The wrong turn...

Sandra always made the right decisions. She was cautious and careful, always deliberate in all she does because her dad had taught her that life is a journey. The turns you take determines how you life ultimately ends up. So, she endeavoured that every turn that she made was the right one. But there was a time when Sandra made a wrong turn and it was a very critical turn as well.

She remembered the beginning of that turn very clearly. She has had days where she wishes to go back on that decision. 

 It was one Friday evening after work. Sandra was exhausted. Work was especially stressful that day. With the launch of a new product that was coming up in a few weeks, Sandra and her team were working overtime to make sure the adverts and promotions were being developed as planned. They were also working on sending PR packages to invitees and influencers as well as preparing for the launch event itself.

In truth, Sandra was drained. All she wanted was to get home, take a quick but very warm shower and fall into bed. She wasn't sure she would wake up until noon the next day. 

When she walked out of her office building, the sun was still up. When Sandra checked the time, it was past 6pm. She remembered her grandmother telling her that this sun was the type that deceives farmers because in the next 10 to 15 minutes, the sky will be dark and the farmer who was still in the farm thinking it was still sunny would be stranded.

She shook her her at the memory with a little bit of nostalgia and got into her car. She started her car but was met with a sputter. The car wouldn't start. Immediately tears welled up in her eyes. All of the exhaustion and the stress and the frustrations that she was just managing hoping to go home with, came crashing down on her.

She was too exhausted to deal with a faulty car at this moment. She knew that yes, the car was old and was already crying to be let go but why today?

Her frustration must have drawn attention because a knock came from her window and when she looked up, it was Kelvin, the CEO of Bricks and Roofs, the architectural firm on her office floor.

"Having problems with your car"? He asked.

"Yes".

"Let me quickly take a look".

He did the routine hood check and said something about the battery. Not that Sandra was listening. She had already called her mechanic and told him so.

By this time, it was already dark. As soon as the farmers-deceiving-sun goes down, darkness fell very quickly. Her mechanic came and told her he needs to take the car to the shop. 

At this time, Sandra was already booking herself a ride when Kelvin who had waited with her offered to drive her home.

"I wouldn't want to impose. I'm sure its out of your way".

It isn't, he said. He recently found that they lived in the same estate. Sandra was shocked. But she was too tired to argue so she followed him.

He would drop her home and pick her up the next Monday.

Eventually, they would move on to spending time together on weekends and starting a relationship.

10 years later, Sandra would look back at this moment and remember it as the "wrong turn".

After years of wondering what wrong in their marriage, Sandra has come to the conclusion that it was wrong from the very beginning.

At the time she had thought he was being helpful but she would later find out that he did something to her car and was lucking around in the parking lot to "come to her rescue". 

Accepting to have him drop her off in 2012 was a wrong turn that changed the entire trajectory of her life.

But then, life is understood backwards.