The Road Home

Part 5

"Higher than the mountains that I face, Stronger than the power of the grave. Constant through the trial and the change, One thing remains"  One Thing Remains, Passion

So I'm an idiot.  I just realized in both of my stories I have a major guy character named Logan.  Oops.  But I'm to lazy to go threw and change one of them.  SO I SAY THEY AREN'T CONNECTED AT ALL.  I PROMISE IT'S JUST AN ERROR OF MY DUMB BRAIN.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX 4 WEEKS LATER XxXxXxXxXxXxX  

"Hey boy," I whisper to Cooper.  "Are you thinking about him too?  I miss him too."  I rub his nose while turning to walk down the isle.  Checking the other horses, and seeing Owen and Logan bringing them out to their pastures.  I know it's been over two years since they died but, it still hurts more than anything else.  Their birthday and the anniversary of the day they died hurt the most.  

"Baylor!? You good? I can grab Cooper and bring him out." Logan calls down the isle.  I notice that I stopped at the stall of our most recent rescue.  We have a separate area of pastures for the rescues.  I turn in Logans' direction and give a thumbs up.  Leaning against the stall wall I look in and see the young draft.  She was found wandering along a trail in the woods a few miles away.  She was so scared to be touched anywhere, but is doing better now.  A runner on the trail spotted her trying to kick around plants to get to grass and water.  Our vet, Terrah, guessed she had been out there for at least a week an a half.  Nobody claimed or knew where she came from; at least not that they admitted anyway.  Owen thought Oakley was an appropriate name as she was found around several oak trees.  

I stretch my hand out into the stall just enough that she can come to me.  She stands in the stall watching me for a few minutes before making her way over to my hand to smell and rub against.  Our biggest effort will need to be gaining trust and making her comfortable with people again.  I rub her soft white nose; before walking back over to Nutter Butters stall. I pull open the door and walk in.  He walks right up to me and sets his head on my shoulder.  "Well, hello to you too handsome." I smile scratching his neck.  I toss the rope over his neck and lead him out to the pasture.  Sparrow is already rolling around in the mud.  Spotting Owen watching from the fence of Jaspers pasture, I wave gesturing for him to come over.  He jogs over to me.  "Hey jerk, why'd ya have to let 'im roll?" I say fake glaring at him.  He just smirks in reply before heading to his truck and grabbing the feed bags.  I make sure the gates are closed before joining him, and hoisting a bag out of the back and tossing it to Owen.  After they have all been tossed out of the truck and brought to the barn we finish.  "Where's Logan at?  Wasn't he supposed to be helping with this?"  I ask trying to remember if he had mentioned anything he had planned.  He normally mentions if has something he has to do...

"I think he said something about an appointment of some sort," Owen tells me glancing in my direction as we grab rakes and a wheelbarrow.  "Not sure though.  Why; did ya have somethin' for him to do?" I walk into the stall where we keep two of the rescues, Pirate and Prince, they are only a few months old so we put them in one of the largest birthing stalls for now, I shake my head.

"No I didn't have anything specific. Just curious cause he didn't say anything.  He said he'd try and work more with Pirate and Prince today."  Pirate and Prince are twins and haven't had much work yet.  One of Owens' friends called just after they where born, asking if we could take them in as their mother rejected them and wouldn't let them nurse.  We had the open stall and said we could.  "Hey, Owen?  Do you think this week you guys could starts on adding the new stalls to the other barn?"  We have another barn back behind the house that has't been used and is in really good shape.  One problem, it doesn't have stalls.  

"Sure, I think that'll work.  We can work on that in the afternoons while you ride or what ever.  Before we bring everybody in for the night."  I nod in reply to his answer; before realising he can't see me through the wall of the stall.  

"Okay awesome, thanks."  I say as I move to the next stall.  He goes into the stall I just left and pours out some shavings and loose hay for bedding.  It takes about an hour an a half to clean all the stalls since we had seventeen; but adding the rescues we are up to 27.  "When did he leave? Do you know?"  I ask really confused to where Logan might be.  He doesn't just leave unless he really has to.  I mean except for at nights cause he got an apartment to rent.  

"B, he only left like fifteen minutes before you asked."

"Well now that's about two hours ago.  I just was tryin' to figure out where he went.  You guys are my friends and I just..." I trail off thinking about how I woke up in the hospital and was told my brothers didn't make it.  I feel Owens' arms wrap around me and pull me into a hug. I sigh trying not to worry but I always do.

"Hey, he'll be fine.  Okay?" He says letting me go and looking at my face.  I nod and smile at him, grabbing the hose to finish filling empty water buckets in the pastures.  I grab his wrist and look at his watch 11:23am.  Great like an hour till they're gonna expect food.  This is the problem with guys they are always hungry.  Well at least these two; and the horses.  The sound of crunching gravel grabs my attention.  I turn the hose off; turning to see Logans' truck pulling to a stop next to the others; Owens red ford and my black one.   My phone vibrates in my pocket 'told you :p'   I read Owens text shaking my head looking to him in Mayas pasture. (A/N:pretty sure that's what I nemed his horse) I don't reply and walk over to Logans truck.  I see him just sitting in the front seat.  I tap on the window of the passenger side before testing the handle.  Finding it unlocked I open the door and sit in the seat.

"Logan? Hey you in there!?" I ask waving my hand at him.  He glances at me as if just realizing I'm there.  "You okay?" 

"Sure... I don't know.  Maybe; I thought maybe if I prayed about it I could figure it out on my own but I guess not." He says quietly, "I keep having nightmares and flashbacks.  I had an appointment with my buddies therapist person today and his answer wasn't what I was hopin'."   Sitting forward he sighs,  "I know you are smart enough to figure that out.  I just want to know why the heck God chooses people he does to suffer."  I frown and squeeze his arm before climbing out of the truck not having an answer to that.  I ask the same question over and over but, never get an answer.