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Fate and Destiny

Jonah and Addison

By Eli JohnstonPublished 3 years ago 6 min read
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Fate and Destiny
Photo by Meritt Thomas on Unsplash

Methodially, his footsteps hit the asphalt, and once again, Jonah found his rhythm a few hundred metres from his car. Sweaty headphones streaming his go-to music as he ran, he was back in the zone.

It hadn’t always been this easy- those first few months had been beyond punishing, a complete shock to the system; but was exactly what was needed.

Sure, aesthetically he looked great these days, having dropped 45kg’s and counting, but the truth was, there was so much more to it than the physical changes people could see. The confidence and self-assuredness he had gained, never having experienced the innate power of any level of self-control, was exhilarating and addictive.

Left, right, left… arms swinging rhythmically in tandem with his well-worn runners, the summer breeze sweeping across his face, he smiled wryly, remembering the first woman he encountered who was the catalyst for his change.

‘Chocolate cake will be the death of you’ she had told him ominously 3 years earlier.

She, being the flame haired clairvoyant his sister Ruth had taken him to, citing an intervention of sorts. Begrudgingly, he had only obliged his family knowing their intention was well meant. After all, nothing else had worked before. The truth was, his life was a complete and utter mess then. Spiralling into a deeper depression than he could crawl out of alone, now 28, he was morbidly obese, unable to hold a job and was eating himself into an early grave- physically, emotionally and spiritually.

‘You will meet someone, who will become very important to you soon enough.’

He had left that small darkened room of crystals and strange smells, shaken; actually quite disturbed by the woman called Esmerelda and her forthright manner. Whether or not she had any real credibility in foreseeing the future or not, did it really matter? He knew she was correct on one thing. Blind Freddy could see it. His weight issue was something he needed to gain control of. It was the crux of the problem that was his whole life- all else may change positively if he could work toward a healthy body first.

It was in that slow walk back to the car with Ruth he made a commitment to himself, his sister and to his family. Figuratively- healthy choices. And no more chocolate cake, literally- just in case. He shuddered remembering the fortune-tellers wild eyes and gravelly voice as she has uttered that foreboding phrase.

His phone was ringing in his headphones, breaking his reverie.

‘Hey babe.’ Addison’s sweet sing-song voice is now in his ears. ‘What time will you be home? I’m closing up soon.’

His heart jumped a little at the sound of her voice. God how he loved this woman.

Looking down at his watch, he replied, ‘ Hey you! Uh... about 6 or so, I guess. I still have another 5 kilometres to go.’

“You haven’t forgotten, have you?’ There was just a hint of mild exasperation in her tone, she continued with a sigh, ‘We have our final appointment with the Planner tonight, remember?’

He laughed out loud sheepishly, moving straight into unplausible denial, ‘God no! I haven’t forgotten baby! What time was the appointment again?’ his mind was completely blank of the miniature details of any previously made plans.

Addison laughed ‘Luckily I love you so much, you’re forgiven. I know how important it is for you to keep fit. But we do have to be at the Hotel by 7pm to meet her for the final run-through’ she continued. ‘Promise me you’ll be ready in time? I can meet you there if it’s easier?’ He could almost hear her cheeky smile through the phone as she spoke.

Addison had entered into his orbit almost immediately after the appointment with Esmerelda, by proxy really. He never could quite work out which came first, kind of that chicken or the egg conundrum.

In his new practice of daily walking in first attempts of weight loss, day after day, he felt compelled to walk past the little Patisserie on the corner, with the black and white striped awning over the doorway; tempting fate, in an effort to prove to himself, he was now a master of self-control. Looking; coveting even, was allowed; just no partaking.

It was a few months later on his daily walk when he first glimpsed her through the window. Long wisps of auburn hair protruding from the side of her chefs’ hat, bounced on her shoulders as her hands deftly mixed the batter together, all the while marvelling at her beauty. Until that day, he was of course, only passing by enthralled by the rows of colourful baked goods inside the glass cabinets of the little store on the corner of 22nd and Broadway.

With the voice of Esmerelda’s warning forever reverberating in his head, he walked inside the store, feeling as if he was defying fate, and yet strangely drawn in; wanting to get a closer view of this beautiful woman who created his daily eye candy.

The sweet smell inside the bakery was intoxicating, and with the strength of Goliath, he only bought a soda that day, wrestling with the compulsion to buy every item on display and scoff them all down.

She smiled across the counter as she handed him his change, and said ‘Would you like to taste my new recipe?” offering him a piece of red velvet chocolate cake from a sample platter placed on the top of the counter.

Salivating, he eyed the rich slices of cake with thick creamy icing, and waving his hand away, he cleared his thought, explaining quickly, ‘Oh no, but thank you. I mean I’d love to honestly; like I would really love to, it looks delicious, but I’m uh… I’m allergic to chocolate cake actually.’ Stuttering and stammering, he had felt the warmth on his cheeks then as he realised how ridiculous he must have sounded.

With a quizzical look, she grinned widely, her eyes dancing as she said, ‘Oh really, wow? I’ve actually never heard of anyone being allergic to chocolate before?!’

Over the course of the next year, Jonah’s twin obsessions with his weight loss regime and the beautiful baker on the corner continued, unabated. And, over that same time, the baker on the corner called Addison, couldn’t help but notice the frequent soda customer had transformed his physique into something akin to a professional athlete, always polite; shy but friendly; his daily visits had now become as important as to her as they were to him- for very different reasons yet unpacked.

They had shared their first meal together that following Winter and then shared every single dinner since. Jonah the newly buffed recovering food addict, proposed to his beautiful baker on their 2nd anniversary.

‘Congratulations to the wonderful couple’, the MC said into the microphone. ‘Please raise your glasses to toast their long happy future.’

Addison and Jonah smiled for the photographer as they cut their 3 tier wedding cake organised by the Planner a few weeks prior, were now officially a married couple.

The music started, the cake table was wheeled away hurriedly and Jonah took his new wife into his arms assuredly for their first dance in front of their closest friends and family.

Jonah’s heart swelled as he gazed into Addison’s eyes, and as he bent his head to whisper in her ear before dancing closer, his foot slid and he fell awkwardly to the floor, smashing his skull on the marble floor.

His ruby red blood mixed with the dropped piece of wedding cake from the trolley left a large skid mark along the dance floor- and everyone screamed. Esmerelda was right. Chocolate cake was the death of him.

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About the Creator

Eli Johnston

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