Our Horse Heaven(ON HOLD)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Grace

I should have tried to comfort Kennedy, but she stormed off to her room after throwing away dinner. The guys also never came back. I needed to think. Trinity shouldn't have come back here. I thought she had moved to the big city because she was a daddy's girl and didn't want to live around horses anymore. Everything had been going great and now she's back and sent everything straight to hell.

 I had gone out to the barn to see Aqua and bridle her. I led her out of the barn, petting Sparrow's nose as I walked by. He nickered at me gently looking worried. He always knew when something was wrong, he had a deep emotional connection with Kennedy and he could feel her emotions even when she wasn't near him.

I got on Aqua's back. I rode bareback because I didn't feel strong enough to even lift a saddle at this point, and I could connect better with Aqua without one. I took an overgrown trail on the back of our property. I had never been down it so I decided to try it.

As I rode, I listened to birds and steadied my breath. Aqua knew to follow the trail so I dropped the reins and let her lead on, leaning forward and hanging my head. I curled my fingers through her mane with my eyes closed, trying to think of some way to earn the money we owed and fix this mess. I was so lost in thought and exhausted I might have fallen asleep. Suddenly, wind in my ear made me jump. Aqua's ears flicked back towards me when I did.

Looking around I was at the back of Chase's place. He was on his horse next to me and had leaned over to blow in my ear.

"Uh...how long...was I asleep?" I mumbled to myself.

"You came from the east side of my property. I didn't know there was a trail through there." Chase replied. I stared at him, my mind blank. I didn't know what to say or do, but I was glad he was there. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Uhm....I don't know." I replied

I realized that by this time Aqua had stopped walking, looking at Witch beside her and I took a look around realizing that Chase had a nice property. Where we were looked like a dense forest and the birds were so loud that their songs echoed through the trees.

"Well, whatever it is, we can talk about it on the way to my house. I'll make you dinner?" Chase offered me

I smiled nodding my head as Aqua and Witch both turned around towards his house and walked slowly. I never did grab the reins during this ride but as always Aqua had read my mind and went exactly where we needed to go. As we rode to his house I told Chase the whole story about what happened with Trinity. He was quiet the whole time just listening to me, which I was extremely grateful for. As we came up to the entrance of his barn I slid off Aqua letting Chase take the reins and lead her to one of his empty stalls as I walked beside them. We both tended to our horses in complete silence giving them water, hay, and also brushing them. Chase finished before me and went inside the house, leaving me alone with Aqua. I always took a long time grooming her because she enjoyed the time I spent with her and the brushing of course. After a while Chase came back and I finished grooming Aqua. But I had went to her mane and started detangling it with my fingers slowly so I didn't hurt her. I saw Chase out of the corner of my eye come in the stall and sit on a pile of fresh hay in the corner of the stall quietly watching me.

The sense of time had left my mind, but when I had finally decided I was done the sun had set and when I looked at Chase I saw he had fallen asleep. Aqua had dozed off too while I was tending to her. I walked over to Chase, squatting in front of him, and put my hand on his shoulder causing him to jump a little.

"Payback." I say smiling, my sense of humor returning

"I made dinner, but I guess it is cold now." he replied smiling back at me but I could see the disappointment in his eyes about eating a cold meal.