A flash A loud bang Darkness Then, slowly, light crept back in. A voice cut through the haze:
“Dr. Eleanor, its the rescue teamsomething exploded in there.”
Pain throbbed through his body as he felt a hand on his neck. He forced his eyes openjust a crackand saw a rectangular pendant dangling before him, engraved with zodiac signs. A woman in a white coat hovered over him.
“To the operating theatre!” someone barked nearby.
His parents had just come home from work. His mother dashed to the kitchen, pausing only to peek into the room where her son was doing homework. His father, James, noticed the boys glum expression straightaway.
“Tom, whats wrong?” he asked, ruffling the ten-year-olds hair.
“Nothing,” Tom muttered.
“Come on, out with it!”
“International Womens Days coming up. The teacher kept us after school and said we have to prepare gifts for the girls.”
“And the problem is?” James smirked.
“Theres an equal number of boys and girls, so she paired us up.” Tom sighed dramatically. “I got stuck with the ugly oneEmily Burton.”
“Every girl wants a gift, Tomeven the ones you think are ugly,” James said, treating him like a grown-up. “Howd she pair you? Alphabetically?”
“No, by star signs.”
“Hows that work?” James couldnt help but chuckle.
“By compatibility. Emilys a Virgo, and Virgos get along best with Taureans. And guess what? Im a Taurus.”
“Thats a good thing! Maybe youll fall for her one day.”
James burst out laughing just as his wife, Sarah, rushed in.
“Whats going on in here?”
“Sarah, back to the kitchen,” James said sternly. “Man talk happening here.”
Once she left, Tom groaned, “Dad, what am I supposed to do?”
“Get her a gift, obviously!”
“What kind?”
“Ill sort it at work tomorrow.”
“You? You work in a factory!”
“Exactlyin the plating department. We coat metals. Trust me, youll see.”
The next day, James brought home a gold-like pendant on a chain. One side bore the engraved Taurus and Virgo signs; the other read:
*To my classmate Emily for International Womens Day! From Thomas.*
It looked brillianteven more so when Sarah wrapped it in a glossy gift bag.
March 7th arrived. The teacher skipped lessons, accepting her own gift first before announcing the boys should present theirs. Chaos erupted as lads scrambled to their assigned girls. Tom approached Emily Burton and recited the line his dad had drilled into him:
“Emily, happy Womens Day! Maybe one day, fate will bring Taurus and Virgo together.”
He marched off, oblivious to the furious heartbeat of the “ugly” girl hed just dismissed.
Soon after, Emilys family moved across town, and she transferred to another school.
Years later, Thomas woke to a white hospital ceiling. He wiggled his limbsonly his left arm obeyed.
“Where am I?” he croaked.
A clattering sound followed before a crutch-bound patient peered down. “Back with us? Youre in A&E.”
“Are my arms and legs intact?” Thomas whispered.
“Seems so,” the man grinned. “Just wrapped up like a mummy.”
“Thats something, then.”
A nurse bustled over. “How are you feeling?”
“What happened to me?”
“Nothing life-threatening. Youll keep all your limbs, though youll have scars.” She handed him a phone. “Your mum wants a call.”
“Sweetheart!” Sarahs voice trembled.
“Mum, Im fine,” Thomas said, forcing cheer. “Just a few scratches. Theyll discharge me soon.”
“They wouldnt let me stay overnight. Im coming now!”
“Dont fuss!”
He set the phone down and grinned weakly at the nurse.
“Thanks.”
“Discharge wont be for weeks,” she warned.
His roommate, once alone with him, asked, “What happened?”
“Im a rescuer. Oxygen tanks started exploding at the factory. We got there before the fire brigadehuge place, three casualties inside. We carried them out I was last. Near the exit, another tank blew. Thats all I remember.”
“Rough luck.”
Later, a colleague visited.
“Thomas! You alright?”
“All limbs accounted for!” Thomas joked. “Though I can only shake hands left-handed now.”
“Cheeky sod. We dragged you outyou were covered in blood. Medics were already there.”
“Thanks.”
“Dont thank metheyre talking medals for us!”
The next day, a forty-something doctor examined him.
“Stitched you up, did they?” Thomas asked.
“Not meDr. Eleanor. Shell check on you soon.”
Two days later, Thomas managed to stand. Pain clawed at his legs; his right arm was bandaged, and a dozen wounds littered his body. His face remained swollen.
Then *she* walked inyoung, slender, glasses perched on her nose, white coat pristine. At twenty-seven, Thomas had already married and divorcedhis ex-wife hadnt fancied a rescuers salary.
“Hello,” the doctor said, approaching.
“Hello. You stitched me up?”
“I did.” She smiled. “Something wrong?”
“Just wanted to see who saved me.”
As she leaned in, a familiar pendant swung from her neckthe zodiac engraving glinting.
*Emily Burton?!*
She studied his battered face, uncomprehending.
“Sorry,” she murmured.
“Im the Taurus,” he said, nodding at the pendant.
“Thomas? You remember me?” Her lips trembled.
“Course I do.” He touched her hand as tears welled in her eyes.
“Sorry,” she whispered, dabbing them with a tissue. “Never thought wed meet like this.”
She didnt return that day, but Thomas noted her schedule matched hisday shifts, nights, two days off.
He hated looking helpless in front of her. The next day, he hobbled around the ward, even venturing into the corridor.
That night, cries and hurried footsteps echoed outside. At midnight, Thomas heard soft sobs. He found Emily slumped at the nurses station.
“Whats wrong?”
She looked up, tears streaming. “A woman hit by a carI did everything She wont make it. Two kids”
“Hey, its okay.”
“Three years as a surgeon, and I still cant handle death.”
“We see too much of it,” Thomas sighed. “My ex-wife left because I came home haunted. Said I earned peanuts.”
“Same here. Men think Im nuts. Still live with my parents like a teenager.”
“Twenty-sevens not old, Em. Weve got time.”
A nurse interrupted. “Dr. Eleanor, her pulse is dropping!”
Emily sprinted off.
Three weeks later, Thomas was discharged. He and Emily exchanged glances during her shiftseach look tugging him closer.
At home, his mother fussed. “Youre staying until youre healthy *and* married!”
That evening, he confided in his father.
“Remember that pendant you made for my ugly classmate? Emily Burton?”
“The surgeon who operated on you?” Jamess eyebrows shot up. “Still wearing it?”
“Dad your prediction came true. Im going to her.”
Twenty-seven isnt too late to start a life with the right person.
