His Second Chance

Chapter Twenty Two

Six months later:

I pulled into the driveway slowly, trying to make the ride as comfortable as possible.

"Amy, you don't have to drive like that, I won't break," Elizabeth laughed.

I smiled, but refused to go any faster. Three days after that awful day on the beach, we recieved word from the hospital that Elizabeth was responding to treatment, and was beginning to wake up. Chloe and I had been there when she woke up properly, and she'd spent the next six months recovering in the hospital, as the doctors were still struggling to find out what happened to her in the first place.

But today, she was coming home, for her fifty-fifth birthday. Chloe had ordered me to go and collect her late afternoon, as she and Jack were decorating and making finishing touches. It had taken a while, but she was finally home.

I pulled up right next to the house so Elizabeth wouldn't have to walk too far and jumped out to help her. Everything was so quiet, even I was wondering where everyone was. I was pretty sure Elizabeth already knew what was going on.

I let her lean on my arm as we walked up the path that had grown thick with weeds since Elizabeth had been in hospital.

I opened the door to the kitchen, where I suddenly heard everyone yell Surprise!

Chloe, Elliot and Jack were standing in the middle of the kitchen, holding a cake. But to my own surprise and delight, both Julian and Archie were also standing there.

"Archie!" Both Elizabeth and I cried.

"What are you doing here, I thought you were in Canada!" I said, giving him a big hug.

"I was, but then I came back," he grinned.

"Why do you think I made you pick Mum up?" Chloe said with a smile, before turning to Elizabeth," Blow out your candles then!"

Elizabeth laughed and blew out her candles. We all cheered and applauded her, as we walked over to the kitchen table where the food was set out. Of course, it wasn't as good as Elizabeth would usually do it, but since Jack had moved in last month, he had proven himself to be quite a good cook.

He'd made a delicious spread, which I had been looking forward to eating all day. We all sat down and piled up our plates with the food; this was Elizabeth's first decent meal in over six months, and I could tell she was glad to be out of the hospital.

Half way through the meal, I turned to Archie and asked," How long are you here for before you go back?"

"Back where?" he asked.

"To Canada!"

"Oh, that," he said, clearing his throat," Well, I suppose I should tell you all now, while we're all here: I'm not going back."

We all looked up at him in surprise, waiting for an explanation.

"Well, I realised while I was out there, that I could go all over the world looking for something that I knew would bring me right back here," he answered.

"In other words, you got fired," Chloe said.

Archie paused, a smile forming. "Yes, I got fired."

"What did you do this time?" Elizabeth asked, chuckling.

"Something I wasn't supposed to," he replied quickly," But I do have a present for you, and for you, Chloe."

We all peered at him, as he jumped up out of his seat. He led us all outside, where I was surprised to see something huge sitting in front of the house with a red sheet over it.

"What is this?" Elizabeth asked.

"Julian helped me put it together," Archie replied, as they both walked towards it and pulled the cover off.

We all gasped as it came off. Standing before us was the most fantastic wooden statue of Fly.

"Archie! How long did this take you?" Chloe cried.

"So long, but Julian helped me with everything from across the seas, he got it over here," he replied.

"You two make a good team," I laughed.

"Yeah, that's another thing," Julian said," Archie and I are going into business together, starting a new carpentry business. Archie will be the carpenter, and I'll be the one behind the scenes, keeping everything running smoothly."

"That's really wonderful news, boys," Elizabeth said, giving them both kisses.

"Hang on, what does it say on the plaque?" I asked, looking down at the statue.

We all looked down at it, and as I looked over at Chloe, I could see a tear forming as she read the words:

In memory of our Fly, the best horse we ever knew.
May you run forever in the clouds of heaven.

I could feel the tears forming in my own eyes, as everyone rested a hand on the statue. After a moment of silence, Chloe said," I want it over there, in the middle of the drive. I want everyone to be able to see it. I want to be able to see it, every day."

I smiled, as all four boys looked about trying to move it. I looked over at Chloe, who mouthed, Ride? at me. I nodded, as she walked off towards the stables. I helped Elizabeth inside, where we would leave her to the mercy of the boys. We knew that was how she liked it. After having left her in the kitchen, I walked out to the barn. To my surprise, Chloe was already ready with Guinness and Vesta.

"I thought I was going on Buck," I said as she handed me Vesta's reins.

"You want to put two stallions together?" she said," Get on."

I did as I was told and we walked off into the woods. I expect us to take the scenic route through the forest, but instead, Chloe led the way up the narrow path that led up towards the Downs.

She didn't say anything on the way up, mainly because I was stuck behind her, but once we reached the top of the Downs, I was able to walk alongside her.

"What did you drag me up here for?" I asked.

"I want to offer you a job," she replied," A proper job. Training and riding top show horses."

"You can't be serious," I said after a pause.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" she said, with a small smile.

"You want me to ride your horses, and train them?" I confirmed.

"Well, ride mainly, but the new ones that I train," she said," I'm planning on keeping more foals to show and breed from, and with more foals, I'll need more help. You know the horses, the yard, how I like things done. Give it a think."

"I don't need to, I accept!" I cried," When do I start?"

She laughed and said," We'll work it all out later."

We walked along the top of the rolling hills, when Chloe turned to me and said," I don't want to be out here too long, Jack and I have an announcement that we want to make, and I don't want to keep him waiting."

"Ooh, what is it?" I asked, thinking I knew what it was.

"Tell you what, we'll pop then over the nine jump course and take the bridal path down towards the back of the farm," she said," If you can beat me back to the farm, I'll tell you first."

Before I could protest, she whirled Guinness around and sent him off into a fast canter.

"That's not fair, you got a head start!" I shouted as I pushed Vesta after them, chasing Guinness into the sunset.