*Three years from the previous chapter.*
*******************
"That was a great run Avery!" Gavin exclaimed as I pulled up to the fence surrounding the crude dirt track that the jockeys and horses trained on.
"It was all Fire," I replied patting my sturdy mount.
"He's come such along way," Gavin said grinning up at me stroking the stallions chestnut neck.
"Yeah, do you really think he could win the triple crown?" I asked casually sliding out of the saddle into Gavin's arms.
"Of course he is. I told you that and I would marry you right here but I already said that I'm not proposing until you cross the finish line of the Belmont stakes with two previous wins under your belt," he said dead serious and took a hold of Fire's reigns.
It had been three years since Fire had been born and we trained for the Triple Crown races nearly every day. A lot had changed around the farm. My first horses that I had used in actual races were retired and Jessie was expecting a foal in the next week. My old horse Hot Spurs that I had used for riding around had passed on last summer and if I was going for a ride Ralph had permitted me to take Justice for light rides. Ralph had decided to name the colt American Fire. Gavin, Fire and I had become inseparable and we had qualified to run in the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness stakes and the Belmont Stakes. Ralph was expecting great things from us and I was constantly on edge and worried about Fire. He didn't seem to have the push to run when I was working him on the track but he was pretty damn fast.
"Do you want to go watch a movie tonight?" I asked Gavin wanting to escape from the barn for a few hours.
"Yes, in town or at the house," he asked starting to lead Fire towards the barn.
"In town, your dad payed me yesterday so I have a bit of money to spend," I stated.
Gavin shot me a glare, "When a boyfriend takes his girlfriend out to the movies, the boyfriend usually pays,"
"I know but I don't want you to feel like you have to pay every time we go somewhere," I said sagely.
"I know you can take care of yourself but I love you and I want to spoil you rotten," he said casually and flicked on the hose to rinse off Fire's sweaty back.
"Yuck Gavin, you know I hate when you talk like that," I said disdainfully.
"I know, I just enjoy watching you squirm," he shot back and aimed the hose at me. I screamed as the icy water soaked the front of my shirt and pants. I grabbed a bucket next to the wash stall with dirty suds in it and sloshed it all over his blue and white polo. He smiled devilishly and my heart began to race. He tied Fire's reigns on one of the rails and prowled towards me. I was cornered, and he was coming faster with every step.
"Gavin," I warned but he just grinned.
He tangled his fingers in my hair and kissed my forehead slowly moving down my face to my lips. What a little shit I thought he was going to tackle me. I blushed fiercely and his lips landed on mine and god did I enjoy it. Gavin and I weren't the insanely PDA lovey dovey couple and he had never chased me down. I was marking the days until the very first Triple Crown race.
By the time we were down we were a mess. We were soaking wet, our clothes were muddy and not to mention our hair. He smiled at me clearly pleased with himself, untied Fire and backed him out of the wash stall. I followed him out and after Fire was secured and fed we trudged up to the house.
Katie had moved out two years ago with her boyfriend and the house was oddly empty. Only three of use remained and if the racing gods were on our side then it would just be Ralph here after the Belmont Stakes race.
We showered, dried our hair and then we took off to the little town ten minutes from the house. The evening was clear and a slight breeze tousled my hair as we walked from the parking lot to the theater. It was cool inside the theater and the greasy smell of popcorn assaulted my nose. My stomach panged with hunger, I had forgotten to eat supper. Gavin purchased the tickets and bought a popcorn and two drinks. We entered the darkened theater and took our seats.
************
An hour later we emerged from the theater. Gavin and I drove home and pulled into the barnyard to check on the horses before we went in to the house for the night. The barn light was still on which was odd because no one was supposed to be in there this time of night.
"Dad must have forgotten to turn off the light when he checked on them earlier," Gavin guessed as we trudged into the barn.
Gavin walked down the first aisle while I veered off into the second aisle. The body of a man lay in a crumpled heap in front of an open and empty stall door.
"Gavin," I screamed and his footsteps pounded along the concrete floor.
"Oh my god it's my dad," Gavin cried out and dropped to his knees checking Ralph's limp body for a pulse.
"I'm calling 911," I stammered and pounded the three numbers into mu phone.
"911 what's your emergency?" A lady answered and I gave her the information on how to get here.
Gavin was on the kneeling on the floor with his father's head in his lap. He rocked back and forth and tears streaked his face.
"There was a horse in here Avery, Dad must have been taking it back from being groomed when this happened. Please, can you go find it?" he begged me.
"Will you be going to with him," I said gesturing to Ralph's frail body. Gavin nodded. "I'll tend to the horses and close up when you leave. I'll go up to the house and let your sister know what happened. Don't worry about me,"
I could hear the sirens in the distance as I began my search for the horse. The nameplate it's door read Gladiator and I remembered the horse. He was particularly headstrong and pushy and neither Gavin nor I enjoyed him.
I heard the ambulance pull out of the drive and tear down the road it's siren blaring. The chill in the wind bit through my coat and I grimaced. I called out to Gladiator and weak nicker answered. I drudged through the wet grass searching for the source of the noise. I turned slightly to face the woods that bordered the property and I could make out the outline of a large horse. I made my way towards the shape and Gladiator greeted me. His dark brown coat was dull and covered in mud and water. His back leg was at a weird angle and I knew it was broken. I gingerly took hold of his halter and slowly led him to the barn. After he was settled in his stall I called the farm's vet.
The vet arrived an hour later and set a cast on Gladiator's leg. He called it a clean break and gave the horse some painkillers. I told him to bill the farm and he left right away. It was now very early in the morning.
The house was spookily quiet and picked up the house phone to call Katie she answered immediately and told me she'd leave in an hour to go to the hospital. I said good-bye and hung up the phone, I wouldn't sleep tonight and I didn't have a vehicle to drive to the hospital so I turned on the living room lamp and curled up on the couch with one of my beloved tattered books and began to read.
I said a small prayer for Ralph after I turned the last page of the novel, the sun breaking over the trees outside the window.
A/N:
Please Vote and comment I would REALLY appreciate it.
-Maddy
YOU ARE READING
FLY
Teen FictionI had a dream but I was being held back. I had A life I wanted to live. I ran and I never looked back. I don't regret it, not one second of it. It was hard but I kept going. I failed over and over, but never gave up.
