Nothing Really Matters

Chapter Four ~ One Bridle And Two Saddles

It was Sunday night and I'd officially finished a week of work placement at Paddy McGuigan's Racing yard. Looking back, it was a very intense week but I enjoyed it none the less. I've been riding out horses again which for me is something extraordinary. No jumps yet but that will come in time,I'm sure of it. I've also met some exciting new people. Top racing trainer Paddy McGuigan who is like a grandfather to me, Stable jockey Peter who I'm getting to know better each and every day and of course Jack. Stable jockey Jack who I feel like I've known forever. If I could judge the whole placement on this first week I'd say bring it on.

As I sit on the bed flicking through research papers trying to find a break through on Thoroughbred behaviour I hear a knock on the door.

"It's me." I recognise the voice straight away.

"Come on in Jack. Since when do you knock?" I question teasingly. He looks at me and gives a faint smile before throwing himself on the bed beside me. "What's up?" I turn to him slightly worried. He seems exhausted.

"I don't know what to do Molly." He looks at me distraught. "I've just been talking to James Winters on the phone and he wants me to ride out for him on Thursday's and Friday's."

"What?! James Winters! As in thee James Winters." My eyes widened at the news. James was one of the newer trainers to come into action in Ireland. Although he's new he's surely doing just as good as the ones on the top. Apparently he's got loads of new horses in from around the world with top class breeding. He doesn't go a week without a win. "Why aren't you happy?" I frown unknowingly.

"Because Mols, when I joined Paddy McGuigan we made a deal that if he were to be my number one trainer then I'd be his number one jockey. Paddy always gets first pick of what races he wants me to ride in and then other trainers can use me for the remaining ones. It's the way we've always worked it and I never had a problem with it until now." He began to get agitiated. "Working for James Winters would be an amazing lift in my career. Not that it's not going well it's just that this would give it a tremendous boost."

"I understand. Look, you're tired. How about we sleep on it and see if we can come up with something in the morning?" I look at my watch that reads quarter past eleven. "We've an early start in the morning."

"Okay sounds good. Night." He pulls the blankets from my bed over him. I roll my eyes.

"Only because I'm too tired to argue." I give in and join him.

It's after breakfast and we're walking off the third lot of the day. I glance over at Jack who's robotically walking off his horse, staring into space. We've yet to come up with an idea that would make him able to work for both Paddy and James Winters. All the jockeys are on their horses walking in a circle. I scoot closer to him.

"It's only two days a week, and you could still race on those days. Im sure that would be alright." I try to sound upbeat and optimistic.

"Hmm I don't think that's his problem. As you probably already know this place is very exclusive in it's features however it's like that in terms of who is employed to work here. That's basically why there's only seven of us, well eight of us including you, maintaining a yard of thirty horses. We're understaffed. There wouldn't be enough people to ride out on those days, leaving the others under pressure. I can't do that. It wouldn't be fair." We begin the short walk back to the hard from the gallops.

"Okay, so you're saying you need a new rider? Someone to ride out the horses when you're away." I ask, planning something out in my head.

"Yes. But as I said before we're sort of exclusi-"

"I'll do it." I blurt out quickly. Jack looks at me like I've grown two heads. To be honest I'm quite surprised at myself too. "I can ride out the horses that you'd usually ride out on a Thursday and Friday. So that way no one new needs to come in." A pretty good idea if I do say so myself.

"Molly I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself. You've only started riding again after two years and I don't know if it's a good idea for you to throw yourself in at the deep end." Jack shakes away the idea.

"It would be good for me. Besides, it's two days a week. I'm starting to ride quite often now anyways. Come on Jack. This could work. Atleast talk to Paddy about it." I don't know why I've such an incentive to get Jack this job. Maybe it's because he helped me. Or maybe it's because I know a good jockey when I see one and oppurtunities like this don't come round that often. Whatever it is I know that he wants this job too.

"You're not gonna let me turn this down are you?" He grinned his signature leftsided smile. I think we both knew the answer to that one.

I was giving the yard a final sweep when I heard footsteps coming towards me. It was evening time, the horses were feeding quietly and the workers were finished for the day. I looked up to see Paddy walking towards me.

"No rest for the wicked." He called out.

"Oh I'm just finishing up." I say collecting the dust and dirt and throwing it into a nearby wheelbarrow.

"I'll not hold you up Molly, it's just Jack mentioned something to me this evening about working for James Winters on Thursdays and Fridays." He takes of his cap and holds it in his hands. "It's one hell of an oppurtunity I'll give him that but I told him that I couldn't ask the other stablelads to ride his horses for him when he's at Winters'." He slowly walked to a nearby wall and propped himself at it. "However he informed me that if I was to agree, you could ride his horses for him. Is that true?"

"Yes. It is. I don't mind riding out for him seeing as it's only two days a week. It doesn't bother me in the slightest." I tried to steer Paddy in the direction of letting Jack except the job.

"Are you sure Molly? It doesn't bother you at all?" He looked at me quizically. I frowned at him not sure what he meant.

"No Paddy. I'm fine with it. Honestly." Which I was.

"I see." He lets a little laugh. "You must really like him then hmm?" He looks at me for a response. Why do I get the feeling there's more to this.

"Is there something I should know Paddy?"

"Well, it's more, something I know." He paused for a second. "But I can tell that story another time. Tell Jack he can go for the job at Winters'. You and him are good for each other. You can never get too much of a good thing." And with that he walks back to the house, leaving me speechless.

In the house Jack was cooking dinner and Peter was setting the table. They both greeted me with 'hellos' as I began to help. Peter's phone rang and he quickly ran out of the room to answer it.

"Wonder who's got him in a flurry." I ask.

"Probably his mother." Jack jokes. "She's probably sending him some more underwear and clean clothes." I rolled my eyes at his sense of humour. He can't go a day without messing and joking.

"Chicken curry?" I question looking into the pot.

"Yup." He began to plate up.

"Yeah that sounds like a decent celebratory dinner." I hint waiting for his response. He looks at me confused. "Paddy and I had a chat. He said to accept the job!" And in that moment his eyes bulged out of his head and all his energy built up inside of him. He let out a massive roar.

"Yeoow!!" Grabbing me he spun me round and round, kissing me multiple times before jumping and lepping around the room. I was overcome with laughter and joy for the little jockey dancing round the room in front of me.