A/N: Comment & Vote
Puppy clutched the cat kennel as I drove.
His behavior today hadn't been the best. Actually his behavior as of late hadn't been best. I'd let it slide but I needed to buckle down. I didn't need a rude sub.
At home I told him to put the cat in the guest room where we already had food, water and litter box set up. Lisa had kept close to the phone for my directions.
"But I want to play with Cheddar!" He protested.
I grit my teeth. "Puppy, my patience has worn thin. Follow my directions please."
"But you're being mean!" He protested angrily.
My hands clenched. "Puppy! You're making me angry."
He paused, taking a moment to actually listen to me. His face grew sad. "B-but I just--"
"You're still not following my directions. Do you want a spanking Puppy? That's where you're heading."
He flinched away from me. "I hate you."
"Puppy!"
He ran into the house, the cat meowing all the way. I stood there a moment and massaged my temples. Danny never gave me trouble. "Everything okay Scott?"
I looked at Kyle as he approached with an Arabian behind him. "No."
"How'd the doctor thing go? Is there something wrong with him?"
"A whole list," I confirmed. "Dyslexia, dyspraxia, slow cognitive processing...the list goes on."
He whistled. "Shit. So what comes next?"
"I really don't know."
"Think you're gonna give him back?"
I looked at Kyle in astonishment. "Of course not! He's not a horse I bought sick, he's a human being. He just... I just need to figure out how to deal with it and then...tell him."
"He doesn't know?"
"He asked but I said he was fine."
"You seemed pretty pissed at him."
I shook my head. "He just doesn't really listen to me. I'm just short fused."
Danny never had problems like this.
"Well a short fuse is never good. Never punish angry."
I snorted. "I can't believe I'm actually angry. I'm not mad at him...just the situation. Why did this have to happen to him? He's such a good boy..."
"You're acting like this makes him different. It's just who he is. He's still the same sub you picked. You just now understand his...quirks."
"Quirks?"
"Sure. The weird things he does. Now they make sense and they won't annoy you as much."
"I didn't really think about it that way." I rested my hand on the horse's side. "I haven't rode in forever."
"Why don't you take Charcoal out?"
"Bailey hates when people ride his horse."
"Bailey won't know about it and the horse needs exercise. You ought to saddle up Carmel and bring Puppy with you. He's been here for two months now and you haven't even began to teach him to ride."
"I'm not... I taught Danny to ride."
I tightened my jaw at the tightness in my chest. "The sooner you try over that hump I think it will get easier."
"I can't even--" I paused, face heating up.
"What?"
"I can't have sex with him. I...I feel like I'm betraying Danny."
"Danny is--"
"I know." I cut in. "It's just... You wouldn't understand. Imagine if Bailey died."
"It would kill me." Kyle replied. "I understand how upset you are Scott. I don't expect you to turn around and stop grieving his passing. But... I can't see you and Puppy moving on and fu--having sex, sorry--if you won't do anything that reminds you of Danny."
"I know that." I sighed. "And it's affecting him. He's been acting worse lately because I'm not doing what I need to."
"What was he carrying?"
"Cheddar Cheese."
"In a kennel?"
I laughed. "No it's a cat. It's just named Cheddar Cheese."
"That sounds like a sub picked the name."
"He did. He was an adorable little thing too."
"You've got a sub."
"I know that." I replied. "You're telling me you don't look sometimes?"
"Between you and me, there's a little red head at the market who sets up the produce. I wouldn't mind him setting up my produce if you know what I mean."
I snickered. "I'd never do anything of course."
"Me neither." Kyle said quickly. "Anyway, I need to get back to work. You don't pay me to talk."
I laughed. "Of course. Thank you for talking through this with me. You helped a lot."
"It's the least I can do--you helped us a lot."
I gave him a smile and started toward the house.
I found Puppy in the room with the cat. He looked at me and then away. The cat was rubbing against him, meowing. "I don't hate you. I was just being a bad boy."
"You weren't being a bad boy. I know that you're upset. Why don't you tell me what is bothering you?"
I waited and about fifteen seconds after the question he began to speak. "You're not saying what's true to me." He stopped looking confused. After a few seconds he spoke again. His tone was stressed. "Those aren't the words I want."
"I understand. I wasn't honest with you."
"So...what's wrong with me?"
"I want to talk to you about it tonight. For now I thought we could go for a ride."
Four seconds. "Where?"
"On a trail. I thought you might like to ride a horse?"
Three seconds. His face lit up. "Really? Riding them like Bailey does?"
"Yes. Come on." I held out my hand.
He took and the cat meowed it's goodbye, beginning to look around the new space. I took him to the barn. He watched as I saddled the horses us.
"This is the stirrup. You put your foot in it and pull yourself up and sit here. Try."
He took a while to think it over. "Put-put my foot in what?" He looked upset.
What had that doctor said? Show rather than explain? I pointed to the stirrup. "Put your foot in here," I put my foot in it and took the reins. "Hold the reins with one hand and the horn--this thing," I took the stiff piece of leather. "Then swing your body up onto the horse."
I swung up into the saddle. I looked down at Puppy. "Do you understand?"
He nodded his head after a moment. I dismounted and gestured to him. "You try."
"Uhm...put your foot in the stirrup," he copied the moment as he saw me do it. He looked at me for a nod of confirmation. "And-and then you take the reins in this hand and the...horn in this. And you pull yourself up..." He did so and seemed stunned to actually land half on the saddle. "Scott I--"
He slid right off the other side and hit the barn floor. He whimpered in pain and sat up. "Try again." I instructed.
"But-but I fell."
"That's part of learning."
He nodded his head. "O-okay."
Puppy had gotten it relatively easy. Maybe the doctor's really knew what they were talking about.
There was hope for him yet.
QOTC: is looking cheating?