Lucy sat on Destiny the next morning, the sun beating down on her.
Ben had left earlier that morning. He asked if she wanted to join him
again. He wouldn't be Ben if he hadn't. Of course it was out of the
question, especially after an awful night. She awoke from a dream more
real than ever before. She actually felt the hawk plunge toward her. She
could still remember the amber eyes. It was crazy. She was never attacked
by a hawk.
Something happened to cause those dreams; otherwise she wouldn't have gone half way across the country without telling anyone. She didn't return to or communicate with that part of herself. Yes, something happened, but now it's about moving on with her life.
Kevin let Lucy ride Destiny with out the tether. He didn't take much convincing this time. She had gradually earned his trust. A sudden desire overcame her to let Destiny run free. "Let me take him down to the meadow."
"No way." He didn't even consider it. Sometimes he made her so mad. "Just take him around the corral."
Going around the corral was the story of her life. She was angry. Why didn't he let her take him to the meadow? In a moment of fury she kicked her heels in and suddenly realized it was a huge mistake. Destiny twisted and reared, causing her to lose her grip. She slammed to the ground, causing her to lose her breath.
She saw Kevin lunge to protect her from Destiny's hooves. She laid gasping for air. Destiny lunged and bucked then went to the other side of the corral. She caught her breath and staggered to stand up.
Kevin never took his eyes away from the horse. "You okay?"
She tried to get a deep breath, but she could only manage a clipped "Yes."
"That sure sets us back. He's not sure what to expect from us now."
He was right. "I'm really sorry."
Kevin looked over at Destiny. "He's enjoying his accomplishment, so get up there again. This time don't take your anger out on him either."
She was shocked. She mad made a big mistake, but he was letting her keep helping. She was filled with gratitude and thanks.
She slowly mounted while Kevin held tightly to the reins. He accepted her. They rode around the corral, but the connection they had before was gone. She stopped and dismounted.
"Go ahead to the house. I'll need to finish up my work here." He meant he had to try to fix the damage she had done. She failed both Kevin and Destiny.
"Kevin..." She met his eyes, "I'm sorry."
"You'll know better next time." He have her a small smile.
Next time, she wouldn't ruin it. She nodded then started down the meadow.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kevin went to an auction the next day, leaving Lucy alone. She didn't even think about taking Destiny out alone. She had already "proved" herself to Kevin. She could ride Aldebaran out to paint, but she had no desire to paint today. Ben was definitely right, the ranch could be boring. She wished he was here to whisk her off on another adventure.
Lucy wandered downstairs and found Marta busy in the kitchen. She had a sense of purpose. Ben, Kevin, and Marta knew their place in life, but she struggled.
Marta look up, "Come on in. Can I get you something?"
"No thank you." She sighed.
"I can tell you look a little depressed. You should just keep busy. Next to faith, work can lead you to happiness. It'll give you a sense of purpose." Marta went to the sink and washed her hands. "Want to help me? I'm making bread."
"Actually I've never cooked before."
Marta stopped. "Never?"
"Nope. My mom used to before she died. She was an incredible cook. She promised to teach me when I was older. So, after she died, my dad always ordered take-out for us."
Marta smiled. "Sometimes our life of privilege can prevent us from learning practical things. We often take things for granted, some more than others." She didn't say it rudely, but Lucy felt rebuked.
Lucy looked around the kitchen, she tried to picture herself elbow deep in dishwater or stirring batter like Martha Stewart. Why not? "Do you think you could teach me?"
"Of course. We can bake the bread together."
Marta helped Lucy measure all of the ingredients. Lucy began to roll the dough out and knead it. She enjoyed the feel of the dough and felt like for once, in a long time, she was doing something that mattered.
"That'll work. Now we just need to cover it and let it rise." Marta went to the pantry and began looking for something. "I'm completely out of vinegar. Lucy, I'll need to run to the market. Would you mind peeling the potatoes and putting them in the pot to boil. When the dough has doubled then take it out and punch it down. Cover it and let it continue to rise."
"Sure, no problem." She found the peeler and set to work on the potatoes. She first swipe at the skin didn't work. She pressed the peeler harder and swiped again. She gasped, however, when it cut her finger. She washed her hands and went back to the potatoes. She tried again, and this time the skin came off easily.
On the next potato, Lucy gouged the potato and caught her other finger. She tossed the potato into the sink and sucked on her finger. She turned to see Kevin in the doorway. "What in the world are you doing?" he smirked.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm helping Marta by peeling the potatoes." Kevin simply nodded and left. She knew she had been rude but he caught her at a bad time. She turned back to the potatoes, she had been given this job and she was going to finish it.
Lucy finished peeling the potatoes. She put them in the pot and covered them. She turned the burner on high and then went to look at the dough. It had doubled and she took it out and punched it down. That was simple enough. She covered it up and let it sit.
She had done everything in the kitchen and left to go find Kevin. She looked all over the house, but couldn't find him. She went outside and walked far enough to see if he was in the corral. He wasn't. Where was he now? She walked back to the house and suddenly smelled something burning coming from the kitchen.
She ran into the kitchen and saw smoke coming out from behind the door. The smoke was coming from the pot on the stove. She gripped the lid but then flung it to the floor as it burned her palm. Kevin came in behind her and pushed her to the sink and turned the water on.
She held her hand under the cold water. It took the sting away from the burn. Kevin turned off the stove and grabbed an oven mitt and pulled the pot away from the stove. She caught a glance at the potatoes and they were black and shriveled. Good job, she thought.
Kevin came over to look at her hand and got some aloe from the refrigerator and gently covered the burn. "What happened to the potatoes?"
"The water must have boiled out."
Water. She didn't put any in. Now she realized the potatoes couldn't boil with out any water. How could she forget that?
Marta came rushing in. "What happened?"
Lucy turned. "I-."
Kevin interrupted her. "Sorry Marta, we forgot all about the potatoes." He began nudging Lucy out the door. He pushed her out the door and down into the truck.
"I should have stayed and helped Marta clean up my mess."
"You don't want to be in there right now." They drove up the slope in silence. Why did he step in for her like that? Did she just scream helplessness? Did he think she could do anything?
"Since your hand is hurt, you won't want to hold the reins."
"I'll be fine."
"Well I wanted to try something else anyway." They worked with Destiny until lunchtime and then went back to the house to eat.
That evening Kevin sat alone on the porch. Lucy had been disappointed with the success they had with Destiny earlier. Why had their success disappointed her? Maybe she only likes a challenge. Did she only want what she couldn't have? Then why did he feel like she was broken. Or was he so out of his mind that he couldn't see the truth? A/N: Please review!
Something happened to cause those dreams; otherwise she wouldn't have gone half way across the country without telling anyone. She didn't return to or communicate with that part of herself. Yes, something happened, but now it's about moving on with her life.
Kevin let Lucy ride Destiny with out the tether. He didn't take much convincing this time. She had gradually earned his trust. A sudden desire overcame her to let Destiny run free. "Let me take him down to the meadow."
"No way." He didn't even consider it. Sometimes he made her so mad. "Just take him around the corral."
Going around the corral was the story of her life. She was angry. Why didn't he let her take him to the meadow? In a moment of fury she kicked her heels in and suddenly realized it was a huge mistake. Destiny twisted and reared, causing her to lose her grip. She slammed to the ground, causing her to lose her breath.
She saw Kevin lunge to protect her from Destiny's hooves. She laid gasping for air. Destiny lunged and bucked then went to the other side of the corral. She caught her breath and staggered to stand up.
Kevin never took his eyes away from the horse. "You okay?"
She tried to get a deep breath, but she could only manage a clipped "Yes."
"That sure sets us back. He's not sure what to expect from us now."
He was right. "I'm really sorry."
Kevin looked over at Destiny. "He's enjoying his accomplishment, so get up there again. This time don't take your anger out on him either."
She was shocked. She mad made a big mistake, but he was letting her keep helping. She was filled with gratitude and thanks.
She slowly mounted while Kevin held tightly to the reins. He accepted her. They rode around the corral, but the connection they had before was gone. She stopped and dismounted.
"Go ahead to the house. I'll need to finish up my work here." He meant he had to try to fix the damage she had done. She failed both Kevin and Destiny.
"Kevin..." She met his eyes, "I'm sorry."
"You'll know better next time." He have her a small smile.
Next time, she wouldn't ruin it. She nodded then started down the meadow.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kevin went to an auction the next day, leaving Lucy alone. She didn't even think about taking Destiny out alone. She had already "proved" herself to Kevin. She could ride Aldebaran out to paint, but she had no desire to paint today. Ben was definitely right, the ranch could be boring. She wished he was here to whisk her off on another adventure.
Lucy wandered downstairs and found Marta busy in the kitchen. She had a sense of purpose. Ben, Kevin, and Marta knew their place in life, but she struggled.
Marta look up, "Come on in. Can I get you something?"
"No thank you." She sighed.
"I can tell you look a little depressed. You should just keep busy. Next to faith, work can lead you to happiness. It'll give you a sense of purpose." Marta went to the sink and washed her hands. "Want to help me? I'm making bread."
"Actually I've never cooked before."
Marta stopped. "Never?"
"Nope. My mom used to before she died. She was an incredible cook. She promised to teach me when I was older. So, after she died, my dad always ordered take-out for us."
Marta smiled. "Sometimes our life of privilege can prevent us from learning practical things. We often take things for granted, some more than others." She didn't say it rudely, but Lucy felt rebuked.
Lucy looked around the kitchen, she tried to picture herself elbow deep in dishwater or stirring batter like Martha Stewart. Why not? "Do you think you could teach me?"
"Of course. We can bake the bread together."
Marta helped Lucy measure all of the ingredients. Lucy began to roll the dough out and knead it. She enjoyed the feel of the dough and felt like for once, in a long time, she was doing something that mattered.
"That'll work. Now we just need to cover it and let it rise." Marta went to the pantry and began looking for something. "I'm completely out of vinegar. Lucy, I'll need to run to the market. Would you mind peeling the potatoes and putting them in the pot to boil. When the dough has doubled then take it out and punch it down. Cover it and let it continue to rise."
"Sure, no problem." She found the peeler and set to work on the potatoes. She first swipe at the skin didn't work. She pressed the peeler harder and swiped again. She gasped, however, when it cut her finger. She washed her hands and went back to the potatoes. She tried again, and this time the skin came off easily.
On the next potato, Lucy gouged the potato and caught her other finger. She tossed the potato into the sink and sucked on her finger. She turned to see Kevin in the doorway. "What in the world are you doing?" he smirked.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm helping Marta by peeling the potatoes." Kevin simply nodded and left. She knew she had been rude but he caught her at a bad time. She turned back to the potatoes, she had been given this job and she was going to finish it.
Lucy finished peeling the potatoes. She put them in the pot and covered them. She turned the burner on high and then went to look at the dough. It had doubled and she took it out and punched it down. That was simple enough. She covered it up and let it sit.
She had done everything in the kitchen and left to go find Kevin. She looked all over the house, but couldn't find him. She went outside and walked far enough to see if he was in the corral. He wasn't. Where was he now? She walked back to the house and suddenly smelled something burning coming from the kitchen.
She ran into the kitchen and saw smoke coming out from behind the door. The smoke was coming from the pot on the stove. She gripped the lid but then flung it to the floor as it burned her palm. Kevin came in behind her and pushed her to the sink and turned the water on.
She held her hand under the cold water. It took the sting away from the burn. Kevin turned off the stove and grabbed an oven mitt and pulled the pot away from the stove. She caught a glance at the potatoes and they were black and shriveled. Good job, she thought.
Kevin came over to look at her hand and got some aloe from the refrigerator and gently covered the burn. "What happened to the potatoes?"
"The water must have boiled out."
Water. She didn't put any in. Now she realized the potatoes couldn't boil with out any water. How could she forget that?
Marta came rushing in. "What happened?"
Lucy turned. "I-."
Kevin interrupted her. "Sorry Marta, we forgot all about the potatoes." He began nudging Lucy out the door. He pushed her out the door and down into the truck.
"I should have stayed and helped Marta clean up my mess."
"You don't want to be in there right now." They drove up the slope in silence. Why did he step in for her like that? Did she just scream helplessness? Did he think she could do anything?
"Since your hand is hurt, you won't want to hold the reins."
"I'll be fine."
"Well I wanted to try something else anyway." They worked with Destiny until lunchtime and then went back to the house to eat.
That evening Kevin sat alone on the porch. Lucy had been disappointed with the success they had with Destiny earlier. Why had their success disappointed her? Maybe she only likes a challenge. Did she only want what she couldn't have? Then why did he feel like she was broken. Or was he so out of his mind that he couldn't see the truth? A/N: Please review!