Day 5 - Scene 12 - Part 3

As the main road came into view Enar sighed with relief. Level ground. They rolled over the bridge across the little stream and arrived at the crossroads.

“There we are,” said Amanda. “You can relax now. Told you it'd be fine.”

“I'm relaxed,” said Enar and blushed a little.

Amanda giggled. “Of course you are. Of course.”

“Yeah, well, what can I say? I'm a city kid. I'm not used to this kind of...” Enar stopped himself and cleared his throat. “Escapade. This kind of escapade.”

She tilted her head to the side and looked at him. “Adventure,” she said.

“What?” Enar's face grew hot.

“Adventure.” She said it again. “That's the word you were thinking of, right?”

“No. Not at all. I would never suggest such a thing.” He made a chopping motion with his hands to underscore his statement.

“Oh, relax.” Amanda pointed at herself with her thumb. “Raver, right? Works with humans, right? Orthodox summer-traditionalist fanatic – not so much.” She grinned at him. “It's just a word. You should loosen up a little.”

“Mmm...” Enar grumbled to himself and after a while he sighed. “Everyone keeps saying that.”

“Well then, maybe there's something to it?”

“Well, yeah, but... it's not that easy.” He stared off into the woods for a moment. Shadows had begun pushing out from under the trees. “I'm used to being the way I am. I can't just change that on command.”

Amanda laughed and shook the reins, bringing Sofie up to a trot as the road started sloping upwards. “You don't need to change. Just loosen up a little is all. Stop worrying so much”

“Yeah, right...” Enar sighed. “I'm trying. It's not that easy. I am who I am.” He glared at the trees of the forest. They probably thought he should loosen up too.

Amanda patted him on the knee. “And a good thing too. Not many people can say that these days.”

Enar frowned and turned to look at her. She smiled back at him from under her wild red fringe and then turned her attention to the horse in front of them. Amanda clicked her tongue and shook the reins again, to keep the carriage running – or something. He waited, and said nothing.

“You're a good guy Enar,” she said after a while, without taking her eyes off the road. “You just need to stop worrying about what everyone else thinks all the time.”

“I don't...” He did. All the time. “Sorry. I guess I do. I'll try and keep that in mind.”

“Enar, Enar, Enar...” Amanda shook her head and heaved a sigh – much bigger than necessary. “You did it again.” She turned to him with a smile and then bumped her shoulder against his.

“Hey! No shoving.” He grinned and bumped his shoulder against hers.

Amanda giggled and adjusted her position, sitting straight and making sure her dress fell over her knees. “See, that's better.”

“Yes, yes, I'm trying.” He grinned – a big foolish grin, from one ear to another. Eyes closed, he let his head fall back, relaxed, and enjoyed the ride.

It was almost like one of those songs his mother used to like, with an old guy and his guitar, singing about being on the road, with the sun on his face, the wind in his hair and a little lady waiting at home. He'd never really liked those songs – not his style – but he'd kept playing them on the stereo at his mother's place to cheer her up. She'd smile and her eyes would grow distant and sometimes she'd tell him about her youth.

Once in a while she'd ask him for an apple brandy, for old times sake. The doctor had said she weren't to have any alcohol, but he'd given it to her anyway. She hadn't had much to cheer her up those days and what harm would a small drink and some good memories do? She was dying anyway.

Now he wanted a drink too.

“Uh, oh...” said Amanda.

Enar roused from his thoughts, shrugged and looked around and saw Amanda looking up into the sky. When he followed her gaze he saw little fluffy nests of white cotton rising above the tree tops – clouds.

“Is that the rain,” he asked. They looked rather nice and friendly, but maybe they were dragging the rain along behind them.

“Yes. Not yet, but soon.” Amanda frowned and muttered something under her breath. “I thought it was much further away.”

“Maybe it was a trick of the light or something?”

She hummed and nodded. “Could be, or the wind up there is blowing something fierce. That's probably more likely.”

He looked at her for a moment. “Right, I forgot you're in the aviation business. You would know about that kind of thing.”

“And don't you forget about it.” She raised an eyebrow at him and shook the reins again, keeping the carriage moving at a steady pace up the hill.

Enar moved his gaze up to the clouds up in the sky. So far they were just little fluffy things peeking up above the treetops – bright white against the blue sky.

“Do you think you'll make it back before the rain hits,” he asked.

Amanda frowned. She chewed on her lip for a bit, staring at the road ahead. “I don't know,” she said eventually. “Probably not.”

“Oh... I hope you do.”

“It's fine. It might not be so bad, and if we make good time, I'll be nearly home when it hits.”

Enar looked up towards the tree tops again. Darker shades had begun appearing beneath the bright fluffy whites. “Yes... let's hope so...”

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Continued in Day 5 - Scene 12 - Part 4.

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