FLY

Chapter 22: Race #1

     We pulled into the temporary stables that we set up behind the Kentucky Derby race track and Gavin began to unload Fire from the trailer. I began to pull my hair into a tight braid and I bowed my head so I could finish the end. As I ended it with my elastic a pair of expensive boots came into view and I sucked in a breath.

     "Good morning Raein," I spat and straightened up.

     "Good day for an ass kicking isn't it Avery," she said sweetly and picked a horse hair off of her expensive jacket and casually flicked it at me.

      "Who's ass Raein, yours or mine?" I snarl and I here Gavin come up behind me with Fire in tow.

      "Easy Av," Gavin says softly and places his free hand on my arm and his touch calms me a little bit.

      "You're racing that?" Raein says disgustedly and scoffs pushing her long dark hair over her shoulder.

       I narrow my eyes and hold my tongue, mentally repeating to myself that its so not worth it. When she see Fire's ass in her face on the track that will be all the satisfaction I need.

      "Raein I think it's best that you left and went and tended to your horse seeing as the race starts in an hour and a half." Gavin suggests.

      "That's a wonderful idea Gavin, I'll see you later." Raein tries to say seductively and flounces off.

      I grind my teeth together and Gavin picks up my racing bag off the ground. He hands it to me and without a word exchanged I trudge off to get changed. 

     I emerge from the bathroom in my racing silks and boots, the helmet and goggles that I will be wearing are tucked under my arm. Gavin looks up from picking Fire's hooves and grins at me.

     "What?" I ask him, smiling.

     "I just can't believe we're an hour away from racing in the first leg of the triple crown," he says and turns back to inspecting Fire's hooves.

      "Ya, it's almost four years ago that I called your dad and asked him for a job, I had no experience with horse racing or anything  but he still gave it to me. If it wasn't for your dad then I wouldn't be here today racing and I wouldn't have met you." I say solemnly. 

     "Av, come look at this," Gavin says crouching down next to Fire's back leg and gently prodding at a spot on his leg.

    I stride over to where Gavin is and run my hand down Fire's muscular back leg. I stop where Gavin's hand was and I feel a bit of heat coming from his leg. That's not good, this can't be good. "Get the nearest vet you can, and fast." I order Gavin and he hurries away to find a vet.

     Gavin returns minutes later with a middle aged man carrying a bag of medical supplies and a stethoscope in tow. "This is Dr. Mathews, he's the vet on duty. He'll take a look at Fire and let us know what he thinks is wrong. It shouldn't be anything too serious, or let's pray it's not."

     After Gavin shows the vet the spot on Fire's leg I pull him around to Fire's front end and I stroke Fire softly. "This can't be happening right now, we've worked so hard and have come too far for this to happen to us."

    "I know, I know. Fire will tell us whether or not he wants to run today. Let's hope he wants to because all I want to do is kick Raein Marshalls ass." I nod my head in agreement to that statement and just as Gavin is going to say something else Dr. Mathews comes around to the front of Fire.

     "I'm thinking that Fire just might have knocked that part of his leg on something either in the trailer or on the way to the trailer or to the stall. It's just starting to form a small bruise but it's nothing big. He will be fine to race unless you decide to opt out and rest him." Dr. Mathews states.