The next morning, Mia and Georgie woke to SWAT tearing the doors down, and rushing in the house and garage.
Georgie figured Dom had just gone to run some errands, so she got into her car, and was ready to leave for the stables. On her rear view mirror hung his silver chain, that had the cross pendant on it. On her dash board, by the pendant was an envelope. He had run. She didn't even open the envelope. She put it in her console and drove off in a mad rush. Every now and then she glared at the cross.
Throughout the next few months, Georgie and her black Hanoverian horse, Quizzical were soaring with progress. Before she knew it, the final show was here. The night before she spent hours grooming Q.Z. to perfection. She threw a sheet, a mane tamer, tail bag, and some leg wraps on him. Early the next morning they left for the final show. She braided his mane at the grounds, saddled him, warmed him up, and went to fetch her pattern and get dressed. She met the instructor in the warm up pen, and Q.Z. had a short schooling session before they were called.
She entered Q.Z. at a heart stopping extended trot, and he stopped square. She saluted, collected her reins, and their pattern began. He made an amazing pattern, and their last few tests were extremely complicated. When they crossed the arena, Georgie was shocked. She saw somebody, but convinced herself she was seeing things. She collected Q.Z. at a piaffe, and departed him to a canter. They stopped smoothly, and Q.Z. squared. Their round was perfect. She rubbed the gelding's neck, praising him for a job well done. She cooled him out, and took him to the stable. She went to go change into her casual clothes. She untacked him and hosed him off. She let him have a roll in his stall, and gave him more hay. Her instructor came up, "Lovely ride! There is some man asking to see you… Should I tell him you aren't here?"
"What's he look like?"
"Tall, very muscular, bald.. Scary really," but the instructor was short, and innocent looking.
"Yeah, you can tell him where I'm at."
It was only a matter of time before Dom found her. They had dinner, and conversed.
"I only read the letter last week."
"Why?"
"I didn't want to face my fear. I figured after 6 months, you weren't coming back, and I needed to get the story straight. I really missed you Dom. Does the team know you're back?"
"No not yet."
The next day, Georgie was fixing to enter the ring for the jumping competition. Q.Z. pranced into the arena, "Next exhibitor, Georgette Lee, and Quizzical." She loped him in a circle, and they headed for the first fence. He tucked his legs under him beautifully and kept on. The oxer required a lot of speed, but it didn't slow Q.Z. Georgie checked him up to line him up perfectly with the Liverpool. She released him, and he gained power. He lifted into the air, stretching out mid way, as far as he could. He landed, and headed for the last combination. 3 fences, each one getting higher than the other. The last fence was 6 feet high. She steadied Q.Z., and they went for it.
Each stride had a powerful four beat to it. Georgie's eyes focused on the center of the top rail. Q.Z. flicked his ears forward, collected himself slightly, and he went for the take off. He cleared the first one. Two strides, and he jumped the second one. His hind stifle rubbed the rail slightly. She collected Q.Z., gaining power and momentum in only 5 strides. He snorted, as he took off. His front feet tucked under him beautifully. He snatched up his rear feet, and landed smoothly. Georgie looked back, all rails were still up. She patted Q.Z.'s sweaty neck as she slowed him to a trot.