silence the wind

Chapter One

Verna once told her, patience is a virtue; whether you're training horses, or waiting for Andy to get his head out of the clouds and see what is standing right in front of him. What Verna forgot to tell her, was that patience sometimes comes at a price.

A tear trickled from the corner of Jamie's half-open eyes. Looking out into the emptiness of her room, a sense of longing grabbed the pit of her stomach. She wondered if she shouldn't have stayed and at least given Andy a chance to find himself. In hindsight, she felt the result would have been the same. Kathy would have made their lives pure hell, and she'd still be lonely and left aching for Andy like she'd done for the past few months.

She needed her sanity back. Sanity, she thought, what the hell was that? This whole mess was insane. She didn't want to believe that Kathy had the power to rip apart the friendship that she and Andy had built through the years.

Verna was right, no matter what she felt for Andy, life has a way of messing a person up. God, she missed that woman. She missed her almost as much as she did Andy. Hearing Verna's voice from the once-a-week phone calls almost made her want to run back home. She'd begun to anticipate the care package of baked cookies and letters that Verna would send.

Jamie took in a huge breath, filling her nostrils with the scent of pine from the burning embers in the fireplace. Cold from the morning air, she snuggled deep under the covers to stay warm. The one-room line shack that Doug and Faye had allowed her to use until she could get on her feet wasn't much, but it was home, at least for the moment.

Exhausted most days after work, she'd drag herself home to flop on the front porch swing and sit in the silence that would overtake her mind. She hoped that Faye wouldn't come up to check on her and seek her presence in the main house for a meal. She knew Faye felt she needed companionship other than the four-legged kind that had surrounded her since she'd arrived.

She untangled her legs from the confines of the sheets. Feeling the ice-cold floor on the bottom of her feet drove a shiver through her bones. The two pair of socks she'd worn to bed had only taken the chill off.

Looking at the calendar, she thought, Sunday, God, I hate Sundays. She stoked the fire, throwing two more logs on to take the morning chill off, then started a pot of coffee. Stepping out onto the porch, she fixed her eyes on the ranch below. It was breathtaking. The Rocky Mountains made the backdrop for the morning sun to dance its rays on the freshly fallen snow.

Grabbing a handful of peanuts for the squirrel that made its home in the tree above the cabin, she sprinkled them along the rail. The chattering creature made its way to her shoulder. She picked up a peanut and held it out for the animal to take from her hand. "It's almost spring, buddy. That means Verna is coming with Apache. I'm looking forward to seeing her again."

Hearing the gurgle of the coffee pot. She stepped back inside to pour herself a cup, then took a seat by the fireplace in her only piece of furniture, an old rocker that groaned from the weight of her body. The sound of a gentle tap at the door startled her and sent the hot coffee she held in her hands to the floor.

"It's open," she yelled.

Faye stuck her head around the door smiling. "Hey, Jamie, I was just out for a walk this morning and thought I'd stop by."

"Just in time, the coffee just finished brewing," Jamie said, taking a towel to wipe up the mess on the floor.

"God, kid, it's freezing in here."

"Yeah, it got chilly last night."

"Have you found a place in town to live, yet?"

"I have a couple to look at today, but they both have other people looking at them. I'm hoping I'm not going to waste my time like the last two."

"I told you before, there's no need to rush. Besides, if you stay the summer, you'll have enough saved to buy a condo."

"I know, but I'm just not sure if that's what I want to do. I don't think the bank will give me a loan and I know that Mom and Dad wouldn't help out if I were to get into any trouble."

"You know Doug and I would be willing to give you a hand with that."

"Thanks, Faye, but this is something I need to do for myself," Jamie said, as she picked up the wet rag and tossed it towards the sink.

"I talked with Verna the other day. She's wondering how you're doing."

"Did you tell her not to worry? I'm fine." Jamie sighed and with a broken grin, she offered Faye the rocking chair. Fumbling with the blanket around her shoulders, she took a spot on the floor.

"I did, but she didn't believe me. You know, kid, you need to get out and meet some people your own age. It's unhealthy to stay up here like a hermit."

"I'm hardly a hermit, Faye. When I get home from work, I'm so dog tired all I want to do is go to bed."

"Well, today Doug and I are heading for a cutting futurity and you're coming with us."

"I don't know. I think I'm going to hang out here for a bit and go for a ride later."

"I don't think you heard me, Jamie. You are coming. Besides, we entered that little mare you retrained in the competition, and you have to see how she does."

"I suppose it would be fun to watch. Is Doug riding her?"

"No, Rick one of the other trainers is going to."

"I haven't met him yet. Is he cute?" Jamie asked, then winked with a playful grin as she looked over the rim of her cup.

"I don't know I'm too old to look," Faye snickered, "but he does fill out a pair of jeans rather well."

"Well then, I guess I have to see this pair of jeans." Jamie rolled her eyes mocking Faye's comment, knowing that whatever came in those denims would bring her nothing but trouble. "But you know I still can't go. I've got those places to look at today."

"Don't worry. Remember I told you, you could stay here or at the main house. There's no rush to look for a place and as soon as you dress we're leaving."

"I don't know. I would like to see this little filly work, but..."

"No buts about it Jamie, you're coming and that's final," Faye said, and snatched a pair of jeans from the floor and flung them at her.

***

Doug was waiting in the truck as two ladies to appear from the cabin. Climbing into the back of the quad cab, Jamie began to brush her hair and smiled at Doug. "So how do you think she's going to do?" She asked.

"Great. From what I've seen of your work, she's going to be the one to make us a million." He flashed a smile at her in the rearview mirror.

Faye expressed her amusement at her husband's comment with a full-out belly laugh. "God, you have huge dreams. Don't you dear?"

Doug looked in the mirror again giving Jamie a wink. "No, I just have some faith in the trainer."

Jamie blushed at the compliment. He had bragged about her to everyone he introduced her to, but today was the day he'd have to put his money where his mouth was. She hoped that she could live up to the expectations he had.