The Invitation

/ roughwighting

invitation, speculative fiction, magical realism, https://pixabay.com/illustrations/card-invitation-invitation-card-1800383/diapicardKaty searched for the correct way to reject the invitation. She was not inclined to meet Adam at midnight and drive to the open field 20 minutes away to see some famous “shooting star.” magical realism, fairy princess, invitation, https://pixabay.com/illustrations/ai-generated-fairy-princess-8736485/jcoope12

Adam was a nice colleague, good-looking in an academic, black-glasses-hiding-thick-black-eyebrows kind of way, with a shy smile. Katy could tell he was interested in her. He acted as if she was a fairy princess who lit up a room whenever she entered.

But no, she was not interested in Adam or shooting stars. She was a widowed 50-year-old who had no time for romance or theatrics. And a shooting star was pure theatrics, in Katy’s mind.

coffee, for the love of coffee, magical realism, romance, https://pixabay.com/vectors/coffee-mug-tea-chocolate-cartoon-6918354/souandresantanaBut Adam would not be deterred. He cornered her in the badly lit staff room that smelled like coffee.  “I promise you,” he murmured, “this will change your life.”

Katy almost retorted that she didn’t want her life changed. But she held her tongue as if catching a lie. Didn’t she? Her 25 tenured years teaching American Lit, Poetic Justice, and Women’s Literature had run its course, no pun intended. She knew she was beginning to teach by rote, and she needed to do something to uproot her.

“How can a shooting star in the dark of night change my life?” she asked, feeling his warm breath whisper a secret in her ear.

“It’s magical. Your understanding of the Universe will be tilted upside down.”

Reluctantly Katy agreed to go, and soon after she realized that Adam was right.

  • But he hadn’t warned her that shooting stars are not what they seem.
  • He didn’t warn her that shooting stars that reach Earth have an energy unlike anything on this planet.
  • He didn’t warn her that this particular shooting star would change her into someone she’d never imagined. shooting star, romance, magical realism, https://pixabay.com/illustrations/couple-moon-night-sky-space-stars-7142671/Placidplace

And, most importantly, Adam didn’t warn her that this shooting star would make her fall in love with him, eternally.  

shooting star, Christmas, magical realism, https://pixabay.com/vectors/christmas-christmas-tree-fir-tree-2837187/Pixaline

Have you witnessed a shooting star? To a magical holiday for all.

 

90 thoughts on “The Invitation”

  23. Thick black eyebrows under his glasses …. Oh, yeah! And even at night, his smile reveals bright white teeth. Sometimes we need to be talked into things.

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  25. A lovely love story. Sometimes you just have to take the leap of faith and the shooting stars or universe will guide you the way. Magic is all around us, so might as well believe in it. Wishing you a wonderful end of the year and year ahead, Pam 💫✨😊

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  29. I love magic and believe in miracles. I have never seen a shooting star or pretty much any star. I’m grateful when I see the moon and I speak to her every time I do. I would wish on anything for ever-after love. I like a sweet story and this one is it.

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  30. I don’t think I would trust that guy. A shooting star that will change your life? I love a good meteorite shower but he seems a little wacky to go out in the dark with, perhaps if we had a group.

    I am older than your protagonist, however.

    Liked by 1 person

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