An Intangible Pattern - Fate Bound.

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"There!" Cried Jess pointing at an empty parking space ahead.

Cat applied a little more gas and eased her car into the empty space. She set the hand brake and turned off the ignition.

"Home, sweet home, ladies!"

Alex glanced around the familiar parking lot, it had been quite some time since her last visit. She unclipped her seatbelt and got out of the car stretching her back. Cat was already retrieving their bags from the boot.

"We might need to do this in two trips," said Alex, looking at the grocery bags full of food and drink.

"Some of it will be fine in the car until tomorrow, just take the stuff that needs to go in the fridge." said Cat.

"Let me call Rob," added Jess, "He can get down here and help."

Alex hoisted a paper bag in one arm and rolled her suitcase towards the elevator where she waited, watching Cat rummage around the boot, while Jess leaned against the car with her phone to her ear.

"Hullo, we're here, can you come help us unload the car?"

A ping behind Alex announced the arrival of the lift, and she was jolted forward as someone slammed into her, knocking the bag from her grasp. A container burst on the concrete, covering both her and a young man in sour cream from the knee down.

"Oh crap! Sorry!"

"It's ok," mumbled Alex and knelt down to gather the fallen groceries. He set down the trash bag he was carrying, smiled apologetically and stooped to help her. He had bright, friendly, brown eyes and dark hair cut short on the sides. He appeared to be of Asian descent but spoke with a strong Irish accent.

"Here, let me. I"m a bit jet lagged so I wasn't paying attention. Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Ronan!"

He looked up and when he spotted Cat his face cracked into a wide smile.

"Cat! How are you?"

"Good!" She beamed back, "...you look really well, when did you get back?"

"Just last night. I heard you got married! Congratulations! Where's the lucky man?"

"He's joining us tomorrow for new year, you should come round, he'll be so pleased to see you."

"Yeah I think I might. Christ, it's been ages, what else is new?"

"Well... actually I moved house and I'm renting the flat out."

He looked crestfallen at this and replied with disappointment, "Ahh no way! Gutted."

"I know, but I'll be back now and then and you'll like your new neighbor. I'm not just going to disappear, so you have to tell me all about your adventures."

"Id like that" he glanced curiously at Jess.

"Oh yeah, I should probably introduce you. This is Jess..." Jess smiled and gave him a friendly wave, "... and this is my sister Alex."

He reached out and shook Alex's hand warmly, "Nice to meet you, I'm Aikawa... I mean, Ronan Aikawa. Sorry about plowing into you."

She smiled shyly and replied, "Don't worry about it, It's nice to meet you too."

They stood up and he picked up the trash bag again. "Let me throw this away and I can give you a hand with that. Two seconds!"

As he darted away, the elevator door pinged open again and out strode Rob. He looked Alex up and down, taking in the mess of sour cream on the floor and spattered up her legs, and burst out laughing.