Greenbriar Manor

Reckoning Dawn

Mari and Fern watched the stallion in the coral all afternoon from the loft. When it turned dusk they left for home. Ingrim and Mack have brushed the horse and fed him for the night. Fran had spent a lot of time on the phone with Ferrier and mumbling about the old man today from her office between cleaning tasks.  In addition to the recent equine acquisition apparently, she had noticed Fern's mother had not returned for cleaning. Fern had come for the laundry early yesterday but there had been no one to sign for the drop off. Fran also seemed to notice that the aprons and other linens were not as clean or as pressed as they had been before. She had mentioned it to the owners and they told her to keep the laundress on for a while yet until they could find a replacement.

 A shiver went down his spine. He must tell his mother to do a more thorough job or she would lose the contract. Someone else would be called and his sister would lose her only friend here. That would not do and if something did not turn up for Fran soon she and her son might leave. There were too many unknowns. The house was fickle bringing people from the past to replace the future. Maybe to rebuild it. But this day he needed to talk to Fran himself about a job and hope that their father would be a mite forgetful. The family was wary of his advanced age. He would make a deal with her. For a little while they could be together. Just long enough to tame that horse and bring back the joy that they had known here long ago. Family first was a motto that mattered to the Greene's above all others and the staff here and they all had become that over many years of joy and secrets. Tonight he would walk into the barn and face the stallion. He would hope that he could ride that great animal again and that Fran would see his need and worth. That she would finally begin to understand the places where her past and present intersected instead of covering the truth like her grandma covered it with plastic over the furniture.  

He walked into the house and called out for the boys. The greeted him and told them about the horse. They wanted him to see it. He told them he needed to speak to their mom about something for his mother. They happily ran out to the stable.  He found her in the linen closet refolding Fern's messily washed towels.  Fran smiled as Brooklyn appeared in the room and spoke to her. She noticed that he looked different lately. He looked gaunt and his skin had the same unhealthy tone Fern's had. She wondered how much he ate or how well he had slept. She asked him if he was alright. He commented on the horse and how two summers he had helped his uncle with breaking some horses on a ranch. He asked if he could help with the elderly man by feeding the horse and maybe working with the boys on how to clean up and ride a horse so that the man would not have to worry over everything so. She smiled at how his eyes seemed to sparkle when talking about the stable and the old man. Maybe he missed his own father. She definitely would feel safer if the boys learned from someone they knew and trusted. She nodded. She told him that he could work for three nights meals to help his family and a small salary to give them help to replace things like pencils and paper for school and clothes on the Greene's budget but that he would have to keep his grades up and mind his own mother's schedule. He smiled and obliged. Fran was happy. As he left the office he could hear her humming a soft lullaby. Fran was not too early or too late. 

He went out to see the horse. Ingrim was acting as if he was going to try and bridle him and he was snorting and prancing around the edge of the fenceline.  Mack looked scared. He told Ingrim to step away from the horse and to watch as he petted the stallion. That Fran had hired him to show them how to ride.  He stepped into the ring and made a soft clicking sound at the horse. He walked over to him and stood still. The coal eyes of the horse stayed steady on Brooklyn as he patted his side. He could tell the animal sensed something but he did not spook. He turned to his owner and winnied and Ingrim entered the corral. He walked up slowly and touched him on the withers. The coal eye softened and he licked his hair. Mack laughed and so did Brooklyn. Horses were picky but he had chosen the right one. He told him to continue petting him and earning his trust and one day with the old man's help they would have him learn to ride but without trust there could be no work. That day the boys learned their first horse truth. 

The man was called into the office and the housekeeper told him an executive decision had been made he would have a young man as an assistant at the insistance of the owners and her son. Not one to take his job but to help the young kids adjust to horse ownership and respect. He nodded that seemed to be a fine idea. He was going to ask for someone anyway. This place had a way with making things plain. He was old now. His family gone. Maybe he would have something to leave to someone else afterall instead of trying to outrun an age old  nightmare. 

Fran told him that he would find the lad in the barn with the boys. But by dusk they had left and turned in for the night. There was a young boy in the corral petting and watering the horse when he walked into the moonlight. Something about him looked familiar but sad. He reminded him of himself at that age. The boy was likely taking on a family weight of his own and the lady had told him his mother was sick and the dad had run off. He wanted to show this boy the right way to raise this beautiful horse not to want for power or speed but  to honor its own feelings and home here. He found himself telling the boy working that night a story or two. Winding back to his homecountry and then some of the horses he had cared for over the years. He asked if he had ever heard of Rabbit and Sultan and he shook his head. So the old man started to tell a tale. Brooklyn hung his head and listened to the tale he would most not hear and yet what he needed most.  "Fifty years ago Boy-o. there in this same barn was a wee lad . Much like ye. He was bound to race a horse that was fire and strength incarnate. Much like that beast there we need to tame. But that horse and his mare they were something else. Something supernatural they be. Fairies or Spirits and they took me son away. Me son was the best rider in this state. He loved that Rabbit more than eating or sleeping or any of us. He worked right here up until his 14th birthday. It was a race day. Fanfare and all the trimmings only the best for them Greenes. They wanted another to ride his lass mare and he would not hear to it. I begged him to stop his ma too and he took off on her like fire in a barn. She ran after her mate that had sprung free from the starting line and into a thicket over a log she jumped and he disappeared. That damned black demon ran on and on and that beauty crumpled in the stream. Her leg was damaged but we sent her to a pasture to live out her days but my boy he was gone with that black horse....he started to sob. We buried that bridle and saddle under the tree out back no one could ride here again. When I left my son that day staring at me yet not knowing where he was I had to leave. His ma and sister would be on the Greene's good graces. But I had to find better horses and new highways. But I had to come back for I am gettin old now and I want to be here to see my boy and his ma one last time. Somewhere they be waitin for me and I am gonna train one last horse. For my son. We train him together and ye make an old man have one last good deed fore he goes home. What say ye lad? 

Brooklyn nodded and turned to face his father. Though he could not tell directly who he saw the warmth was there. His dad's grey eyes had crow feet wrinkles. His face once clean was now covered in a peppery beard. His features plump and red not gaunt like they had been in youth. His muscles strong but smaller than his prime. He reached out his hand to shake his father's hand and as his palm touched the man he had lost 50 years ago something passed between them like a white hot heat. The horse snorted and shimmied. The man felt chills roll down his spine and Ingrim woke up with a charlie horse in his leg wailing and holding his ankle he had dreamed of falling from his father's car after a loud horn blared in his ears. Dreamed of his mother's face as she looked at him and sobbed quietly as he was rolled into a room with a very loud sink faucet. A doctor talking hurriedly and washing his hands over and over. Muffled sounds of laughter  too far away to determine and then a great flash of light and twinkling bells. When he woke up he found a note by the bed. 

"Ingrim, 

Don't you worry about your dad or the attitude of that horse now.  He is getting used to us all here at the manor. Like you did when you first came. But you got great things ahead of you. When you become a famous horseman you bet he will come calling you and your mom away to somewhere pretty for a while.  Fran and me we gotta plan. That man is a fine gentle soul and he knows horses real well. I heard my momma tell me he was the best once and will be again. You  Greene's only trust the best to come and help those you love. We  will help you get your new horse to great health and you to great things. You are our family now. "

Sincerely, 

Brooklyn and Mack