The Summer Of My Life

Chapter 10

Three days later my classy Grandma came for a visit. She had me saddle Katida and give her a little show, which resulted more into an incredible strict riding lesson to which more and more people came to look at. In the end although, Granny had a satisfied little smirk on her face.

"Well done, granddaughter." She patted my lower back gracefully as I led Katida to her bay, smiling at me in my worn out state. "I knew you would still have it in you." Then she grew serious. "But we need to look into her things. I'll have Jacob come here tomorrow to get a saddle made." Laughing, I waved it off. "Granny, that's no problem at all." "It is, Elenora."

So I found myself in her car an hour later, driving to the nearest mega store. As I got back, I put everything on the table in my room, not knowing where to put it instead. Granny drank a coffee with Inge before she left again, her Mercedes rolling off the grounds with me waving after her.

~*~

The next morning I got up early and went for a walk with Katida, swinging onto her as I found a stump along the way. Already on the way back, I heard someone talking in indoor riding hall 4, making me head to the door, looking inside. Inge stood on the balustrade, a black stallion down on the track with a rider riding away from me. Only after looking at him for a longer time, I noticed that it was Levi. Harsh words followed each movement the two did, Levi and the stallion obviously sweating like mad as they danced around with grace over the track. It reminded me of Granny's lessons.

Even though they were giving their best, Inge pointed out every littlest mistake, a minute later a compilation of Michael Jackson songs rung through the speakers of the hall. And Levi sighed visible and once again started over. His stallion really felt the music as he rode through the track with powerful steps to the tact, throwing in moves in a way my mouth would fall open. Until one passage, where he headed right at me. His eyes flickered over us, returning shortly. His stare only lasted a second or less, but I was sure that he had seen us. He was training for something, I was a hundred percent sure.

Giving Katida a soft aid to turn around, she complied and we walked away, coming across of one of the outdoor tracks. Leading her onto it spontaneously, I thought of tons of things, doing this, doing that, from simple to difficult. It was playful, I was sitting just on her bare back, feeling everything she did below me, as well as she felt everything I did on top of her. And responded to everything. The longer we rode, the larger my smile got, especially as the wind gave some sort of cool effect doing flying changes as it was starting to get hot already. Giving the reins to her, I got up into jumping seat and let her run, petting her neck while she did so, with big, powerful steps.

Braking her down, I let her walk a couple of rounds before heading to the exit, me jumping startled as I saw a figure leaning against the entrance. Levi. Throwing him a surprised look, I got nothing back but was accompanied to Katida's bay. He hadn't said a word to me over the last four days and never showed himself at one of my lessons held by his mother.

Therefore I was rather surprised that he suddenly showed up.

"Umm, how are you?" Throwing me an 'are you serious' glance, he looked to the side, shaking his head as if to shake something out of his head. "Fine, thanks." I nodded, not knowing what to say next. I took care of Katida while he once again leaned against the wood, watching me from behind.

Suddenly, we both heard a scream. Looking around, I took a few steps back as curse words followed. Looking at Levi who just shrugged, I jogged out of Katida's bay, closing it before jogging around the corner, following the curse-noises. Sprinting to one of the indoor riding halls, I got inside and saw Therry lying on the floor, her leg funny looking. "Oh shit." She turned her head in my direction, making me jog over to Therry and pull my phone out.

"Fran, Kiki, get up and quickly come over to riding hall 3." I ended the call and put it back into my pocket. "Ther, I'll get you to the clinic, I'll get the car, okay? I'll be back in less than a minute."

When I came back with the car, thanking whoever that had left the keys in it, Fran and Kiki had already managed to catch the horse. "Take care of it please, I'll bring her to the clinic. And inform Inge or I don't know, someone." They nodded, Fran helping me with lifting Therry up and putting her into the back.
Speeding into the next city, I asked her some questions to keep her sane. "How did it happen?" She groaned. "I don't know, he threw me off and apparently hit my leg with his hooves, I can't really remember. It went quite fast, completely out of the blue."

Arriving there, they quickly took her in and started to search her, making me back away and sit outside in the waiting rooms. I called Granny and told her to cancel the appointment with her guy from the saddler's shop, explaining to her why. Then, I waited for almost an hour playing doodle jump until someone got out again and told me what was up. The fracture was severe, broken more than once, and on top of it also a compound fracture. She was currently in surgery, and additionally to the concussion she would surely need to stay for five days or more.

That being said, I swallowed and nodded, the doctor left again and I got my cellphone out and called Fran, still the only person beside Kiki whose phone number I got.

"Hey Fran," "Hi." She replied just as quiet. "Got any news?" "Therry had to undergo an operation a few minutes ago, the doctor says that she has to stay for at least three days. Multiple upper leg fractures and additionally a compound one." "We're coming." There was suddenly Inge's voice on the other end. "Ground floor, walk-in clinic." "See you later." The call ended.

It took about thirty minutes for them to come. Inge, Fran and behind them, Levi. "Kiki stayed, she cannot stand hospitals, she keeps fainting when bringing her into one." Fran whispered, sitting down next to me, making me nod sleepily. Inge went to talk to someone, leaving us three there, sitting next to each other on the waiting stools. "I'll leave with Inge at eleven again, she needs to return by then." Fran told me again, making me nod. "Do you want to leave with us?" Shaking my head, I declined. "I've been in this situation lots of times before, believe me, you're glad when you see a familiar person when waking up from surgery." Then I fell asleep on her shoulder.

Three hours later, Levi and I were alone and I woke up lying on his shoulder. We were brought to Therry's room where she would stay for the following days, allowed to wait there until she would come back from surgery. There was only one stool in it, making me lean against the wall, slowly slipping to the floor as I nearly fell twice due to my sleepiness.

"Elenora, you can really sit on my lap, I don't mind." I shook my head, but let myself fall onto him a few seconds later. "Stop calling me Elenora for once, will you?" There, head on his shoulder, I did fall asleep again.

When I woke up, Levi was also asleep. His hands firmly around me as I sat on his lap 90° turned, his head was sunk and lay on top of mine. Then, someone suddenly chuckled.

Turning my head around, I saw Therry lying there. Jumping, I slapped Levi's chest, making him wake up. Looking at me, he frowned, making me point at Ther. He let me go, also getting up. "How are you feeling?" I asked her, making her smile slightly. "Like someone sucked the life out of me." "Oh, that's normal." She laughed at my comment. "Ele, I once again want to say thanks to you for reacting that quickly and bringing me to the hospital immediately without a second thought. I won't ever forget that." I just smiled at her. "No worries, Therry." "And thanks for waiting, you two." "Mum was here a couple of hours ago, as well as Fran Melitopous. They had to leave again thou." Levi said wtih his arms crossed and he looked tired. She shook her head as if it didn't matter that much.

"And, how long do you think you'll be bound to a bed?" Levi asked lightly, making Therry roll her eyes. "You can forget the tournament." Levi nodded, as if it was obvious. "Ele." Therry looked at me like she had seen a yeeti. "Did you ride tournaments before you stopped?" Chuckling, I nodded. "More than I can remember." "What classification?" "L, M, it depended on which horse." The siblings looked at me like electrocuted. After a short pause and them looking at each other, Therry turned to me again. "Ele, you need to participate in one for me."