To Heal a Heart

Chapter 9

Wade walked through the wide double-doored entry of Orson's Livery. Kristi straightened her slumped shoulders and marched in after him. He waited by a door at the back of the barn,, motioning for her to follow. 

The familiar smell of horses assaulted her nose as she passed through the building. It was as clean as one could expect from a livery, and the horses looked well taken care of.

"Ollie!" Wade called loudly as he passed through the door, "Ollie, where are you?"

Kristi followed Wade outside. There were two corrals attached to the barn, one on either side of the door.  Three horses were in the one to the right, and one to the left.

"Ollie!" Wade called once more.

A low, gravelly, aged voice sounded from inside, "Shut yer face, I'm here!"

The owner of the voice, whom Kristi guessed was Ollie, came through the back door. He walked with a hitch in his gait and wore a scowl on his grizzled, tanned face. He mumbled something about waking the dead. He stopped short when he caught sight of Wade, his bushy white eyebrows that matched his unkempt hair, lifted and his frown was replaced by an almost toothless smile. He let out a loud cackle.

"Well! If it ain't Mr. Wade Collins hisself."

Wade grinned, the affection between the two of them clearly displayed. "Hi, Ollie."

"It's about time you showed up, me an' poor Beau were startin' to think you decided to move to the big city and forgot about us."

"Never," Wade said, the smile still on his face, "I couldn't leave my two best friends, even for the city. But, I did bring someone back."

He took Kristi's hand and presented her to Ollie.

"Ollie, this is Miss Kristine Garrett. Kristi, this is Oliver Orson, the owner of the livery stable. He taught me everything I know about horses."

"And precious little it is at that," Ollie quipped before wiping his hand on his overalls and offering it to her. "Pleased to meet you Little Miss."

Kristi took his hand. His teasing and kind grandfatherly looks reminded her of Dr. Gage. "I assure you the pleasure is all mine, Mr. Orson."

Ollie blushed slightly and gave a sheepish grin. Then, to cover his softheartedness, he grumbled, "That's enough Orson business, I go by Ollie to everyone round here, and now to you too."

Kristi couldn't help but smile.

Ollie turned back to Wade who was grinning like an idiot. "I s'pose you'll be wantin' Beau now?"

"yeah, I'll be taking him, and I'll also be needing a horse for Kristi. Let her pick one and charge it's price to the Double B."

Kristi looked at Wade in surprise, but he was focused on what Ollie was saying.

"Right, will do. She can pick from these ones here. Now you go and get Beau. He's been plumb lonesome for days."

"Thanks Ollie, I'll get him now."

Wade went into the barn and Ollie called after him, "He's in the last stable at the end."

He then turned to Kristi, and gestured to the three horses in the right hand corral, "Well, Little Miss, you heard him, take your pick."

Kristi went to the fence and leaned her elbows on the top rail. She surveyed the animals carefully. She wasn't thrilled at all by what she saw. One of the animals, a placid, thick set mare looked old enough to have ridden Noah's Ark. The other, a suspicious young filly, hardly looked trustworthy prancing about the corral as she was, and the last one seemed well enough, but altogether unimpressive.