Alone In The Big Leagues

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Lottie never comes back to the table after her mother called her out so harshly. No one comments on the fact that she didn't come back. I'm not sure anyone is even thinking about it but I am. Thats all I've been thinking about in the last hour.

Everyone is cleaning up and getting ready to move into the family room. "Jewel?"

I look up from handing a man from the kitchen my empty tea cup. "Yes?"

My eyes meet with Mr. Kingston and much to my surprise I realize that we have actually never spoken. with one another. I don't even think we have addressed each other. "I just wanted to let you know that if you like you may make your way over to the stable and hang out there for a while. If you'd like. You know where its at."

I'm a bit surprised at the offer and decide to take him up on it. "Oh, yes. Yes sir I would love to spend some time at your stable. Thank you sir." I speak quietly and he raises his hand in reply excusing me.

I quickly walk out of the dinning room, down the hall we came through and out the front door. I make my way down the stone stairs and once I reach the bottom I make a right and head to the stable.

As I reach the doors I notice that one is cracked open and the lights are already flicked on. I'm not sure if they leave the main lights on but I'm sure they don't leave the doors cracked open. I slowly creep in being careful not to make any noise.

Sobbing. Thats the first thing I hear. A moment later I hear the shrill cry of a horse in distress.

Even though everything inside of me is burning to run to the cries I don't. I stay put on being quiet. I creep along the doors of the stalls where horses are breathing and snorting nervously. I reach the end of the stable to the second to last stall. I'm just about to peer my head over the stall door when...

SLAP!!!

Another shrill scream cuts through the air. I quickly stand up from the crouch I was in. My eyes drink in the seen in front of me.

Horror. Pure horror. Dancing Silver is backed into the corner, blood covering his back, rear, some even covers his neck. Blood drips off onto his legs and runs down to the floor.

Lottie stands before him a riding crop in one hand witch is raised above her head. In the other hand is a leather piece of tack with a metal piece attached at the end of it. The metal piece lays on the floor blood covering it. She brings the riding crop down hard onto one of his large gashes located on his rear. Another scream comes as Dancing Silver rears his head high. His eyes roll back and he flattens his ears more if that is even possible.

I open the stall door just as Lottie raises the leather tack and grab her hand. My force knocks us the ground. We land with a hard thud. She's shocked and hasn't yet realized what happened. We are on the stall floor which is a dangerous place to be at the moment.

I attempted to scramble up off of the floor but my heels are making it a bit difficult. So I kick them off and toss them out of the stall door. I grab Lottie off of the floor and pull her out of the stall. I let her go and she falls to the floor again. I quickly shut the stall door and turn back to Lottie.

"What are you doing?!" I say loudly "No wait, just, what are you thinking?!" I'm at a complete loss of words.

She's sitting in front of me, curled into a ball, sobbing. She doesn't look at me as I stand above her. I suddenly put myself in Lottie's shoes. It might be hard for her to look up at me because of how low of herself she feels. I kneel down and sit in front of her. Her hands cover her face hiding the tears and the pain, anger, and sadness carved into her face.

I take one of her hands from her face and hold it in mine. "What happened?"

She takes a deep, shaky breath and tries to stop her crying and the tears streaming down her face. "Why should I tell you," she says in a hard but shaky voice.

I stare at her hard eyes staring at the wall behind me. I let out a long breath, "Because it looks like I'm the only one you got right now. I'm also the only one that saw what you did to poor Silver in there and can bring it to someones attention."

Her cold eyes shift to my face. She knows I'm right. "He's to good for me." She says through her teeth. "Its to much horse for so little of a girl." She mocks her father with a harsh angry tone.

My mind clicks. Of course. She feels he's to good. A horse. An animal. Better than her. She never looked at him as a friend. A partner in crime. She never allowed herself to love and befriend him. "How long have you been doing this to him?"

She looks down to the floor and there I have my answer. Too long. "That stupid idiot." Lottie meets my eyes again, "The horse was always to good. He's a stupid man with a burning hole in his pocket when it comes to horses. He thinks I'm still into this. I'm not seven anymore. I hate these horses yet he keeps adding more and more thinking that maybe its the horse and not his oldest child. I've tried to walk away. I've tried to walk away and I've tried to tell him that I'm done and I don't want to do it anymore but he doesn't listen and he does't care what I want. I can't have an opinion for myself." Her eyes bore into mine. I know, I know that I understand Lottie more than I ever could. I knew that I would never completely the anger and hatred that burns inside of Lottie but this opens the door and helps me understand a lot more than I had before.

I sigh and pick myself up. I hold my hand out down to Lottie. She stares at it for a moment deciding what to do. Se takes my offer and takes my hand to help her up.

Its quiet for a moment before I say, "Go and clean yourself up." I pause, "but before you go. Grab me a wet and a dry cloth, maybe a soft sponge, and some bandages."

She nods and leaves the stable without a word.

I turn to Dancing Silver who has backed into a corner with his head down and his ears flattened. Poor guy is scared. Simply frightened by the sound of a persons voice, so I speak softly. "Look at you. Once we get you all cleaned up you'll be grand and handsome again. Stunning people with your charming good looks." He's looking at me and his breathing is heavy and scared. I can tell he's interested in me and what I'm saying but he stays put.

Lottie comes back with the things I told her to grab. She even got a sponge for me like I had suggested. She has a bucket of water, a wet cloth floating in it, a dry hand towel in her hand, and bandages tucked under her arm. She sets the bucket down and places the dry and towel and bandages next to it and leaves without a word. I look back at Dancing Silver who has closed himself off again. This is going to be a lot of work.