home away from home

13 (shane)

her face looked like she was uncomfortable so i pulled her closer to me and hugged her tight. "it's okay," i whispered into her ear as the doctor was finishing up cutting off her cast. after a minute it came off and the doctor looked to have a concerned look on his face. "what is it?" her mom asked. "well i didn't expect it to be this bruised, i was hoping it was starting to get its color back." he explained that the fact that its still really bruised could mean it's not healing properly. "there could be a chance you can't flex or move your ankle properly again." he said, i felt mase's body go limp in my arms and her head crashed against my chest tears streaming from her face with no stopping. i knew what it was, if she ever wanted to get back to where she was she was going to need that ankle to able to be flexible, any rider needs their ankles. "hey, hey, hey." the doctor said calming mase, "i didn't say it was for sure, we'll just have to keep a really close eye on it. let's finish and but this boot on." he slipped her foot into the boot and adjusted it properly. once we were finished mase could now start using crutches instead of a wheelchair so her mom and i helped her out to the truck and got in. we went to lunch then stopped by the farmers market and went back to her house. once we got home i helped mrs. tucker with her produce and i saw as mase crutched her way over to the barn, i set down the bags and i curiously followed her. "babe?" i asked confused as to why she was putting a halter on wrangler. "what are you doing?" "i told you, i'm running at worlds, so i figured i got four weeks and i better get started." she said to me as she struggled. "are you just gonna stand there and watch me struggle or are you gonna help me?" she said impatiently. "mase, i'll help you get the halter on but you're still in no condition to ride." i walked over to her and finished tying the rope halter on to wrangler. "who ever said i was getting on? ever heard of ground work?" she put an emphasis on the word "ground." "walk him over to the round pen please." she asked. i followed her to the round pen and took wrangler off the halter. "now what?" i asked "now hand me the whip and move." she said with sass. i walked near the center standing behind mase mainly to make sure she doesn't fall over. she clicked wrangler up to a trot and soon to a lope. "mase, maybe we should just keep him at a trot. he hasn't been worked in a while." i suggested. "he's fine, he would never do anyth-." before she could even finish saying the word wrangler took off bucking and going crazy, i swooped mase in to my arms and quickly shielded her away from him. "shane what are you doing!" she snapped at me. i ignored her and kept her close while wrangler was not stopping. i managed to get her out of the round pen and i went back to calm wrangler and get him on a lead. i hooked the lead rope to him and walked him out with mase crutching behind me. "shane! i had it under control, do you not know that horses tend to buck?" she yelled at me. i turned around and stopped in my tracks. "yeah but that wasn't just a buck, mase, that was wild. how would you have been able to stop him? i could barely stop him myself." i argued back. "why do you keep trying to hold me back? you're gonna be the reason i don't compete at worlds!" she stumbled over to me and took wrangler out of my hands and stalled him. "mase, i'm just looking out for you." i followed her, "do you know what it was like seeing you get crushed right before my eyes and me not being able to do anything about it? or laying by your bedside worrying? no!" i yelled.