It was nearly seven o’clock. Zoe sat anxiously at a table next to a large window in ‘The Summit’

restaurant. The city lights stretched out beneath her like a sea of stars. She had always enjoyed the

magnificent view, but not tonight. Tonight, her thoughts were too turbulent. At seven o’clock she

would meet a man she had never met before, to plan their adventure. She struggled to control her

emotions while debating whether it was the right thing to do. The knot in her stomach tightened.

Her sensible dress had been carefully selected, and her red hair was tied neatly back in a no-

nonsense ponytail. She didn't want to give the wrong impression. Zoe wondered at her luck that

someone else also shared her interest in white-water rafting in Alaska; the same trip she had

proposed to Josh just a month ago.

She took one of the golden-brown breadsticks on the table and thoughtfully nibbled while she

smiled to herself. She had met Josh in a similar way: they, too, had met during an organised

adventure trip while they were students at the University of Queensland. As they shared the thrills

of adventure, a strong bond had developed between them, and they even started planning their

own journeys together. Gradually, he became her closest friend, and the only one she trusted with

her life.

The sound of clinking wine glasses and conversation filled the room. She glanced around and saw a

young couple sitting to her right. They were leaning towards each other and talking intimately,

reminding Zoe of the early years of her marriage. In their first year together they had travelled to

Europe. There had been wild adventures, like skiing in the Alps and cycling in Sweden. Life had been

wonderful: just the two of them, and the world to explore.

Zoe absently stared at the water droplets that slowly formed on the surface of the cool water glass

and thought about their two girls. She had committed herself to raising them while Josh had

embarked on his own private adventure: busily climbing the corporate ladder. On several occasions

they had attempted to plan a journey, but had found themselves caged in by domestic

responsibilities and work commitments. Eventually, the fire of adventure had died into embers. Over

the years, they spent less and less time together. The acid of neglect had slowly eaten into and

weakened the bonds that connected them. Now their relationship was supportive and polite; but

politeness seemed to be all they shared now. Their love had become stale and its passion had slowly,

but surely cooled.

How had time blunted the keen edge of their love? She sighed to herself: if only they could return to

their exhilarating past.

When the girls had moved interstate to attend university, her days had become hollow, and

boredom crept into her bones. Suffocating in the solitude of an empty home, she had only the

television to add human voices to the ticking clocks that kept silence at bay. It was a TV program on

white-water rafting that triggered an idea. Surely, she thought, an adventure trip like that could re-

kindle the companionship of their youth.

That evening, she had approached Josh in his study and rested her hand lightly on his shoulder – a

loving gesture that had become almost foreign to her – and suggested that they should consider

taking a white-water rafting trip to Alaska. In her heart she hoped that Josh, like her, still yearned for

the taste of excitement. Josh merely grunted and concentrated on his project. She had repeated the

idea. Without taking his eyes from the screen, he had half-heartedly murmured an inaudible reply.

Bitter rejection washed over her as she removed her hand and retreated to their bedroom.

There, her despair had turned to rebellion.

There was another thing that troubled her that she didn't like to admit. She had tried to avoid even

thinking the word: Stacey. Josh was the head of the marketing department in an international

company. The occasional late nights at his office had become later, and more frequent. Sometimes

in the morning, his side of the bed would remain untouched. The usual comforting aromas of coffee

and toast would be absent as she walked into the kitchen.

She had met Stacey, Josh’s assistant, only once while dropping off some spreadsheets Josh had left

at home. Stacey was tall and statuesque; her corn-gold hair curled perfectly behind her elegant ears;

but worse, her turquoise eyes had glimmered with admiration when she listened to Josh. Stacey's

presence uncomfortably reminded Zoe of the devastation of some of her friends after their partners

left them for others.

The glowing light from the candle illuminated a wry smile as she remembered her moment of

rebellion. Two weeks ago, after Josh had left for work, she had seen a local newspaper beside his

breakfast things. The bold text ‘WHITE-WATER RAFTING’ had caught her eye. It was an item in the

personal section by a man who was seeking a partner for a white-water trip in Alaska. When Josh

had not removed the paper, she had taken it away and secretly replied.

It had all been done cautiously over the internet: tentative questions, careful replies, assessment of

compatibility, debating with herself. Finally, she agreed to a meeting. Well, she thought, a little

uneasily, it had finally come to this. Would the man be on time? What would he look like? More

importantly, what would he be like?

At seven o’clock she glanced anxiously at the door. A tall, athletic figure was entering the restaurant.

The tempo of her hammering heart soared. She wished that the man did not look so ruggedly

handsome. Taking a deep breath, she wiped her hands against the white fabric of the napkin,

straightened her shoulders, and prepared herself mentally. She suddenly felt that this was not right.

This had all been a terrible mistake! As the man walked towards her table, Zoe closed her eyes and

waited.

There was a feminine squeal and an excited cry of "Darling". When Zoe opened her eyes, the man

had passed, and was in the clutches of a young woman.

Ashamed at herself, Zoe realised she would have to go through this whole terrible trial again. Now

she dreaded the coming of another stranger – the real adventurer. She wondered whether she

should flee, return to the boring safety of home, forget adventuring and sort out her problems with

Josh some other way. There was no time to think and, hanging her head, she again closed her eyes.

"Gotcha!" whispered a voice in her ear. Her eyes snapped open, and her heart stood still. It was

Josh!

He was grinning. "I felt certain you'd answer that dummy advertisement I left in the kitchen." He sat

down opposite her and complained, "You've no idea how difficult it is to conduct an anonymous

correspondence with your wife. Sorry about that, darling, but you always liked a good joke.”

"Anyway," he went on, "last week I finished the project I’ve been working on day and night, as you

know. Stacey’s husband – he works in the office too – will look after my position for a month. We

can finally go to Alaska!" He opened an envelope and handed Zoe a pair of plane tickets, vouchers

for a white-water tour and campsite bookings. “I can't wait to share the thrill with you again."

Through all this, Zoe had sat, immobilised in astonishment.

"You do still want to go with me, don't you?” he asked anxiously.

Zoe smiled. The old Josh was back.