**Happiness in Shattered Pieces**
I got a call from my mum—she asked me to put up a shelf in her kitchen. The next day, I dropped by, but she wasn’t home. The flat was unlocked, just as she’d said. The shelf was there, but where was the drill? Probably in the loft, buried under old junk.
I climbed onto a chair, opened the hatch—there it was! I tugged at the cord, but it snagged, and the drill slipped, knocking over a vase. It shattered to pieces. I swore under my breath, knowing how much Mum loved it. I swept up the shards, hung the shelf, and left. Over the phone, I promised to buy her a new one for Mother’s Day. She wasn’t pleased—went on about it for ages.
Weeks passed, but I couldn’t find a matching vase. Then, the Saturday before the holiday, I spotted it… in the hands of a woman. The shopkeeper said it was the last one. I apologised, explained how I’d broken Mum’s vase and needed to replace it.
The woman, Emily, paused, then smiled and handed it to me. “Take it—save yourself from the guilt.” She picked another, and I grabbed the one I needed.
Outside, we got talking. I cracked a joke, she laughed, and before I knew it, I’d invited her to Mum’s for Mother’s Day. Emily seemed surprised but agreed.
The next day, we arrived together. Mum was thrilled with the vase—and even more with Emily. “See, love? Everything happens for a reason. No broken vase, no lovely girl here,” she chuckled.
From then on, everything changed. Emily and I spent more time together—walks in the park, films, planning ahead. I introduced her to my daughter during the school holidays, and thankfully, they hit it off. Emily was touched by how I cared for her, and Mum often said that broken vase was fate’s doing. Emily herself marvelled at how one chance meeting led to something so meaningful. Six months later, we married. A small do, but full of warmth. Mum gave a toast, thanking fate for that shattered vase. And as I looked at my wife, I knew I’d found the one I’d been waiting for. Now, whenever I pass that shelf, I smile, remembering how a broken vase led me to happiness I never dared hope for.
Some accidents turn out to be blessings in disguise.
