Love In Two Days

"This is the fifth date this week."

Angie has been my best friend before I knew how to spell best friend. She knows me more than I know myself the majority of the time.

"I know. Don't judge me. I'm just determined to find love this time around."

"Ayame, you're only thirty-three years old; you have a lifetime to find your person. You have to trust the process" as she rummaged through my refrigerator.

Angie was right; I spent $500 this month on dating sites, psychics, and matchmakers around the Los Angeles area. Can I afford it? No but I'm willing to put all of my eggs in one basket not to be lonely. "Why don't you just take a break and focus on yourself?" said Angie as she stuffs her face with a spoon full of my Life cereal.

"I do know myself. Since the age of five, I've admired both of my parents. My mother, a nurse, and my father, a landscaper, have a bond that I always wanted to have. Their love and affection for one another will last a lifetime. My favorite color is orange, my favorite movie is Love Jones, and I'm allergic to peanuts."

Little did I know the next two days would change my life forever.

I work at a medical device company in downtown Los Angeles as one of my division's top medical device sales representatives. During my thirty-minute lunch break, I decided to purchase a newspaper; yes, they still exist. I remember reading a singles section. I was looking for a number to advertise myself as my last-ditch effort not to be single forever.

Instead, I saw a coupon from a healer, "Try Your Luck Don't Stop and Stare Come Inside If You Dare." This so-called "healer" has a money-back guarantee coupon. I would pay $100 upfront, and if I didn't meet the love of my life, I get my money back. It sounded like a huge joke, but I'm a gambler and love to put all of my eggs in one basket. I decided to make that my next adventure after work. As I raised my head from the paper, I noticed a marigold flower. The flower stood out like a needle in a haystack. It glistened and glowed under the Spring sun.

"It's beautiful," said the waiter removing my plate from the table.

"Yes, yes it is."

"I heard it brings love and good fortune." Which was music to my ears because I needed a lot of love and fortune; the address was simple to remember 777 West Slauson Ave; the building didn't have a business name, just the number 777. After work, I jumped in my car and headed across town to meet the healer herself. A twenty min drive turned into an hour; traffic sucks. The place smelled like eucalyptus and lavender. The site is surrounded by artwork and figurines. The room is dimly lit with a table and two chairs in the middle.

"I've been expecting you." A woman emerges from the back standing at 5'1, and long grey hair brushed in a neat braid, her left arm with tattoos, and her right hand with rings on each finger. She smelled like lemon and red roses.

"Sit," she says sternly.

"I have seen your coupon in the a.."

"Hush, child." She reaches inside a box filled with a crystal ball and tarot cards. Feeling my anxiety kick in, I quickly say, "I think this was a bad idea. "She looked up from the box with a blank stare. "You won't get a refund if you leave now."

"But you didn't give me a reading."

"You sat in my chair, and now you're on the clock. So, sit down and shut up."

With a confused look, I asked, "Who are you?" She threw her head back and laughed, "I'm the bitch you came to see, but you can call me ManMan Geriseuz. It means mother healer in Creole."

"Nice to me you. My name is.."

"Ayame. I know. "My palms started to feel clammy, and I felt my body sliding down in my seat with the urge to hide under the table. I had so many questions. How does she know me? Taking me out of my trance, she said, "You came to find love?"

"Yes, ma'am." With my face turning strawberry red and sweat beads starting to form, she pushed herself away from the table to go in the back where she emerged from; she came back with a tall glass of water with six ice cubes, mint, lemon, and cucumbers. "Drink this." She shoved the glass of water in my face forcing me to drink.

She sat back down, bowed her head, and took a couple of deep breaths. She slowly placed her hands on the crystal ball, waiting for the answer to show. She closed her eyes again and started to breathe deeply. She began to mumble. I couldn't make out what she was saying, but I could imagine it was in Creole. She opened her eyes and looked into the crystal again. It started to turn Orange. Intrigued, I leaned forward to get a closer look. She grabbed the tarot cards and placed two in front of me. She stared at me, flipping over the first card; it was Twin Flame. The second card she flipped over was a Marigold Flower. I snatched my glass of water from the table and guzzled the rest of the water. I was shocked to see the flower I saw earlier that day.

She whispered, "Two days."

I tilted my head in disgruntlement, waiting for her to finish her sentence; after a few seconds, I said, "Two days for what? She blinked slow and smiled. Teeth were as white as a dove; she softly said, "You'll find love in two days."

"Look, lady, this is a joke. You're nothing but a phony." As I started to leave, she quickly stood up and said, "That's fine. Where's my $100?" Slapping the $100 in her hands, I walked out frustrated and embarrassed. "How could I be this stupid and desperate?" I drove home in silence. When I got home, all I could think about was two days. For the next few hours, I recounted my last few days hoping to discover any love interest that I might've skipped over. I couldn't think of anyone but the waiter earlier that day, and I don't think he's interested in women.

The following day I woke up, showered, grabbed my coffee, and headed into the office like a typical day. Once lunchtime rolled around, I wasn't that hungry, so I decided to walk instead. I stumbled across a new café called Checkmate and chose to step in and see what they offered. I started with a blueberry muffin and a white chocolate mocha coffee. The energy of the room felt relaxing and freeing. College students were studying, couples laughed over a coffee, and live entertainment tucked in the corner. As I scrolled through my phone, my nose became familiar with a distinctive smell. A tall, slender man with smooth brown sugar skin, a bright smile, and a deep husky voice wearing Armani cologne, I raised my head, and there he stood, the man of my dreams. We quickly made eye contact, but anxiety made me turn away.

A few moments later, that same husky voice asked, "Is anyone sitting here?" I planned to sit as close to the door as possible since I'm watching the clock. I didn't want any customers in my way as I beeline to the door to hurry back to the office. Looking up from my phone and removing my glasses, I said, "No."

"May I?" with his hand gesturing to the chair. I sat up and said, "Sure." With his cup of coffee, he sat down. His hand is reaching across the table, "My name is Ozan." Smiling, I shook his hand and said, "Ayame."

"Nice to meet you. What does Ozan mean?" He chuckled and said it meant Poet. His mother loved poetry, and she had a dream of her son being a famous poet one day. Instead, she settled for an investment banker at a renowned bank in downtown Los Angeles. The next fifteen minutes felt like hours. We talked about our families, what we did for a living, and hobbies. I looked down at my phone, and I had seven minutes left of my lunch break.

"Shoot." Puzzled, he asked, "What seems to be the problem?"

"I'm going to be late getting back to the office." He rose from the table and said, "I'll take you. My car is right outside." We quickly rushed out and headed to his Mercedes Benz; he opened my door, and I jumped in; as he hopped in the driver's seat, he sped off like lightning. I had exactly three minutes to spare, so I quickly jumped out of the car before Ozan came to a complete stop. Before closing the door, I thanked him, and he promptly said, "Wait. Can I have your number? I enjoyed our conversation today and would love to continue it later on tonight." Bashfully I agreed and gave him my number. As I turned around to walk inside the office, Angie was standing by the door. With a seductive grin, she asked, "Who's that?" with my head held high and an extra pep in my step, I whispered, "The man of my dreams."

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