Chapter Three: Jealousy

When Jack was released from the hospital, Elizabeth was there in her truck to pick him up. The secretary who wouldn't let Elizabeth visit the other day was eyeing her as she walked with Jack to the parking lot. It was as though she wanted to see if Elizabeth and Jack really were dating, so to give her visual proof Elizabeth grabbed Jack's hand and laced their fingers together. Jack shot her a questioning look so Elizabeth explained, "I told her we were dating so she would let me go visit you…it didn't work, but she's staring at me like I was lying."

"You were lying."

"Picky picky."

Pulling into the drive of her house, all Jack could do was stare at it. The thing was a gigantic plantation style house that had clearly been built during the civil war. It was all white with blue window shutters and had a wrap around porch complete with a white swing and two wicker chairs and table. The front lawn was a velvety green and a stone path led from the drive way to the steps leading up the porch. Bushes with bright flowers of every colour lined the walk way, apple trees were sprinkled around the yard. There were at least 4 acres of land that Elizabeth owned for the horses. The barn that housed them was visible just behind the house. It was bright candy apple red with a white roof. The doors had been left open over night and showed all the stalls with horses of all types inside. Jack the horse was prancing around in the field waiting for Elizabeth to come and feed him an apple.

Jack the person was still staring at everything as Elizabeth got out of the car and started toward the barn.

"Where you going?"

"See if Jack's ok. He gets nervous when I'm gone for long periods of time"

"What? I'm right here, I'm fine, and I don't get nervous when you're gone…"

"Not you, the horse. I named him after you."

"You named a horse after me? I'm flattered."

"Yes, I did. Everything he does makes me think of you. He's stubborn, hates the other horses, prefers apples and fancy food to regular horse feed, and he cant go one day with out seeing my face."

With that, Elizabeth took off at a brisk walk and left Jack to ponder what she had said.

"Well Jack, now that the real Jack's back, you're going to need a new name…what about flame?"

Jack snorted and pushed Elizabeth hard with his nose and made her giggle.

"Ok, ok! I get it! I wont call you flame. What about…..midnight?" Another push with his nose.

"Why must you be so difficult? How does Shadow sound?" Jack gave the smallest of nods with his head and Elizabeth smiled. It sometimes felt like he was becoming her best friend.

"Shadow it is." Elizabeth closed her eyes and hugged his neck. Shadow placed his head over Elizabeth's shoulder, returning the gesture. He was beginning to like this woman, she was nice to him, didn't hit him or punish him even when he was disagreeable.

Jack watched Elizabeth working with the horse from the front of the barn. She had a special relationship with him, it was apparent in the way she talked to him and the way he nudged her gently with his nose. The horse, Elizabeth was now calling him Shadow, was a beautiful horse. He was midnight black with a white star on his forehead and white spots on his hooves. His coat glistened in the sun; Elizabeth was clearly taking good care of him. Jack continued to watch as Elizabeth brought him back to his stall and even though he didn't want to go, he went because Elizabeth asked him to.

"Where'd you get him?"

"Actually, he was sent to me from the rodeo. I was told by a source that even you couldn't tame him."
"No…that can't be him. That horse is way to…gentle to be the one we got last week."

"You should've seen him when he first came here. He wouldn't let anyone touch him but now he lest me. No one else though, just me." The way Elizabeth spoke of Shadow made it obvious that she really cared for him and she didn't hear Jack's whispered statement.

"Bugger…I'm jealous of a bloody horse."