Good Morning, Good Evening, And Good Night

Chapter 4

Writers Note: Hi! I've realised I have 20+ views altogether, thank you so much! This is amazing! I will definitely be writing a lot more often!
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Alex POV

Home again in the sweet, familiar covers of my double bed, thinking about yesterday makes me feel sick and uneasy. Whirls of twisting emotions drown me in a sink of dismay. Sadness, longing, fear, most of all, emptiness. Just like when Dad left.
    Gloomily, I stare at the far side of my room. My sight turns into a blurry mess and I fall back into my plush duvet to stare at the bare ceiling. I see my lights turn to dim candles and patches of green paint turn to a mould brown. I feel like I'm dreaming. In some hope this isn't reality I turn to my side. A doll, hollow eye sockets, face drenched with black tears, filthy white dress torn as if she had been tied up and dragged through a rose bush and left to roll around in dry mud.
    A gentle knock on my door brings me out of my trance-like state of depression and into the real world. My ceiling is green, lights are, well - lights, doll is beautifully made up for her wedding day and my sight comes back into focus.
"Alex?" A mumbled groan comes from my door.
"Alex, are you ready? The horse bid is in 20 minutes!"
I jolt, sit up in complete surprise.
"Wait, horse bid? What horse bid?" I ask in anticipation. Did you not pay any attention to the taxi man last night? No? Well, there's this thing called a horse bid, where you bid for horses..." She says with sarcasm, and continues. "People take money and bid on horses. Yes? Bidding is when lots of people-"
"Yeah I know what it means, shut your gob. But what about the explosion and the stables?" I assumed they had been obliterated.
"Pfft, please." Lindsey opens the door and walks in. "There's this thing called distance, we were 3 miles away from the stables, okay?" More sarcasm. I ignore her and spring off the bed, shooing Lindsey away while I change into a slightly different outfit to yesterday. My jodhpurs have little grub on them, so I give them a brush down with my dog wire brush and slip them on. Again I wear some white trainer socks, this time with frills on; why not? Now for my top. I debate between a white collar top with an orange jumper or an aqua blouse complete with a small aqua bow for my hair. I go for the blouse. Orange always just clashed with my hair colour, even though they are only a few shades apart. Boots, I need the boots. They've vanished.
    Well here comes the-
"Surprise!" That. The surprise. My mother walks in with the pair of black riding boots. I put on a toothy grin and widen my eyes. I open my mouth in "pure excitement".
"Do you like them? Quite swanky if I say so myself, hm?" Raising her eyebrows, suggesting she needs an answer, quick.
"Mother, they're perfect! I love them!" I exaggerate. Those are really just €50 boots from the mini horse shop, not the best but they'll do for now.
She snaps her fingers at me. "Chop, chop! Put them on, let me see." Examining my feet she glances up at me.
"You are sure this is what you want, right?"
"Positive." I beam at her, and she beams back.
    I do my morning routine, brush hair, breakfast, brush teeth, wash face an so on. I jump into the car, my sister and I hit the *'break'. It's silly really but it's trending. Mother takes the wheel and we drive off to the supposed bid.
    We come to the same stables as on our way to the Blue House festival. We stop in a nearby car park where I observe the amount of cars here. By the time my mother has prepared, I have counted 39, which means by what I can see there's over 100 cars here, and cars aren't the only method of transport.
   I am shocked to the bone. Someone help me before I have a cardiac arrest because these horses are gorgeous! Shires, Appaloosas, Fjords, Arabians, Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, Andalusians, Friesians, Gypsy Horses, Paint Horses, Shetland Ponies, Icelandics, and my favourite, the dapple grey Lipizzaner horse, the exact one I saw galloping away yesterday! 16 hands I judge from my point of view. I realise there are no further Lipizzans to be seen. Strange. There are also next to no bidders for the poor Lipizzan. Also strange.
"Mother, may we take a look at that one?" I point to the elegant Lipizzan, standing strong about 100 yards away.
"If that's the one you like." Grabbing my hand, we walk over to the magnificent beauty for my mother, as she does, to examine the strong horse.
    She bends down to squeeze her thigh and she horse rears up above my mother. She stumbles back, almost falling into a pile of hay.
"Lindsey, this horse is obviously too violent. We need to find another. I will not be messed with by a mere horse." And with that, she walks off.
"Mother, wait! You can't approach it straight away!" I yell to her. She turns and glares at me. I pull a half decent smile at her and she walks back towards me.
"Do what you do then." She folds her arms and like Ms. Catherine, slides her weight onto one hip. I walk steadily and calmly towards the horse's nose and hold my hand out to her. She leans in and puts her chin down allowing me to stroke her snout. She's soft and smooth like artificial plush toy hair, but not artificial, just pure nature.
    Unexpectedly a man interrupts our little bonding session and looks down on me.
"Sorry, you must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 25." He waves his hand in dismissal.
"My mother is right there!" I throw my hands out to my mother and walk her forward.
"Her? Over 25? I wouldn't believe that for a second. My, what a treasure, I bet you're man is a lucky chap, huh?" He gives a flirtatious wink.
"Unfortunately my 'man' left me with two mega busy athletes, isn't that right girls?"
"Yes, mother!" Lindsey tunes in with a perfect smile. "I'm a 3 time gymnastic champion of my age."
"Yes, anyway, Mr..."
"Call me Joe. Joe Calighifa."
"Well Joe, I must say you're not doing too bad yourself!" Winking back at him. "Hey, Lindsey, why don't you get ourself something from the cafe?" Mother hands Lindsey €10 and walks off to the coffee stall with 'Mr. Calighifa'. I go back to my Lipizzan.
    I will get this horse. I stroke her delicately, with the touch of a pixie, and the horse nuzzles up to my face. I don't understand why nobody is bidding for her. There were 3 people here when they came, and now it's just me, why?
    Oh. I see why. There is a sign that reads: This Horse Is Not For Sale. For Charity Use Only.
Great. I've fallen in love with a charity advertising horse. I need to find a way through this. I need this horse.
"Don't worry, Dakota, I'll get you." I whisper in a sweet tone. I was deciding on either Dapple, Ashley or Dakota for the name. I chose Dakota; Ashley was Ashton's female friend from next door and Dapple is too common for dapple grey horses. I give Dakota a sweet kiss on the nose and continue stroking her, waiting for my mother to return.
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*break is a reference to the dab, because why not?😋