As Luck Would Have It

A woman has some good fortune in this lighthearted short story by Kate Hogan.

It was funny, how unexpectedly things could turn out . . .

FUNNY how things turn out, I ponder, glancing at the For Sale sign outside Carol’s house. I’d swallowed the lump in my throat when Carol, my neighbour, introduced me to Lucky one morning, the lovely Labrador cross she’d adopted from the rescue centre.

She looked absolutely sparkling; I could only be happy for her, despite feeling a bit sad from missing my own dog,

Scruff, who’d joined the doggy angels.

I’d become almost a recluse without Scruff demanding his daily walks.

I realised I needed to get myself back out in the fresh air again, too.

So the following week, I slipped on my old walking gear and set off in the hope of catching up with Carol and her lovely pooch.

It was a glorious morning. The silence was broken only by birdsong – until I heard a familiar voice caught on the wind.

“Jim! Jim!” Carol was calling.

I thought maybe she’d renamed Lucky, until I saw her skipping across the grass, Lucky bounding beside her, heading towards a mystery man!

I’d never seen Carol so agile, but then I’d never seen her so happy, either.

I’d hoped she’d spill the beans every time we stopped for a chat after that, but she just wanted to wax lyrical about the views from the hilltop.

Considering the mystery of it all, while out on my morning hike a few days later, I missed the pair of long legs, hardly visible in the long grass.

“Ahh!” I unexpectedly tumbled.

A small terrier took the opportunity to lick my face as I tried to regain my dignity, and the chap I secretly knew to be Jim looked on in shock.

“Did Carol send you?” he asked.

“Who?” I said, deciding to pretend I knew nothing.

“I’m sorry.” He leaped to his feet. “I’d no right to startle you or make you miss your footing.

“Please accept my apologies.” He held out his hand to help me up. “Jim.”

“Sylvie,” I said, feeling a warm flush to my cheeks as he hauled me up.

“The lady – Carol,” he said. “Red coat, big bounding Labrador . . .”

“Yes, Carol,” I said. “And Lucky,” I added.

“We’ve been meeting for a while now,” he said. “We’ve even had some evenings out together.”

Wow! I didn’t think Carol was interested in romance any more. To hide my surprise at Jim’s disclosure I mentioned I was heading across to the village.

“I’ll walk with you, if I may?” He matched his stride with mine. “Carol’s a very lovely and attractive lady,” he said.

Though I wished he was talking about me, I had the good grace to agree.

So he told me all about Carol and him. How they’d worked together years ago, before Carol was married, then met again by chance in the village store.

Apparently Jim’s brother, Bob, had broken his leg and was unable to walk his newly acquired little terrier.

Jim, a retired engineer who’d been living abroad for years, had flown back to help Bob out.

I looked down at the terrier at our feet.

“Nice little fellow,” I said. Jim smiled.

“You know my brother?” “I was referring to the little fellow at our feet,” I said.

“She’s Suzy,” Jim said. I laughed. Jim did, too. “It’s amazing how the years just fall away,” he told me. “Maybe I was a bit forward – rushed things a little.” He looked at me.

“But I’m seventy-four; we’re both widowed,” he said.

“Maybe we haven’t been seeing each other for very long, but we make each other laugh. We always did.” He paused.

“She seemed quite taken with the idea,” he said, “till I mentioned her coming to live in Spain with me.”

“Taken with what idea?” I said, unable to contain myself.

“She became quite feisty when I told her, made her views quite clear, then stormed off,” Jim said.

“Said she had no intention of marrying me and moving to my retirement apartment in Spain with a ‘no pets’ rule.”

He frowned.

“She always was spirited. She didn’t give me a chance to discuss the possibility of finding somewhere else to live.” He paused, looked a little embarrassed.

“That’s how I came to be hiding – I mean, sitting, in the long grass,” he said. “I was trying to think of a solution.”

Somehow I was glad, in a daft sort of way, that Carol had put her furry friend first, just as I’d have done. I smiled, thinking.

If we were lucky enough for love to come bounding along – at any age – maybe we should take it in our arms and hold it tight.

“I’ll have a word with Carol,” I said.

****

Well, I’ve really enjoyed being out on the common every day again, while Carol’s been out in Spain.

I’ve enjoyed meeting up with Jim’s brother, Bob, and little Suzy on our walks, too.

As for the For Sale sign on Carol’s house, I’ve already bought my hat for her wedding. I’m really looking forward to it.

But nowhere near as much as I’m looking forward to having a dog again – Lucky’s staying here with me!

He loves the common and I love him, and I’m sure Carol, who’ll be happy to see her lovely canine cupid whenever she and Jim fly home for a visit, will love the little apartment in Spain.

As for Bob and me? Who knows. We’re having a great time getting to know each other.

The dogs are, too, so I guess in a way we’ve all got “Lucky” . . . and that’s more than good enough for me!