Chapter 30

As soon as we got to Dad's mansion I was greeted by my little brother Ari.

"Max!" He cried. I couldn't believe that he was turning three this year. Mum and Dad kept on moaning on how I was a teenager this year.

"Hello, Ari," I smiled and scooped him into my arms.

"Angel?" He asked suddenly. I looked at Dad with curiosity.

"He's been asking for her practically everyday," Dad explained.

"Aw, Ari, Angel isn't here today," I told him regretfully.

"Oh nuts," Ari sighed. I laughed at his new saying.

"He's been watching full house," Dad explained.

"Well, Angel is coming here on Sunday," I told Ari.

"Yay!" He exclaimed. I laughed as I put him down.

"How's Midnight?" I asked Dad as we walked into the house.

"He's been missing you but Nancy has been coming around and checking on him," Dad told me.

"Oh," I sighed. I liked Nancy even though I'd only met her once. I just didn't like the idea of my horse becoming attached to someone else because I wasn't here often enough.

"Honey, Midnight loves you, go and see him," Dad assured me and gave me a kiss on the top of my head. I gave my Dad a hug and ran through the house.

I ran into the stables and said hello to Midnight. I wrapped my arms around his big neck. I felt his nose nuzzle my shoulder. I'd spent a lot of my holidays here with Midnight. I gave Naray a quick pat when Dad came up behind me.

"She rides well, care to give her a go?" Dad asked me.

"Sure," I grinned.

Midnight stamped his foot on the ground when he saw me mount on Naray he let out a grunt of disapproval.

"I'll be back soon," I assured him. I walked Naray out to the riding ring that Dad had recently put in place. Naray, was extremely gentle elegant as she moved.

I could hear Midnight kicking a fuss so I didn't really have much of a choice. I walked Naray back into the stables where Dad took over.

"Care to go for a ride together?" He asked me. I nodded and grabbed Midnights gear.

"Hey," I said smoothly to Midnight as I entered his stall. He backed into the corner and faced away from me.

"Oh come on, you can't be mad at me forever," I sighed. Midnight still refused to look at me. "Midnight, you're still my favourite," I assured him. His head slowly moved back towards me. "I'm sorry," That did the trick; he faced me and placed his face in my hand. I rubbed his white blaze and got him ready.

Dad and I went for a ride through the trails that were hidden at the back of the property.

"Seriously, you could explore this place for ever," I gasped. I still marvelled at how big his backyard was. One of the trails wound so far away from the house that you couldn't even see the house anymore.

"As long as you stick to the trails you won't get lost," Dad assured me.

"Stick to the trails, got it," I saluted him. The trails went into a wooded area as well as an open area.

Time went by quickly and we had to get back to Ari who'd been taking a nap. I sat in the stall with Midnight for a while just talking to him and looking at him. Ari soon joined me with Midnight and sat on my lap. Dad and I had both been teaching Ari little bits and pieces of riding. He was only two so he never went on his own. He couldn't grasp a lot so we mainly taught him where his feet went and to hold onto the saddle. Dad and I agreed that when he was three he could hold onto the reins as well and then when he was four he'd learn a bit more.

"Maxie, come watch a movie with me," Ari asked me in the cutest little voice that I just couldn't say no. I said goodbye to Midnight and walked Ari back into the house. We watched something childish in the cinema room. I watched it for Ari but my head was screaming 'make it stop, make it stop!

Ari curled up into a ball on my lap and fell asleep which meant I could turn off the movie or whatever insane torture this was.

"Sweetie, Nancy is coming for dinner is that alright?" Dad poked his head in.

"Um, yeah of course I like Nancy," I nodded.

"Good we'll be eating in the dining room to the left of the kitchen, the one with the mahogany table," Dad informed me.

"Dad, I don't have anything nice," I told him.

"Nonsense, what about you're black jeans and purple top that I bought you.

"Hmm, dinner at the mahogany table," I muttered to myself as he left.

Nancy arrived at six o'clock that night Dad had cooked a beautiful roast lamb and mouth watering roast vegetables. Ari couldn't eat this beautiful meal so he had some chicken and steamed vegetables.

"Max, how are you?" Nancy asked me with a smile.

"I'm good actually. Dad and I went for a ride earlier," I told her.

"I hear that you and Midnight are getting along quite well,"

"Well he was mad at me for riding Naray," I told her which made her laugh.

"Well I know that you've been taking good care of him," Nancy praised me.

"Hello, Nancy," Dad grinned and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Max will show you to where we'll be eating and I'll bring the food in," Dad told her. I led Nancy to the dining room on the second floor. Ari was already there in his little baby-chair.

"So, Max, how often do you come and stay here?" Nancy asked me.

"I sleep over every second weekend but I visit sometimes in between like if Mum's going to work late she'll have Dad pick both me and Ella up from school or from home," I answered her.

"So Ella's dad is where?" Nancy asked me.

"Mum got a sperm donor for Ella, she always knew she wanted two children and when she and Dad split up she decided to go to the sperm bank," I explained.

"Well good for her," Nancy grinned. I could see that she was happy with Mum's independence and courage. "I always knew your mother wouldn't wait for a man to fulfil her dreams,"

"Wait, you know my Mum?" I asked Nancy in shock.

"Didn't your father tell you?" Nancy asked me. I shook my head in disbelief.

"Oh well I met her in Uni with your Dad. The three of us were friends but I travelled for a little bit before starting my business and we lost contact after she and your Dad divorced," Nancy explained. "Tell her I say hi,"

"Ok," I shrugged.

I had never found out how Mum and Dad had met or why they even divorced. I had never bothered to ask.

"Oh, Jeb, this looks delicious," Nancy gasped as Dad brought the food in.

"Well this is a special occasion," Dad smiled at Nancy as he poured each of them a glass of champagne.

"You shouldn't have," Nancy moaned.

"Max, Nancy has just received permission to open a riding school," Jeb told me.

"Wait you aren't going to sell horses anymore?" I asked her.

"I don't know about that yet but I've always wanted to teach riding to children, your Dad is founding it since I didn't have the money on my own to start it off," Nancy smiled. "Max, I've seen you ride so I was wondering if you would like to help out sometimes,"

"Duh!" I exclaimed.

We spent the night talking and laughing. I couldn't wait for tomorrow when Fang was coming over and he was going to get on Naray whether he liked it or not.

Eventually I climbed up the stairs to the third floor and found my bedroom. I was so tired that I just fell onto my spongy bed and fell asleep.

"Max, Max, wake up!" A voice spoke to me. "Max, Fang will be here in twenty minutes and you're still in last nights clothes," I heard those words and jumped out of bed.

"I'm going, I'm going," I told Dad and ran into my bathroom.

I just got out the shower when Dad saw Fang's car pull up.

"Just tell him I'm in my room, by the time he finds it I'll be ready," I told Dad. It was a race against time. Hopefully my plan would work or Fang might walk in on something that neither of us wanted him to see.