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Within ten minutes of them setting off for home the only two that were awake in the van were Ryan and Lori. Shannon and Lee had fallen asleep in the back and Rachel was in-between Ryan and Lori and had fallen asleep leaning on Lori.
“Are you going to keep me awake Lori?”
“Sure I can manage that.”
“Wow, it seems like a long time ago when you knocked on my door.”
“I know what you mean. But it a weird way it seems like only ten minutes ago as well.”
“I’m on board with that paradoxical statement.”
“I have to say I’m sorry for ever, thinking you were in on the crazy person on the phones plan.”
“No worries at all. I’ve got one of these sinister looks to me haven’t I?”
“Well sort of, but not once anybody gets to know you.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Well it’s better to be like that than the other way around.”
“That’s true. I wouldn’t want people to think I look really angelic. But when they get to know me they think I’m pure evil.”
“You know when I first started to really trust you?”
“Was it the wonderfully emotional rendition of No Woman No Cry?”
“Ha! Well I’d like to say it was. But it was a little before then. It was when we were trapped in that dining room. And I had another asthma attack start. You had that bag with you just in case. And I thought that if you were part of the plan there would be no way you’d have thought that much about it. That had to be a genuine act of thoughtfulness and kindness.”
“Oh stop it you’re going to make me cry!”
“Yeah, right. So when did you think you could trust me?”
“What makes you think I do trust you?”
“Come on.”
“No there could still be a lot of twists in this tale yet.”
“Seriously come one, tell me.”
“Seriously it would have been when we had that conversation the first night in you room in the holiday house.”
“Really? That soon?”
“Yeah I think it was the ‘wake up dead’ comment that was the clincher.”
“Knew you’d remember that.”
“So how are you feeling now it’s all over and done with? I mean you’ve had this hanging over you a lot longer that the rest of us?” Ryan asked.
“Really don’t think it’s hit me yet. I think what has happened over the last few days, in the end will hit me. But not having that nagging cause for concern in the back of my mind that I’ve had for four years could take a while to get used to.”
“Yeah I can imagine. It should be really freeing though when that realization does dawn on you.”
“I’m certainly hoping so. Did you feel like you had something hanging over you after that night when you helped out Rachel and Shannon?”
“Not really no. I was concerned that he might come after Shannon. But I never really thought about him coming after me.”
“By the way it was a good job in keeping cool about knowing Shannon. ”
“Really? You didn’t suspect at all?”
“Just a little tiny bit that first time we saw Shannon in the house. But you convinced me you didn’t know her. And I saw no more signs of recognition between the two of you after that.”
“I knew I should have been an actor!”
“Well there’s time yet.”
“No I don’t think so. Somehow, I think life’s about finding the one thing you can devote yourself to, in order to pursue complete happiness.”
“Sounds very deep. Have you had yourself an epiphany?”
Ryan smiled to himself and nodded. “Yeah I suppose I have really. This whole thing has been sort of a near death experience. And it got me to thinking that if I did die now what would be the one thing I’d regret not doing the most.”
“Playing golf?”
“Yeah that’s it. That’s the one thing I believe I’m supposed to do. Now that I’ve got he financial backing, the excuses are running very thin. So I’m going to dedicate myself back to the game. When I’m hitting golf shots, that’s when I truly feel alive.”
“For a quirky guy you can be a very deep thinker.”
“Well I haven’t got many friends, you see. So I get a lot of time being alone.”
“You want to talk about time being alone? I work in a library!”
“That’s true, you must just feel like screaming some days in there.”
“I certainly do. By the way you need a caddie?”
“You know that idea has promise. I’ve never needed a caddie to be a golf expert. Just somebody I can chat to easily but also knows when to shut up. You’d be perfect, as long as you don’t have an asthma attack when I’m leading the Masters.”
“The exercise won’t bring on an attack.”
“Of course you’ve run a marathon, walking up a few hills at Augusta will be no problem for you!”
“Anxiety and tension are what brings on the attacks now. So all you’ll have to do is make sure you’re leading by about ten shots going into the last day of the Masters. And I’ll be fine!”
“Sounds like a plan.”
At this point Rachel started to mumble and move around in an attempt to get comfortable. “What plan?” She asked with her eyes almost completely closed.
“Just keep thinking about the shoes Rach”– Ryan said back.
“Aaah, shoes”– Rachel said to herself, repositioned herself on Lori and went straight back to sleep.
“If the amount of touching is getting uncomfortable for you just wake her up”– Ryan commented on how much Rachel was snuggling up to Lori.
“No its fine. She’s a little cutie isn’t she? Besides none of the touching is inappropriate.”
“I am feeling sleepy myself to be fair.”
“What can I do to keep you awake?”
“Well I need something exciting to talk about. I hate to do this to you. We don’t really know each other that well. You’re such a sweet girl. But I have a strong urge to talk about it. And I know it will be exciting enough to keep me awake.”
“Oh Ryan. All right then, as long as you don’t take it too far. You can use me to release your urges.”
“Really?”
“Yes go on, only because I know it will keep you awake.”
“You really don’t mind me talking to you like that?”
“Just get on with it before I change my mind.”
“You really are one classy lady.”
“That’s a good way to start.”
“All right then here goes. There are eleven players on each side. Each team gets to have a go at batting and bowling either one innings each, or two. It depends on the type of game. At the start of the game they toss a coin. And the captain who wins the coin toss decides whether his team bats or bowls first.
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