Performance

Chapter 5 - Florida

Tuesday, October 24th

We arrived in Loxahatchee, Florida. I felt strange when we turned into the driveway. Being back home, all the good and bad memories were playing a rough game of tag in my head. A clean row of palm trees lined the driveway, accompanied by a pond and some nice landscaping along the right side. The barn had undergone some upgrades, and it looked great. 

We decided to go to Florida first because most of my father's connections, clients and friends are located here.

Although this had only been our home base during the winter months, the time I had spent here was only filled with fun. The Wellington Equestrian Centre is one of the most prestigious places in the United States for competitions during the winter months. 

The two cases I was working on were surely related, not only between each other but also to Indigo's. A few of my questions had been answered by Mario Duncan when he spoke about his confusion for his former stud, Razzu. His concern was justified, as this was an abnormal change in behaviour that forced him to part with the stallion. His change in behaviour and sudden lack in performance aligned with Ted's story of what happened with Indigo.

So far, Lady White, Red and I had gotten some type of a feather/crow sent to us after any sort of accident.

Ted parks his car in front of the barn, near the entrance. From outside, you can see the first few stalls that line each side of the isle. We both get out of the vehicle, and I stand near the car examining my surroundings. A wave of nausea washed over me. The memories came flooding back, it was only when Ted nudged me that I came back to my senses.

"Brings you back huh?" He smirked.

I looked at him for a moment, then back to the stable. "Sure."

He stepped forward, and I trailed behind him like a lost puppy. I was uncomfortable here, but felt rather safe with Ted by my side. I would've never driven to this place even if my father's dying wish was for me to do so. I made myself promise to never come back here, or else how could I truly move on?

The barn not only got a few upgrades on the exterior, but also the interior looked renovated. The stalls looked good as new, the grey metal sliding doors had been replaced with low stall fronts, with swooping curves amongst the black steel posts that made it so the horses could hang it's head and neck out into the isle.

"Wow, this looks... different." I muttered, glancing up at the ceiling only to notice chandeliers lining the ceiling. "Where did my father find the money for all this?"

Ted shrugged, just as clueless as I was. At the end of the isle, we turned left and headed into the office. The office on the other hand hadn't changed one bit. The walls still emitted a rustic atmosphere with the dark wood panels that surrounded me. Picture frames holding thousands of memories were neatly arranged on shelves which covered the walls. The desk was made still as I remembered, old and out of style.

"Wow." I was speechless, to say the least. This room brought me back in time, and did it ever make me feel sick. Sure, the memories I had here were amazing, but that doesn't take away the fact that my father might've betrayed me. I'm feeling ill.

My gaze shifted to the photographs, and I noticed a picture of me and Indigo dating back to when we won our first Grand Prix together. I gave a small smile to the picture.

"I can't believe he kept this picture." I grasped the picture frame in my hands to have a better look at it.

"He never stopped loving you, you know." He added, as he walked behind the desk.

I raised my eyebrows and a low chuckle escaped my lips. Yes, my dear beloved father, still loved the daughter he kicked out of his own home. How ironic.

"Would you have any idea what his password would be?" He looked up to me and I played with the inside of my cheek, thinking.

"Try my birthday." I laughed.

Guess what? It was my birthday.

To our surprise, everything had been deleted. Emails, text messages, internet history, all gone. 

"Ted, let's call it a day for today. I'm exhausted. I can hack into this tomorrow and revive old emails." I exhaled and walked out of the office.

The truth is, I'm overwhelmed right now. I had completely left this life behind, it was difficult to come back here. 

The stable was completely empty. The horses would only start to arrive in late November for the winter circuit. Silence engulfed me, it was extremely uncomfortable. I began walking a little faster. There was no way to properly describe how I felt. I was feeling nostalgic, I guess.

I stopped and leaned by the entrance. I looked around the property, and took in its beauty I fought so hard to forget. The gorgeous paddocks that were evenly laid out side by side, the grass growing green amongst them. The flowers and the hedges, tremendously overgrown, that lined the driveway. The statue that stood proudly in the middle of the parking lot. 

I felt a hand wrap itself around my shoulder. "Everything okay?" 

I sighed and looked down at my feet before giving him a shy smile. "It's hard, coming back. It feels... Strange. Like I'm meant to be here." 

He dropped his hand and stood beside me. We stood in a comfortable silence for a while.