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“Down the creek it is.” I glance at Brook and he smiles, giving me a cute wink.
“Blake’s new saddle is hanging up. Did you tell Mom you had a ride on Sailor with it already?”
“Yup. It was awesome, Mom. She’s the best horse.”
“How are they all doing?” I ask. I know he has four now, and goodness knows if he’s got others in the works. He’s always rescuing some waif and stray, and I kinda dig that about him, if I’m honest. It shows what kind of person he is.
“They’re doing great. In fact, I think Misty will be happy to see you today.”
“What about Apollo? Won’t he feel left out?” Blake asks.
“He can come along for the ride, too,” Brook says.
She seems happy with that, so we all set about grabbing the picnic things, after an in-depth tour of the herb garden. I strap Noodle in his pouch around me as Brook helps me mount Misty, holding the stirrup while I get my foot inside and push myself up onto the saddle. I wait as Brook walks back and leads Apollo and Bandit out of the stables. There’s no way Apollo will want to be left behind — I know Brook often rides him when the opportunity arises. It’s also not far down to the creek, and it runs along the expanse of the property, so there’s plenty of space to cover.
Blake rides ahead of us while Brook and I trot side by side. He holds onto Apollo next to us, who trots along quietly.
“How nice is this,” I sigh, lifting my head up to the sky to feel a little afternoon sun on my face. It’s glorious.
“Better than anything,” he says. “I’m glad you came out. We haven’t done this in ages.”
“You’re right, it definitely makes you forget everything else going on.”
We ride along in companionable silence. It’s never uncomfortable around him.
It’s amazing watching how Blake has come along with her riding and how confident she is now. “Can you believe that’s our girl,” I say, as we find the spot to stop for the picnic and to lay a blanket down.
“She’s the best.” He grins toward me, something twinkling in his eyes that looks like pure mischief. “I think she’s got equal parts of you and me.”
I laugh now. “I think so too.”
He dismounts first and secures both Bandit and Apollo, then assists me down with Noodle still attached to me.
“I think Noodle loves it here too.” He gives her a little scruff on the head as her little face pops out of the pouch.
“Oh, she definitely does.” And she’s possibly not the only one who loves it.
That thought scares me. More than anything I’ve been scared of in a long time.
I have to be careful here. We tried it once before to reconcile, and things didn’t work.
Granted, that was years ago. Would things be different this time? Or are we playing with fire?
It’s something I don’t have the answers to right at this moment, so I guess I’ll add it to the growing pile of things I need to figure out. It seems to be mounting up.
But right here and now, picnicking with my daughter and Brook, I’m content. Noodle is having a little play beside us now she’s out of her pouch. The sweet horses surrounding us eating the grass, and the birds singing in the trees make me feel more alive than I have felt in years.
It’s a feeling I don’t want to let go of, but I’m afraid of what will happen if I do.
Then where does that leave me?
I hear Brook on the phone later that afternoon when he calls his mom.
I can’t believe he never called her this morning when he said he was on it. He apparently got tied up with the animals and getting some of the picnic stuff.
His parents deserved to know what was going on with us, but I guess they’ve found out for themselves now.
“Mom, it was an oversight on my part. Eden asked me to talk to you. I’m an idiot, what can I say?”
