After walking around with the address in her hand, she finally arrives in front of a house, which she vaguely remember from the pictures she saw. Looking around for passersby, she manages to catch the attention of a man, who was walking towards her from the opposite direction. Flashing her sweet smile, she waves at him, beckoning him over. After letting a car pass, he crosses the street and walks up to her.
"Hello sir, I would like to know if this is the right house for this address?"
She asks while showing him the piece of paper, the same piece that she has been holding on for her life, ever since she wrote the address down on it.
The man smiles at her before looking at the piece of paper. He looks back at the house and nods at her:
"Yes, that is the right house."
Her face lights up, smiling happily, she burst out:
"Oh yes, thank you, sir"
and in her enthusiasm kisses him on the cheek. A bit flustered, mumbling:
"My pleasure"
the man continues the way he was going. She looks at her watch.
"Hmm, I'm a bit early,"
she says to herself. Nevertheless she tries her luck and rings the doorbell, hoping he might be home already. But it turns out he is not. She tries looking through the window, but the house remains silent.
Claire, that's her name, picks up her luggage, puts it down by the gate and sits on it. She was going to surprise him, the man of her fantasy, the man that she had been talking too all these months, but hasn't been able to meet, him living on the opposite side of the globe. But now she is going to meet this man, the man that she spend day in day out fantasizing about, the man she wished to meet one day.
With the sun shining on her head she starts to sweat. She is thankful that she is prepared for this weather. Her sleeveless tank top with a pair of shorts that could gives her as much air as possible for her body. But still, the heat is getting to her.
"Maybe I should have called?"
she contemplates
"but that would have ruined the surprise."
They hadn't been talking for a while, she being busy with her business trip and organising it.
"Will he welcome me?"
While she thinks this, she works intensely on her phone, like a second nature, organising her work.
"Ahem, can I help you?"
A deep familiar voice takes her from her pondering. With a shock she looks up, almost letting her phone slip on the floor, and a bright happy smiles flashes across her face as she recognises Jim.
"Jim!"
She screams, jumping up hurriedly to greet him throwing her arms around his neck.
Jim, a man in his forties, freshly trimmed scalp and face, steps clumsily from his bicycle, wearing long jeans and one of his shirts, apparently sweating too from the ride in this weather.
Startled by her reaction, he places his hands on her face and takes a good look at her.
"Claire?"
He asks tentatively. And before she can nod, he realises it is her, the angel who has been in his dreams every day for the past months.
"Claire, oh my god, it is you."
And he tightly wraps his arms around her lifting her up in the air with a swirl.
"Oh wow, I can't believe it's really you, it is really you."
He holds her tight, squeezing her to his chest.
"It's so amazing to finally see and feel you for real."
He finally puts her back on her feet. She shuffles a bit shyly with her feet and smiles her little angelic smile at him.
"Yes, it's me, your little Claire."
He takes a moment to get back to himself and smiles happily at her, brushes over her cheek as if he still can't believe it. She breaks the silence.
"I know this is a big surprise and you may have many questions, but can you please invite me in? I don't want to be rude but the heat is slowly killing me."
Chuckling, Jim looks at her apologetically.
"Ah yes, of course, we should get out of this heat. I'm sorry to keep you out here,"
he says as he unlocks the gate, pushing his bike through. He looks back, sees how she pulls her luggage along.
" Leave it, sweetheart, I will get that for you in a second."
Jeremy quickly puts his bike away, and hurries back to the front door, where Claire waits patiently. Her eyes adoringly follow every one of his movements. He grabs her bag and unlocks the door.
"Welcome to my home, baby, here, this is the living room, make yourself at home,"
Jim tells her as they both step in the house.
"Would you like something to drink?"
Settling down on the couch, Claire nods as she looked around, amazed with the beautiful place.
