"Bullseye!" Patrick roared loudly as the dart landed in the middle of the board. A score of 364 was etched onto the scoreboard using a long piece of chalk. Cheers could be heard from behind him.
"Top shot!"
"Well done"
"Not bad for a doctor, eh doc?"
But the Scottish lilt in congratulations of his wife, and enthusiastic cheers from his son were the only voices he heard as clear as a summer sky.
Shelagh had decided that a well deserved day off from work in the school holidays that they would go for a picnic, a long drive and then finish the day off a nearby pub. Her plan to ease the tension that had fallen around the family since the disappointing adoption interview but eventually talk with each other had worked, and they had laughed and smiled for the first time in days. Even if the peace only lasted a day, Shelagh was determined to keep the family she had in her near sight, together.
Several darts later, Patrick's opponent was left with a double one to finish, and he himself had nine to go.
'Aim for the double four, double one' He told himself. Double one at the top right was a difficult throw for Patrick, who preferred to throw for numbers at the top left, being naturally left-handed. But he'd certainly not this far to just give up.
He threw the first dart. Three. That meant six left to get, but he had to land on a double to finish and win; so he positioned himself and aimed for the 'double three'. Three. He sighed, so close, he thought. Rolling his shoulders back, he could either bust his turn or aim for the 'double one' at the top right, which he found one of the hardest places on the board, being left handed. Again, he positioned himself, but moved slightly further to the right in hopes that it would cancel out the use of his left hand. He slowly pulled his arm back, then forward and released the dart like a bullet from a gun. The dart flew through the air, and landed perfectly in the middle of the 'double one' bed. Roars from behind him made him jump, as he took in the score that all three darts on the board added together made. He'd won!
He clapped with and ran his hand through his hair, then next thing he knew was men coming toward him to clap him on the back and congratulate him. He pulled his wife toward him and kissed her on the lips soundly, much to Tim's exaggerated degust. In fact, he liked seeing his parents so happy and free in one another's company, it hadn't been like that for, what felt like, a long time.
