Watching The Star | On Hold

Chapter 4

I watched as Susan ran to the house. What am I going to do now? I don't have a clue how to unsaddle Star.

"Here, let me help you," Henry said as he started loosening the saddle of Star and taking it off together with the blanket underneath. I hadn't noticed him walk up to me, as I was still staring in the house's direction.

I wanted to say something but I couldn't. Maybe thank him? But I was uncomfortable, it was clear Susan didn't like him and so I felt even more uncomfortable with him being nice to me.

"You mind putting him back in the stable?" Henry asked. "I'll put the saddle back in the tack room."

I nodded and brought my hand over to my bag, which was clutched to my side. Inside, I found my notebook and pen.

"Do you know where it is?" I felt my body trembling as I wrote, which made the writing come out badly.

"The tack room? I know where it is, don't worry." Henry said, raising his eyebrows when he read my note. "Why did you write it down and not just say it?"

My face reddened, and I shook my head as I stared at the ground, I shouldn't have assumed that he didn't know his way around the ranch and now I was feeling so embarrassed that I couldn't even get myself to write on my notebook anymore my body was frozen in place.

"Are you alright?" Henry said, sensing my discomfort.

I didn't feel comfortable being alone with a stranger, let alone one that had been rather rude when I had accidentally run into him at the grocery store, but he didn't seem rude now, though it seemed like he had been angering Susan on purpose earlier.

I didn't know what to do and I couldn't move. When I looked up at him, I saw a worried look on his face. And it took everything in me to move my hands and form a sentence on paper.

"I'm fine." I showed it to him and quickly after putting the notebook away, took Star's halter and took him back to his stable without taking another look at Henry and ran back to the house and past Elizabeth who walked through the door probably on her way to Henry, he must think I'm an idiot, why did that have to happen.

When I walked inside and entered the living room, Susan sat sulking on the sofa.

I joined Susan on the sofa. She just sat there browsing her phone and didn't even look up as I sat down.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

Susan put down her phone, dropping it beside her on the sofa, then she crossed her arms and turned to face me. "Do I look like I am okay?"

"Not really..." I went quiet. "Have you talked to your mom about it?"

"Yes," Susan said, and not a word more.

"And...?"

"She said she could use the help and that Henry would start working here in the mornings starting tomorrow." Susan gritted her teeth in anger.

"Oh..." I said, staring down at the empty coffee table. I wondered what the problem between Susan and Henry was, but was too worried to ask. She would tell me herself if she wanted me to know.

"So," Susan said, her arms still crossed. "There goes your morning training sessions unless you'd like to have him watch."

"No, I-I'd rather not..." I said. "We can do it in the afternoon? or evenings?"

"Well, afternoons can be busy, and my other friends might come over," Susan replied. "And evenings, my mom is usually doing her outside chores, putting the horses back inside and feeding them and whatever else needs to be done."

I felt my heart drop at the thought that this might have been the first and also the last time I'd been on a horse.

"But... I am sure we can squeeze in some time to train, and once you've gotten the hang of it, we can go trail riding too, which we can do in the mornings!" Susan said, she didn't like to disappoint me and Susan knew that a big part of why I came on this trip was to ride horses. It wasn't like every minute of the day would be occupied, and even a few minutes of training would boost my mood and be better than none.

"Did I hear trail riding? Count me in!" Kara said, entering the living room. "I don't need any training, but I enjoy the outdoors!"

"Oh, we won't be going yet. First, Lor needs to know the basics of riding," Susan said.

"Ah, that's alright!" Kara replied. "Tell me when we will and I'll come with pleasure! But now I'm gonna walk around outside a bit, and I'm taking Riley."

I felt their eyes landing on me as I scribbled on my notebook. "Who is Riley?"

"Oh, haven't you seen her yet? It's the dog." Kara said. "I'm sure you've seen her around. She's everywhere!"

"Riley is the Australian Shepperd you sometimes see around the ranch," Susan said. She was feeling better by having a change of conversation and no longer had her arms crossed. They were resting on her legs now.

"I have seen her," I wrote, looking at the dog who came running from the kitchen, probably from hearing her name.

Kara chuckled. "Must've heard his name."

"Will you be going far?" Susan said, petting Riley.

"Oh, I will do a hiking route in the forest near here. Your mom recommended it," Kara replied. "The only trail nearby I haven't been on yet."

"Hiking is fun." Susan stood up from the sofa, waking up the white cat that had been lying curled on the mat near her feet. "We should do it as a group sometimes, too! But will anyone be joining you?"

"I'll be taking Riley. And I think Mike had gone outside to feed his sheep earlier, so I might ask him too. You have a great view into his yard from your bedroom window." Kara said, a cheeky smile on her face. "Or if either of you wants to join?"

So Mike is the neighbor? I wonder how far away Kara and Lance live?

"No, I was thinking of doing some baking with Lor," Susan replied, and I looked up, surprised. Susan had not told me about this.

"Okay, well, have fun," Kara said. "I'll be going."

I watched as Kara walked away together with Riley and took his leash from a stand near the door. I stared at the horses that stood outside as the door went open.