Terms and Conditions Apply

A story about unexpected connections, bitter ironies, and the strange way life sometimes answers prayers we haven't made.

The wind whipped at Aiden's jacket as he stood at the edge of Miller Heights, twenty-three floors above the bustling city streets. His phone felt heavy in his trembling hand – the message to Sarah still unread. Three years together, ended by a text message two weeks ago. "We've grown apart," she'd written, as if their love could just evaporate like morning dew.

He closed his eyes, letting the cool evening air caress his face. The sun was setting, painting the sky in hues he'd never see again. His phone buzzed – his heart leaped – he answered the call without delay and without looking at it.

"Hello?" His voice cracked.

"Good evening, sir!" The voice on the other end was melodious, gentle – like wind chimes in a summer breeze. "This is Maya from Prudent Life Insurance. Would you be interested in securing your future with our comprehensive coverage plans?"

An instantaneous and involuntary bitter laugh escaped his lips. The universe, it seemed, had a twisted sense of humor.

"Actually," he said, "your timing couldn't be worse. Or better. I'm not sure which."

Something in his voice must have caught Maya's attention. "Sir? Are you alright?"

"Not really. I'm standing on top of a building, trying to work up the courage to..." He trailed off, surprised by his own honesty.

There was a pause. When Maya spoke again, her sales pitch was gone, replaced by genuine concern. "What's the view like up there?"

The unexpected question caught him off guard. "It's... beautiful, actually." Realizing that he noticed the beauty of cityscape just now, "The whole city looks like a circuit board lit up with tiny lights."

"I bet it does," Maya said softly. "I haven't seen a view like that in ages. My office doesn't even have windows."

Aiden took a small step back from the edge, his grip on the phone tightening. "No windows? That must be tough."

"It is. Some days I feel like I'm in a box all day, just making calls." She paused. "But I've got photos of the sky taped to my cubicle wall. And my cat, Hobbles."

"Hobbles?"

"Yeah," Maya chuckled. "He's got three legs, but he doesn't let it slow him down. Found him in a dumpster behind this building actually. He was pretty angry at the world back then."

Aiden found himself sinking to the ground, legs crossed, his back now to the city lights. "What changed?"

"Time. Patience. A lot of tuna," Maya said. "And maybe realizing that sometimes life has different plans for us than what we expected." Her voice grew thoughtful. "What do you do, when you're not... you know, contemplating the city from above?"

"I'm a graphic designer," Aiden replied, surprised by how steady his voice had become. "I make things beautiful, or at least I try to."

"That must be nice, creating beauty in the world. I just sell insurance policies to strangers who usually hang up on me." She paused. "Though I guess I'm glad you didn't."

"Yeah," Aiden said softly, looking up at the darkening sky. "Me too."

Then his phone pinged – an Instagram notification. Sarah had posted something new.

"Hold on a second," he told Maya, his thumb hovering over the notification.

The post loaded: Sarah, beaming, holding up her left hand to showcase an engagement ring. The caption read: "Sometimes the right person was there all along."

Aiden stared at the screen, emotions swirling like a tornado. Then, unexpectedly, he started laughing – real, genuine laughter that bubbled up from deep in his chest.

"Maya," he said, rising to his feet and brushing off his jeans, "about that insurance policy. I think I'm going to need it for a long time to come."

He could hear the smile in her voice as she responded, "Wonderful! Though I should mention, sir, our terms and conditions don't typically cover base jumping or unauthorized rooftop activities."

"Fair enough," he chuckled, making his way toward the roof access door. "And Maya? Thank you. Really."

“You are welcome,” she said with a smile that conveyed a sense of satisfaction. Although they never explicitly discussed the situation, they both understood. She continued, “Now, let’s talk about our premium plans...”

As Aiden descended the stairs, he realized that sometimes life's darkest moments could be illuminated by the most unexpected light – even if it came in the form of a perfectly timed insurance call.

© Harsh Munjal

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