"The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope."
Her Daddy always said James Buchan always understood what fishing was really about. That men forgot that fishing wasn't just about catching a fish. That it was a return to simplicity. A way to let the weight of the world disappear and find serenity in one fairly simple act.
That was why early this morning, Rory picked up the fishing gear her daddy sent her, dressed comfortably, pulled her hair up, and headed for the lake. She had one thing in mind for the next few hours and one thing only.
Fish.
There was a gentle calm in the repetition of the movement. Put the bait on the hook, cast the line, wait for a nibble. Every so often give the line a little movement to entice the prey. It was quiet. Smooth. Uncomplicated. Unlike everything else in her life lately.
Rory knew that there were people who had it worse. Much worse. But she also knew that it was never a competition. Or rather, it never should be. Everyone had bad times. Everyone had things they couldn't wrap their heads around. Rory's came in the form of one night, uncertainty in terms of standing, and her own heritage and what it meant for her future.
So, in an effort to just restart herself, she'd gone back to the one thing her daddy always brought her to do when she was having trouble and visited home. And she'd been at it for a while now... long before the sun had risen - as it was doing now. The bonus to this was that if she caught fish, she could at least fry them up for dinner later on. If she didn't, it wasn't a loss because she managed to get out of her head for a little while.
She was expecting no texts from her sister or Thorne today since she turned off her phone. Expected no visitors since she told no one where she was going. Rory had just packed up and made the much-needed walk. And she was so very glad she had. This had been exactly what she needed. At least for a while. Even if it was just a temporary reprieve, it was one that helped to lessen the weight on her shoulders.