by Dani Wyatt
“You see that?” Bennet Webster’s voice echoes behind me as my student Nancy takes the last jump in her perfect round. I’m so fucking proud of her I feel like a father watching his own daughter.
That’s how this works for me; I’m an all or nothing person. Anyone I train, I give them my all and I get more satisfaction from watching them fight back and win than I would if I were the one out there.
“Yep. I see,” I answer.
Bennet’s a friend from years back. He was my personal, full time groom once upon a time, in my glory years. He’s a funny guy. Stands about to my chin loves his job and is loyal to a fault. Wouldn’t even take on new clients when it was obvious to everyone I could never ride again. At least not as a competitor.
He also loves Star Wars. And I guarantee, under his team polo he’s wearing a Darth Vader T-shirt and black boxers.
“You’re a miracle worker.” He crosses his arms and watches Nancy give Grand Teton a huge pat on his neck as she comes through the last gate, beaming with pride on a flawless round.
“Naw. No miracles. I just see the potential. I understand the fear.”
“Yeah, you also know she’s a piece of hot tail herself.” Bennett chuckles, shifting on his feet with a bob of his eyebrows.
He’s quirky, and a friend, but he’s got his flaws.
“I don’t see it that way.” A growing agitation tightens inside me.
“Yeah? You could have a stable full of split tails ready and waiting for your personal enjoyment. I already got myself taken care of in the back of Molly MacMillion’s horse trailer. You know, these shows are as good as a house full of drunk sorority girls. All you need to do is snap your fingers, and you’d have them on their knees, all frothing for a piece of you.”
“You know what?” My voice sharpens as I snap my head around to glare at him. “You should show more respect. I don’t need to hear that sophomoric, locker room bullshit, and you shouldn’t be saying it. Be a man. Boys brag men don’t need to.”
I usually ignore this side of him, or roll my eyes and stay silent when he recounts his conquests, but for some reason today my fuse is shorter than usual. I’ve never been one to enjoy that kind of low brow male bravado anyway, but right now my tolerance is zero.
Don’t get me wrong, in the past, my mind has been filthy with thoughts of all the things I want to do someday. With the right woman. I’d imagine all the ways I would cherish and worship her.
Make love to her and fuck her until her legs gave out and the only word she knew would be my name. But, I would never date a student, and after what had happened before, all those years ago, I don’t think I could ever fully trust a woman again. And over the years with what I see going on in this Peyton Place of a sport? Until today, my dick hasn’t even gotten hard at the sight of a woman. Around these shows, it’s always who’s cheating on who, who’s swapping boyfriends and girlfriends, and that shit just isn’t for me.
Maybe it’s that same gentleman in me that still carries a handkerchief, but my idea of love and relationships don’t fit with today’s hook-ups and casual encounters. I believe in a one and only. Complete devotion, loyalty, honesty and commitment. I must be living in the dark ages, though because I have yet to see those traits exhibited by any of the couples I know.
Bennet’s laugh interrupts my thoughts. He shakes his head, staring me up and down before continuing. “It’s a waste, man. If only I had your looks, your whatever it is, I’d be knee deep in— “
“I have to go,” I cut him off, stepping away.
I know the next words out of his mouth may cause me to say something that I might regret later, and Nancy is coming around her closing circle and will be out of the ring momentarily. I always greet my students when they come off the course. Win or lose, every ride is a success in my book. A learning experience, ribbon or no ribbon.
There is always this small rush that comes with the completion of every ride, and I feel it right along with my students. I’m in motion toward Nancy. My leg aches as I grip the top of my cane, urging myself forward through the constant pain, hoping Nancy can see the pride in my eyes.
She comes around to the exit gate, Grand Teton prancing through. Horses know when they’ve done well, and they both have an unmistakable glimmer in their eyes. Nancy is patting the gelding’s neck and speaking calmly, telling him what a good job he’s done as I limp my way closer.
I open my mouth to give her some well-deserved praise, when behind my left shoulder I hear a woman’s yelp, then gasps from the crowd. Before I turn my head, sounds of voices raised in excitement and the bang of something big hitting the aluminum barn wall.
Nancy maneuvers toward me on Grand Teton as I flip my head around toward the scuttle and noise from behind.
I see the back of a mounted rider, their helmet obscuring any identifiable features, but whoever it is, it doesn’t take more than a second for me to surmise they are losing control of their horse.
Adrenaline immediately rockets through my veins. These magnificent animals can be as dangerous as any weapon. The huge horse spins, other riders on the ground are grasping for the reins, but the horse turns and kicks out, the mounted rider doing her best to calm the anxious horse, but it’s not working.
“Wasn’t that amazing?” Nancy’s excited voice comes from my right and I turn to look up at her. She hasn’t noticed the commotion, her eyes twinkling, still lost in her excitement.
“Yes, a perfect ride,” I manage to say as my eyes dart back to see the horse and rider moving toward the barn again and for a moment I think they have managed to get things under control.
I dart my eyes back to see Nancy’s face fill with a broad smile. She drops her reins, and Grand Teton stands in place, breathing heavily from the effort he’s put forth. Nancy is leaning down to grasp the enormous animal around the neck with both arms in a congratulatory hug. Just then, a terrified scream shakes me from my left, the pounding sound of hooves and the crowd’s gasps turn to the shrieks of panic.
I flip my head back around, my available hand instinctively reaching for Nancy’s loose reins, but my eyes are drawn, and my attention turns away before I can grab the leather strap. “Oh my God,” I mutter, my mind racing as I see the horse near the barn rear up. Standing almost vertical on its hind legs, the rider’s face cast with terror. But that’s not what freezes me in place.
It’s her. The sapphire blue eyes are wide filled with fear, her mouth agape was her horse slams its front feet to the ground surging her face forward into his neck, throwing her even more off balance. Her mount digs in and barrels forward, knocking two people to the ground. And she’s heading straight toward Nancy and Grand Teton.
And me.
But I don’t care about me, only about them.
“Nancy!” I shout, louder than I should, and Grand Teton jumps at my voice, sending Nancy off balance as she frantically tries to sit up and regain the reins. “Go! Get out of the way!” I push at Grand Teton’s shoulder giving the animal a gentle smack on his hind quarters, but it’s futile. Teton is a solid fifteen hundred pounds and already has a look of terror in his eyes.
Just as Nancy sits up and grasps the situation, the other horse is bearing down on us. The terrified animal’s nostrils are open wide, the whites around his eyes showing. Nancy kicks at Teton’s sides, pulling his head to the right just as the chestnut mare with the beauty that already tugs at my heart is on top of us.
Time is running out, the crowd now screaming. Nancy is fighting to move but the chestnut is galloping and closing in on us, out of control. My beauty’s horse hits the fence just to our left, spinning around, bucking and kicking out, smacking Grand Teton in the side of the head as Nancy tries to pull him around.
The crazed mare reacts, rearing up and screeching, spinning my way as I’m barely able to miss being barreled over. Blood explodes from Grand Teton’s head.
“Nancy, here! Dismount!” I manage to grab one of Teton’s reins, holding on as he jerks and pulls, tearing the leather through my
palm, burning as I reach up with a single open arm, my cane falling at my feet.
Instinct kicks in and Nancy knows what to do.
She’s an experienced horsewoman, and the best place to be in a situation like this is not on top of an injured and frightened animal. In one swoop she flings her leg over the back of the horse and down into my waiting arm, her legs crumpling under her, but just as quickly she is back upright, her hands securing the other rein as Teton backs away, his powerful legs digging into the dirt desperately trying to be anywhere but right here.
“Take him!” I point and yell.
Grand Teton wants nothing more than to be somewhere else, so when his trusted rider runs forward with his reins in her hand he more than gladly follows.
“Get him to the vet!” Blood is dripping down from the gash on his head as they run in the other direction from the chaos.
As I’m shouting orders at her, there is more crashing to my right. I don’t want to lift my eyes, but I react automatically, spinning on my good leg and lurching forward as the chestnut mare takes off at full gallop into the solid wooden fence surrounding the riding ring. I’ve seen a lot of things happen at horse shows, but this is one of the most out of control horses I’ve ever seen.
My heart stops, I should have done something more.
Travis comes running, but it’s too late, the mare is completely in flight mode. Everything seems to slow down. The angel I’d met this morning is on top of a speeding freight train as I watch her hold on for dear life.
The crowd is going crazy. I take off at as much of a run as my shattered leg will allow, lurching over the broken boards of the fence with my arms high above my head, trying to draw the terrified animal’s attention. Something is very wrong with her horse. Experienced riders and horses do not react like this unless they are hurt or something else is going on.
“Whoa!” I use a calm, commanding voice, just loud enough to draw attention, but just as the horse looks up, Travis comes out to scream at the rider. The horse bolts straight forward toward him, and he dives behind a solid wooden double gate jump, the horse heading straight for him.
She’s doing whatever she can to control the animal, and finally, the beauty can grab one rein to do what we call an emergency turn. She pulls with all her strength on one rein, forcing the horse’s head to turn. With the mare’s head facing in the other direction, she slows down, at least for the moment, following her nose as horses do.
“Keep pulling, circle her!” I’m within ten feet now, stumbling in her direction and the horse is slowly turning my way, but she’s still crazed. She bucks and rears, the rider, has the reins ripped from her hands, and I see what is coming next before it happens.
“Please—” Her eyes train on me in a look of such horror my heart stops beating.
The horse jets forward, crashing through the first set of poles on the jump that Travis cowers behind, trips, then comes tumbling down, falling head first into the next jump, throwing the terrified beauty straight into the solid wooden pole that holds up the horizontal wooden poles.
It’s all in slow motion, but I still can’t get there fast enough. Her helmet smacks the wood, her body flipping end over end with the force and forward motion, her mount coming down with her as her boot is caught in the stirrup and the enormous animal collapses to the ground next to her. The mare’s front feet paw in the sand and each time she struggles she hits my beauty in the helmet until the strap finally gives out. As I throw my body over hers, the horse brings down a final hoof blow, straight onto the top of her unprotected skull.
I block two more hoof beats with my back, the pain barely registering until the animal falls still.
An eerie silence falls, pulsing around us. My heart beats deafening in my ears. The enormous mare, exhausted, lays gasping for air. But all I care about is the raspy breaths of the angel under me.
I’m spitting dirt as I lift my body from hers to reach over and frantically free her foot from the stirrup in case the animal finds the strength to have another go.
Her hair is wild around her head, the formerly neat bun at the nape of her neck a tangled mess. The dust from the sand and the flailing horse settles on her, and as I look down, I’m as terrified as I’ve even been. And yet a spark is lit inside me.
She is a fragile doll, and she looks broken, but her eyes flutter open. The shimmering blue is unfocused for a moment before she rests her gaze on my face. I want nothing more than to scoop her up and fix her. Take her somewhere with me and be sure she’s safe from now on.
“You’re okay.” I brush some dirt from her cheek, praying silently that my words are true.
“Ruby.” Her raw voice croaks out and her mare to my right is still breathing hard. Travis is on his knees next to the animal now and a swarm of people are running our way.
“She’s okay,” I lie, because clearly that horse is not okay.
I raise my head and my voice. “Where’s the fucking EMT?” There is always an ambulance and EMTs at every event, and they need to be here right fucking now.
My fingers gently cradle her head. The sight of her soft curves laying on the ground at such an unnatural angle makes me feel sick. I’m desperate to pull her into me, scoop my hands under her, but I don’t dare. I could hurt her even more so I brush my free hand over her head from the forehead back, and then I freeze...
I lift my fingers to see the crimson smears, and my heart is in my throat. I settle my palm softly over where I feel the blood.
Her hair is matted and soaking, an enormous bump is raising on the left side of her head where Ruby’s hoof smashed against her head, and I know the rising injury is bigger than it should be in such a short time.
“Hurry the fuck up! Someone get the fucking ambulance!” My voice cracks, and I don’t understand why people are just standing around looking. I hate them all right now, anyone that is not helping is on my shit list.
She coughs softly and I look down. “Please,” she whispers. Her eyes turn watery and my heart melts. She raises one hand and I take it in mine. She holds on so tight that I don’t ever want to leave. “Help me.” Her eyes close and the stomping of feet comes from behind.
Before I can say anything to comfort her, two paramedics and the doctor are on us. It takes all my will to tear myself away and let them work, but it’s what’s best for her and that’s all I want.
Travis is standing now, a vet and two assistants tending to the mare on the ground. The look on his face seems distant, disconnected, like he’s thinking of something other than the safety of his injured student. Our eyes meet and a fury ignites inside of me when he glances away. His eyes light on the gasping mare lying in the center of the broken fence. He bites his lip and looks at his watch, and thoughts of how I’d like to kill him play in a loop in my mind.
He looks back at me for only a split second, then he glances back over his shoulder. Suddenly, his demeanor changes, then he steps forward to lean over his student, my beauty, displaying a sudden dramatic concern.
I struggle to my feet as the paramedics and doctor crowd me out. A screaming woman and a distinguished looking man break through the gathered circle of people, settling on both sides, flanking Travis.
He looks at me one last time, and I hope he understands what my eyes are saying because he and I have some scores to settle very soon. I’m done playing.
C H A P T E R F O U R
Reed
The sun is up and my face is in my hands as I sit in the world’s most uncomfortable chair.
“Sir.” A woman’s voice breaks through my foggy thoughts.
I look up to see a familiar face. “Yes?” This nurse has become my best friend since I took up residence in the main hospital waiting room. I’m pretty sure it’s pity I see in her eyes but I don’t care.
“I’m not supposed to tell you this.” Her dark skin and broad smile give me some comfort. If it was bad news I don’t think she’d be smiling. “But Miss Montgomery is stable and they’re moving her out of ICU
and down to a regular room. Maybe you should go home and get some rest, then come back later. You gotta be tired.”
Constance was delivered here to Hartford Memorial yesterday afternoon, and has been in the ICU ever since while they monitored her head injury.
I am not allowed up on the ICU floor because according to the hospital I’m not family.
This sounds crazy, but when they said that it made me mad. I think of how she looked at me, how much she needed me while I cradled her head and tried to give her some comfort.
And I needed her, too. Some connection unlike anything I’ve ever felt before stirred like an unearthed beast within me, and I’ve been sitting here in the lobby, trying to find out anything I can about her condition.
“Thank you, Melanie. I’ll stay.”
The kind, maternal look in the nurse’s eye has become familiar.
“Suit yourself.” She drops her voice to a whisper. “I’ll see if I can’t get you her room number once they get her moved.” She walks away humming.
I stuff a hand down into my pocket to find my phone. My neck aches from dozing off sitting up, and as much as I hate that I take them every day, the pain medication for my leg is back at my house so my body is throbbing and my nerves feel raw. I tap the phone screen until I find the number. I’m calling in a favor, but I can’t shake the feeling that something is not right and there isn’t much I wouldn’t do to find out what caused her horse to go berserk. From everyone I’ve asked, that horse has never done anything like that before and I’ve been around long enough to know when something smells like shit.
“Doc Mills here.” The gravelly voice on the other end of the line is always the same.
“Doc, it’s Reed.”
“Reed. Heard there was some commotion over at Warrington yesterday.”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m calling, I need a favor.”
“Sure thing. What is it?”
“That mare that went nuts, they trailered her to Michigan State University to the Veterinary Hospital. You know the director there, don’t you?”
