throat as he took the scene in. She’d never once finished the puzzle because some other duty would call her attention, and she’d put all the pieces away. Many a time, he’d told her she could leave things be and come back to it again, but Lolita could be stubborn. In her mind, a puzzle was a challenge one should complete in one sitting. 

Lolita glanced up from her perch on the couch and grinned. “Welcome back! I hope things went well out there?” 

“They did.” Gael said, hanging up his jacket, “Wasn’t my best catch, but I made some extra delivering meat to the retirement home.” 

“The Lord always finds a way, doesn’t he?” 

“He does. You know, that’s farther than I’ve ever seen you get on that puzzle, Mom.” 

Lolita snickered, grabbing two islands of pieces and sliding them together. The nine combined begun to form the image of a cat’s eye. 

“One of these days, I’ll finish it,” Lolita said with conviction. 

“I know you’ll hate me for saying this, but…” 

“I don’t have to do it in one sitting, you’ll say. Well, I say Davenports don’t leave a job half-finished.” 

Gael took a few steps through the living room and toward the kitchen. He patted Lolita’s shoulders as he walked behind her. “The thing is, this isn’t a job, Mom.” 

“Until I beat this thing, I’ll treat it like one.” 

“In that case, Ramona had better make dinner when she gets back.” 

Lolita shook her head. “She’d burn the house down making yogurt.” 

Gael laughed. “She really would.” 

After the pair’s amusement subsided and Gael grabbed a glass of water, Lolita motioned for him to take a seat beside her. He gladly obliged and sipped as she worked at her puzzle. 

“You see any interesting characters at the retirement home?” she asked, squinting at a jagged piece covered in nothing but black. 

“Of course I did.” Gael said, “You know how those old folks can be. When I was passing through the courtyard, I heard Thomas telling the others one of his supernatural stories again.” 

“Let me guess, another ghost rummaging through his cabinets for cookies?” 

“Something like that. I didn’t hear much, but it sounded like he thought he saw an upright ape walking through the fog last night.” 

Lolita clucked her tongue. “Sometimes I wonder if he makes up some of his delusions just to gather an audience.” 

“Wouldn’t surprise me.” 

“Anyone else?” 

Gael halted a moment in embarrassment. “Well, you remember that girl with the petition I told you about yesterday?” 

“Yes? What was her name again?” 

“Paloma. I guess she got a good few of the residents to sign her petition, seemed pretty happy about it.” 

“Who wouldn’t be? Did she recognize you?” 

“Instantly,” Gael said, immediately taking a gulp and hoping the glass would conceal his face. His cheeks felt warm and probably looked red. “Remembered my name, even.” 

It’s only one syllable.” Lolita jested, “She’d have to be one of the old folks herself not to remember.” 

“I mean…you’re right. But yeah, it was a nice coincidence to see her again.” 

“Or does it only seem that way?” 

“Uh…what do you mean?” 

“Most of our ‘coincidences’ end out being God’s plan unfolding in our lives, just we don’t know where it’s going yet.” 

Gael scratched his chin. “That’s true, but still, as far as I’m concerned, I just happened to see her again.” 

“What’s she look like?” 

“I dunno, dark hair, her skin’s pretty dark too, I guess; seems like she spends a good bit of time in the sun. She’s got hazel eyes.” 

“Sweet girl, she sounds like,” Lolita muttered with squinted eyes. 

“From what I can tell, yeah. Her positivity is contagious.” 

“In that case, we’ll have to wait and see if coincidence strikes a third time, or if someone’s got a plan.” 

Gael nodded with a ghost of a smile on his face. “We’ll see.” 

* * * 

Bolivar Ortega squinted momentarily as a chilly breeze rushed in from the south and rifled through his thick head of black hair. He stood on a stately balcony hanging off the side of the Ortega mansion. His muscled hands grasped the railing as he gazed down on the town of Newhill. 

Much of the town shivered in the shadow of the great hill Ortega’s mansion stood on. By the end of the day, the sun would come around and spare a few hours of light, but until then, the darkness would remain. Not that Bolivar minded that state of affairs; it brought droves of people to the sparse Uptown District within walking distance of his abode. The vain young ladies who sought out tanning time would have to come up where he could see them easily. 

What wasn’t easy for Bolivar was distracting himself. A foul mood hung over him all day after sending a scathing letter to the government house in Steelfort. Word had trickled up the hill to his ears that Steelfort intended to build a massive shopping mall that would push the city limits outward and into the surrounding wilderness. 

But the part that irked Bolivar most was that this shopping mall would end right at the border with Newhill. The new job opportunities, entertainment, and ample sunlight would steal much of his labor force and local talent, siphoning it into Sebastian Aleric’s sphere of influence and preventing Newhill from flourishing. 

Bolivar clutched the balcony’s railing tighter as another wave of wrath rolled over him. On all sides, Steelfort governed miles of undeveloped woodlands; they could easily deforest anywhere else to build this mall and not disturb anyone. But no, instead, they’d encroach on Newhill. 

Bolivar hadn’t spent 7 years working to become mayor of Newhill, only to lose everything to his neighbor. If Sebastian Aleric wouldn’t see sense and relent after reading Bolivar’s letter, he’d have to resort to drastic measures. 

A door creaked open behind Bolivar, and he turned to see an alluring young maidservant approaching with an unopened bottle of champagne and four glasses balanced on a platter. He cracked a smirk, and momentarily, his troubles left him. 

“The champagne you requested, sir.” the woman said, eyelids aflutter, “Will this be all?” 

Bolivar didn’t answer at first. He simply took the platter from her hands, set it down on the railing, and popped the bottle open. After pouring two cups, he took one to himself and offered the other to his servant. 

She held up a hand and shook her head. “No sir, I’m not thirsty at the–” 

“Please.” Bolivar said, “I insist.” 

She hesitated and finally complied. The two clanked glasses and drank. After downing his whole glass at once, Bolivar opened his eyes to see she’d only taken one timid sip. A brief chuckle fluttered from his lips. 

With a gentle touch of one finger, Bolivar tilted his servant’s chin up to look him in the eye, and he liked what he saw. Curiosity shone in her emerald eyes, and somewhere deeper down beneath that, something he was well familiar with. Desire. 

“You’re beautiful.” Bolivar breathed, “Very much so.” 

The servant shuddered. “I … thank you, sir. Am I excused?” 

“I don’t see why not. I’ll see you again.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

She turned to leave, and the young mayor watched with longing. Then, once she’d disappeared behind the door, all the darkness returned, and he gazed back over shadowy Newhill with a glowering scowl. 

                         ★★★★

Ooh, it seems Gael is smitten with Paloma😂
Do you think fate will bring them together again?

And oh boy, who noticed the new introduction? What part do you think the Mayor of Newhill will play in the story?

I am eager to know what you think so please fill up the comments section. XD

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Until next time, try your hand at coupling a puzzle 😂