A Random Encounter - or Not?

She noticed him and smiled. When it was his turn, she hugged him and said, "Thank you for coming. I was hoping you would."

"It was a great performance. Your choir is very good. But your performance of Silent Night blew me away. I admit to welling up a bit. That was Emily's favorite Christmas song."

Susan smiled and hugged him again. No words followed but none were needed. Her warm hug said it all.

***

Kevin drove to Susan's house the evening of December 13. They had reservations at Twelves Grill & Café in West Grove, PA. During the twenty-minute drive, both were in great spirits. The choir's holiday performances were over and Christmas holidays were coming soon. Kevin's year-end performance evaluation was a day earlier, and all was good. He was told that he would become a full professor ahead of the next school year.

As they studied the menu, Susan asked why the restaurant was named "Twelves."

Kevin had been there many times and knew it's history. "This building, as you could tell, was a bank at one time. It was the National Bank and Trust Company of West Grove. In 2008, it was re-modeled into this restaurant. Tim and Kristin Smith were the founders. Tim was a chef who was well-known in the area. He received his culinary training at the Art Institute of Philadelphia and had worked in several of the best restaurants in the area. They named it "Twelves" because both their birthdays were on the twelfth of a month, they first met on the twelfth of a month, and they were married on the twelfth of a month. It became their lucky number."

Susan said, "You know, tonight we're twelve days from Christmas."

He reached across the table and took her hand. "Maybe this will become our lucky number."

She replied, "This is the first time we've held hands. We're off to a good start."

Dinner was excellent, as is always the case at this fine culinary establishment. Their talk was about the university, their football team, Susan's family in New York and finally, about the coming holidays.

Kevin said, "I had decided to not decorate a tree this year. I thought it would be too painful. Many of the ornaments were purchased by Emily whenever we visited a famous place or country. They'd each bring back a memory that'd hurt.

"Since I met you, I've changed my mind. If you'll come help me, I'd love to pick out a tree and decorate it. It's Christmas and we should be celebrating sometime much bigger than ourselves."

Susan replied, "I'd love to help. I didn't put one up last year. That was the first time in my life that I didn't have one. I missed it."

"Good, let's go tomorrow and pick out a tree. I know a place here in Pennsylvania that always has great ones."

The tree was home at Kevin's by late Sunday afternoon. Susan asked if she could bring some ornaments that were special to her when they decorated it the following evening. Kevin agreed, of course, and said he would find all the boxes of Emily's ornaments and have them ready when she arrived.

Monday afternoon, following classes, they put up the tree, gave it plenty of water and admired its natural beauty. Kevin opened the first box of ornaments that he knew contained some of Emily's favorites.

He was surprised by a sealed letter with his name on it. He began trembling when he recognized it to be Emily's handwriting. He glanced at Susan and said with a shaky voice, "This is from Emily."

Susan moved to sit beside him as he opened it. He read it silently then broke into tears. He couldn't speak. His raw emotions took over. He slid off the sofa and onto the floor as he cried.

Susan could only watch, with sympathy tears flowing. She lay her hand on his shoulder as he cried. She could see that he was devastated.

After what seemed an eternity, Kevin handed Susan the letter. After a few paragraphs, Susan broke down and wailed. She slipped down to the floor and sat beside Kevin. Nothing could stop their tears it seemed.

The letter said,

Dearest Kevin,

If you're reading this, my premonition has come true, and I am now in Heaven singing the praises of our Father, Lord and Savior. Please don't cry for me. I'm in the presence of God Almighty and nothing could be better.

On December 13, I had a very real dream that I was going to die. I can't explain it because I don't know how. It was not like a normal dream; it was more like someone in the bedroom talking to me. I sat up in bed and looked to find the person in our room. There was only the voice telling me to prepare to be in the presence of God. I was scared at first, but this messenger or whatever it was said that I had found favor in God's eyes, and He wanted me to come home.

I begged to be spared to continue my life with you and to have your children. I told him that you depended on me, and I couldn't leave you. That it would destroy you.

The voice continued and said that you would meet a woman that God chose by next Thanksgiving and that you and she would fall in love. She will give comfort to you and have your children.

Kevin, I was told that you have been chosen by God to do a life-saving job. I don't know what it is, but He will reveal it to you.

He will bless you and comfort you and your wife and children. The woman you'll meet has suffered a loss of a loved one, just like you. Comfort her. She is a special woman.

When that day comes and you are welcomed into the presence of God, I'll be waiting for you and later for your wife and children. Our love is eternal, Kevin. Please follow God and lead your family into His presence.

I love you. Be happy for me.

Emily

***

After many minutes, Kevin read the letter again. He asked, "What are you thinking, Susan?"

"I'm thinking this is real. It can't be a joke or a set up in any way. You're sure it's her handwriting?"

"No doubt. It's hers. I read many of her letters while we were dating. Very few people have handwriting that perfect."

Susan replied, "Kevin, this is serious. I believe in God, and I believe He sends angels to earth like the bible says. This must have been an angel that visited her a year ago. What else could it be?"

Kevin said, "Why didn't she tell me about it? We shared everything, Susan. We had no secrets. I never knew she was going to die but she knew it. It happened just a month later. I can't understand it. Why?"

Susan said, "Maybe she wanted her last days with you to be normal. She didn't want you to be worried when there was nothing you could do. I'm sure it was very hard for her to know while protecting you from knowing. She was a very brave woman."

"Do you think God brought us together," he asked.

"What else can I think, Kevin? That may explain my instant attraction to you and my sensitivity to your loss and sadness. I knew there was something very different about you when we met. Assuming this letter is factual, and I have no reason to doubt it, that means that Ed and I were never going to be married. God had picked me for someone else and eventually chose you. That also means that God used the job at the university to bring me to Newark. That may be why I didn't get that role in Hamilton that I wanted so badly. Had I been chosen for it, I'd still be in New York."

Kevin asked, "Where do we go from here?"

Susan smiled and said, "That's the easy part. I was falling in love with you anyway."

***

They were married in late July and honeymooned in Hawaii. Kevin was recruited by the military to manage the removal and disarming of the chemical weapons stockpile. As a highly skilled civilian employee at the Pentagon, his salary was twice the pay of a university professor.

Susan was selected to sing in two operas scheduled for Wolf Trap which is not far from the Pentagon. She was also selected to perform in two Christmas shows in D.C. at the National Cathedral. When not performing, she is teaching privately at their home in Alexandria, VA.

She and Kevin are planning children starting next year. Every Dec 13th, they say a prayer for Emily and thank God for her life.

The End