_Kiwi Dreams_
_Bella_
After watching Rosalie ride Willow out of the farm, I put on my hoody and ugg boots and started to walk towards Charlie's home just on the outskirts of the land. Charlie was our manager who worked from home, being the person who owned most of the farm's land he had the power to call all of the shots. All the decisions were run by him and there was nothing he didn't know about the running of the farm and the business that came with it. Charlie was fair but he could be strict when he wanted to be. Also, trespassers would never go very far with him and his gun in close range.
I knocked on the front door, glancing at the wind chimes he had on his front porch briefly before looking to the door again when it opened. Charlie appeared, wearing something other than his denim, checked blouse and cowboy boots combination, this time in black trousers and a comfy but smart looking jumper shirt.
"Isabella. Hello, please come on in, honey." Charlie stepped aside and I stepped into the house, wiping my boots on his doormat before standing in his hallway.
"I thought you would be coming by this morning. Would you like a coffee? I just boiled the kettle."
"Tea would be good, thank you. I didn't want to take up too much of your time but Rosalie spoke to me just now about the deal with Sheriff Hales this morning. I just wanted to come and speak with you about what was happening."
"Yes, I didn't promise them anything, Izzy. I didn't want to until I had spoken with you." Charlie stood up and walked into the kitchen, I sat down on the couch as he made the tea in the other room.
"How did they get Victoria to part with that horse? That is the biggest mystery to me, plus when have those people ever wanted to make business with us, without rubbing it in our faces first?"
I heard Charlie chuckle in the kitchen and soon after he appeared in the room, handing me the cup. "I guess she was convinced. Word got out from Bernadette Midler, the last woman whose horse we trained, she entered the mare into a competition and let's just say the animal has won a streak of them ever since. I guess word of mouth is stronger than any self-obsessed tv adverts can ever be."
"Thank you." I kept the cup in my hands, letting the warmth of the tea spread to my fingers. "So they want me to train Artemis? Even though she had had prior training before this?"
"Turns out the mare is entered into a competition next week and she has taken a turn against the trainer that she has had. They say that it's all nerves but I reckon there has been something happening between Arty and her trainer."
"You don't think …." I paused, putting the cup down on the coffee table. "That there has been any … Mistreatment do you?"
Charlie shrugged. "I don't know, Iz. All I know now is that they need you to keep Artemis going and seeing as Rosalie has got a job with another horse, you were the only other person I can trust with this."
I sat back against the couch, thinking about it for a moment. "Are they really going to pay a lot of money, I mean I know that as your worker I have no right to nose into the company's finances but we are trying to pay back a loan with the bank, right? Will this help?"
"Iz. I know that the family from the Hales are the last people that you want to help, hell, no one here would help either of them out, either. Ultimately, yes … They are offering a big amount, more than what we usually quote. They are desperate, Iz."
I could only nod, this farm was my livelihood. I could live here, with very small amount of living fees and a decent wage. It allowed me to do what I love to do, be out in the air all day and want for not much else. I could not allow this place to fall into the cracks of destitution and ruin, no one else would want it to, either. I know I had to do this.
"Okay, do you want me to come with you to Hales? To get Artemis?"
"No, we have to wait for a free stable. Promise will be leaving in a few days back to his farm after Jasper has given him the all-clear. Then, we can go and get Arty. For now, I just have to go and finalize paperwork and payment. Thank you for doing this, Iz. It will all work out, I promise."
I finished my tea and left the house, waving at Charlie as he left the farm in his jeep to meet with the Hales family. I headed back to the stables and started work on mucking out the stables.
"Hey sweetheart…" I greeted Demeter as I entered her stable; I reached into my pocket and fed her a sugar cube. "How's my beautiful girl doing huh?" I stroked her nose, nuzzling into it briefly before leading her out into the field and letting her run around.
"Hey Iz!"
I turned around and saw Jasper's vehicle approaching. Jasper was our vet, plus and old family friend. I approached the car as he parked, "hey bud, how are you?"
"I'm good, Iz. I'm just here to see Promise. I had an appointment cancel at the last minute and I figured I would come down here and get some her final checks done a little early. I didn't run it by Charlie but do you think he would allow it?" Jasper got out of the car and collected his bag from the boot before closing it behind him.
"I don't see why not, Promise is improving leaps and bounds. Now that the old owner has allowed her family to take over the farm, the horse can receive the proper care she deserves. I mean, she is used to a gentler touch since the owner gradually lost her sight but now she can get back to normal."
"Great, well then let's see how she's doing." I followed Jasper into the stables and let him into Promise's stable before cleaning out Willow's and Demeter's.
