/.Chapter Seven.\\
After Scott and Rachel's mom had stitched all of the wounds they bandaged the mare's legs, this way she wouldn't be able to pull out the stitches, we got the mare up and carefully led her into the trailer. At first she had refused to go in, but with a few gentle words Amy managed to lead her inside. If it hadn't been for the tranquilizer and the loss of the mare's fight, I don't think we would have gotten her home in one piece.
Byron and I said good-bye to Rachel and thanked her mom for her help, then we got into the car and left, Scott tailing us in the jeep. The drive home was oddly silent, there was nothing to say, I rested my head against the window and watched as the trees and fields passed by. All the while though I was listening carefully for any noise from the trailer. I felt sick inside, like I had some deadly, lasting disease that couldn't be cured. Dark gray clouds had rolled in from the west, blocking out the late afternoon sunlight, and by the time we pulled into Heartland a light drizzle was falling.
Right after Amy killed the engine the three of us got out and began to lower the ramp, the tranquilizer was beginning to wear off the mare and she almost ran out, but Amy grabbed her halter just in time, and led her into the barn, Scott, Byron and I following in her wake. The barn was warm compared the drizzling cold outside, but it did nothing to bring up my mood.
Amy put the mare in a stall which connected to a private paddock, this way when the stitches were out she could come and go as she pleased. Amy put Star of Bethlehem in the mare's water, and brought her a bran mash, Scott gave the mare another shot of anti-biotics and then left the stall and went up to the house.
I started the evening feeds with Byron, we didn't talk or joke like we usually did. I stayed silent the whole time, it felt as if I was in a dream like state, like none of this was real and I'd wake up any minute.
After I finished up the haynets I went back to the mare's stall and rested my arms on the stall door, she was laying down, her muzzle resting on the straw. She hadn't touched her food or her water. I just couldn't understand why people were so cruel. I wondered if Amy was annoyed with me, helping horses was her job, but I had made a bit of a scene. I watched as the mare snorted softly and began to eat some of the bran mash. Well, Amy being annoyed with me would be worth it.
I didn't realize how long I was outside, I hadn't even noticed that Byron had left a while ago. Soon I heard footsteps coming up the barn aisle, but I didn't look to see who it was.
"Hey,"It was Amy.
I glanced at her and she gave me a smile, then looked at the mare.
"She's already eating, that's a good sign."
I stayed silent, Amy spoke again,
"Scott said that we'll need to change her bandages every day, but if she heals quickly, we can start walking her around the yard."
"Are you alright?"Amy asked.
I pulled my gaze away from the mare and looked at Amy, she was watching me, her brown eyes concerned.
"I don't know how you stand dealing with this stuff,"I told her, glancing at the mare again,"How can people be so cruel?"
Amy took my hand and squeezed it gently,but her gaze was on the mare as well, recalling the past,"This isn't the first time we've dealt with horses in these situations, and, unfortunately, it won't be the last time either."
She looked at me and continued,"People are ignorant and close-minded, and some are just plain cruel. That's why we have Heartland though, to give horses a second chance at trust."
"You did the right thing today, you gave her a second chance at life and trust. And with time and patience, we can get her back up on her feet," Amy finished.
Her words gave me hope for the future, and I felt a small smile creep onto my face,"Do you really think so?"
"I know so,"Amy replied, returning my smile,"Now, the only thing you can do to help her is let her rest, and you should go inside too. It's been a rough day."
Then the both of us walked up into the house and after a quick dinner I went to bed, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Even though I had gone to bed late last night, I woke up early the next morning. Maybe the cold had woken me up, or my restless dreams had, I didn't dabte on it for too long though, because the memories from yesterday came back and I quickly dressed and then went downstairs. The kitchen was still dark when I went downstairs, so I quietly pulled on a pair of gloves and my boots and then went outside. I looked at the horizon for a few moments, the gray twilight was just beginning, then I sighed and walked out to the barn.
I pulled open the door and a few nervous whickers could be heard as I switched on the lights. I walked down the barn aisle, stopping to pet AJ and Tex as I did so, and then I stopped near the mare's stall.
To my dismay she was still laying down, but when I looked over the stall door she picked up her head and looked at me, her ears flicking forward. Her feed and water buckets were also empty.
"Good girl,"I smiled, seeing that the bran mash was gone, then I left her stall to start the feeds.
As the morning wore on, Byron didn't show up. I asked Amy where he was but she said that he had taken the day off. Ty drove me to school that morning, but despite how hard I tried, I couldn't concentrate in any of my classes, I kept thinking about the mare and looking at the clock. The morning seemed to drag on forever, and finally lunch came around, but when I got to the table I saw that Byron wasn't there.
"Where's Byron?"I asked, looking at his empty chair.
Rachel paused, finishing some of her lettuce before speaking,"..His mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and today was her first day of chemo."
I felt my heart sink,"Oh, poor Byron,"I murmured quietly. I couldn't imagine my mom getting breast cancer, he must have felt terrible, and on top of that he had to deal with the horses and the pressure of training Lido.
Rachel nodded solemnly, but the changed the subject,"So how's the mare?"
"She isn't standing yet, but she ate all of her food last night, and she perked up when she saw me this morning, so I think she has a good chance of pulling through,"I replied.
"That's good, I was pretty worried yesterday,"Rachel said.
"I think we all were,"I replied, sipping my drink,"I just can't understand why people would do such things."
Rachel shrugged her shoulders,"People are people, unfortunately. And of course, then there's Adam."
"Hey!"He said, trying his best to keep a straight face.
I watched them and smiled, happy that despite the situation we could still joke around. Sometimes just being with your friends makes everything better.
"Hey, didn't you used to race in motocross?"Someone suddenly asked.
The question caught me off gaurd, I looked away from Rachel and saw a guy standing at the end of the table, holding his lunch tray, he had short, black hair and dark eyes. He was around average height, lean and slightly muscled. He seemed familiar from somewhere, but I couldn't quite put my finger on who he was. Don't you just hate it when that happens?
"..Yeah.."I said tentively,"Why?"
Like I've mentioned before, I didn't like talking about my racing career, at all. The last time anyone had said something to me about it had started making comments about my brother, and had gone to the nurse's office with a black eye.
"Oh,"He said suddenly, as if remembering, then he looked at me a small grin on his face,"You're Jess Gray, the one that got into the accident at the County National qualifieds last year."
A couple of people had stopped and now stood near him, listening intently, a couple of people from neighboring tabels watched us curiously. I glanced at Adam and Rachel, they glanced at me, but then looked back at the guy.
"..Yeah, and?"I asked coolly, I could feel my anger beginning to strike up.
"Don't you remember me?"The guy said, then frowned a little,"Tom Wass, I was in the qualifieds with you, and then I went on to win the Nationals, of course."
Tom looked around, frowning a little at his friends,"What, you guys haven't heard of Jess? Winner of the Brookdale cup? Came second in the Walkerton Finals? No? Well, maybe this will ring a bell, she's also known as the girl that screwed up on her bike. Proof that girls can't ride."
Now I knew where Tom was from, I had competed with him in numerous races, and had beat him in all of them. A year later and he was still upset? Jeez, what a sore loser. He was really starting to get on my nerves now though,but I didn't say anything, I remembered what Christina had told me about counting to ten when I get mad. She'd be so proud of me.
I was giving him a death glare though, Rachel saw this and frowned at Tom.
"Hey, back off,"Adam said," Go sit down with your buddies."
The only reason that Tom did go away though was because a teacher was beginning to walk over. I shook my head and tried to calm my anger. Where did that guy get off, making comments about that accident?
I turned my gaze to Rachel and Adam,"Thanks."
"No worries,"Adam said,"That guy can be a real jerk though sometimes."
Rachel nodded in agreement.
Unfortunately, Tom Wass wouldn't be the only thing to bring down my day.
Rachel gave me a ride home from school, after she dropped me off I thanked her and waved as she pulled out of the drive, then I walked up to the house, but my books away, put my boots on, and then went back out to the barn.
First I walked to the mare's stall, and I saw that she was standing. She was facing one of the back corners of her stall, her haunches facing me. Her ears flickered though as she heard my footsteps. I murmured a few words and she turned her head to look at me, then she snorted and stamped her back hoof, shaking her white mane.
I frowned a little, seeing her exposed ribs and matted fur, she could really use a good grooming. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a couple of sugar cubes, then I put them in my palm and reached my hand into the stall.
She watched inquisitively as I did this, but she only snorted and pinned back her ears.
"Oh come on, I know you're hungry, Novello,"I murmured gently, Novello, I smiled,"I'm not going to hurt you."
I stood calmly for a few moments, watching Novello. She had no intentions of coming near me to get the sugar cubes. I sighed a little and put them on the stall door,"Fine."
Then I walked away towards the tack room to get a grooming kit, out of the corner of my eye I could just see Novello walk up to the stall door to grab the sugar cubes and then dissapear back in her stall again. I only smiled and kept walking.
After I finished grooming AJ and Blackie I walked outside and stood near the training arena. Amy stood in the center with Tex, I watched as she unbuckled his halter and let him walk away. What was she doing? I was just about to find out, though.
Amy turned and saw me, she looked at me and then motioned for me to come over. I raised my eyebrows curiously and then slipped under the fence, walking over to her.
"What's up?"I asked her.
"I am going to teach you how to do join-up,"Amy smiled.
I looked at Tex, then at Amy,"Join-up?"
She nodded,"It's an exercise that we use for horses to gain trust. It's like talking to them through body signals. First I'm going to do it, and then you are."
"When did I sign up for this?"I asked jokingly.
Amy grinned,"You didn't, I volunteered you. First you'll just watch, and then I'll walk you through it."
"Okay,"I said, then I walked back and slipped under the fence, watching Amy and Tex. I was interested to see what Amy was going to do.
I watched carefully as Amy flicked the lunge line at Tex's haunches, making him canter, she drove him along the fence a few times. Tex seemed to be enjoying himself at first, his strides long and powerful, but soon he flicked his ear towards Amy. Then she flicked the lunge line at him again, making him change direction. A few clouds of dirt rose up as Tex suddenly turned on his haunches and kept cantering, sweat now beaded along his neck and chest. Soon he lowered his head and began to make chewing motions with his jaw.
I watched, quirking an eyebrow slightly as Amy suddenly stopped driving him and turned away from him, looking at the ground. Slowly, Tex stopped cantering away and stopped to watched Amy, then he walked over to her and nuzzled her shoulder. Amy turned and stroked his muzzle, then turned and walked away, I watched in astonishment as Tex followed her all around the arena. Soon Amy stopped and stroked Tex's neck, extolling him,and then she looked at me.
At that moment the phone began to ring in the house,"I'll get it,"I told her, then I walked into the house, kicking my boots off. I walked over and picked up the phone, but it was the person I'd least expect.
"Heartland, this is Jess speaking,"I said into the reciever, playing with the phone cord.
"Jess!" Exclaimed Christina," It's great to talk to you."
"Oh -hey, Christina, what's up?"I asked, I wondered why she was calling.
"I just wanted to check up on you, and I have some good news,"Christina bubbled.
"I'm doing fine, Heartland is really great,"I told her,"What news?"
"Oh, Jess, your dad is getting remarried!"
And that's when I nearly dropped the reciever in shock.
My dad did have a girlfriend, her name was Stephanie, she wasn't the wicked witch of the west or anything, but I just didn't like her. I didn't like the idea of anyone taking my mom's place in the family. I didn't see too much of her, she was nice, with long black hair and a tan complexion, she and my dad got on really well. I couldn't help but feel a bit envious of her though, my dad would talk to her, but not me. I was enraged by this bit of news, why wouldn't he tell me about his idea of getting engaged to Stephanie? Aren't parents supposed to give thier kids a heads up if there's someone moving in with them?
But I was also mad about something else, I felt like he had sent me here to so he could go off and enjoy his own life. Yeah, it was stupid, I know, but hadn't even told me about this engagement thing. But there was a deeper rage inside me, a rage towards the idea that my dad could move on after everything that had happened, but I couldn't.
