The Road Home

Part 3

"All around, Hope is springing up from this old ground.  Out of chaos life is being found, in you.."  -Gungor, Beautiful Things

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Glancing back at Owen, before walking out the gate and walking to a patch of grass so Jasper can eat I turn. "Logan right? Sorry I wasn't expecting anybody right now.  I thought you weren't supposed to come by until tomorrow...?" I look at his face, and notice a small scar across his hairline. 

Nodding he shifts forward to rub against Jaspers shoulder.  "Yeah, originally I wasn't going to, but when my deployment ended a week early. I got home sooner than I though.  So I spent some time with my mom, but I didn't have anything today so I came by.  Not having work of some sort to do sucks." He chuckles as Jasper thumps his head into Logan chest.  "Hey buddy, your a pretty good looking horse." Turning his head back to me, "Is he yours? He is a really big horse for somebody who's what....five foot three?" 

Owen comes back out of the barn laughing at the comment.  Glaring at the both of them, "First off, Owen could you cool Jasper off, before putting back out?" He grabs the lead pulling Jasper in his direction. "And you! I'm five four thank you very much! Also yeah technically he is mine now, he was my dads before they left." Gesturing for him to follow me I walk towards the hay barn.  "What branch were you in?" I ask, based on the fact he just got back from deployment, I guess that explains the buzz cut.  Reaching up I pull my hair down, letting it fall to my shoulders long enough to put it in a loose braid.  

"Five four.... ooohhh I'm so impressed." He tells me grinning, "and I was in the Army... five years.  I enlisted the day I turned 18 and started basic a few months later.  Now two deployments later, sitting at 23 I'm done." Leaning down he lifts up two hay bails, from the middle of the floor, like they weigh nothing.  "Where we going with these?"

I point to the wall where I have started the next pile.  "So I know you told me on the phone, that you used to help out at an equine clinic. How much experience, other than that, have you had  with horses and the work routine?  What kinda things did you do for them?"  I count up how many bails we have in stock trying to make sure we have enough.  

"Well I worked there for a couple years; from sixteen until I started basic.  As for the work I did while there; I move the horses around and did basic training work with them, helped with some of the basic medical procedures, and controlled feed.  Can I ask you a question?" He says as he stops to stand next to me.  

"Sounds like you have at least a solid background. Unlike the girl who was here this morning." I pull out my phone, glancing at the time.  "Well, its about noon. We can head to the house and make sandwiches so we can figure out the details.  Oh, and yeah go ahead."  Walking out of the barn, I see Owen washing off Cooper, who is covered in mud.  "When you're done with that you can come in and eat!" I call over.  "Why do I bother telling him?  He just eats the food anyway."  I mutter under my breath, apparently not quiet enough though seeing as Logan laughs beside me.

"So I take it he's worked here a while?  You guys seem like good friends..or more?" Logan comments glancing back at Owen as we climb onto the porch heading into the house.  Laughing I shake my head.  

"Me and Owen..... yeah no he's more like an annoying best friend." I say as I think about how much he's helped me after what happened.  "But yeah he's worked here for a long time.  He was here for two years before my parents left, and I took over two years ago.  So I guess its been four years."  Pulling out wheat and white bread, I set them on the counter along with some PB&J supplies and turkey and cheeses.  "Can you find something from these? I think we may have some mustard or something in the pantry....Maybe." Logan smiles nodding as he grabs some wheat bread and makes a PB&J.  I go for white bread with peanut butter and honey.  

"So you mentioned before, and just now, you being the one in charge now. Do you mind if I ask why?"   I tense in my chair, right as Owen walks in.  I glance up and see he has mud all over his face.  "You don't have to answer, Baylor." Logan says grabbing my attention. I realize that he must have seen my reaction and decided to try and calm the situation.  Owen flops in the chair next to me, making it scrape across the ground.  "So Owen,  whats your favorite part of working here?" I look toward him to see what he thinks, as he's never told me.  Owen shrugs finishing the bite he's chewing.

"Umm I guess it changes sometimes.  At the moment I'd say that if you start then the work load will be more evenly split.  I can then get the chance to do more projects I want. Plus more time ta tease Baylor and ride my horse more often." He says smirking at me. 

Glaring at him I sigh dramatically, "Gee thanks you jerk."  I say as I stand up going to collect plates.  But Logan's already grabbing them.  "You don't have do that, it's not one of the parts of working here you know." He shrugs and continues to rinse them off in the sink.  Before turning back to me. 

"It may not be, but you let me stay and eat so it lets me help do something." He grins.  Owen jumps up in down by the door flailing his arms around and grinning. I stare at him and shake my head as he walks out the door.  "So does that mean I get the job then?" He questions.  I laugh nodding.

"Yeah, what day works as a start day?  I don't have specifics I just needed more help as more people start coming for help.  Plus when its warm, I need more help to exercise all the horses.  Two people and seventeen horses doesn't work well."

"I can start when ever.  Just be warned it maybe a while before I am getting here at constant time, as I am still staying at one of my buddies houses until he gets back.  His wife is expecting so I stay there to try and help out some if I can.  He should be back next week, but then I need a place to live." He says, "I refuse to stay with my mom, plus that's hours away."

I think about the old empty shed that is on the grounds next to the house.  "We have an old storage building that isn't being used anymore, you could work on it as a project and then stay in there. If you wanted it's not huge but it is big enough for some stuff."  

"Maybe I could take you up on that.  We can see what happens as time goes." He says, suddenly his eyes shoot over to the chicken coop.  I look over and don't see anything unusual.  I go to ask him, but by then he's off running towards it.  That's when I see a figure trying to run towards the hills to get away.