Renewal

         The young woman paid the taxi driver and stepped from the car. She looked up at the faceless, grey building. I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.

         An hour or so later. an orderly from the facility escorted her to a room. “This is your room, Miss. I’ll leave you to settle in, shall I?”

         Jane. gave a cursory glance around the small space, noticing the institutional, pale green paint work, she dropped her bag onto the narrow bed. “Thanks,” she whispered.

         “Oh! God,” she murmured, when she was alone. Shifting her bag onto the floor, she dropped down on the bed, covering her head under the thin pillow.

         The following three days were a blur. A passage of time which had made Jane acutely aware of the hold alcohol had on her as she battled the effects of going cold turkey. In spite of medication, she suffered withdrawal symptoms. Fevers, hot and cold chills, stomach pains, and extreme anxiety plagued her throughout the long days.

****

         “Jane, can I have a word?” The doctor came into her room. “ There’s no easy way to say this, my dear.”

         Jane saw the bad news written in his eyes, “ Not good then?” She asked.


         After he’d left she lay staring at the ceiling, “So this is what they call rock bottom,” she whispered. He’d told her straight, she had to stop drinking. Her body was damaged, her life in danger.

****

         Jane’s sponsor, Matthew, from A.A. called her. Hearing his voice had always given Jane comfort.
“Hi Jane,” Matthew greeted her, “It’s great you’ve decided to try rehab. I’ve had an idea, I’ll come and sign you out for a couple of hours on Sunday. There’s someone I’d like you to meet. Are you up for it?”

Matthew had been there for her for over a year now, ever since she’d found the courage to go to her first meeting. After the meeting he’d spoken to her and asked if she needed a sponsor and offered his help. “Call me when ever you want, I’m always on the end of the phone,” he’d told her.

****

         They drove out into the countryside, the weather was perfect and the fields were aglow with masses of yellow canola flowers.

          “Where are you taking me?” Jane asked as they drove further away from the city.

         “You’ll see,” Matthew smiled, pointing out the spring lambs, the blue sky and the wonderful smell of eucalyptus as they sped along the narrow roads. In her depressed frame of mind, Jane was unable to appreciate anything.

         At last they pulled in to a farm gate. The tyres crunched to a halt outside a sprawling farmhouse. He tooted the horn and waited. A young woman came out to greet them.

         “Mat! You found us.” Giving him a warm smile, she pecked him on the cheek, “ You must be Jane?” She nodded to his passenger. “I’m Lizzy,” she said, holding her hand out to give Jane a firm handshake. “Matthew told us he’d bring you for a visit. He said you loved horses?”

         “I do love animals. I’ve not had much to do with horses really,”

         “Come on, I’ll take you to the stables.”

         Lizzy led the way across the yard, Jane and Matthew followed her. Ducks and geese scattered noisily as they walked. Jane could see a long, low, grey stone building. As they neared, she heard a horse snorting in the stable.

         “Lizzy runs classes in equine therapy, it was she who suggested time with horses may be helpful to you, Matthew said.

         “That’s Black Velvet,” Lizzy said.

          She continued to walk past the half open stable door. “He’s very unsettled, we think he’s been ill treated. He’s only been with us a week, not very sociable I’m afraid.”

         Lizzy moved on,”I’ll show you our new foal, he’s gorgeous.”

         But Jane had stopped, she was stroking Black Velvet’s face, his long eyelashes were closed against her hand as she stroked him gently. It was as if he knew a fellow sufferer, someone who needed something more than words.

         Lizzy turned in amazement at the sight of Jane and the previously angry horse communicating in such a way.

          “I can’t believe it!” she exclaimed, staring at the scene, “no one has been able to get near him.”

         Jane smiled for the first time in what seemed forever, resting her forehead on Black Velvet’s face.

Word count 720