Where Your Loyalties Lie

Chapter Sixty-One: South Dakota Countryside

The rest of Easter break was great. One day, John took me out to learn how to drive his truck. It was completely safe because we were driving on old back roads where hardly anybody goes anymore. After a few lessons, I talked him into letting Draco and I take his truck driving around looking at all the beautiful scenery. Some people think that South Dakota's countryside is boring because it's all flat land and a bunch of grass, but I think it is absolutely beautiful.

"Where exactly are we going, Katie?" Draco asked after we had been driving for a while. This was the second time we had taken the truck for a drive, except this time we left in the morning. I planned for us to be gone longer than we were the night before.

"It's a surprise. You'll see when we get there," I answered.

"There isn't anything around for miles though!" He retorted. I just smiled and turned up the radio volume a little bit higher. Ten minutes later we arrived at a ranch full of various species of farm animals, horses being the majority.

"Is that you, Katie? My oh my have you grown!" Roy chuckled, grinning from ear to ear as he walked towards the truck. "Come over here and give me a hug," he commanded, holding his arms out.

I obliged, hopping out of the truck and walking the few steps over to him. "It's good to see you again, Roy!" We stepped apart and I turned back to see Draco getting out of the truck, unsure of what he should do. He hesitantly walked over to us. "Roy, this is my boyfriend Draco. Draco, this is Roy, he's a close friend of the family. Roy was John's best man at him and my mother's wedding."

"Nice to meet you," Draco greeted, holding out his hand for Roy to shake. Roy laughed and took Draco's hand, pulling him in for a bear hug.

"He's a hugger," I whispered to Draco once he was back at my side. "John told me we should come here to ride horses. I argued that neither of us know how, but he insisted we come anyway and learn."

"Well that sounds like a great idea! I'm busy with feeding the other animals right now, but Brian could help teach you two. He's in the stables brushing the horses right now. Why don't you head over there now? I'm sure he'd be glad to see you again," Roy told us.

"Alright, thank you!" I replied before taking Draco's hand and leading him towards the stables. "I haven't seen Brian in ages! He's Roy's son, and he was the ring bearer at Mom's wedding. We were best friends until I moved to England."

"You've never talked much about living here before living in England before," Draco pointed out.

"That's because there wasn't really anything that came up about it before," I said, shrugging. We stopped talking as we got closer to the stables. I led the way inside silently and found Brian with his back towards us brushing a chestnut colored thoroughbred. "Need any help?" I called out. He jumped and turned around, surprised, but then his face broke out into a smile.

"Katie Brown, how long has it been?"

"Eleven years," I answered jokingly. "I didn't think you'd recognize me after such a long time."

"Of course it's you, your eyes are still the same bright blue as they always were. Get over here," he shouted, gesturing for me. I rushed over and hugged him and he picked me up off the ground, squeezing me tight. When he put me back on the ground, he looked me over and said, "You sure did turn out all right!"

I laughed, "So did you! Wow, you've gotten tall!"

"Always was, compared to you," He stated with a wink.

"Oh shut up!" I punched him in the arm.

"So what are you doing here?"

"John told us we should come and learn how to ride horses," I informed him.