A seventeen year old Emily combed the mane of her horse "Marsi". The light brown hair came off on the cuff of her sleeve and she stroked the horse over and over. Minutes later, she was leading Marsi into the shed where the six others were kept. Emily kissed the nose of her horse before leaving the shed and running towards the barn.
She stopped in her tracks when she heard a car engine coming closer to her, and she turned to see a blue pickup truck parking in the driveway of the main house. She smiled and ran to the driveway when she saw her brother get out.
He looked up just in time to catch Emily in a full on hug.
"Jeez, Aaron you always take forever to get here!"
A twenty year old Aaron smiled into his sister's hair before following her to the barn. "I'm sorry. Hailey wanted me to stay longer, but I told her that I needed to get home and help my little sis." He smiled along with Emily as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
An hour later, they were in the house and preparing dinner when the front door was heard.
"Hello?"
Aaron smiled and turned towards the living room. "Hey dad."
Their father walked in and kissed Emily's head while she cut the peppers. "What are we havin'?"
"Chicken cutlets and a fresh salad. All from the garden."
Dan, their father, gently elbowed Aaron in the side and they smirked. Emily caught it and sighed. "What is so funny this time?"
Dan smiled at his daughter while Aaron laughed in the background. "Well sweetie, we all know you don't work in the garden-"
"I do too!"
"When?"
"When I was three! Before Katie was born."
Dan smiled and leaned against the counter. "And who took over that job when she was four?"
Emily rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath. "Katie…"
Just then, fourteen year old Katie came running into the kitchen, kissing her father on the cheek. "Hey daddy."
Dan gave her a hug before she went to the fridge and took out a bottle of water. "How was your lesson today?"
Katie shrugged before settling into a chair by the table. "I don't know. Good, I guess. Since it was Em who taught…"
"Why does everyone insist on picking on me?"
Laughs circled around the room as the dinner was made and ate. Hours later, most people were ready for bed when there was a knock at the door.
Emily ran, in her sweats and t-shirt, to the screen door and smiled.
"JJ, what are you doing here?"
A sixteen year old JJ tugged on something, and her younger brother came into view.
Emily smiled awkwardly. "JJ and Spencer. Ok, what are you guys doing here?"
A fifteen year old Spencer shrugged and followed JJ into the house. They turned to see Emily closing the door and then turn to them. "Our mom is having one of her episodes, so she yelled and threw stuff… long story short, dad told us to go stay somewhere else for tonight. Would you mind…"
"Not at all!"
JJ and Spencer smiled gratefully as they helped Emily grab some pillows and blankets, and headed for the barn. "Emily, do we really have to stay in your barn?"
Emily rolled her eyes at Spencer as she slid the barn door open. "I'm sorry that we don't have a five story house, so we can't fit you right on top where you can see the pretty stars. For tonight, you'll have to sleep on hay while drinking water instead of champagne from crystal."
JJ smiled at her friend as they climbed the steps and deposited themselves on the hay. As they got situated, Emily made her way down the steps before turning back and smiling up at them. "If you need anything, go into the house and pass the kitchen. My bedroom is the second door on the left."
Just as she was about to walk out, she heard Spencer call her name.
"Will there be horses around?"
Both Emily and JJ laughed.
"Yeah Spencer, the horses will be around in the morning. But I'll try and get them away from you if you like."
"Hey Em," JJ called, slipping off her shoes. "Are we still on for tomorrow night?"
"Yeah. Derek and Penelope are coming over at eight and everyone else at ten."
"Awesome. Night. Thanks Em."
"Night."