Tamed and Free

Chapter 13: Deacon

Deacon pulled into work. He quickly put Dixie's collar, harness, and leash on, hoping soon he will be walking beside him like Beau does to Gatlin. He walked to work to see his uncle checking a customer out while his aunt was doing some of their paperwork. "Good morning." He chimed with a big smile.

"Well I have never seen you smile like that before Deacon. What's new?" Antoine asked him.

Deacon went behind the counter with him, bringing Dixie along. "I found a dog when I went grocery shopping yesterday. Her name is Dixie. Dr. Schmidt said she was Shetland Sheepdog. Want to hold her?" They already knew that he was at Gatlin's, but they didn't know that they took the next step and was together.

"Of course, son." Antoine picked up Dixie and Dixie thanked him by giving him kisses, "So I'm assuming this is why we are missing a deworming medicine and a flea treatment?"

Deacon pulled his wallet out, "I will pay for it. I was just in a rush to see Gatlin. How much is it?"

Lorna put the clipboard down and looked up, "Don't worry. We added to damage and threw it away. But your mom said you were good with horses right? I need your hel- Well it's more we will help each other. Follow me."

"Yes ma'am." Deacon followed his aunt to the back of the store. The store was in an old barn, with original doors. Lorna opened the barn doors. In the back of the building they had a livestock fence for if anyone to order livestock. Some people like to order from other ranches in the town to not spread inbreeding. Today there was a horse in the gate that came from Montana, like the paper said that his aunt handed him.

"What do you want me to do with this?" Deacon asked, looking over the papers, he saw that the horse was caught a month ago and brought down here by the owner, Mayor Johnson.

Lorna smiled, "Break it. Like you did in Scotland."

Deacon went to pet the horse, the horse went to bite in return. He was just able to pull his hand away. The horse was a stallion, pure white with a white mane and tail. He huffed at Deacon.

"You want me to break the horse in? Why? Isn't there a ranch around here?" Deacon asked as he was watching the horse. "I'm pretty sure Gatlin works at it."

Lorna had walked back in and back out of the store with everything he would need. "I know you don't like standing all day in the store and stocking isn't you thing. But this keeps you outside, like you like. So I began thinking about you working with the Highland cows in Scotland. And I remember you saying that you have broken a few horses. So Mayor Johnson, the owner of this horse, wants him broken within a month. Can you handle it? Or should we send him down to Georgia iNC?"

"I will do it, auntie." Deacon answered her. "But you still haven't answered me why? Who does he belong to? The mayor doesn't seem like the type to ride horses, much less pick a wild one." He remembered when he came into town the first day, he met the mayor. He was short but not to short, and he had a bulge of a stomach, but he wasn't fat. He had dark brown hair but was also balding. He was extremely excited and offered to show Deacon around, or have his kids do it. Deacon refused based on the fact that he was exhausted from the flight.

"The mayor's daughter. She specifically asked for you." Lorna walked back inside and continued with her inventory.

"The mayor's daughter wants only me to break her horse?" Deacon started talking to himself. "Why? I haven't even met her?"

Deacon watched this horse, how it moved, never turning his back to Deacon. Deacon watched him scratch at the ground as a warning. "You must have been or saw another horse be mistreated by humans. I'm sorry big fellow. I don't know how Aunt Lorna wants you broke but I don't break horses. I make you trust your owner. But they aren't here so I will get you to trust me. Alright?"

Deacon spent the entire shift with the horse. He started out by sitting in the gate with him, then he just walked around the gate. After the horse calmed down with him in it, he got the horse used to being petted and touched by human hands. But the horse did not give in when he tried to put the saddle blanket on his back. That was the line that the horse drew. And that was the line Deacon did not feel like crossing just yet. So, he decided to give a treat to and walk around with the horse.

"I don't want to break you, boy. Just like I didn't want my spirit broken, but I had no choice. With the parties and dad dying, my mom couldn't handle me. I got a job to not go to school and school fought with my mom because of it. Threatened to put her in jail. And then I started fighting and got put in jail. My mom sent me here with her sister and sister's husband. I vowed to do whatever it takes to get sent back. But now, I'm not sure I want to. Not with who has my heart now." Deacon confided in the horse. Putting his head on the horse's muzzle. Then he began gaining the horse's trust again.

Antoine went outside a few hours later, Dixie bouncing along beside him. "Deacon!" He called out. When Deacon looked up, he finished his announcement. "We are closing up the shop now. Put the horse in the stable and go home." Deacon didn't realize he spent his entire shift with this horse.

Deacon did just that. He put the horse in the stable, petting him one last time. He cleaned up the gate for tomorrow and fed the horse. He walked in the store and shut the back door. "Alright. Well, he trusts me for now. I will need the owner next time so that they can earn his trust. But I see it is five in the afternoon. Gatlin and I have plans with Takoda and Merida. How was Dixie today?" He whistled for Dixie.

Antoine smiled while petting the puppy. "She was amazing. Definitely a good girl. Take good care of her." He handed him to Deacon. "And take care of yourself too, son."

He kissed his aunt goodbye and shook his uncle hand after they all cleaned the store and Antoine locked the front door. Deacon and Dixie got in his truck and he drove off.