A/N: Only 3 more chapters until this story is COMPLETE, so if u read, REVIEW, please.

-MET


CHAPTER SEVEN

A month later, Benny watched Paul lead Marmalade, Boheme and Athena into the warm summer sun. The three of them would be sharing a paddock with three other mares – a chestnut mare with a star on her forehead named Rebecca's Prize and her colt named Phantom of the Opera. Phantom was black with a blaze that started at the tip of his left ear and ended at the end of his nose, making it look like a mask.

The other mare was named Lucy's Charm. She was a black roan and was the boss mare. Her filly was a gray roan named Silver Bell, seeing as she was born on Christmas Eve.

Benny watched as Lucy and Rebecca sniffed Lady Marmalade. Phantom and Silver sniffed Athena and Boheme. Once everything was okay, the foals chased each other around the paddock while the mares ate grass, keeping a watchful eye on their babies. Once everything seemed okay, Benny exited the paddock, just as Paul came by with the last pair of horses to join the others in the paddock – a black mare named Jazzarina and her pure black colt named Jazzy Jazz.

Everything seemed to be going okay until Paul heard a loud squeal. Turning around, he saw Lucy and Jazzarina fighting with each other. Paul jumped the fence and went to break up the fight. Quickly snapping a lead rope to Lucy's halter and led her out of the paddock, Silver trotting behind her mother. Paul put Lucy and Silver in a smaller paddock where they could be by themselves.

Once Lucy and Silver were settled in their new paddock, Paul went to tend to Jazzarina. She had small bites on her neck, but there was no serious damage. That was when Paul noticed the horseshoe bruise on Jazzarina's chest. He led Jazzarina and Jazzy Jazz back inside. Once Jazzarina was in her stall, Paul got an ice pack and held it to her chest. He held it there for a while when Jazzy Jazz nudged his arm, wanting some attention. Paul smiled and gave the curious colt a pat.

Paul put the ice pack away and went to check on the remaining mares and foals in the paddock. He saw the foals racing around while their mothers ate. Paul squinted and saw that Athena was in front, followed by Phantom and Boheme.

Back at the Davis family ranch, Angel-Glory was leading La Vie Boheme around the arena, talking to him about her day and how a boy in her class might have a crush on her. Roger smiled and watched his daughter, Melina coming up behind him. She wrapped her arms around Roger's waist and breathed in his horsey scent.

"Angel-Glory, finish up with La Vie Boheme and put him in his stall – you have chores and homework to do." Roger told his daughter. She nodded and led La Vie Boheme out of the arena and put him in his stall.

Later on, Roger and the vet are in La Vie Boheme's stall. La Vie Boheme is lying down and is slow to get up. The vet runs a few tests and discovers that La Vie Boheme has arthritis and some breathing problems. Roger feels tears in his eyes, knowing that this horse wouldn't live forever. He sighed and exited the stall, going to find Angel-Glory and break the news to her.

Back at Benny's racing farm, the foals are now seven-months-old and are being weaned from their mothers today. He got some of his friends to help, seeing as there were five foals to wean and only four mares. He stepped into Lady Marmalade's stall and got the babies out. He saw Paul coming with Phantom and Silver Bell. Behind him was Mark leading Jazzy Jazz. The men put the foals in a small paddock and watched them just to make sure they would be okay. Athena put her nose in the air and sniffed for her mother. She then let out a long and pitiful whinny, ears pricked forward for her mother's response.

"I don't think they understand what's going on." Paul said as the three of them walked to the farmhouse.

"They'll eventually calm down." Mark said, taking a seat at the kitchen counter while Benny got out three beers. Mark and Paul drank theirs quickly while Benny took his time drinking his.

Meanwhile at Roger's family farm, Roger is spending some time with La Vie Boheme while Angel-Glory, Savannah and Andrew are at school. Roger entered Boheme's stall, speaking in a low voice. Boheme nickered softly and sniffed the air, looking for Roger.

"Hey buddy." Roger said, walking over to him. Boheme put his head over Roger's shoulder and breathed in his ear. Roger clipped a lead rope to Boheme's halter and put him in a quiet paddock where he could graze.

Angel-Glory hopped off the school bus and sprinted to the barn, her siblings right behind her. She saw her parents doing chores, an unreadable expression on their faces.

"Mom? Dad? What's wrong?" Angel-Glory inquired, absentmindly petting one of the barn cats.

"Should you tell her or do you want me to?" Melina asked.

"Where's La Vie Boheme?" Angel-Glory asked, walking towards her beloved horse's stall.

"Honey, there's something I need to tell you." Roger started, sitting down on a tack box. "Before you came home from school, I put him out in the paddock so that he could get some exercise and stretch his legs. When I went to get him, he was on his side and not breathing. Angel-Glory, I'm sorry, but La Vie Boheme passed away this afternoon."

It was silent for a minute before Angel-Glory's sobs filled the air. Roger held his oldest, stroking her hair and rubbing her back.

"Benny said that you could have Phantom of the Opera. He can't race because when he was born, his knees bent inward and he's having some trouble-"

"I DON'T WANT ANOTHER HORSE! I WANT LA VIE BOHEME!" Angel-Glory shouted, getting out of Roger's hug and ran to the house, slamming the door behind her. She then went to her room and slammed the door, throwing herself upon her bed and cried until she couldn't cry any more.


"Honey, are you sure we're going the right way?" Joanne asked her partner, looking at the map of Kentucky.

"I'm 35 percent sure." Maureen responded, looking for No Day But Today Racing Stable.

"Want me to drive?" the couple's sixteen-year-old daughter, Elizabeth – Liz for short, inquired.

"No thanks, sugar. We're almost there." Maureen answered, looking in the rearview mirror at her daughter. Liz had fair skin, brown hair and green eyes. She acted like both her mothers, which could either be a good thing or a bad thing. Liz put her ear buds back in and looked out the window.

"Do you think Benny and Alison will be happy to see us?" Maureen inquired as she pulled into the driveway of No Day But Today Racing Stable. She found a place to park and exited the truck, Joanne and Liz following right behind her.

"There's only one way to find out." Joanne said as Maureen knocked on the door.