A Medallion

Chapter 22

Vanessa's POV:  

As I watched Tessa's family and her friend leave Vantage Point through the iron gates, I pondered her offer to come visit at Star Run.  

I knew my mom would be fine with it, I'd just say, "Hey mom, I'm going over to Star Run Stables tomorrow."  And she say,  "Okay, have fun honey."  Maybe ask me just where that was, and why I was going.    

It wasn't that she didn't care about my whereabouts.  But neither was she too concerned as to where I was.  I was free to go and do what I wanted, a privilege I knew most teenagers didn't have.  

I turned and walked up towards the stable.  Tessa's words were still ringing in my head.  Are you going to try?  You must try.  

I was normally a person to grab the bit, so to speak, and tackle to the ground whatever came my way.  Whatever came up in my way, I took it on.  And normally, that gave me success quickly.  

But not with Medallion.  I fought with her these five months.  And instead of pinning her down, she'd pinned me down.  

She was the first horse to have done that.

And now, I was faced with a question.  If my take down strategy to life didn't work, what did I do then?  Was I willing to try another way and keep going?

I reached Medallion's stall and looked over the door.  She turned to look at me, then went back to her hay.  I ran my eye over her.  

Her black coat gleamed in the light, contrasting sharply with her white socks.  It was an enamoring combination.  It was one major reason I had bought her. 

I shook my head and turned away.  After all I'd done, could a 'classical way' really help, as Tessa said?

I remembered Challenger and how she was able to ride him, when I could not.  She could ride Medallion too.  

I let out a long breath and suddenly felt tired.  I didn't want to deal with it all right now, it was too confusing.  I wanted the decision to be over with, done and made, but I couldn't make it.

I went back to my home, seeing as there was nothing for me to do in the stable.  I didn't want to face the choice I had to make.  Thinking about it just seemed too hard.  

Instead, I went upstairs to my room, grabbed my Apple laptop and curled up on my bed.  I flipped through social media, loosing myself in a world not my own and clicking myself into a stupor.  

A knock on the door finally startled me out of it and I looked up.  "Yes?"  

"Your mother wanted me to remind you that dinner is in ten minutes."  A demure female voice intoned through the door.  

I glanced at the time on my laptop as I said, "Okay, thanks."

I shut the laptop's lid with a bang and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, groaning softly as I was moved from my comfy position.   I squinted as at the light pouring into my window from the setting sun.  

I changed out of my riding clothes before padding down the stairs towards the dining room.  Mother looked up as I entered.  

"Hey honey, where've you been?"  

I slipped into my chair.  "Oh, just in my room."  I was half-hoping she wouldn't ask how Tessa's visit had gone, and half hoping she would.  

"Did you convince the gray gelding's owner to sell?"  Sure enough, she asked.  

"No," I said as a servant put down a plate in front of me with spaghetti on it.  "No.  I didn't." 

She looked up sharply from her phone at this, even going so far as to set it aside.  "You didn't?"  

I shook my head as I picked up my fork.  

"Well, what happened?  What went wrong?"  

I paused just before I stabbed into my spaghetti.  "Well...  How do I say this?  Everything went wrong.  But, at the same time, it didn't."  

I went on to explain the whole thing, from beginning to end, as the fresh taste of spaghetti reminded me of how hungry I was.  I powered through two platefuls.

As dessert, which was a chocolate cake that our chef made like it was an exquisite dish and not some common American food, was set in front of us I wound up my story.  "I've just been in my room since.  I can't make the choice to sell Medallion or try one more time with her."  

"Well, you better decide quick," said mother as she sliced into the cake.  

"What?  Why?"  

"You didn't see my text?"  

"No, I don't guess I did...  What'd it say?"  

"Someone called about Medallion.  They're interested in her.  I told her they could come see her tomorrow at 2 P.M."  

The cake on my plate suddenly didn't seem so good.  "Oh...  Couldn't you tell them to come another time?"  

She shook her head.  "No.  They're heading to their home in Georgia in a few days.  It's now or never if they're going to look at and possibly buy Medallion."

Now the cake really didn't look good.  But I cut into it anyway with my fork.  "There are no other buyers?"  

"No."  

"What are they buying her for anyway?"  

"As a potential broodmare.  I mean, she's not good for anything else is she?"   

I stuck the cake in my mouth but didn't register it.  "Alright...  I'll think about my decision."

Mother had already finished her cake and was standing up from the table, probably to go do more phone calls.  "Honey, it doesn't matter to me if you keep Medallion or not.  But make sure you're making the best choice for you."  

I didn't sleep well that night, and rose earlier in the morning than usual.  I didn't bother with breakfast and pulled on my riding clothes before heading out to Vantage Point.  I wanted, no needed, to see Medallion.

Dew was on the grass and wet my boots as I walked towards the paddocks.  I knew she'd be there, since she was on the morning turn out rotation.   

Sure enough, she was there, and was grazing on the lush pasture.  She raised her head as I climbed over the white fence, not bothering to unchain the gate.  

"You're the cause of all my problems," I mumbled.

She snorted and shook her head, then went back to grazing.  

I twirled a piece of mane around my finger as I listened to her rip off bites of grass.  For a moment, I didn't think about whether I would sell her.  I relaxed against that relaxing sound of her ripping and chewing, ripping and chewing.  

AN:  Hey ya'll, shorter chapter here.  

Because I'm doing the editing of A Challenge and only have so much time on my hands, Sunday updates might end up having to be half chapters or something like that for a little while.  But guess what?  

We're going to be having some fun with A Challenge's publishing in this book -->  

Do check it out and I hope you guys have fun with me!  

See you next Sunday!