The Time Giver

August 21st: Time

Twilight painted the mid-August skies in rich oranges and reds, with the few fireflies left adding their own light to the scene. The heat had dissipated, and bats were flitting through the yard after the remaining bugs, their sharp chirps and squeaks almost inaudible. The horses in the barn were bedded down for the evening, an occasional snort echoing into the night. Kelly and Zach sat on the porch, each holding a lemonade, a plate of sugar cookies between them. Piper lay in the cool grass just off the steps, while Mooney lounged in the window sill inside. A few whippoorwills called to each other. Everything was peaceful.

Zach snatched a cookie off of the plate. "These are good, Kelly," he commented as he took a big bite.

She grabbed one and held it, gazing at it for a moment. "Yeah, I thought it'd be nice to have a treat. We worked hard today." Then she turned to shoot him a small grin. "Plus, today is a special day."

"What do you mean?"

Suddenly, Kelly dropped the cookie back on the plate and slapped her arm. "Stupid mosquitoes," She growled. "Come on, let's go inside." She grabbed the plate with her free hand and walked to the door.

Zach followed. "What do you mean, 'special day?'"

Kelly strode into the den, sitting the cookies on the middle cushion of the couch before sitting down beside them. "You, Zach," she said, "Held up your end of the deal."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean? We didn't make a deal."

"Oh yes we did." She smiled, taking a moment to grab her cookie again and take a bite. "At the beginning of summer."

It only took Zach a moment to remember. "You mean about Turner? That was done when Mr. Hanks came to get her two weeks ago."

Kelly shook her head as he finished off his own cookie. "That was only part of it. I also asked that you help with chores, and the other horses. Plus, you didn't make me lose a customer, and you put my money back."

He thought a little more. "...But...I ran away..."

She smiled sadly. "That one doesn't count," she replied. "And like I said, you gave me back the money."

Then, he realized what she meant. "You have to take me back tomorrow, don't you?"

"Yes." It was more of a whisper than anything. Kelly stared at the floor, slowly chewing her cookie. When she swallowed it, she mechanically grabbed another, but it didn't reach her lips. "That's the date I designated when I signed the agreement." She glanced up at him. "Does it feel like it's been three months?"

Zach shook his head. "More like three weeks." He still didn't sit down, preferring to stand in front of her. "I hadn't noticed, really. We just take each day when it comes."

She smiled. "Old habits die hard. We used to do that all the time. In fact, I had to get a watch that I could set alarms on just to remember doctor's appointments. Thank goodness for cell phones."

Zach chuckled. He just barely remembered the time before everyone had a portable phone. Things seemed a lot simpler then. But he'd been very young.

"So," Kelly sighed. "What did you learn? I'm curious."

Zach picked up another cookie. "For starters, I learned that Popcorn will eat anything in sight."

Kelly busted out laughing. "That silly pony," she chuckled. "When you handed him that popsicle, I thought for sure he'd realize how cold it was." She snorted. "The look on his face..."

Zack joined her. "Remember when he thought that the manure in the wheelbarrow was a pile of treats?"

She fell back into the couch, cackling with laughter. "I still can't believe he didn't sniff it, first!" She wiped her eyes of the tears from laughing. "Okay, what else? And real stuff you learned, not just funny things."