Wriite, Edit, Publish, Taking Chances

Time for another story for Write...Edit...Publish. Brain child of Denise Covey. to participate or read other stories go here. 

Taking Chances

Louise avoided black cats and ladders along with Friday the 13^th. In fact, Louise avoided most everything. Why take a chance that something would go wrong?

Why then had Frank left her? She knew the answer. It was precisely because she avoided life. Frank was a dare devil. He had jumped from a plane, leapt from a rock wall with a bungee cord, and climbed a mountain alone. Yes, Frank loved adventure. Louise supposed he thought he could change her. She’d tried to change him. Neither was successful.

“Come on.” Paula whined. “It will be fun.”

Louise doubted that the local dance club would be fun. Just the thought of the loud music gave her a headache. But…thoughts of Frank sneering at her lack of adventure made her consider what others thought of her.

“Okay,’ Louise said.

*

7 P.M. came much sooner than Louise thought possible. She did have one party dress, about five years old, but a dress that she hoped was suitable. Listen to me, she thought. Why should I care?

Paula rang the bell and laughed at Louise’s hot pink shift.

“What’s wrong?” Louise asked.

“Nothing,” Paula said. “I just never imagined you in hot pink. You look great.”

Louise tucked a strand of her auburn hair into the single braid she had managed to create.  

*

The night club was just as loud and boisterous as Louise had imagined. Couples jostled for position on the dance floor. Liquor was passed between friends. Feeling nauseated, Louise ran the bathroom were she discovered a young girl sniffing cocaine. That was the last straw. Louise escaped through the front door to the crisp Colorado night air and debated if she should go back in to tell Paula and her other co-workers that she was going home.

“Not the right scene for you?” A man said.

Louise spun around and found herself face to face with a red haired playboy. He had a white cotton shirt on and dark blue jeans with a dark belt around his waist. Red cowboy boots completed his outfit.

He trust out his hand. “I’m Brad.”

“Louise,” she said, and shook his hand.

“Not my thing either,” Brad said. “I much prefer sunshine and horseback riding in the mountains.”

Another dare devil, Louise thought, but then she thought that of every man she met.

“Can I offer you a ride home?” Brad said.

Risky. Louise knew better than to go with someone she’d just met. “No.”

“I won’t bite, I promise.”

“I think Ted Bundy might have said that before he murdered a dozen young girls,” Louise said.

Brad chuckled. The sound was like the wind through aspen leaves. Louise felt more at ease with this man, perhaps, perhaps, if only she could take a chance.

“If not a ride home than how about coffee at the place across the street?” Brad asked.

Louise turned to see a restaurant with glass windows displaying numerous happy patrons. Safe enough. “Sure.”

Brad extended his arm and they crossed the street. Inside, the warm atmosphere helped to ease Louise’s nerves. They were seated in a booth toward the back of the restaurant.

“Do you mind if I eat something?” Louise said. “I haven’t had dinner.”

“No problem, I’m hungry too.”

“What can I get for you?” The waitress asked.

“The club sandwich for me with French onion soup and iced tea,” Louise said.

“The all American grilled burger, French fries and coffee,” Brad said.

Typical, Louise thought.

“Tell me about yourself,” Brad said.

Hunger made Louise’s stomach protest. “Not much to tell,” she said.

“Come on, where do you work?”

“Downtown.”

“What do you do?”

“Stuff.”

Brad chuckled again. Louise felt a quiver rumble through her body.

“Well mystery Lady, I’m not as shy about my job. I drive a forklift for Stevens Construction.”

“What’s with the cowboy boots?” Louise asked, he’d surprised her.

“My inner child wants to be a cattleman.”

“Oh.”

“I’m saving up to buy a ranch. A man’s got to dream.”

“I guess. Have you ever jumped off a cliff or strapped yourself to a para-sail?”

Brad grinned, Louise was hopeful.

“Nope, never did either and I don’t ride the roller coaster. Not much of a risk taker. I prefer the sure thing.”

Their food came and Louise found herself relaxing. Brad began to tell her about cattle and the different breeds. Horses came next, she’d never learned so much before this.

“An Arabian makes a good race horse but not so good at herding cattle,” Brad said, in answer to her question.

An hour later, their plates cleared, her tea gone and his third cup of coffee found them both simply gazing at each other and smiling.

“My I call on you again?” Brad asked.

“Yes,” Louise said.

“Tomorrow night, how about a movie and dinner?”

“Depends on the movie,” Louise said.

“We’ll decide together. May I take you home now?”

“Yes,” Louise said.

*

Three years later on a ranch in Wyoming, Louise held her newborn baby boy with a tuff of red hair and smiled at her husband. She’d taken a chance on Brad and it was the best decision of her life.

Word count: 865

I hope you enjoyed this tale. I’m sure there are faeries on the ranch but they haven’t told me their stories yet.

Nancy