When We Meet Again.

Chapter 14: Alek

My parents got back from their trip and my mother wanted to meet with me. So here we are at the feed store diner. Amora and I just met them there. I forced myself to appear normal for Amora. I want to be the strong big brother for her and if she sees my pain, she'll get hurt too. Mother wants me to go to an expensive college with a perfect football program. Her chosen college for me is out of state. My college is just outside of town and has a good football program. It's also close to my sister. With our parents being gone so often, I feel bad leaving her behind. And I can't forget about Amry. I am brought out of my thoughts by snapping in front of my face. I realized I tuned out my mother and her annoying rambling I've heard about a thousand times now. "Did you hear anything I said, Alekander?" I sigh before realizing my sister was missing. "Where is Amora?" I turn around to scan the room. I see her standing by the gorgeous lady I recognize. She gets Amry's attention and begs to be picked up. Amry is standing at the cash register and the cashier handed her back her card.

She goes to heave the bag of feed over her shoulder while still holding Amora. I go up to them and ask if she wants me to take my sister from her. When she shrugs and moves closer to her, Amora grabs onto me. I ask her to join us and she says after she takes the feed to her truck. When we return, I introduce her to my parents. My father is nice to her and likes her. My mother not so much. Which is typical of her, leaves for awhile and comes back expecting me to be madly in love with Dixie. Every single time. She starts ranting on about how great Dixie is. She starts comparing Amry to Dixie. Luckily Amry's phone starts ringing and after excusing herself, she leaves. When she returns, she tells us she needs to go back home. When I ask her if we can come along, mom cuts in, ""This meeting is about your football scholarships not that girl's horse. You need to focus on that and not her." She directs this at Amry, "And you need to stay away from my son." Amry's response is respectful but stern. "I do not have time for this. I do not know why you don't like me. I have been respectful to you the whole time we met. So argue over me, then, I'm going to prevent the loss of my horse's and her baby's life. And Alek, why don't you go visit the girl who tried to steal my horse for her baby and was involved in the plan to burn down my barn. I've been nice this whole time, Mrs. Eleanor, you have brought me to say these words." She leaves and heads for her truck. A few minutes later I am following her with Amora in my truck. When I get there, Amry is already preparing. After moving the foal, she slides right out of her mother.

The mare who turned around to look at her foal, licks Amry's head. She disregards her foal and when Amry steps away, she almost steps on her filly. Amry spends most of the morning early afternoon trying to find a mare who lost her foal through her vet. Finally she finds a mare who lost her foal and her owners were willing to sell her. Once that settles down, more trouble is heading our way. The familiar purr of my father's truck is heard just outside. When we go outside, we see my mother just sliding out of her fancy car. Dad says to mom before she can even start talking, "Honey, I told you, people fall in love with people that someone might not approve of. Our son is in love and happy. Can't you see it? Even Amora loves her, she asked her to pick her up like they were sisters. Amry is a good girl and has a wonderful heart." Mom turns to face dad, furious. "Luke. Where is this girl going to go? Is she going to leave her horses to follow him to college? He needs someone who isn't going to hold him back." I pull Amry into my side and Amora reaches out to play with her hair.

"I've told you, a faraway college is not something I want. Everything I want is here." I told mom. I feel Amry tense under my arm. She grabs something in the barn and asks us to go inside. When we do she shuts the door. A black horse comes around the barn. Amora tugs on my jeans and I turn to look at her. She wants to be picked up. So I pick her up and when I turn back to the window, I see Amry standing in front of the horse that is now rearing. White stripes mark his beautiful coat and legs. His front feet finally hit the ground and Amry loops the lasso over his head. It settles on his neck and she slowly tightens it. He tries to take off but she manages to tie him to a post. She disappears for a second and emerges a minute later with a halter. She gently slides it over his ears and the soft cotton noseband is slid over his nose. She calls her brother over to help move the stallion. When she is done she heads back to the barn and moments later she emerges from a door at the other side of the barn. She must have overheard mother's comment about this place because she says, "That was an abused and terrified horse. He has been poorly treated by his previous owners." My mother scowls at Amry. "I don't like you." Mother says. "We will talk about this at home." She directs this at me and leaves. My dad sends an apologetic look as my mother screams from the truck, "Get over here. Now!" My father scrambles to appease her.

"Sorry about her. I don't know why she likes Dixie so much. You were amazing today." I smile at Amry and she returns it with one of her dazzling smile. I pull her into my side and she invites us for dinner. A old chevy truck rumbles down the driveway, and Amry goes out to see who it is. "Well look what the lone wind blew in. James Hawktooth, it's been a while." Amry calls out to the man in the truck. "Well, I gotta take a trip off the reservation once and a while to see how keeping my grandson in line is going for ya." Amry laughs her beautiful laugh, "Well, that's when the need of lasso comes in. When he's bad I grab my lasso and loop it around his waist." James breaks out a full toothed smile. "I knew I liked you for a reason, girly." James and Amry embrace.