Chapter Ten: The Climb

The days after all of that went by quickly, I spent every second I could with Lilly, whether we were riding Bluejeans and 'Girl together on the hills, or we were just hanging out in the fields with Alfred. Sometimes we even would hang out in the kitchen, Lilly and my mama quickly grew to like each other and Lilly would often be found in there during meal times helping her cook, or serving food to some of the guests who were coming and going, none of them lingering around nearly as long as Lilly had come to be here. Occasionally, I'd find her hiding away in her room looking sadly out the window…I'd ask her what she was thinking about and she'd just say something about how she wished her mom would at least call to see how she was doing. More often than not though we'd find ourselves in a corner somewhere sharing soft kisses…never more than that, Lilly still sticking to the 'take it slow' plan…more strictly now that she had heard about Mikayla, whether she was doing it on purpose or unintentionally I wasn't sure…but I wasn't about to ask either. I enjoyed anything she would give me.

Then one late afternoon as we were lying underneath our favorite tree in the fields, she rolled over onto her stomach looking at me, "Miley?" she said softly.

"Hmm?" I mumbled, feeling half asleep.

"Miley…what's going to happen when I have to leave?"

I glanced over at her, feeling slightly more awake now, "Oh Lilly…I'm not sure, but I know…nothing bad."

"What's that suppose to mean?" She asked skeptically.

"Well…incase you haven't figured it out yet…I'm homeschooled, unlike my brother Jackson…so…I suppose if you ever wanted me to pop over to California for a visit, I think I could manage that." I told her softly.

"Really?" I could almost hear her smile in her voice.

I smiled too, "Really Lilly."

She sighed and rested her head on my stomach, "I sure hope so…"

I stroked her hair, remembering the first night I met her and how I'd thought of how soft it was. I smiled. "So…you know the little filly…I'm still waiting on a name for her, or I think she's going to have to be called 'Filly'.

"No! Miley, no. I've got a name for her. I really do…I know one, I'm just working on making a sign to hang on her door…you know like how you have all those other ones you guys have for the other horses…except mine won't be nearly as good…but still, I'm working on it."

"Okay," I laughed softly, "Also…I forgot, have I asked you when your birthday is?"

"Um…no? It's actually like in two weeks…" She said quietly.

"Two weeks….you won't be here still will you?" I asked.

"I don't think so…no."

"Hmm," I said thoughtfully.

"What?"

"Oh nothing, just thinking."

"Tell me!" She whined.

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Ugh….fiine."

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Two days later, at the crack of dawn, I was out side of Cinnamon's stall setting up a happy birthday banner, and some streamers, "Okay dad, can you go get Lilly?"

"Why can't you darlin'?" He whined to me like a ten year old, "I don't know what to tell her."

"Just say it's an emergency and to go out to the stables, she's in the kitchen with mama." I told him.

"Okaay," He went off towards the house.

Then came back several minutes later with a confused Lilly, "Miley! What's the matter? Your dad said there was an emergency….but I don't know why you'd need me for that."

"Surprise!" I grinned, throwing my arms out towards Cinnamon's stall.

"Aw….thanks Miley…a horse stall for my birthday…? Just what I always wanted…?" She looked at me strangely.

"No, silly! It's what's inside the stall…" I pushed her towards the stall door, and she peered inside to see the little filly with a bow tied around her middle.

"Miley! Are you saying she's mine?" Lilly asked excitedly, glancing from my dad to me and back again.

"Yeah," I grinned, "Whenever you come back here…she's all yours. So you better 'ave named her a good name."

"Oh Miley!" She squealed excitedly, and threw her arms around me pulling me into a tight hug, "Thank you, thank you! I love y-….her!"

I glanced over at my dad sheepishly, who pretended like he didn't see anything, "I love you too." I whispered in her ear almost incoherently.

She buried her face into my hair, and nuzzled my neck, "Oh Miley…" She whispered, sounding sad almost. "This is too nice, I don't deserve it."

I noticed out of the corner of my eye my dad slinking off to leave me and Lilly alone for the time being, "You do deserve it Lilly, you really do…you've been so…perfect."

"Oh Miley," She said again, hugging me tighter to her.

"Is something wrong, ba-, uh, Lilly?"

"Not now," She pulled away gently, placing a soft kiss on the tip of my nose. Then walking over to look at the little filly again, "She so cute…"

"You're so cute." I smiled, trying to sound cocky.

She just looked at me and rolled her eyes, "Don't ruin the moment Miley, gosh." She said sarcastically.

I laughed and went up behind her to wrap my arms around her waist.

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I slept with her at the bed and breakfast that night…not slept with, just slept next to. She had mumbled something to me earlier about being too tired to go over to her house…but when I awoke in the morning I realized I had been fooled. Something else was up, "Lilly?" I called out, looking around the room for her stuff. "Lilly?" I choked out, "Are you here?" I got up, looking for some sign of her still being here…but having a strange feeling she wasn't. I ran down the steps and into the kitchen, "Mama? Have you seen Lilly?" I said, trying my best to hold back the tears.

"Oh baby, baby girl…she left. Didn't she tell you?" Mama said softly, coming up to hug me.

"Left? Is sh-she coming back?"

"I don't think so darlin', her mama came back this morning and Lilly met her in the front hallway…then they left. All Lilly did was wave to me…I thought she told you."

"No, she didn't." I brushed past my mom, heading out the back door…just wanting to be alone now. Why would Lilly do this? Yesterday went so well…everyday went so well. I said I loved her for god's sake. I do love her. Why'd she do this? Why now? Why not later…why not tell me? I fell my tears rolling off my chin as I peeked over into Cinnamon's stall to look at her filly, "Your mama left you…your other mama, no don't look at me like that I don't know why she le-left either…did she say bye to you too? Was I the only one she didn't tell…" I dragged my hand along the stall door, then felt my hand hit something that wasn't usually there, looking down I saw a sign, painted on in pink letters it said 'Nervous Nellie', I choked out a laugh…and looked at the little filly, "She named you after her…Nervous Nellie, but Nellie for short I suppose." Nellie perked her ears up at the name. "She did say by to you then…" I tilted the sign up to look at it better, when a piece of paper that must have been behind it fluttered to the ground…I picked it up and saw it had my name scrawled across it. I unfolded it and read;

Dear Miley,

I should have told you yesterday I would be leaving early this morning…but I just couldn't, after you gave me Nellie…and you were so sweet. I just didn't want to believe I would be leaving either…I'm so sorry, I don't blame you if you never forgive me. But I hope you do.

I love you,

Lilly.

Ps: I'll be back. I promise.

& if you're ever in the neighborhood…look up Lillian Alexis Truscott, I won't be hard to find you'll notice.

a/n : I have no idea if that's her middle name….but I've seen it used once or twice and it kinda fits, so hey….lets go with that. And I bet that's not what y'all expected …

but it's not over…

quite.

I think I'll do the rest tomorrow though. Tell me how disappointed you are in this…not so ending :( it's what I wanted to do with the story…maybe a little different then what I had in mind, but it's close enough…a little rushed buut I hope its okay…there will be maybe another chapter or two.