A/N 1: This story contains character death - just a warning
A/N 2: This is the second to last chapter of sophomore year. Chapter 8 should be up soon.
CHAPTER SEVEN
(chapter title - I Can't Believe This Is Goodbye)
After Christmas, Gretchen spent some time with Glinda. She spent time braiding her beloved horse's mane and talking to her.
"I would love to bring Cassandra down here to meet you, sweet girl" Gretchen said, brushing Glinda's soft coat.
Glinda nickered and nudged Gretchen's arm with her nose.
Gretchen giggled and gave Glinda some treats from her pocket, "see you later sweet girl" she exited the stable and headed up to the house, being sure to bundle up warmly.
"Hey there my love" Barney greeted Gretchen as she came into the house, "how's Glinda?"
"She's good" Gretchen said, taking off her coat, scarf, hat and boots, "where's our little one?"
"Napping" Barney said, "your mom is working late, so we're to fend for ourselves for dinner."
"Gotcha" Gretchen said, "I was gonna make some hot chocolate. You want some?"
"Already made us some" Barney said, indicating to two steaming mugs of hot chocolate, "we can drink it while we work on homework."
Gretchen smiled, "I like your thinking" she followed him to the living room where their books were scattered on the coffee table.
Barney and Gretchen did their homework, which wasn't much before Barney ordered a pizza for dinner.
While Barney went to pick up the pizza, Gretchen stayed with Cassandra.
"I can't wait to introduce you to my horse Glinda. You would love her" Gretchen said, reading a book to Cassandra. She saw a yellow horse that looked like Glinda, "that's what she looks like."
When Barney arrived with the pizza, Gretchen put Cassandra to bed.
It seemed like Gretchen and Barney had just fallen asleep when Gretchen's phone went off.
"Hwo?" Barney mumbled.
"Sorry" Gretchen croaked, answering her phone, "hello?"
"Honey" Hannah said, "you might wanna get down to the stable - Glinda isn't doing well."
Gretchen looked at the clock - it was almost 5 AM, "I'll be right there."
Barney looked at Gretchen, "what's wrong?"
"My horse - Glinda - isn't doing well" Gretchen said, throwing on some clothes, "I don't know if I'll go to school today. Are you okay going and taking Cassandra with you?"
"I'll stay here. You go" Barney said, kissing her hand.
"Thanks" Gretchen said, grabbing her phone off its charging station, put on her winter stuff and headed out to the small barn on the edge of her mom's property.
She entered the barn and found the vet and her mom standing outside Glinda's stall.
"What happened?" Gretchen asked, seeing her beloved mare on her side.
"I came home from work and decided to check on Glinda. I saw her in her stall on her side. I don't know how long she's been down, so I called the vet" Hannah explained.
Gretchen frowned, "Glinda? Sweet girl, are you okay?"
Glinda nickered weakly and lifted her head, biting her side. Sweat dappled her coat.
"Colic" the vet - a kind man named Dr. Smith - said, removing his stethoscope from his ears, "I can't get a good gut movement."
"Has she rolled at all?" Gretchen asked, feeling tears in her eyes. Her old horse - Atlas - had died from a colic attack two years before she bought Glinda.
"There's no room in her stall for her to roll" Dr. Smith said, "if we could get her outside in her pen, she might roll."
Gretchen nodded and carefully put on Glinda's halter and lead room, clucking to her, "come on, girlie. Get up."
Glinda squealed, still laying in her stall.
Hannah looked at Dr. Smith, "what do we do?"
"The only humane thing" Dr. Smith said, looking at Gretchen, "are you ready to say goodbye?"
Gretchen shook her head, feeling tears stream down her face.
"Honey, it's the only thing we can do. She doesn't want to get up - she can't get up" Hannah said, squeezing Gretchen's shoulders lovingly.
Gretchen felt her hands shake as she entered the stall to say goodbye to her beloved mare, "I love you sweet girl, but this is the only choice we have, since you won't get up" she looked at the vet and nodded.
Dr. Smith took out a needle and administered an amber liquid.
Gretchen watched her beloved mare slowly pass away. She hugged the horse's neck, taking off her halter. She looked at the vet, "I would like to keep this."
"Of course" Dr. Smith said, "I'll have a digging crew out within the next few days to bury her."
"Thank you" Gretchen said, hugging the vet before looking at her mom, "I would like to stay home from school today."
"Of course, honey" Hannah said, walking with Gretchen back to the house, neither of them saying anything.
Barney was giving Cassandra a bottle when Gretchen entered her bedroom. She threw herself on the bed and cried, holding her horse stuffed animal close.
Barney put Cassandra in her crib after burping her and went to Gretchen, pulling her onto his lap. He stroked her hair and rubbed her back, letting her cry.
Gretchen sobbed loudly, burying her face in Barney's night shirt.
Barney sat against the headboard, gently rocking Gretchen in his arms, "want me to stay home with you?"
Gretchen nodded, crying.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Barney asked, handing her a box of tissues.
"No" Gretchen said hoarsely.
Hannah came down the stairs, "Barney, honey, are you staying home?"
Barney nodded.
"I'll call the office to let them know you two aren't coming. What should I say?" Hannah asked.
"We had a death in the family" Barney said, holding Gretchen close.
Hannah nodded and walked back up the stairs.
"I'll care for both you and Cassandra" Barney said, brushing the hair out of Gretchen's face, "when you're ready to talk, I would love to hear the story of how you and Glinda came into each other's lives."
Gretchen nodded, cuddling close into Barney, "I'll tell you later."
"Okay" Barney said, kissing her forehead, "I love you."
"I love you too" Gretchen said, looking at her engagement ring.
Barney kissed her forehead and cheek, wiping the tears out of her eyes with his thumb, "you wanna get some sleep while I make us some breakfast?"
Gretchen nodded, getting herself comfortable on her side of the bed.
Barney kissed her forehead, "what sounds good to eat?"
"Cereal" Gretchen said, closing her eyes.
"You got it" Barney said, heading upstairs, making sure the baby monitor was on so he could hear Cassandra in case she needed anything.
"I called the school already" Hannah said, getting her coat on, "I'm going to work. I have my cell phone if you need anything at all."
"Okay. Thank you" Barney said, hugging Hannah.
Hannah hugged Barney, "is there someone you can contact to get your school work for you?"
"I'll see if Marshall and Rachel can get our homework for us" Barney said, breaking out of the hug.
"Okay. Take it easy today - school work can wait" Hannah said.
Barney nodded, "okay. Be safe out there."
"I will" Hannah said, exiting the house.
Barney made two bowls of cereal and headed downstairs, being careful.
He set one bowl on Gretchen's bedside table and ate his while watching some YouTube.
After breakfast, Barney reached for his phone and texted both Marshall and Rachel Gretchen had to put her beloved horse, Glinda, to sleep last night. I'm staying home with her, along with Cassandra. Can you guys pick up our homework, please? He then texted them both his and Gretchen's class schedules.
Absolutely Marshall replied.
Of course. Give Gretchen a hug from me Rachel replied.
I will. You guys are the best Barney said.
Barney took care of his girls. He looked over at Gretchen as she woke up, "there's cereal if you want any."
"Not hungry" Gretchen said in a hoarse voice.
"Okay. I'll heat up some pizza for us for lunch later" Barney said, "wanna watch some funny videos with me?"
Gretchen shook her head, "I might shower in a little bit."
"Of course" Barney said, putting on Wicked, "I know you love this movie."
"I do" Gretchen said, cuddling into Barney.
Barney held Gretchen as they watched the movie. He had brought Cassandra into their bedroom so he could care for both girls.
Gretchen nursed Cassandra when the song Something Bad played.
"I have something to confess" Barney said, watching the movie as Gretchen nursed Cassandra.
"Hm?" Gretchen asked.
"I've never seen the musical Wicked or read the book" Barney said.
"The musical is phenomenal. The book is okay" Gretchen said. She felt Cassandra finish nursing. She burped Cassandra and laid her in her Pack And Play at the foot of the bed.
They were now at Gretchen's favorite song - Popular.
Barney chuckled as he held Gretchen on his lap.
Gretchen felt Barney hold her close. She laid her head on his shoulder.
Once the movie was over, Gretchen grabbed her laptop and looked at tickets for Wicked, Barney looking over her shoulder.
"Whatcha doing?" Barney asked.
"Looking at tickets for Wicked for the two of us" Gretchen said.
"We can do that later, sweetheart" Barney said, closing her laptop, "I just wanna hold you for a while."
"I would like that" Gretchen said, yawning.
"Just sleep - I gotcha" Barney said, kissing her forehead.
Gretchen fell asleep on Barney's lap.
Barney smiled as he held Gretchen close, watching her sleep. He then looked at Cassandra, seeing her fast asleep.
Gretchen dreamt about how she met Glinda.
Gretchen went to her first day of volunteering at Golden Horseshoe Stables. She had recently lost her horse Atlas and wanted to be around her favorite animal.
"I'll pick you up later. Love you" Hannah said as Gretchen got out of the car.
"Okay mom" Gretchen said, walking into the riding arena, squinting from the darkness.
"Hey Gretchen!" A familiar voice called to Gretchen. She turned around and smiled.
"Hey Millie!" Gretchen greeted her former horseback riding instructor, hugging her close.
"I'm so sorry to hear about Atlas. He was a wonderful horse" Millie said, hugging Gretchen.
Gretchen nodded, "it's been a year" she brushed tears out of her eyes, "which one of these guys do you want me to ride?"
"How about Travel By Bubble, aka Glinda?" Millie asked, pointing to a beautiful Palomino Quarter Horse.
"She's perfect" Gretchen said, walking over to Glinda, "hey there sweet girl."
Gretchen ended up riding Glinda that day and every week she came for her lesson.
For Gretchen's birthday, Millie surprised her with Glinda as her birthday present.
Gretchen hugged Millie, "I will take good care of her."
"I know you will" Millie said, smiling.
Gretchen sobbed in her sleep, holding her horse stuffed animal and her pillow, "Glinda" she sobbed.
"Hey. Shh shh shh" Barney soothed, gently rubbing Gretchen's back, "it's okay. I got you."
Gretchen slept while Barney cared for Cassandra and made the two of them something to eat.
"You wanna shower together?" Barney asked.
Gretchen shook her head, "I just wanna stay in bed all day."
"Okay" Barney said, "I love you."
"I know. I love you, too" Gretchen said.
Barney kissed her forehead, "in a little bit, I'll make us some lunch. What are you hungry for?"
"Nothing" Gretchen said.
Barney nodded, "I'll bring Cassandra in here so the three of us can be together."
"Okay" Gretchen said.
Barney got out of bed and put some clothes on. He then went to the nursery and picked up Cassandra, bringing her to Gretchen's bedroom, placing Cassandra in the Pack and Play at the foot of the bed.
Cassandra slept the whole time. She now had dark hair sprouting from her head and had blue eyes - Barney's eyes.
"You're perfect my angel" Barney said, kissing Cassandra's head before heading upstairs to make himself a sandwich. As he came downstairs to Gretchen's room, he saw her get out of bed and pick up Cassandra, holding her close.
Gretchen nursed Cassandra, holding her close. She smiled at Barney as he entered the room, "she was starting to fuss."
Barney nodded and sat on his side of the bed, "I love you both so much."
"We love you too" Gretchen said.
The rest of the day was pretty quiet - Gretchen and Cassandra napped while Barney went for a run around the block.
Barney was returning from his run when he saw Rachel's car pull into the driveway.
"Hey" Rachel said, getting out of her car once the ignition was off. She walked over to Barney, "what happened?"
"Gretchen put her horse down this morning" Barney said, walking with Rachel in the house.
Rachel frowned, "how is Gretchen doing?"
"She's okay. I'm gonna shower, then we can catch up" Barney said.
Rachel nodded and went to Gretchen's room, quietly knocking on the door, "Gretch? It's me. Can I come in?"
"Yeah - both of us are decent" Gretchen said, smiling a tiny bit as Rachel entered the room.
"Barney told me what happened. Honey, I'm so sorry" Rachel said, carefully hugging Gretchen.
Gretchen hugged Rachel back, fighting back tears.
"What happened?" Rachel asked, breaking out of the hug.
Gretchen wiped tears out of her eyes, "she was fine last night when I checked on her. This morning, the vet said she had something in her gut that was blocking it. Glinda - my horse - refused to get up and her stall was too small for her to roll, so I made the difficult choice to put her down."
Rachel held Gretchen as she cried, looking up as Barney entered the room, "I bought your guys' homework, since Marshall stayed after for some club."
"Thanks" Barney said, putting his dirty clothes in the laundry basket.
"I have nothing going on today. Want me to do laundry and hang out with you guys for a while? Maybe we could order Chinese food and do some homework. I'll even help care for Cassandra" Rachel said.
"That'd be great" Barney said, holding Gretchen in his arms.
Gretchen stayed in Barney's arms, feeling safe.
"Baby, why don't you shower?" Barney told Gretchen, "Rachel is giving Cassandra her bottle and I'm gonna switch over the laundry."
Gretchen nodded and went to the bathroom to shower after grabbing some comfortable clothes.
Once Gretchen was done showering, Barney, Rachel, Gretchen and Cassandra headed upstairs.
"Let's sit at the dining room table, since it's big enough" Gretchen said, putting Cassandra in her bouncy chair.
Cassandra cooed happily as she bounced in one of her favorite chairs.
Barney ordered Chinese food for him, Gretchen and Rachel once the three of them got to a stopping point in their homework.
After Rachel left and Cassandra was asleep, Barney held Gretchen in his arms.
"Again, I'm so sorry for this morning" Barney said, kissing Gretchen's forehead, cheeks and neck.
"Thanks" Gretchen said, cuddling into Barney. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.
I could hold her forever Barney thought to himself. He yawned, turned off the overhead light and cuddled into Gretchen.
"I'll love you, Cassandra and any other children we have forever" Barney whispered in Gretchen's ear before drifting off to sleep.