A Home For MacKenzie

Chapter 14

Over the next week Mackenzie started to get her strength back.  She still had a lingering cough, but she had put on a bit of weight and she was smiling a lot more.  She had spent every minute she could with her parents and had even spent some time with Caleb and Fern.  Things were definitely looking up for her.

            The teen smiled to herself as she headed out to the barn.  Jeremy and Cassidy were busy in the arena getting things together for the next group of kids and their lesson.  Mackenzie had promised to help.  She felt better now and she wanted to help as much as she could.

            Mackenzie slipped into the barn and headed for the arena.  She had been trying to avoid Bailey’s old stall recently, since it still hurt to know she was gone.  Today thought she had no choice as she had volunteered to get Duchess and the mare’s stall was a couple down from Bailey’s.

            She was trying hard not to look at the stall, but suddenly froze as she heard soft whistling.  Mackenzie looked up and was shocked by the sight that greeted her.  A horse stood in Bailey’s stall and someone was in the stall, grooming the horse.

            “Can I help you?” she asked, stepping up to the stall.  The young man turned around, a wide smile on his face.  “Caleb?” she asked in shock.

            He grinned broadly.  “Hey Mac, I was just getting your new addition settled in.”

            “New addition?”

            Caleb backed up a step and clucked softly.  The horse stepped forward and bobbed her elegant head.  She reached out and playfully nibbled on Mackenzie’s shirt.

            “Bailey?” she whispered.  The horse whinnied.  “Bailey!  I can’t believe it!  But how?”

            Mackenzie let herself into the stall and hugged the filly.  Tears of joy slid down her cheeks.  Bailey burred softly and nibbled on Mackenzie’s long hair.

            “Caleb, how did you get her back?” she asked, pulling away from her beloved filly.

            “I have my ways,” he smiled, pulling some papers out of his back pocket and handing them to Mackenzie.  “She’s yours now.”

            Mackenzie threw her arms around him.  He held her close and smoothed his hand down her soft hair.  He moved his finger under her chin and gently tilted her beautiful face up, so he could see her eyes.

            “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time,” he whispered.

            Mackenzie didn’t get a chance to ask what  he was had wanted to.  He lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers.  Her knees grew weak as his kiss became more a  bit more demanding.  Her head spun and she was pretty sure she saw fire works.  He slowly pulled back and gave her one more quick kiss.

            “I know you’ve been through a lot, Mac, but do you think that we might have a chance?”

            She stood on tip toe and kissed him back.  “I think we have more then a chance,” she whispered.