CHAPTER SIX

A week later, Benny smiled as he watched Angel-Glory open presents. So far, she had gotten the Breyer horse models of Seabiscuit, Man O War and Secretariat; biographies of the three horses and the movie Seabiscuit. She was now opening a large box that contained La Vie Boheme's halter and bridle. Angel-Glory's face lit up with joy as she opened the presents, thanked Benny and read the note that was attached to the halter.

"Go down to the barn to get the rest of your presents." Angel-Glory read out loud. The party followed Angel-Glory down to the barn, talking excitedly amongst themselves.

Angel-Glory was the first one to reach the barn. She ran past the other horses until she found La Vie Boheme's stall and waited until the other adults came before she did anything.

"Benny? Can I ride him?" Angel-Glory inquired, already grabbing her riding helmet. Benny looked to Roger, knowing that he was no longer in charge of La Vie Boheme.

"Honey, he's your horse." Roger told his daughter, getting to her level. "But sweetheart, there's something you should know – he's legally blind, which means he can't see. You're going to have to be his eyes, understand?"

Angel-Glory nodded as she tacked up La Vie Boheme. Roger clipped a lead rope to La Vie Boheme's bridle as Angel-Glory mounted the nervous Thoroughbred. Roger patted Boheme's shoulder as they entered the riding arena. Savannah and Andrew were already mounted on their ponies – Clifford and Old Man River. Melina came into the arena, mounted on her strawberry roan Quarter Horse mare named Annie's Dream.

"How are you doing, kiddo?" Roger asked, looking up at his daughter. Angel-Glory smiled down at him and gave La Vie Boheme a hug. Roger looked over at Benny, who was standing at the entrance of the arena. Roger saw that the other man had tears in his eyes as he watched Angel-Glory ride his favorite horse.

"I'm doing okay, daddy." Angel-Glory told Roger as he led her around the arena.

"Honey, Benny is leaving now – why don't we let him have a turn on Boheme, okay?" Melina suggested, riding by on Dream. Roger nodded and helped Angel-Glory off her new friend. He then led Boheme over to Benny and unsnapped the lead rope from his bridle.

"Hey Benny. Wanna go for one last ride?" Roger asked, adjusting the stirrups for Benny. Benny smiled and with Roger's help, mounted La Vie Boheme. Angel-Glory watched as Benny walked, trotted, cantered and galloped around the arena. She watched as Boheme and Benny became one as they switched directions mid-stride and cantered past her.

Fifteen minutes later, Benny and Angel-Glory were bathing Boheme in the wash stall. Boheme shook, covering the two of them with water, making Angel-Glory giggle.

They got Boheme clean and back in his stall, next to Annie's Dream on one side and Roger's horse – a pure black Thoroughbred gelding named Pleasure In The Shade – on the other. Boheme and Shade sniffed noses before Boheme let out a squeal. Roger slapped Shade on the shoulder and told him to be good – or else.

Benny was now back at home, watching the vet braid his mare's tail onto CloudJumpinRainbow's tail. The mare looked over her shoulder, very curious as to what was going on.

"Where's La Vie Boheme? I wanted to check on him." The vet asked, heading over to La Vie Boheme's stall.

"I gave him to Roger's oldest daughter – Angel-Glory." Benny answered, checking on Lady Marmalade. She had been bred and according to the vet, she was expecting twins soon.

"That was nice of you." The vet said, entering Trumpin' Charlie's stall. The gelding flattened his ears against his head and tried to lash out with his powerful hooves, but the vet wasn't having any of that.

"Has he been acting like this since you had him gelded?" The vet inquired. Benny nodded and watched the vet examine Charlie.

"He's just a wee bit grumpy, but he'll be okay." The vet answered, smiling at Benny. Benny exited the barn and went up to the house. Brady was riding for a different owner, while Isaac was away at college. It was scary how the time flew.

Benny found Alison in the nursery, rocking the couple's week-old daughter Lilly. Alison smiled and motioned for Benny to enter the nursery. Benny entered and looked down at his daughter – she had Alison's brown hair and fair skin. She did inherit his nose and eyebrows, which Benny was happy about.

"How are the horses?" Alison whispered, putting Lilly in her crib, turned off the light and exited the nursery.

"They're good – Lady Marmalade is expecting twins." Benny told her as he put his pajamas on.

"Any names yet?" Alison asked, slipping on her pale pink nightgown.

"It depends on what the genders are – I do have one in mind if she has a colt."

"Really?"

"I was thinking Viva La Vie Boheme."

"I like that."

"I knew you would."

"How's Mark and his wife – I forgot her name."

"Hélène – she's also expecting twins. They're doing well."

"Does she seem nice?"

"She's a sweetheart."

"I'm glad that Mark finally found someone."

"Me, too. Guess what she does for a living?"

"Benny, I'm too tired to guess, so why don't you tell me."

"She's an artist – she's coming over sometime tomorrow to draw the horses."

Alison smiled sleepily and was out like a light by the time her head hit the pillow. Benny smiled and watched over her like a hawk – a very protective hawk.

The next day, Benny woke up early to check on the horses. He decided to start with Lady Marmalade and CloudJumpinRainbow. Trumpin' Charlie was still in a bad mood, so Benny decided to leave him alone and check on him later.

Walking by Lady Marmalade's stall, he saw her standing over two small objects in the stall. Looking closer, he saw that they were foals. He entered the stall, talking quietly to Marmalade so she wouldn't get spooked and scare her babies.

"The dark gray one is the filly and the pure black one is the colt." Benny heard Paul's voice from inside the stall.

"When did she deliver?" Benny asked.

"Sometime during the night – I named the filly Athena's Muse. I can't decide for the colt." Paul told Benny.

"I have a perfect name of the little guy – Viva La Vie Boheme." Benny told Paul.

"I like it – we'll call him Boheme for short." Paul said, exiting the stall, Benny right behind him. Just then, Benny's cell phone went off.

"Hello?" Benny answered.

"Benny – Hélène is in labor!" Mark nearly screamed into the receiver.

"Hold on Mark – I'll be right there." Benny told his friend, hanging up the phone and sprinted to his van. He then drove ten miles to the hospital, careful to go the speed limit.

When he arrived, he saw Roger and his family in the waiting room. Benny took a seat next to Melina and watched Angel-Glory, Roger, Savannah and Andrew play a board game.

"How long has Hélène been in labor?" Benny asked Melina.

"Her water broke at ten and her contractions have been really close together, like maybe four minutes apart." Melina answered, flipping through an old People magazine that was on the table. Benny picked up a Horse & Rider and flipped to a random page. He read an article about Yero My Hero being the top stud. Benny rolled his eyes and put down the magazine just as the nurse called them back.

Hélène was sitting up in bed, holding two pink blankets. Mark was behind her, looking over her shoulder.

"They're beautiful/What are their names?" The adults and kids said in unison.

"Their names are Lauren Rachel and Bridget Kathleen." Hélène whispered as Mark handed hand sanitizer to the adults. He then handed one baby to Roger and the other to Benny. Benny felt tears in his eyes as he held this precious life in his hands.

"Daddy, I wanna turn!" Andrew yelled, startling both babies.

"Andrew Kyle Davis – inside voice, please." Melina warned as she and Benny calmed the babies down. Lauren went right back to sleep, but Bridget was cooing quietly. Benny handed the cooing baby back to Hélène and exited the hospital room, realizing that he had his own family and life to get back to.