A ripple

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Marie had little going on in her life. She was a young woman in her prime who lived in a small town with her old uncle and worked as an assistant dietician in the only retirement home in their small town. Her life was simple, basic one would say. There was nothing intriguing about her, but Marie had no problem with it. She loved it. The peace, the silence, the absence of chaos, she loved every bit of it. Her life's activities were a boring routine between her home, the retirement home, and the grocery store.

But all of a sudden, this simpleness which she enjoyed and had grown accustomed to was shaken by the sudden appearance of Nicholas Thorne. He was a stranger to her, his person only found a space in her thoughts only days ago, and yet, he had become the center of her thoughts. Not in a good way or in the peaceful way she would have liked though.

If she was a small river, Nicholas was the huge rock that had been thrown into that river.

He came in like a storm one evening through a letter, and he had shattered her peace, leaving her wondering about what would happen next. Uncertainties owned the most part of her days now.

Up until a week ago, she could still tell what was happening and how it was happening, but ever since Nicholas, uncertainties and anxieties were the highlights of her days.

She barely knew this man, yet he had managed to cause so many ripples in her life just by sending one letter, and as it seems, this wasn't the only ripple he would cause. Nicholas Thorne, whoever he was, had a damning effect on her. Marie was sure, she needed not be told, that Nicholas Thorne was bad news.

He was all she could think of these past days. She was curious as to who he was, what he did, how he lived his life, where he stayed… she could not help but think about all these things. But then again, she was to be his wife. Her curiosity was justified.

"Marie?" The mention of her name caused Marie to jump, surprised by the presence of another person in the room with her. She saw the head dietician staring at her worriedly, and that was when Marie realized that she had zoned out again.

She had come in here to set up the meal plan for the week, but she had not even begun. All because she was thinking about Nicholas.

"You have been absent-minded a lot these days. Is everything going well?" the head dietician asked worriedly. She was an old lady, and her face was marred with worry as she made to check Marie's temperature. She wasn't just the head dietician, she was also Marie's godmother and her uncle's closest friend. If her uncle was like her father, then this woman was like a mother to her.

She knew about Marie's engagement, but unlike Marie's uncle, she had hope that something could be done and they could call off the engagement.

"I am fine. I'm just…"

Marie sighed heavily. Of course, she wasn't okay. Any woman in her shoes would not be okay too.

Before her godmother could speak another word, one of the young nurses came in and knocked gently to grab their attention.

"Marie, your uncle is here. He's asked to see you."

Marie exchanged a confused glance with her godmother. It was rare that her uncle came all the way to the retirement home. Both of them made their way to the reception where her uncle was seated next to a man whom neither Marie nor her godmother knew anything of.

Her uncle was a small man. He was only five foot four, probably a hundred and thirty pounds. He had gentle features which were always either contorted by worry or happiness. But right now, his head was lowered, he seemed to be fidgeting with both his hands clasped together on his lap and his back was straight as a pole. He looked like he was ready to run the minute he was given the signal.

When he saw Marie, he startled and went to stand by her side. Marie looked down at him worriedly. Not once in her life had she seen her uncle look so… frightened?

"Take a deep breath, Tony." Her godmother was at his side in an instant, and she patted the small man's back gently. The old man looked at her and burst into tears before embracing her.

Marie watched her uncle's shoulders shake while he cried in her godmother's embrace, and her confusion only heightened. What could possibly be happening?

It was at that moment that she caught a glimpse of the man who she saw seated next to her uncle. He was seated there, legs crossed and hands folded, watching the family drama play out in front of him. He seemed confused, because his eyebrows were knitted. Or it could be irritation at the sight playing in front of him. Who knows?

But despite that, he was watching them, or more specifically, he was watching her. Marie had never seen this man in her life, so her confusion was valid when he stood and walked up to her, his eyes trained on her face like he was staring into her soul.

He stretched out his hand, offering a handshake. "Nicholas Thorne."