Summer Storm

Epilogue

I picked up the pen, this is it.

All my hopes and dreams on this one paper. I hesitated. Looking up I see Ren looking at me with a loving a encouraging smile. I give him a small one. He darkens, searching my face to look for a internal struggle. Before either of us can say anything Hannah starts to giggle at us in the corner of the room. We both turn to her with unsatisfied looks.

" Sorry , oozy googly love scenes make me laugh." She smiles and gives me a thumbs up. Sometimes I swear she has never grown up and lives in La-La Land. I smile fully this time and stab my pen to the paper. 

No looking back now.

The ink bleeds onto the paper like a newborn river. I sign my sloppy signature and pass it to Ren. He takes it easily, sliding it over and scribbling his name and signature. I want to scream. I own a horse! Four, actually. Four horses, a Barn, seven acres, and a covered arena. The pit of my stomach had a giddy feeling inside it that was hard to explain. Hannah walked over and stated " Merry wedding gift for the next three years. You better invite me, cuties." That was that. She gave us each a hug, and walked out of our lives. I didn't see Hannah after that until the wedding rolled around a year and a half later. She called me every Saturday night to tell me where she had traveled. Russia, Paris, Alaska, she made me want to travel. But, I wanted to be on my farm more.

After the deal was done, Ren took me home and told me to and I quote " Stay here, get dressed up by 7:00, and wear a nice dress." Okay then. Someone had something up his sleeve. He flashed me a devils smile and rushed down the stairs. It was only four thirty by then so I decided to pull Poko out for a ride. I snapped on my watch on and went to the arena bareback. Poko huffed under me, and his gait was surprisingly slow. He has been on vacation a bit to long. Now he wants to be lazy. Not on my watch, I reached over to my box , grabbing a crop. I waved it by his side and tapped his neck lightly. He knew it was there. I grabbed my reins tightly and clicked once. It was all it took. Poko surged forward and we did ground work for a while.

I was heading up to shower and stopped in my tracks. I had almost forgotten about the beautiful grey we had found a month ago. She had put on enough weight to start working and training. I stuck my hand in her stall to pet her head that was lightly pushed up against the stall bars on one side. She leaned in until she fully understood who or what was touching her. Squealing and flattening her ears she literally jumped to the back of the stall. It was a bit of progress, I guess. She began pawing at the boards and eyed me.

It was like a silent death threats sent my way. I just scoffed.

This horse would be the death of me. Literally.

My phone began to vibrate, so I moved away from the stall and the stricken horse. Thinking it would be Ren, I didn't look and just picked up. " Hey I am getting in the shower now." I began up the steps. No answer. I was about to look at the caller Id when a thick accented voice spoke." You needed to tell Ren I said come home. Its an emergency." I knew that voice, still laced with hatred.

It was Ren's mother.

I was so shocked I didn't get even a mumble out. She hung up quickly. I closed the phone and walked slowly upstairs. Should I call Ren? He seemed so excited to plan tonight... And his mother liked to play games.  I stripped my clothes as I went to the shower. Loitering them throughout the house as I went. Turning on the shower, and about to get in, I paused. She did say it was a emergency. I ran back butt naked to the couch where I threw the phone. Picking it up, I called Ren immediately.

" So here's the news... Your mom called me."

"Wha-" I cut him off.

" She said she needed you home. It's a -ah- emergency." He was silent, My hands were shaking. 

"God damn it." He seethed.

The line went dead and a tear slid down my hot cheeks. He wasn't mad at me. It was just the worst feeling , that had come over me.