Chapter 32
December 7th
Tasha was glad that she had the rest of the summer to spend with her boyfriend. That was why university holidays were the best; so much free time. Tasha knew what she wanted to do today and she knew the perfect way to spend the day; go to the beach.
So, with that decided, Isabella called Adam and asked him if he wanted to go to the beach with her.
He said yes.
He also suggested that Tasha call Isabella and Nicole to see if they wanted to come as well.
Tasha did that and they said that they would both come. They also said that they would meet Tasha and Adam there so when that was organized, Tasha got everything that she needed ready.
When Tasha got all of her gear ready, she went out the front of her house and waited for Adam to come and pick her up. It didn't take long before he arrived and then they headed for the beach together.
It wasn't long before Adam and Tasha made it to the beach and they set up their stuff as they waited for Isabella and Nicole. Tasha thought that it was nice being at the beach.
What could be better?
Tasha set up her beach towel so she was lying on it and she was enjoying the warm sun. Adam sat on his towel next to Tasha and started to laugh, making Tasha wonder what was so funny.
Tasha looked at her boyfriend, "what are you laughing at?" she asked.
"Oh, just something that happened when we were here last time," replied Adam, "I can't believe I remember it."
"What?" asked Tasha as she raised an eyebrow. It had to be something that she wouldn't find funny.
"You were scared of crabs the last time we were here."
"Wow, Adam, I almost forgot," Tasha said sarcastically.
"Yeah, well, last time we were here, you had an incident with a crab. Maybe the same thing will happen again," replied Adam.
"Don't remind me. That was scary."
"Maybe I could find one."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Yes, I would," said Adam as he took Tasha's hand and led her to the water.
Tasha stopped in her tracks, "you know I don't swim in the ocean, don't you?"
"Then what are your bikinis for?"
"What else do you wear at the beach? Trackies?"
"Then you won't mind getting wet because you don't have your designer trackies to ruin, do you?" Adam smirked.
"You think my clothes are designer?"
Adam nodded.
"Well, they aren't, but it nice to know you think I look good," said Tasha.
"And you look even better when you are wet!"
Despite her protests, Adam pulled Tasha into the water, both of them getting soaked. Tasha tried to make a run for it, but Adam playfully grabbed her by the waist with his hands and pulled her close to him. Tasha found that she was actually having fun and maybe swimming in the ocean wasn't as bad as she thought it was. And while they were standing in the water, Tasha wrapped her arms around Adam's neck and gave him a kiss.
Adam smiled, "what was that for?" he asked.
"Do I have to have an excuse to kiss you?" replied Tasha.
"I guess not."
Adam and Tasha were soon disturbed from their little bit of talking and a lot of kissing when they heard Isabella and Nicole come. The girls changed from their clothes to their bathers and joined Tasha and Adam in the water.
"Having fun?" asked Isabella.
"We are," replied Tasha.
"At least it is a nice day," Nicole said, "anyway, do you guys know when you will get your exam marks back?"
"In a few weeks. Why does it take so long to mark exams?" said Adam.
"Because they have heaps to do," replied Isabella, "unlike us. Now, can we focus on the beach, not uni?"
Tasha smiled, "sounds like a plan."
And it was a good one.
...
After the friends spent some time swimming in the water together, they decided that it was time to get some lunch. They all got out of the water, dried themselves off a bit before they found what they wanted to have for lunch. And when they chose their lunch, they made themselves comfortable on the sand and began eating. Tasha was glad that her friends had agreed to come. It was fun with just Adam, Tasha assured herself, but it was even more fun with her best friends.
"So," said Tasha, "how is the foal?"
Isabella and Nicole smiled like proud parents. It was as though it was their child they were talking about.
"She's great," said Nicole, "and so is Destiny."
"Has Storm met her yet?"
"He has," said Isabella.
"And how did it go?" asked Tasha.
"They got along great. Storm sniffed her over the fence and he loved her."
"That's great," said Adam. Although he was scared of horses, he wouldn't have liked it if a little foal was killed by it's father.
"You think?" asked Isabella.
It seemed that Adam wanted to voice his thoughts, "I may be scared of horses, but it would be sad to hear if the foal got killed by her own father."
"Right," said Isabella, "anyway, Tasha, I have the best idea."
"What is it?" replied Tasha.
"Well, seeing as I am going to be the best aunty ever out of the two of us, I am going to teach your sister's baby to ride."
"The best aunty wars have begun," said Adam as he placed his arms behind him and leant back comfortably.
Nicole laughed at the joke.
Tasha smiled at her boyfriend before she returned her attention back to Isabella, "oh, yeah? Stick a baby on the back of Storm or Destiny? It's be squashed by the end of the day."
"Eww! Too much information," said Nicole uncomfortably.
"Sorry, and anyway, Isabella, how are you supposed to teach a baby to ride?" asked Tasha.
"Well, I am going to teach the baby to ride on Kahli," replied Isabella.
"A baby riding a foal?" asked Adam.
"Okay, everyone," Isabella silenced her friends, "can we all just be serious for a minute? Of course you know that you can start riding a horse when it turns four, right?"
The friends nodded. That was the one horse fact that Adam knew.
But the others didn't know that.
They looked at Adam with confused looks on their faces.
"What?" said Adam, "is it a crime to read?"
"A horse book?" asked Nicole.
"No, it was an article in a magazine," Adam explained, not wanting to say where the magazine was.
"Oh, really? Where was it?" asked Isabella.
"Oh, somewhere. I can't remember."
The girls promoted and prodded for more information.
Adam soon gave in.
"Fine," said Adam, "it was at the tattoo parlour."
"Why was there a magazine about horses in a tattoo parlour?" asked Tasha.
"I don't know. The only reason I picked it was because I wanted to see why it was there."
"Alright, then," said Isabella, "moving on. I will teach the baby to ride on Kahli when she is old enough. I have already got an idea of what I am going to do to start teaching the baby to ride when Kahli is old enough."
"What's the idea?" asked Nicole.
"I am going to ask Tony and Elizabeth if we can get a Shetland pony. I have already begun looking around and I think I have found one."
"Really?"
"Yeah. My neighbor from my old town is selling her Shetland ponies and I was planning on buying one."
"Really?"
Nicole was starting to sound like a broken record.
Isabella nodded despite that.
"Wait a second," said Tasha, "how do you know if my niece is actually going to like horses?"
"Niece, huh?" Adam smiled at his girlfriend.
"Yeah, I have always wanted a niece. Anyway, Isabella, answer the question," said Tasha.
"And how do you know that my nephew won't want to learn how to ride?"
Adam looked at Isabella.
"I have always wanted a nephew," she replied.
"Anyway," said Tasha, "I am sure Amy won't mind if you want to teach the baby to ride but Ian certainly will. He doesn't like horses."
Tasha still didn't feel right calling Mr Wilson by his first name but he had had a serious conversation with her about it.
Isabella smiled cheekily, "I can always talk him around."
"You can?"
"Yeah, I can put on my sad eyes and just beg him."
"He won't listen to you if you beg."
"I can make him listen," said Isabella.
"Good luck with that," replied Tasha.
"Okay," said Nicole, "enough talking. I am going to go for another swim. Does anyone want to join me?"
"I will," replied Isabella, "again."
"What's wrong with going in again?"
"Nothing. Let's go."
"I think I'll stay here," said Adam, opening his arms for Tasha to be able to lean on him. Tasha eagerly accepted the chance to be wrapped up in his embrace.
"So, the both of you will be staying?" asked Nicole.
Adam and Tasha nodded.
And as far as Isabella and Nicole were concerned, it was their loss.
...
"So," said Tasha as she watched Isabella and Nicole head to the water, "what gave you the urge to read a horse magazine? Don't tell me you don't remember because that was a lie."
"I was bored so I had a quick look," replied Adam.
"A quick look that turned into a read."
Adam nodded.
"And why were you so bored, anyway?"
"It's boring waiting to get your tattoo."
Tasha laughed. That was such a silly thing to be bored over. Tasha believed that people got bored waiting to go to the doctor, not waiting to get a tattoo.
"So, what is making you obsess over being a better aunty that Isabella?" asked Adam, "are you excited now?"
"I know I wasn't excited to begin with but now, I think I am," replied Tasha.
"Why?"
"Does there have to be a reason?"
Adam nodded.
"Well, I don't know. It is my sister's baby and it is making her happy so shouldn't I be happy?"
"Happy when she isn't yelling at people."
Yes.
Amy had been yelling at people a lot recently.
"Yeah," Tasha agreed.
"Do you think Isabella should teach it to ride?" asked Adam.
"It?"
"The baby."
"Why do you call it it?"
"Why did you call it it?"
"Because we don't know if it is a boy or girl."
"Exactly."
Tasha knew where she went wrong there.
"Now answer my question," said Adam.
"I don't know if she should. Just because she likes horses doesn't mean that the baby will have to like them. Or even want to like them," replied Tasha.
Adam nodded in agreement.
"But if Ian says she can I think it will be okay."
"What about Amy?"
"Amy will agree. Although she has never been interested in horses, she does think they are nice animals."
Adam nodded his head.
"But we don't have to think about this now. We have some more time," said Tasha.
"Exactly. Let's focus on something else," replied Adam.
"Like what."
"You."
Tasha wasn't going to argue with that. She liked being the centre of attention sometimes.
...
It wasn't that long before the afternoon arrived and the friends thought it was about time to go home. The friends started packing up their stuff and they slowly walked to the car park where Adam was parked.
"So, how are you guys getting home?" asked Adam.
"My dad's coming," said Nicole.
"Yeah, and Elizabeth is coming to pick me up," Isabella answered.
"Do you want us to wait with you?" asked Tasha.
"No, we should be fine. We will be talking about horses, anyway. Too boring for you."
Adam and Tasha smiled. Horse talk was extremely boring for them and, with that, they headed to Adam's car and headed home after waving goodbye to their friends.
"So," said Isabella after she finished waving goodbye to her friends, "horse talk time?"
"Okay. So, do you really want to teach Amy's baby to ride?" asked Nicole.
"Yeah. Why does everyone sound so negative about it. I want to be a riding instructor so I have to teach."
"I am not being negative about it, but do you think Adam is right?"
"Right about what?"
"Aunty Wars."
"Aunty Wars? What is that?"
"You and Tasha trying to be the best Aunty to this baby," said Nicole.
"Okay, there is no such thing as aunty wars and Adam is completely wrong," replied Isabella.
"Really?"
"Yes. I am excited for this baby to be born and I want to teach it how to ride. What is wrong with wanting to teach the baby to ride?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all," said Nicole before she was distracted by a car pulling up, "here's my dad. We can wait with you if you want."
"Thanks, I would like that. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about Kahli," replied Isabella.
"Okay."
"I was thinking about training her as soon as possible."
"Great, I can help any time you need me."
"Good. She is going to be a wonderful horse when she grows up, isn't she?"
Nicole nodded in agreement because Kahli was the daughter of a champion race horse. Kahli would be a champion just like her mother when she grew up. And she would be just as nice and calm as Storm. She would definitely going to be a great horse and when she was old enough, Nicole was going to love riding her.