**The Lead of Fate**
The morning sun, soft yet insistent, crept through the thin curtains, casting golden ripples across the sleeping womans face. It whispered, *Wake upthe world is already beautiful, and its waiting for you.* Evelyn stretched in bed, savoring the lightness in her limbs after deep, dreamless sleep. This ease was a hard-won reward, years of discipline paying off.
Exactly eight years, two months, and seventeen days had passed since shed shown her husband the door. Not that she countedthe date had simply etched itself into her memory as the start of her real life. Their son, James, was grown now, independent, studying in Cambridge for his final year at a prestigious university. He rarely visited, just the occasional call, his voice warm yet distant.
*”Mum, Ive got exams, then my part-time job, and Lydia and I”* Shed swallow the faint ache and chirp back, *”Of course, darling! Dont worryIm perfectly fine!”* And she wasnt lying. Her life had purpose, order.
At forty-three, Evelyn felt thirty in her soul. Slim, poised, with sharp grey-blue eyes, she looked younger than her years. The secret was simple: four years of unbroken ritual. Up at six, a run, a cold shower, a sensible breakfast, then off to the office. She was a manager at a reputable firm and valued her position. Her boss, a punctuality-obsessed man with an uncanny knack for spotting latecomers, loathed tardiness.
Shed often see him materialise in the hallway at 9:01 sharp, looming before some breathless employee. *”Late again? Shouldve set the alarm earlier! Explanation on my desk!”* His voice, low and commanding, sent shivers even through the innocent.
Evelyn was respectedsmart, driven, always ready to help. Humble, easy to talk to. Yet her personal life had been silent since the divorce. She filled the gaps with work, self-care, and her loyal companion: a chocolate Labrador named Barney, whom she affectionately called Bear.
Hed been the catalyst for those invigorating morning runs. Bear was her alarm clock, her trainer, her most devoted friend. A handsome dog with wise, understanding eyes and endless kindness. He never caused trouble; his easygoing nature was her best antidepressant. Years ago, when choosing a breed, shed asked a friends husband for advice. *”Get a Lab. You wont regret ita friend, therapist, and antidepressant in one,”* hed said. He wasnt wrong.
Shed always had dogs as a child, but during her marriage to Richard, the dream had faded. He despised animals. *”If you or James drag some flea-ridden mutt into this flat, Ill toss it off the seventh floor. Promise.”* The genuine malice in his eyes made her believe him.
In the end, it was *she* who nearly threw *him* outwhen hed raised a hand to her in a drunken rage. She hadnt the strength, only the resolve. Shed sobbed in the bedroom as he raged in the living room, until he finally slammed the door, taking the bags shed packed for him. Fifteen years together, the last three a waking nightmare. Richard had failed as a husband, a fatherselfish, bitter, never satisfied. That strike had been the last straw. Thank God James hadnt been home.
*”Better alone than trapped, showing my son a warped idea of love,”* shed told herself. She hadnt been wrong. Eight happy years followed, harmony within herself. Men were kept at arms lengthRichard had soured her for life.
—
A warm August morning hummed with summers last breath. Evelyn rose and peeked into the hallway. Bear sat by the door, leash clamped in his jaws, tail drumming the floor. *”Good boy! Who needs an alarm with you around?”* She smiled, lacing her trainers. *”Alright, lets go!”*
She adored their local parkjust a quick dash through the underpass, and there it was: a green oasis with neat paths. Mornings buzzed with joggers, cyclists, fellow dog walkers. Evelyn unclipped the lead, and Bear bolted ahead, glancing back to ensure she followed.
She ran at an easy pace, nodding at familiar strangersfellow dawn enthusiasts. Then, from behind the lilac bushes, a yelp. Evelyn veered off the path and froze. Bear stood rigid before a tiny black kitten, ears flattened in fear. Her heart clenched. She knew he wouldnt harm it, but instinct propelled her forward
The world flipped. Her foot caught on a hidden rock with a sickening *crunch*. White-hot pain shot through her leg. She crumpled with a gasp, vision swimming. *”No not this”* She forced herself to lookher leg bent at a grotesque angle. *”Bear, what have you done?”* The kitten had vanished. Bear licked her cheek once, then tore away into the bushes.
Desolation gripped her throat. Pain, fear, thoughts of work, of being aloneall blurred into one. She tried pushing up, but it was useless. Tears spilled freely.
Meanwhile, Bear raced down the path like a shot. He found the man he soughttall, athletic, someone they passed most mornings. The dog skidded to a halt, barking frantically.
*”Hey there, handsome!”* The man chuckled. *”Wheres your mum? Something wrong?”*
Bear barked again, spun, and bolted back, checking that the man followed. At the bushes, he stopped and howled.
The manOliverparted the branches and saw her. Pale, tear-streaked, her face twisted in pain. *”Morning though I see its not a good one.”* He knelt beside her. *”What happened? Your furry friend sounded the alarm. Clever dog.”*
*”My leg”* she gritted out. *”Think its broken. Cant move it.”*
*”Well get an ambulance,”* he said calmly, and his steadiness soothed her.
The paramedics arrived swiftly. *”Definitely a fracture,”* the doctor confirmed. *”Hospital for X-rays and setting.”*
*”ButBear? I live alone. Wholl take him?”*
*”Absolutely no pets allowed,”* the nurse said.
Oliver didnt hesitate. *”Give me the lead. Ill look after him.”*
*”Butweve only just met. Im Evelyn.”*
*”Oliver. Its fine. Well swap numbers.”* He spoke as if offering to carry her shopping.
As the medics lifted her, she saw Bear whining, straining toward her, Oliver holding him firmly, murmuring reassurance.
The ambulance left. Oliver stood with the dog. *”Right, mate. Youre with me now.”* He headed for the park exit. *”Well grab food, then Ive got work. Youll have to manage alone for a bit.”*
Bear trudged beside him, tail drooping.
—
Oliver ran a garage and spare parts shop. Hed been alone nearly a yearhis wife, whom hed spoiled, had left him for a younger man. His father, shrewd, had insisted the business stay in his name. *”Lifes unpredictable, son. Trust me.”* Now, Oliver was endlessly grateful. The divorce had been clean but left bitterness.
That evening, his phone rang. *”Oliver? Doctor from St. Marys. Your friends fractures complex. Shell need time.”*
*”Are there *simple* fractures?”* Oliver joked.
*”Plenty!”* The doctor laughed. *”You can visit. Shell need follow-ups.”*
Evelyn lay in the ward, her leg in plaster. The pain had dulled, but loneliness gnawed at her. She thought of Bear, of burdening a stranger. When Oliver arrived with fruit and juice, tears threatened again.
*”Hey nowwhy the long face?”* he teased.
*”Im so sorry for the trouble and Bear”*
*”Dont be daft!”* He switched effortlessly to warmth. *”Bear sends his love. Well-behaved lad. Misses you, though. Hurry up and heal, or well both mope.”*
He joked, told stories, and soon Evelyn smileda radiant thing Oliver noted carefully.
A week later, discharged, she called him. *”Oliver, could you? Ive got crutches, I can manage a taxi”*
*”Already on my way!”*
An hour later, his car idled outside. As he helped her in, a chocolate whirlwind launched from the back seatBear covered her in licks and whimpers. *”Bear! Oh, my sweet boy!”* She hugged him, crying freely.
Oliver carried her upstairs, then fetched groceries. *”Thesell last a while. Ive got work, but Ill be back to walk Bear. Call if you
