Horse Ears.

Chapter Two.

“Aunt Jeanette!” I squealed, spotting my redhead godmother picking up one of my bags off the luggage carousel in the baggage claim. I popped a bubble with my gum before running up to her.

My “aunt” wrapped her thin but muscular arms around me. “Oh, my sweet Lacey,” she said. “Come, come, grab your last bag. We must hurry to get home. It will take a while, and you need to get settled in and of course you’re going to want to see the horses.”

My eyes found the glass doors that led outside. It was still bright out, but it took about four hours to drive to the ranch in the middle of nowhere. If we were lucky, we could get there in three and a half.

I pulled my last suitcase—the biggest one—off the conveyor and placed it next to the other two. My aunt grabbed it and another before taking off. I stuck my tongue out at her before grabbing the last one and following.

We walked to the car, which was pretty close to the terminals. It was in the parking garage, taking up two spaces, thanks to my aunt who has trouble parking. It was at the edge, letting a bit of sun on the hood.

I let out a low whistle.

The shiny red truck seemed to glitter in the bit of light shining on it. It was a Ford, of course, a Super Duty truck. My best guess was that it was used to tow horses and cows, maybe pigs every once in a while.

Aunt Jeanette carefully put my bags in the back and my eyes found the sky. It wasn’t going to rain from what I could see, but there could be a monsoon over the ranch I was heading to.

I jumped into the passenger seat, noticing how it smelled new. She must have gotten it less than a month ago. Her cars and trucks usually smell of horses.

“So I hear you’ve been giving your Ma trouble,” My aunt said, starting the truck.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course not,” I said, sarcasm dripping from my words.

“Honey,” My aunt said. “You can’t just always do that with your Ma. It gives her heart attacks.”

I shrugged. “Oops?”

“Why’d you come home high? Why do you do those things?”

“Can’t I have fun every once in a while? Mom drinks all the time. Why can’t I?”

“Because you’re seventeen.”

My aunt pulled onto the highway. I sighed. Of course my aunt would try to do something to change my mind about how I live.

I looked at her out of the corner of my eye. Her curly red hair had been pulled back with a clip and her bangs were in her eyes. She had slight laugh lines on her cheeks and freckles across her nose. With her bright green eyes, you might even think that we’re actually related. She stood at five foot eight inches, not quite my height, but taller than my mom. Aunt Jeannette was forty-one years old—two years older than my mom.

“I’m not allowed to have any fun because I’m seventeen?” I asked, twisting her words and wanting to hear her reply.

My aunt rolled her eyes, making a lane change and speeding up slightly.

“You know that’s not what I said, Lacey Ann.”

I shrugged, making a face. “That’s what it sounded like.”

Aunt Jeanette rolled her eyes. “Shush.”

There was silence for a bit. I had missed this place so much. Everything here was green. Definitely different from California--at least Southern California. Once you were out of the major city, you were lost in the forests and the green hills stretching on and on. It was a sight for sore eyes. It felt as if I was in a place where I could do anything and everything would be okay. I stared out the window. I hoped everything would be okay.