Taking Chances

Chapter 43

Ryan parked at the river-side car park and got out of his old F-150. He had come here at the start of winter with Bec and she had been transfixed by the beauty of this small nature reserve on the Black Rock River. Now it was slipping into spring and the area was bursting with blooms and the sounds of nature. He hadn't had anything to drink since Saturday night. He breathed deeply and caught the scent of wattle blossoms. The sweet richness of the beautiful yellow-ball blossoms was like a switch that turned the world from winter into spring.

Along the river bank and through the bush, explosions of yellow were like fireworks against the browns and greens of the Australian bush. For the first time since Wednesday night, his head cleared. The past few days had been tough. Missing out on the promotion really sent him for a loop. The maddening thing was that he knew it shouldn't have. The resulting feeling of anger with himself lead him to drink again.

On Thursday, Ryan had such a bad hangover that he took the day off sick. That was a first. At home on Thursday, he drank all day while watching K1 and UFC, and passed out before six. On Friday, he managed to go to work, but it was a fog in his memory. An automatic response. Ryan hadn't even gone to Jiu-jitsu.

On Saturday, he talked to Bec on the phone. She sounded excited and her enthusiasm warmed him, like sunlight breaking through on an overcast day. Her exhibition went very well, she said. She had exciting news to tell him, she said. Let's meet on Sunday, at the river.

By Sunday, the warmth left Ryan and was replaced by anxiety. What was it with the depressed mind that turned normal events into occasions for fretfulness. The odd thing was that Ryan knew what he was experiencing. He had felt it before when Tammy had left him.

This awareness did little to assuage his worry. Had Bec met some hipster down in Melbourne? Had she decided to up stumps and lead the travelling artist life? These concerns whirled around and around in Ryan's mind as he trudged along the path to the river. A kookaburra cackled in the distance. At least someone found all this funny. He reached the river bank by mid-afternoon and there was a teenage couple sitting on a bench, feeling the spring love. Ryan recognized them from school. They were good kids and Ryan was glad they had found romance together.

Down by the water's edge, Bec stood with her camera pointed out over the water. A bird flew up from a low hanging branch. Her camera click-whirred as she snapped off rapid photos.

Bec lowered her camera and she saw Ryan approaching. A smile spread across her face. "Hi," she said.

"I saw that bird take off. Did you get some good shots?"

Bec stood on her tip-toes and kissed his lips, stopping his words. She detected reluctance in his kiss. Was that alcohol on his breath? He was holding something back. After the kiss, Bec looked at Ryan and took both of his hands in hers. "I love it down here, Ryan. It's so tranquil and the wild life is amazing. Can you hear the bees? It's nearly a roar. So different from Melbourne."

"It is a beautiful place. That's why the teenage Romeos come here." Ryan smiled, but Bec could tell it was forced.

Undeterred, Bec grinned and said, "Did you bring your teenage sweet-heart down to the river?"

"I certainly did. It was compulsory for the times."

Bec laughed and finally she saw his smile soften. That was the Ryan she remembered. Maybe he knew what was coming.

They held hands and walked along the bank. Bec said, "Ryan, these last couple of months have been truly wonderful. I didn't think I'd feel like this again after leaving Phil." She looked out over the water as she said that man's name. Bec stopped walking and faced Ryan. There was a touch of anxiety in his eyes.