The Eventer's Club 2: Junior Year

Chapter 11:

Evelyn's POV:

I guess I should've seen this coming, but it was still a surprise to me when I found Ash leaning over her bathroom toilet Monday morning, throwing up what must've been the contents of last nights dinner.

" You poor thing... " Mom had spoken softly once she entered the room, probably thinking the worst given the way I had yelled for her at the top of the stairs.

Ash was pale, but her cheeks were flushed. The dark marks under her eyes had grown and her skin shone with a cold sweat.

As mom waited for the results of the thermometer in her mouth, my eyes wandered to her desk. Papers were crumpled all along the ground, overflowing the garbage can while pencil and eraser shavings covered the majority of paper that wasn't crumpled in a heap.

Biology, Math, Business, all of our class subjects and their notes were sprawled along the dark oak desk.

" ...Well, it's official, you have a fever " Moms voice snapped me back to attention. " Looks like you're going to be spending g the day in bed "

Ash, who seemed pretty drowsy from the anti-nausea tablets she had just swallowed, sat up almost immediately. " But the horses. Venus needs ice, the others need to be worked and I have someone coming over to trail Bella today! " a sneeze cut off her panicked voice

Mom shook her head as she covered Ash with a blanket. " Don't worry dear, we'll take care of all that... "

I nodded as I walked over to the side of the bed. " I can get the AMPS crew over here this afternoon, they can help out "

Ash still didn't look convinced, but sighed in defeat. " I guess I can't argue with you two ladies " she half-laughed, half-coughed before settling down in her bed.

Once I left the room, I sighed to myself.

This was going to be a long day...

________________________________

" Hello Holloway! " Leah cheered as she stepped out of the car.

I giggled as I slipped out of the passengers seat. The AMPS Crew had been more than excited to come hang out and help around the barn. They each had different strengths when it came to horses, even if they didn't ride at all or anymore.

Leah would be spending her time organizing the tack room, which was in desperate need of her cleaning skills.

Caroline would be taking care of Venus, icing her leg and giving the mare a few herbal made treats that would 'Speed up healing and made her chi much brighter' as she had put it.

Edwin would be with me as we showed Bella's trial rider around the barn and observed her riding, sending videos to Ash from our phones so that she could see for herself if this girl and Bella would make a good match.

Jake and Alex would be exercising the horses that were due for some work, including Rocky, who arrived back at Holloway a few days ago for some relaxation before he was shipped down to the USA for training and his first real racing season. He would be brought back to Holloway in the spring, where he will be bred to Mystic for what I was hoping would be a healthy little foal in the next year.

As we made our way to the barn, I glanced back at the house, where I saw Ash sitting in the bay window at the rope of the stairs. The window overlooked the whole stables and was one of my favourite places to be when life got stressful or I was having a particularly bad day.

I waved to her, smiling, but she didn't respond.

She probably didn't see me...right?

" What are you two doing? " I laughed as I turned back to see Jake and Alex playing Rock Paper Scissors.

Jake had a confident smirk on his face. " Seeing who gets which horse " he replied. " Whoever wins gets to ride Rocky and the other has to ride Deathbringer "

Both boys were incredibly competitive in their fields of riding so it was no surprise that they would be competing to see who would ride which horse.

" Maybe you should go by statistics instead of a kids game " Edwin replied.

Alex chuckled. " No way! Kids games are more fun than math! "

Edwin shook his head as we all laughed.

" Boys will be boys " Leah sighed as we entered the barn.

The AMPS team had officially taken over!

_________________________________

" How's our patient? " I whispered as I peered into Venus' stall, watching as Caroline wrapped the mares injured leg in a clay like substance.

" Her chi is all cloudy " Caroline replied absentmindedly. " So I'm coating her leg in a natural cooling mud to reduce the swelling "

I nodded, stepping into the stall and rubbing the gorgeous mares face gently.

" She seems more relaxed than she was earlier " I replied, remembering how the mare paced and swayed in her stall almost non-stop.

Caroline nodded. " I gave her a nice rub with some lavender oil, it always calms things down " she wiped her hands on the towel she had over her lap before she stood. " I also brought some herbs to keep her immune system up and some homemade molasses oats from home to make sure she stays healthy and happy "

I smiled. " I'm sure Ash will be happy to hear that "

Caroline smiled. " I'm going to speak with her after I wrap up Venus' leg "

I stepped back out of the stall. " Sounds good, tell her everyone says get well soon! " I replied before making my way down the aisle to the tack room.

" ...Whoa... " I was speechless as I stepped inside the almost unrecognizable space.

" You like it? " Leah smiled as she stepped down off the mounting block she was using to reach the higher parts of the room.

" It's amazing! " I replied. The tack was all cleaned and put away neatly, with each tack set having new nameplates that shone on the dark oak walls. The floor was shiny and there was no visible dust anywhere. Leah had really been going to town.

" It was so much fun! " She chirped as she walked over. " I love organizing things, plus making the nameplates was a good way to add my own personal touch to the place! "

" You've outdone yourself Leah! " I replied as we hugged. " My parents are going to be thrilled! Not to mention Darla may just want to hire you full time to redesign our whole barn! "

We giggled before I left her to add the finishing touches in peace.

Making my way out to the outdoor arena, I rolled my eyes playfully as I watched Jake and Alex race laps around the ring. Deathbringer was stubborn, but Alex handled him well. Rocky meanwhile was acting like a professional racehorse, taking every cue Jake gave him to overtake the OTTB and Alex.

Before I had a chance to call out to them, my phone buzzed. Edwin texted me saying that Andrea and her mother were with him.

I quickly made my way back inside, smiling when I saw Bella behaving like a perfect angel as Edwin filled the two women in on everything he had researched about Bella and her pedigree.

" Hello there, you must be Latisha and Andrea " I smiled as I moved to stand beside Edwin. " I'm Evelyn Holloway "

They both shook my hand.

" It's a pleasure to meet you " Latisha spoke up.

" I've heard a lot about you " Andrea replied. " And your stable is gorgeous "

I smiled. " Thank you " I turned to look at Edwin. " Edwin here has gotten Bella all tacked up and ready to go when you are "

Andrea nodded. " Bella is so beautiful, I can't wait to try her out "

I smiled as Edwin passed Andrea the mares reins, following us to the indoor arena.

I nodded at Edwin, watching as he pulled out his phone and started a live video to Ash's phone.

Andrea seemed very nice and the way I say Bella nudging her made me think that the bay felt the same way.

Still, the real test was to come....