Taking Chances

Chapter 18

Saturday afternoon found Ryan slamming shut the door of his Ford and driving to Fletcher's Hardware.

He had spent the day working in fits and starts. Getting some tiling done, then making a coffee. Moving some tools or timber around, then icing his injured shoulder. He had found it hard to concentrate on the work at hand – installing a new bathtub and vanity.

In this absent-minded state, he tried to move a length of timber, jerked at the pain in his shoulder, and put piece of wood though the mirror he planned to install with the vanity. The last thing he wanted was seven year's bad luck.

Saturdays were for dinner with his mother at her small apartment. As long as he didn't mess around too much, he could buy a mirror from Fletcher's, get the mirror home, pick up some flowers, and be at his mother's before six.

As he drove, Ryan could see heavy, pregnant clouds building on the horizon and he could smell the rain on the wind. It smelled like water sprinkled on dust.

Ryan checked the time, but the hands of the clock just twitched in place. Damn clock.

Bec awoke gently. Like riding an escalator up from the car park to the womenswear section in a department store, she left the land of slumber and transitioned into the land of the awake. She rolled off her bed and walked out into the living room. The cleaning and the sleep made her feel refreshed.

Jen had papers spread all over the table and a held a red pen in her hand.

"How long was I asleep?" asked Bec.

Jen kept her eyes on the papers in front of her, "A few hours. It's nearly four."

Looking around, Bec noticed the apartment was clean. A flash of panic burned in her chest. Where was her backpack? She went to the sofa and found it sat on the opposite side. She put her hand inside the bag, being careful not expose the contents, felt the cool glass of the vodka bottle, and relaxed.

If Jen found out...

To cover her movement, Bec pulled out her wallet. She said, "I should fix that towel rail I broke."

"Mmm," replied Jen.

"You know where I should I go?"

"I know a place you can go."

"C'mon Jennifer. I messed up pretty badly last night, but I'm trying to make things right. It hasn't been easy, you know."

Jen put down her pen and looked at Bec. "I know. It's just... Why can't you do things the normal way?"

"You think I don't ask myself that question? So how can I get this towel rail fixed?"

Jen picked up her pen and returned to grading papers. "Fletcher's Hardware would be my guess. You can take my car if you want. Don't crash it, though.

A smile crept onto Jen's lips and Bec knew she'd come around. "No thanks. The walk will be good for me."

Ryan pulled into Fletcher's Hardware. Streams of people were pushing trolleys filled with firewood in preparation for the coming cold snap.

Next job should be the fire place.

He pulled his brown overcoat up around his ears and went into the store. Fletcher's Hardware had been operating in Brooksdale for as long as Ryan could remember. His mother had told him that his father was about to do a business deal with Marcus Fletcher, then owner of the store, but that Ryan's father had died before closing the deal.