Because of Fate (Book 1 of Because of Series)

Chapter 6- Bryson

I wanted to yell "wait" when Peter stopped petting the dog, but I stopped myself when the girl, Magaret, looked at me and silenced me with a look.

The dog laid still and didn't move a muscle while my niece reached out and touched him.

I watched in stunned silence while she started to pet the frozen statue, and I had no idea if he was breathing or not.

"Mag, Dono is broken again," the kid, Travis, said, watching as Fiona gently patted him, and Jace started to pet him as well.

"Dono is always broken when someone afraid of him is near," Margaret said, and she turned her attention back to the two kids that were petting him. "He'll be fine." She looked at me and offered me a small smile, and I stared blankly at her. "Are you wanting to pet him?" she asked.

I shook my head no and cleared my throat. I stayed silent while I looked at them before I looked at my mother to see what she had to say.

"Well," my mother said and cleared her throat before she stood taller. A small smile was on her face, and I could tell that she was interested in this female before us. "Why don't you stay for the night, and we can see if we can't get something to work out for us. Will you need help with any bills for your horses, or...?"

Margaret shook her head, no. "I have it covered," she said, and her voice shook with relief, "but a place to stay would be nice, especially for my animals."

"Why didn't you leave them at the farm you were at?" I asked, and she looked at me.

"Because they wouldn't have liked it," she replied. "The only one that would have been fine would be Pickle and that's because she has lived outdoors for most of her life anyway."

"No, she wouldn't," her daughter said while she looked at her mother. "She would have missed us, more importantly, me. That's why she came with us in the first place."

"Pickle would have been just fine," she said again. She looked at me and offered me a small smile. "Out of all of the animals that I had brought with me, it's her that you have to worry about. She's mean."

"She is not. Don't call her mean," her daughter retaliated. She scowled and narrowed her eyes before she folded her arms across her chest. "She is perfect."

"I do agree with Maggie on this," her brother said, and the pair looked at him. "She is very protective of you and is very mean to everyone else."

"Well it's because I am her person," she said. "I am her favorite."

Mom chuckled. "Now, why don't we get you all settled in. We have a whole basement apartment area where you can live if that is fine with my son of course." She gestured to me, and they looked at me, waiting for me to say something.

I nodded and stayed silent, and Mom looked relieved that I would allow them to stay.

"You can take your dogs into the apartment," she said and looked at Margaret again. "However, I would advise you not to let them up in the actual house," she added and looked at the pitbull.

Margaret frowned a little before she nodded. "Of course," she said before she looked at me. "Do you mind if the other dogs come up, or do you want everyone to stay down there?"

"Everyone will need to stay down there," I replied, and she nodded. I cleared my throat and gestured to the dog. "How is he with other dogs?" I asked, thinking about the farm dogs that we had.

"He's good with them," she replied. "Are there other dogs here?" she asked and raised an eyebrow, and I nodded in confirmation. "Where are they?"

"Around," I replied. "Are you ready to get everyone settled?" I asked, changing the subject and hoping that she wouldn't ask me to call them, and she nodded in confirmation.

"Please," she said, and I breathed a sigh of relief. "I am sure that my horses are ready to get out and run around. They've been stuck in a trail for far too long, and I am sure that they are done with this."

Sure enough, there was a loud whinny from the trailer, and the whole trailer started to shake. The dogs looked at the trailer and whined, but for some reason, the pit just laid still while my nephew continued to pet him with no care in the world.

Margaret wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips in disgust while she looked at the trailer when there was another loud whinny followed by some banging. "Ya..." she said and looked at me, looking guilty. "It looks like they are ready to go out."

"Is that Gallant?" Fiona asked while she looked at Margaret after she looked at the trailer, and Margaret nodded in confirmation. Excitement filled her eyes while she looked at me. "Can we go see him?" she asked, not hiding the excitement in her voice. "Please?"

I sighed and nodded, feeling defeated. "We may," I replied before I looked at Margret. "We will talk about rent and your duties when you and your animals are settled in. Ok? Why don't we try to do this for a week."

Relief filled her eyes, and she nodded. "Ok," she said before she cleared her throat and grew serious. However, that didn't stop the smile on her face, and I could tell that she was happy about having a place to stay. "Thank you, Bryson. You won't regret this. I promise."

I forced a smile on my face before I nodded, staying silent.

I hope not... I thought before I pursed my lips when she turned away and handed the leash to her young daughter, saying something along the lines of keeping him there and lying down.

I really hope not...

***

I followed her to the back of the trailer, steering clear of the pit. I had no idea what I was going to do, but for some reason, I wanted to follow her.

Margaret looked at me and smiled before she dipped her head. "Can you help me lead them to the pasture if you don't mind?" she asked. "They can be a handful sometimes."

"Sure we can," my brother, Blake said and patted my shoulder, "but I am not going to deal with that gelding of yours."

Margaret smiled a little, amused. "That's fine," she said with a shrug. "He only listens to me anyway."

"That's not true," her daughter said and looked towards the trailer. "He listens to me."

"Sometimes," the boy said, "and you know that only happens when you have treats, Maybell."

"Well, he listens to you."

"Only when I have treats and she tells him to behave," he replied and rolled his eyes.

"Settle down, you two, and watch the dog," Margaret said while she started to unlatch the back.

The daughter rolled her eyes and scowled. "When can we let Pickle out of the car?" she asked. She looked at me. "Can she be an indoor and outdoor cat?" she asked.

"As long as she doesn't pee inside of the house outside of a litter box," I replied. "She will also stay in the basement apartment. She is not allowed upstairs."

"She won't go into the main house," Margaret promised while she finished with the trailer and set it down before she looked at me sheepishly. "Do you mind holding onto Gallant while I get the others unhooked?" she asked, and her horse snorted and flicked his tail as if he knew she was talking about him. "He likes to run off when he is free, and I don't want that to happen just yet."

I hesitated before I nodded. "I can," I said, and she offered me a small smile in thanks. "Will you need help getting the others out?"

She shook her head. "No, no," she replied. "All I need help with is him. After that, I am able to do it on my own. The others will follow me even without being led."

"Sort of," the boy said. "They will listen to you sometimes."

"Just like you," she shot back, and he rolled his eyes and scowled. "Now if you will excuse me, I will go ahead and get them and bring them out. If that is ok with you." She looked at me.

I didn't respond and gestured for her to start taking them out, and she looked relieved while she nodded.

And without another word, she turned her attention away from us and went into the trailer to start unhooking them.

Oh God, please don't let this be a mistake, I prayed while I pressed my lips into a thin. Please.