Perfectly Mean

To Fly Without Wings

Gail sighed and put the paper down, staring out the window of her office.  Sir Tarlo was brushing up against her legs, purring fiercely.  She smiled slightly and pushed back from the desk to give the cat room to jump on her lap.  He immediately did so, curling up in a fluffy white ball. 

The woman caught sight of Hayden and the black horse in the ring, the animal cantering around the corral with his tail high.  Gail really didn't know what to do.  She had tried everything she could think of to understand that boy, but nothing seemed to work.  He was just so...shy.  He wasn't depressed.  He rarely, if at all, spoke badly about himself.  There had been no suicide or self-harm attempts whatsoever.  He was just shy.

Hayden had been with her for three months, and the only thing that seemed to be wrong with him was the aftermath of such a harsh separation from his family.  He was eager to help with anything he could, he didn't seem to lack motivation of any sort, and even while he'd been sick, he still had a positive attitude. 

There really wasn't anything else she could do for him, and he would likely be better off going home—specifically because there would be no chance for Ava to treat him badly.

But even that hadn't been the problem she'd thought it would be.  This whole thing didn't seem right.  Hayden was not at all how he'd been described, Ava had actually been nice to one of her clients, and she'd had no problems whatsoever.  It just seemed to...easy to be right.

No matter; if Hayden could go home, then home he would go.  Gail pushed the cat off her lap and reached for the phone.

Zorro snorted and kicked up his heels slightly and he cantered around the ring, tossing his mane impatiently.  Let's go for a real run, the horse seemed to say, eyeing the vast pasture that crossed the open hills.  Hayden chuckled at his eagerness.

"I know, bud," he told the horse, giving the lunge line some slack.  "This ring is getting boring, huh?"

Zorro slowed and walked to the center where Haden stood, nickering impatiently.  

"Sorry, boy, not today.  I'm still not 100% yet." As if to prove it, he coughed into his elbow, sniffing from the cold air. 

"Hayden?  Do you have a minute?"

He turned, and smiled at Gail, standing just outside the fence.  "Sure," he replied, dropping the line and walking over.

"I called your father today," she started, wrapping her sweater around herself tighter.  "And we both agreed that you will be going home on Tuesday."

A load of weight was suddenly deposited on his shoulders, trying to drive him into the ground.  He could hardly choke out an answer.  "Home?  But I'm not supposed to go home until..."

Gail nodded with a smile.  "Yes, but I decided you could go home early.  You are doing wonderfully, and this way you will be home in time for Thanksgiving."

Hayden tried another response, but the words simply refused to come out of his mouth.  He didn't want to leave!  Zorro was here!  Zorro was the best thing that had happened to him in years; he couldn't leave now!  Gail was still talking about arrangements and whatnot, and Hayden nodded politely, but he hardly heard a word she said.

Gail turned to leave, and Hayden slowly walked over to the stallion.  The horse immediately picked up on the young man's sudden mood change, and nosed at him sadly. 

"Oh, Zorro, I don't want to go home," Hayden blurted out suddenly, throwing his arms around the horse's muscular neck.  "I don't want to leave you."

Zorro draped his head over Hayden's shoulder, almost as if he were returning the hug.  A smile tugged at the boy's lips, and he breathed in the stallion's sweet, musty scent.  His fingers combed through the coarse mane, gently grooming out the tangles.