EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

My name is Alan. I inherited my auntie's house, 'Ivy Cottage', six months ago. Since my childhood, I have been there many times with my parents. I knew the place inside out. I just moved in and started reorganizing the rooms to my taste. It is a house in a suburb of the city, near the national park. It is a little isolated house. I only have two neighbors, separated by the large garden of mine, making it very spooky when it is pitch black in the evenings. On the ground floor, it has a large two reception rooms, a modern kitchen with a downstairs toilet. Upstairs, there are three bedrooms and a bath. The typical nineteenth-century detached property needed little upgrading. I installed a video ring bell with intercom for security, allowing me to see who is at the door on my laptop or mobile, which has put my mind at rest. I thought these new gadgets had killed childhood games; Auntie's shouting to mum,

" Knock, knock, who's there?" and her answer

" Me, your sister" made me laugh all the time, which is history now.

-----.-----

Summer is around the corner, and my two-week break is on. I was reading my morning paper when a big knock on the door shocked me. I opened the door and faced a beautiful woman with a lovely smile. She apologetically said

" Sorry, the bell is not working. I had to knock. Can I speak to Suzan ?" She wanted to speak to my auntie.

" I am sorry she passed away."She looked very sad.

"I am sorry to hear that. I did not know. I come here every year to spend my week's holiday. She used to let the room," I was surprised to hear that, not knowing what to say, she said

"Any chance of staying a few nights? I am coming from Ireland, a long way back home. Lesson learnt, I should have called her. I assumed the last two years had no problem staying with her. She was on her own." I am staring at her beautiful face, with her green eyes and red hair. Somehow, I could not say no.

" I am her nephew and live here. I am on my own. The arrangement may not be comfortable for you. I can find another local accommodation, won't be a problem," She was staring at me. Just trying to make her mind, I thought!

"I don't mind staying in my back room, the view of the back garden is amazing. It is a treat for me, and I also know my way around the kitchen. If you don't mind, I would like to stay at the Ivy Cottage. I paid fifty pounds per night, let me know if you charge me more, " I was surprised by her wish, not only did she know the place, but also, I could do with extra money.

" No problem for me, being a man may be awkward for you. If Auntie charged you fifty, it's okay," I smiled and invited her into the house. Once settled in the living room, she said,

" My name is Amy, and I am dying for a cup of tea. Do you want one as well?" Before I said anything, she disappeared to the kitchen. I shouted

"My name is Alan. Tea, please, milk, no sugar. " That was the beginning of my relationship with Amy, except I did not know what to expect? A lonely man with a lovely girl. It was a strange situation, maybe it is a recipe for love or hate! Time will show.

-----.-----

When Alan answered the door, instead of Suzan, it was a surprise. A young man, a little older than me, and not really my type, was staring at me. His dark blue eyes, blond hair, and being shorter than the girls expected put me off him. I came here for a holiday. It is a lovely place to ramble in the National Park and have a good beer afterward at the local pub; it is what I am after. It is a new situation to deal with. Sharing a house with him seemed challenging, especially if you do not know the person. Let's see what the coming days have in store for me.

-----.-----

Amy paid for the whole holiday. I told her this house is big enough to share. I am on holiday and more flexible with my habits, such as using the bathroom. I gave her the house keys so she could come and go as she pleases. The second day, I invited her for a fish and chips meal at the village and had a pint at my local pub. It was very unusual to see an outsider who knew everybody by name and acted like a resident of this village. We had one too many drinks and got tipsy at the end. She was clinging to my arm on the way back home; the country road had no lights, and the darkness was frightening. When we arrived, I felt a little kiss on my cheek.

" Thank you for the lovely evening." I smiled and went to the kitchen for a late-night coffee.

"Please make me one as well, no sugar. I will join you in the front room." She shouted.

-----.-----

" Is there a boyfriend in your life, maybe husband?" I question while sipping my coffee.

"No, I do not have any of those, no time for it, I am a doctor at the hospital, A&E precisely. I work 12 hours a day, rotating every single week. I don't think there is a man out there for me. I enjoy myself with a quick sex with the doctors to compensate for the lost time. Tell me about you, any girlfriend?" She was smiling.

"No, same as you. I am a stockbroker in the city. I work long hours. I have no time for a serious relationship, but I like flirting with the girls. The company gets a lot of invitations; it is an excuse to get drunk and have sex." She seemed not bothered.

" Do you know the gate in the back garden is magical. Suzan told me that, and it is not something many people know. That gate has the power to make things happen if you follow the procedure of wishing." I was surprised to hear that. I always knew the Gate. It was always locked and never used, and had a waterfall front that one could get close to. Outside, an ivy plant had covered the door, and it was painted green with a large old-fashioned iron lock. It was not there for access.

"Really, Auntie never told me that we did not go to the back garden or use it. It is very unusual news." We went to bed afterward.

-----.------

I did not sleep well. I was up at dawn, went up to the attic, where I kept a few boxes of documents that I had. I quickly went through each to find out about the gate. I realized Amy was watching me.

" I had to join you to find out about the magic! I am curious. For the last two years, what I wished for happened to me. I got a promotion and wage increase, then my own house, and I am here to wish my future companion." She was smiling.

I searched through the documents. Eventually, I came across an old paper, which had the color of autumn leaves. It was hard to read. She was next to me, breathing slowly, her smell somehow so sexy I was more interested in holding her than reading the story of the gate. I pulled myself together and read the paper. This was from the 19th century. The monks had run the house. The gate somehow turned magical when the following routine took.

The first, the gate hand to be KNOCKED FIVE times and say afterward "I AM BLESSED"

The second, the gate hand to be KNOCKED THREE times and say afterward " MY WISH IS ...... WILL HAPPEN TO ME"

The last, the gate hand to be KNOCKED ONE time, stay silent, and keep touching the gate.

Repeat the same wording twice, at sunrise, and at sundown.

It sounded like storytelling to the child, but Amy believed that it worked.

" I bet it was a shrine in its time, people flocking around praying." She whispered.

-----.-----

The following day, I joined Amy to follow the magical procedure at dawn and sunset. After that, the rest of our holiday went so well. Amy stayed in the house one extra week; I did not charge her for that. We spent our days rambling in the National Forest and nights at my local pub. At the end, in the village, we were treated like an old couple. Last night, before she left, we ended up making love all night long. It was not lust, more like a couple in love for years.

-----.------

THREE MONTHS LATER

I heard a knock on the door. I did not bother to change the batteries of the video ring. Hearing knocks on the door reminded me of Amy. And, I saw her face at the door. I opened the door, and we hugged each other in a way I had never felt with any other woman. We ended up in bed, making love all day. In the evening we went to my local pub. After a few celebration drinks

" You know what? I don't know what you wished for, but I wished you to love me forever. I think magic works." She said.

" I did wish the same. I wanted you to be with me all the time. I knocked the gate so hard to make it happen. I think it did. Fate played its game. My auntie was a part of it. She wanted us to live together in her house. The GATE is always locked, but it opened the doors for us to share our lives with it." I bent down and kissed her soft lips.

"Knock, knock, who's there?" I asked her,

"It is Amy." She was smiling

" Amy who?" She said, whispering, YOUR LOVE.

What a way to remember my mother and Auntie.