Next day the woman visited a park, to forget him. She tried to read the book she brought but the words glared back at her. Images of him in better times filled spaces between the lines.
Mallards landing, splashing on the water had her look up. A male led the flock with boisterous quacking. Its cheerful temperament lifted her mood.
While she attempted to read again someone approached her.
“May I share your bench?” he asked. “Marvellous, aren’t they? I visit nature whenever I’m down.”