I'd like to thank a very special friend who wishes to remain anonymous. She has been a great inspiration to me and provided me with the idea to develop this series. We hope you all enjoy!
*****
It was a cool fall evening. Darkness had begun to settle in. Emma looked at the clock. Her decision to work late meant she would be walking home. The busses had stopped running hours ago and she found it next to impossible to get a cab once they did. Luckily, it was only a short walk home, ten minutes at most. Emma gathered her things and headed for the door.
"Damn it," she cursed. It was raining heavily and she had forgotten her umbrella at home. She sighed as she pulled her coat tightly around her and stepped out into the rain. She shivered as the first few drops hit her. The rains this time of year were mind numbingly cold. Within few second she was completely soaked and shivering. She hurried home as fast as she could.
The rain seemed to lighten as she made her way up the steps to the front door and took shelter under the porch roof. "Just my luck," she mumbled as she searched inside her purse for her keys. "I guess I should have waited a few more minutes."
Panic soon set in. "Come on, they have to be here!" she groaned as she continued to search frantically for her keys. But they weren't. It had been one of those days, nothing seemed to go right. Not only had she forgotten her umbrella, but in her rush to leave in the morning she had apparently left without her keys as well.
Emma looked around at the neighbors houses looking for any sign of life. Only one house had a light on. She was new to the neighborhood and had yet to meet most of her neighbors. Emma stared at the light next door as she stood there shivering. She had seen him outside here and there mowing the lawn or tinkering with his motorcycle. Regardless of what he was doing, he was always smiling. She had been meaning to introduce herself to him, but hadn't had the opportunity. This wasn't exactly how she'd envisioned it, but at this moment, she didn't have much choice.
Emma stepped from the cover of the porch roof and hurried next door. She ran up the steps to the door and knocked. She waited for what felt like an eternity. She didn't think she could possible get any colder, but she did. She was shivering so hard her teeth were starting to rattle together. She was about to knock again when the porch light turned on and she heard the sound of the door being unlocked.
A blast of warmth hit Emma as the door opened. She turned to greet her neighbor, but was stunned by what she saw. It wasn't quite how Emma was expecting him to answer the door. Obviously taken off guard by a late visitor, and in his haste to answer the door, he had forgotten how he was dressed. Or not dressed as the case was. He stood in just his black tight boxers and motorcycle logo t-shirt.
"Umm, I'm sorry, but," she started to stutter. But he quickly cut her off.
"My goodness, look at you! Get in here!" he exclaimed as he put his arm around her and guided her in the front door closing it behind her. "You are soaked! And shivering! What in the world are you doing out on a night like this?" he asked.
"I...I...I'm sorry to bother you," she said still shaking from the cold. "I...I live next door. I locked my keys in the house when I left this morning. Could I use you phone to call the locksmith?"
"Goodness yes! You poor thing! Wait here, I'll grab the phone," he said as he turned and headed down the hallway.
Emma looked at her reflection in the large mirror hanging on the wall. Water dripped from her hair down her face. Her clothes were soaked through and clung to her body. She looked like a drowned cat! This was not how she wanted to look when she met the neighbors!
"I'm Lucas, by the way," he said as he returned with the phone. "Oh, and here is the number for a good locksmith. I've had to use them a time or two," he said with a wink.
"I'm Emma. And thank you so much," she said as she took the phone from him and dialed the number with trembling fingers. "I really appreciate this."
Lucas disappeared upstairs as she made her call. He could see the look of concern on her face when he returned carrying a big thick towel.
"What's wrong?" he asked as he handed it to her.
"They said it would be a couple hours until someone could get here."
"Oh, well then, follow me" he said as he took her by the hand and lead her in to the living room. "Let's get you warm and dry."