Free Better Than Chocolate by Pat Amsden

of exhilaration flooded her as they landed on the platform. She couldn’t believe what she’d just done. “It’s like flying,” she cried, hugging Brad as hard as she could.
          How could she have not seen it before? What would she have missed if she’d stayed safely on the other side? He was laughing with her and hugging her back.
          “Oh my God, that was amazing!”
          “It was pretty incredible,” he said grinning ear to ear. “Look.” He pointed down the valley where the first rosy streak of sunset filled the sky.
          “It’s so gorgeous,” she said, awe in her voice.
          He held her tight, wishing this moment would never end. “How’re we going to get back?”
          “What?”
          “If we use the zip cords we should probably leave now. Otherwise I think Race said there was a truck they used to get back when guests weren’t feeling so adventurous.”
          “I want to fly,” she said, facing him with not a moment’s hesitation, eyes wide with excitement.
          “Then we’d better go now,” he said. He pointed up to the higher line. “He told me that’s how they come back. Are you up for it?”
          “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
          They hooked each other up. She paused, facing him, a question mark in her eyes. “You’re sure this is the way it was before?”
          “99%.”
          For just a moment she felt the old Elena surface. But she’d learned to trust Brad. He hadn’t let her down. Yet. “That’s about as good as it gets,” she said bravely.
          He hugged her, proud of her, how brave she was, how fearless. “You want me to go first?”
          “I’d rather have the view,” she said laughing at him.
          “OK, then.”
          This time she relaxed, enjoying the feeling of freedom as she few through the air, the exhilaration as she passed over the river seeing tubers floating along, watching as an otter dove under the water in pursuit of fish.
          All too soon it was over and she watched as Brad followed behind, landing at her side. She was aware of Race looking at her with a new respect. This was not the Elena he was used to.
          “I can see why you and Lydia like travelling the zip line together,” she said. “Thank you.”
          “Anytime,” Race said. “You should see the zip line in South America.” He spent the next half hour telling them of his adventures in the Amazon navigating the rainforest in zip lines while involved in research with a friend of his.
          “He forgets to tell you about the infection that almost killed him”, Lydia said dryly.
          “It was still an amazing experience.”
          Lydia just rolled her eyes and Elena laughed. She was beginning to realize how much Lydia balanced Race. They spent an enjoyable evening together listening to stories of Race’s adventures with and with Lydia. And there were several piece of blown glass that would work perfectly in Elena’s gallery.
          When they left the next morning Elena had carefully wrapped a several sets of icicles and some blown glass vases and bowls that looked as if they’d been taken from magical rocks and stones of the earth itself.
          “You’ve got a good eye,” Brad said, as they said their goodbyes and got back on the road again.
          “And talented friends,” she said simply. “It makes life easier.”
          “Can you trust me to have talented friends too?” he said.
    `     She could see the question mark in his eyes even as it hit her. Trust. That was really what this was all about. Did she trust Brad enough to go to Vancouver with him, to accept his advice?
    And she knew even as the question hit her what the answer was. She did trust Brad.instinctively, automatically. Even as her brain found reasons to doubt him her heart said trust him. She looked at him. “Of