Love is Silent

Chapter 19

Three weeks after I was released from the hospital, I was ready to try riding Justice again. Chase came down to the stables with me and helped me get him ready. Once we were in the arena, I brought Justice over to the mounting block and got onto him. My left leg felt a little weaker than it had last time I’d rode him, but it wasn’t too bad.

            I didn’t do a lot with him for that first ride. I mainly just walked him and did a little bit of trotting. I was pleased with how well my leg held up while riding him, and I was smiling when I slid off of him. “Your turn,” I told Chase, holding out the helmet. “But you have to ride him around by yourself, since I can’t walk all that well yet.”

            Chase let out a long suffering sigh, but I knew he was actually starting to like riding. He put the helmet on and I held Justice while he climbed on. Then I sat on the mounting block and gave him instructions while he rode him around the arena. I was pleasantly surprised at how well Justice did for Chase; before Luke had passed away, there was no was Justice would have been calm enough for this. But now he was laidback and listened to Chase really well.

            When Chase was done riding him, we untacked him together and gave him some treats before going up to the house. My parents had gone out to dinner and a movie, so we had the house to ourselves. We decided to play a board game, so we set it up on the kitchen table. “I was thinking of inviting Blake and Hailey over here this weekend,” I told him. “Hailey said she’s always wanted to see horses up close. Does that sound like a good idea to you?”

            He nodded. “They seemed like nice people. I wouldn’t mind getting together with them.”

            “Good, then I’ll call her tomorrow and set it up.”

            I did just that the next day, and Hailey was enthusiastic about coming over on Saturday. I said that they were also more than welcome to stay for dinner, and she was happy to agree to that.

            Saturday dawned sunny but cold. Chase showed up first, and Blake and Hailey arrived shortly after. The four of us went down to the stables together. I was a little nervous, because this would be the first time I’d been to the stables during the daylight since the accident, and since it was Saturday, I knew it would be busy. I’d let my parents know what my plan was though, so they had everything set up for me in a slightly more private area of the barn.

            I still had to go through the main part to get to it, though. I got quite a few surprised looks from everyone who saw me, but I didn’t stop to talk to anyone. I led my little group past everyone to a stall that was usually empty, but had a horse in it today. A large black head appeared over the stall door, and I patted the horse lightly. “This is Autumn. He’s a horse that’s usually used for lessons, but my parents took him out of the rotation for us today. He’s broke to drive, which means he pulls carts and sleighs. Since there’s still a fair amount of snow on the ground, I thought you guys might like to go for a sleigh ride.”

            Hailey’s eyes lit up. “That sounds like fun!”

            “Good, I’ll get him harnessed up then.” My parents had left his harness by the stall, so I brushed him quickly and then got him ready to go. Once the harness was on, I led him out of the stall and down the aisle. Chase walked beside me while Hailey and Blake followed along behind. When we were outside again, I hooked Autumn up to the sleigh, then helped Hailey and Blake get settled in. Chase sat beside me and I gathered up the reins and clucked, causing Autumn to set off at a walk.