Heartland

Chapters Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen: Texas Bound

We were on the airplane for almost four hours. Ty kept Maisie entertained the whole time. They played games, colored, and watched a movie. I sat back and slept. I was up most of the night taking care of them both.

When the plane landed I was carrying Maisie. Ty left for baggage claim to get our three suitcases. I walked to where I was going to be meeting my brother. I pulled out my phone and showed Maisie a picture of Nash.
"This is who were looking for baby," I said.
"Uncle Nash!" she exclaimed. I laughed.
"Yes baby uncle Nash," I said.
"No momma! Look! Uncle Nash!" She exclaimed. I looked in the direction she pointed and saw my brother.
"Nash!" I yelled. I ran up to him. We had a big bear hug with Maisie in the middle.
"I've missed you," he said.
"I missed you more," I told him.
"Where's your boy toy?" He asked.
"Nash don't call him that," I said as I punched him. He took Maisie from me. "How the ranch?" I asked.
"Good," he replied.
"Is that him?" Nash asked. I looked and saw Ty approaching.
"Hold yourself back," I joked.
"How did he hurt his arm?" he asked.
"He got into a car accident." I replied.
"Sweet," he replied. "No Nash, no sweet," I said as I punched him. Ty got to us. Nash stared Ty down.
"Nash this is Ty, Ty this is Nash," I said. Nash was intimidating to Ty; I could see it. Nash was about 6'3". Ty was about 5'11". It may only be 3 or 4 inches but I saw the look in Ty's eyes. I broke the silence by asking,
"Nash, why don't you take us to your truck?" Ty put down the suitcase in his right hand. He held his hand out and they shook hands like civilized men.

Nash drove us to the old ranch. I cried when I saw my home. We had a small two story ranch home. It was secluded with our own private barn for our horses. The barn had been empty since I took Sky and we sold our other horses, Nash couldn't afford them. We had three 25 box stall stables near each other. Each stable was fully loaded with boarder's horses, people love our ranch. We had 3 different practice rings and 3 more in construction along with another stable. There was a tack house, the tack house was basically a giant two story locker room where our boarders kept their tack. At the far edge of the property was an arena. We held rodeos, races, and every horse event competition you can name. We had basically a large storage center where our boarders were able to safely store trucks and trailers, if they kept them at the ranch; or if they needed too. In front of every stall was a rack, bin, and hook. Where the boarders would keep a bridle, saddle, and feed. We only provided hay here. We also had a large hay barn, obviously. Each horses' stall had a private pasture behind it. They weren't large but it gave the horses a place to get sun. There was a large pasture way to the back of the property, but most our boarders didn't want their "prize horses" around other horses.

Nash parked in front of the house. I got out and I stood below the stairs. It's almost been a year since I had to leave and move to Heartland, since my parents died.
"Go on. I'll get your things," Nash said. Ty came up to me and handed me Maisie.
"Maisie do you wanna see Mommy's old house?" I asked. She replied with a smile,
"Yes momma." I walked up the three porch steps, walked inside and cried.

I didn't know how much I missed this place till I was back. I put Maisie down when the front door slammed shut behind me. I looked to my right and saw the kitchen, the table fit four people, my parents, my brother, and me. I looked to my left and saw the family room, we each had our own spot we sat at, there was a small flatscreen above the fireplace where I would watch the Cowboys games with my dad. I went up the stairs, my hand in Maisie's. I opened the door to the first bedroom on the right, there was purple everywhere, it was my old room. It was almost completely empty, besides the furniture. Ty ran in behind me.
"This is your room?" Ty asked.
"Yeah," I replied. Maisie ran in and jumped on the bed.
"Maisie why don't you take a quick nap. Ty and I will be back," I said. Maisie got under the blankets. I grabbed Ty's hand and led him out of the room. I led him down the hall and to the last room. A little sign on the door read,
"Grandma's little girl." I opened the door and showed Ty Maises's room, if she ever got to live with us.
"This was Maisie's room," he said.
"Yeah, she lived with me for a day when my grandparents came. We all sat down and had a big discussion. I'm guessing you can see what it was about. I told Nash to change this room. I never wanted to see it again," I told him.
"It's like a time capsule, it's pretty cool to see," Ty said.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. My mom designed it, it's nice to see it, it's just another memory," I replied. Nash walked in behind us and said,
"You guys can sleep in mom and dad's old room. Maisie can sleep in your old room."
"Thanks Nash." I replied.
"I never wanted to change them, the rooms, they made me feel like everyone was still here, that you guys were out shopping and would be back soon," he said.
"I'll always come back Nash. But mom, dad-."
"I know Tara. I know," he stopped me.

I left the house and walked down the isles in all the stables. Everyone there greeted me as if I'd been gone forever. My best friend Katelyn was brushing her horse Moose.
"Kat!" I yelled. She stopped brushing Moose when she saw me.
"TARA!" She screamed. We ran to each other and fell to the ground in each other's arms. We were squealing and crying and squeezing the life out of one another. She brushed her fingers through my hair.
"Your hair is so long," she said.
"I know it's weird," I replied.
"How's Sky? Where's Maisie?" She asked.
"Sky's great I obviously didn't bring her with me. Maisie's in taking a nap." I replied. She put Moose in his stall. We walked down the long barn, towards the house.
"Where's your boy toy," she joked.
"I wish people would stop calling him that," I replied with a laugh.
"Tara!" Someone yelled, It was Ty. He was walking towards us.
"Ty!" I ran up and hugged him.
"Kat this is Ty, Ty this is my best friend Katelyn," I said. They shook hands.
"I checked the barn behind your house. There's no horses," he said.
"That's our private barn. We don't have any," I replied.
"Do you remember my neighbors horse? The horse I learned to ride on?" Kat asked.
"Yeah, Tammy's horse Thunder," I replied.
"Well Tammy is even older now. She's selling Thunder and her farm. I think she's almost 80. Her daughter told me she's moving into a retirement home. I was going to see if your brother would buy Thunder. That way I could still see him," Kat said.
"Thunder would be like, 15 now," I replied.
"Yeah but for a guy like Nash, he could use a therapy horse," she suggested.
"I'll ask him for you," I promised.