Chapter 3

“What is wrong with me Court? I mean, I don’t even know the guy, I’ve never talked to him, and I’m married. But yet, I’m obsessing over him like a little school girl.” Ashley said into the phone as she talked to her best friend the next day.

“I told you before, it’s fun to have a fantasy now and then. Don’t look at it as if something’s wrong, look at it as a break from the monotony.” Courtney told her.

“Don’t you think it’s weird that I have never seen him before, and now I am seeing him all the time?” She asked.

“Who knows, maybe it’s fate, maybe it’s kismet…“ Courtney replied dramatically. “…Or, maybe it’s just a big ass coincidence.” She said flatly.

“Only you. Remind me why I put up with your shit again?”

“Because I am the bestest friend in the whole wide world. You’d be lost without me.” Courtney said cockily.

“Or maybe I just feel so bad for you and know you could never get any other friends.” Ashley teased. “Either way, I gotta run. I have to meet Hunter at the flea market. Talk to you later.”

“Later girl.” Courtney said and hung up the phone, shaking her head at the insanity of her best friend.

@-}----

Ashley drove to the fairgrounds where the local flea market was held once a month. She parked her car among the hundreds of others, and set off to try to find some bargains, and maybe her husband along the way.

She weaved in and out of the crowds, stopping at every booth to see if they had anything of interest. She was in her element, in her own little world, as she moved from vendor to vendor. It was as if the world around her ceased to exist while she searched for some hidden treasures. The people passed by her in a blur, none of them distinct. The only thing that she saw clearly was the merchandise just waiting to be searched through.

And then she saw it and knew she had to have it. Sitting by itself, an antique music box called her name. Her one true weakness drew her in and enchanted her. The melody, though quite old, played flawlessly and tickled her ears. She picked the piece up and turned it in her hands, examining every inch of it. She blew off the dust that had accumulated from years of neglect, and as her eyes drifted up from the music box, something else drew her in.

There he was, one booth away. He had been watching her with a smirk on his face, as if he knew her and her love for music boxes. But they had never met, never spoke, and yet there was still a connection there.

Ashley felt her face immediately flush. Heat radiated from her cheeks, as they turned from a soft tan to a bright red. She felt her gaze glued to the man, and as much as she wanted to look away, she just couldn’t. The last time she looked away, he had disappeared. There was no way she wanted that to happen again. She needed to look at him, and somehow figure out why she was so drawn to this stranger.

Slowly, as if moving inch by inch, the mysterious stranger made his way towards the booth where Ashley stood. Each move brought him only a heartbeat closer, a heartbeat that was pounding a rhythm in her ears. She struggled to breath…It felt like someone had knocked the wind right out of her.

She didn’t know what to do. She was paralyzed to the spot she was standing in. She wanted to go to him but her legs wouldn’t move. She wanted to yell to him, but her mouth was seriously lacking moisture and her throat had clenched tight. So she did the only thing she could do. She stood there and waited for him to make the move.

They held each other’s gaze as he moved closer and closer to her, and nothing could break the eye lock…Not the people criss crossing his path, not the need to blink. Nothing was going to stop them from meeting this time. Something had brought them together repeatedly, and they weren’t going to fight it.

Finally, he was only an arm’s length away. So close that she could reach out and touch his muscular forearms or biceps. She could run her hands over his chiseled stomach or the perfectly sculpted pecs, and she almost did. But once again, the attempt was thwarted.

“There you are! I have been looking all over for you!” She heard Hunter call out. His voice immediately snapped her out of her trance-like state.

Ashley looked back to the man, who had his mouth half open to say something. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, only to see his filled with confusion.

“Of course, I should have known you would have found another one of those damn things.” Hunter said, pointing to the music box in her hands. Ashley had completely forgotten that she was holding it.

“Well, let’s go. There are some guys from work at the other end, and they’re waiting for us.” Hunter said and started to walk away. Noticing that Ashley wasn’t following him, he turned to look back at her. Her head hung down slightly, and she had a sad look on her face, not that Hunter noticed. “Ashley, come on!” Hunter growled.

Ashley picked her head up, and took one last look at the music box before gently setting it back on the table, with much regret. She ran her hand over it lovingly one more time. As she walked away, she looked back to where the man was standing, watching as a curious observer. The look upon her face said it all, a mixture of sorrow and humiliation. And then the crowd swallowed her whole.

‘Well, at least I know her name now.’ He thought as he looked at the small statue she had been holding in her hands. There were two porcelain clowns facing each other, looking through a window that symbolized a mirror. On one side, the clown was happy, on the other, the clown was crying. From what he had just seen, it seemed to be a pretty accurate description of her.

“Excuse me.” He called out to the woman working the booth. “Can you tell me how much this is?” He held up the music box.

“I’ll give it to you for $30.” The toothless woman yelled out.

“I’ll give you $25 for it.” He said and flashed her his most charming smile.

The old woman blushed, giggling, and told him they had a deal. He paid her the money as she slipped the figurine into a plastic shopping bag. He flashed her another smile, and disappeared into the crowd.

He had no intentions of looking for her again today, obviously someone else had plans for her. But some day, they will meet, and no one will stop them. He gripped the bag tighter as he dodged people all around him. There was just something about that woman, about Ashley, that made him go out of his mind. He could only hope that one day he would be able to figure out what it was.