Chapter 20
So far, the girls' sleepover at the ranch had been a quiet one. Maybe that was because people had been at the ranch all day, so the thief wouldn't think about coming back. But, at least it was quiet so the girls were able to enjoy their time at the ranch.
The girls had been out on the trail all day. They wanted to be on the trail to have some fun, and they also wanted to be on the trail so their horses could be with them and stay safe.
But, when it came time to go back to the ranch, even though the girls were hesitant, they did. It was getting late, so the girls didn't want to be riding in the dark. So, they slowly rode back to the ranch, hoping that everything was okay back at the ranch.
...
When the girls got back to the ranch, they realised that it was quiet.
That must have meant that it was almost dinner time or something.
Maybe they were out later than they planned.
But, then again, they did plan to be out for a while, seeing as they took a picnic to keep themselves occupied for a while.
But, they didn't realise they had been out for so long.
The girls took their horses to their stalls to groom them. As Ally groomed Indigo, she couldn't stop thinking about this sleepover. She wondered what would have happened if she would actually the thief tonight, or tomorrow night.
Ally found that she was a little worried if she and her friends did see the thief. Maybe he or she would have been violent or something, but they needed to stop them no matter what. But Cody would be here tonight, Ally was sure about that, so, if there was any violence, Cody would have been able to handle it. Maybe Ally would have had to double check with Cody if he just so happened to pop by.
So, that was what Ally was going to do.
As if Ally was psychic, her brother did just so happen to pop in. she was glad of that so she would be able to make sure hat Cody was going to be at the ranch tonight, "come to check on me?" she asked.
"Maybe, maybe not. I have just been coming past these three horse's stalls to see when they were coming home. You do realise you were out all day, don't you?" replied Cody.
Ally nodded, "we were out for a little while."
"All day, yes."
Ally then looked down at Cody's hands on the stall door, "cleaned off the blood, I see."
"Yeah, well, I can't really go and get something for tea with blood on my hands, can I?" said Cody.
"I don't think you could."
"Exactly."
"So, how long are you staying for tonight?"
"As long as I can."
"What do you mean?"
"You guys might need me, so I'll stay. I am not tired, so I might be able to stay. But, then again, Jade's at home, and want to be with her if she calls me, so I will go home. But, that all depends on you three pesky brats."
Ally poked her tongue out at Cody. It seemed that they really enjoyed picking on each other a lot. Maybe it was because they were brother and sister, so it was their job to tease each other.
"Feel like a drive?" asked Cody.
"A drive where?" replied Ally.
"Don't you want something for tea?"
"Ella and Kayla as well?"
"We wouldn't want them to feel left out, would we?"
"Then, okay," Ally smiled, "I do feel like a drive."
"Good. I'll be out at my car," replied Cody.
When Cody was gone, Ally quickly continued her work in Indigo so she could go and get some dinner with Cody. She started laughing about the fact that she and Cody could pick on each other the way they did. But, it was time to stop laughing about that because Ally had some serious work to do tonight with her friends.
It was time to compose herself.
When Ally finished grooming Indigo, she got the mare's tack and then put it away. She then made her way to her friends to tell them that she would be back, promising them that she would give Cody their dinner recommendations.
Ally met Cody at his car, got in, and then Cody left the ranch. Ally looked down at Cody's hands again and he glanced over at her with a look of confusion.
"What?" he asked.
"I don't get why you would want to punch a post because of Ally and Aden being taken," said Ally.
"I thought you wouldn't want to talk about that," replied Cody.
"Well, you're my brother, so I kind of have to know these things."
"Yeah, okay."
"So, why would you want to punch a post?" asked Ally.
"I don't know," Cody shrugged his shoulders, "I guess it is kind of a habit now."
"Maybe you should get out of that habit. You know you are going to be a dad soon, or have you forgotten about that?"
"No, that's a pretty big part of my life now, so I can't forget it. But, maybe you are right, and I should get out of this habit."
"It's a bad boy habit, isn't it?"
Cody nodded.
"Well, I heard Jade tell you off about it yesterday, so maybe she could get you out of it."
"What?" asked Cody.
"Ella came over to talk to Jade about something. I tried talking to her about it today, and she says she doesn't want to say anything, and I know it has something to do with Seth. Do you know what is going on?" replied Ally.
Cody nodded, "yeah, I do."
"So, can you tell me?"
"It is not my place to say. You will have to ask Ella."
"But she refuses to tell us anything."
"I know. But I shouldn't say anything."
"Okay, I'll try and talk to her again."
Ally was so worried about Ella. She hoped that nothing bad happened, and she hoped that Ella wasn't planning on getting into a relationship with another guy. Even though she wasn't really around when Ella was with Josh, she did know about the relationship with him and what happened. Ella was still clearly upset with Josh because she would just snap at him at the drop of a hat. Ally feared that Ella wanted to be in a relationship with Seth to make herself feel better.
She hoped this wasn't the case.
"Ella doesn't like Seth, does she?" asked Ally.
"Of course, she likes Seth," replied Cody.
"No, I mean like, like-like. Kiss me, hug me, like-like."
Cody laughed, "where do you get all your ideas of romance from?"
Ally returned Cody's laugh, "I get pretty graphic images from you and Jade."
"Very funny."
"Yeah, I know. Hilarious. But, seriously, can you answer the question?"
"Ella doesn't like Seth in that way that you are clearly imagining. You don't have to worry about that."
"Good."
Ally was glad of that.
Cody then parked the car to get some pizza for dinner. Ally smiled because she and her friends liked having pizza during their sleepovers, so it was good. And Ella and Kayla made their recommendations for the pizza, so they were going to get what they wanted. Ally knew that they would have been happy about that.
Cody and Ally walked into the pizza and pasta shop so Cody could order the pizza. When the pizza was ordered, they went to sit down and wait. Now that Ally had spoken to Cody about Ella and Seth, she found that she really wanted to find out what was going on. Ally was really worried about Ella, and she was worried about the horses.
Why did life have to be so hard?
And Ally wished that she could have just fixed everything.
Hopefully she would have been able to do that tonight with both the horses and Ella.
"What if the thief comes back for the horses?" asked Ally.
"Let's just hope that they don't," replied Cody.
"But what if they do?"
"Don't worry about the, 'what ifs?' I am worried, but I am forcing myself not to let it bother me, and I guess it is working."
"I am worried."
"You, me and the girls will be here tonight. We will be able to stop anything from happening if it is going to happen."
"I guess."
Cody smiled and gave Ally a hug, "it will be fine."
Now it was time to change the subject. It was nice to have Cody assure her that everything would be fine, but Ally wasn't.
But, it was time to stop thinking about that and about something else until after dinner.
"Do you want to eat with me, Ella and Kayla?"
"It wouldn't ruin the mood, would it?" Cody grinned, "having your big brother there, and all."
"You are our babysitter; you have to be there."
"Okay, I'll join you."
"I think you are going to be an embarrassing dad," said Ally when a thought popped into her head.
"What?" asked Cody.
"You will be an embarrassing dad."
"Why?"
"Because you have tattoos."
"Just because I have tattoos doesn't mean I am going to be an embarrassing dad. I might be an embarrassing brother, but I am not an embarrassing dad."
Ally couldn't help but laugh right now. Again, she was teasing her big brother and she loved it. She loved it how he didn't get mad at her for teasing him and he knew that it was all in fun. That was one of the best things about Cody, in Ally's opinion.
...
When the pizzas were finally ready, Cody and Ally headed back to the car. Then Cody and Ally made their way back to the ranch. Ally got her things out of Cody's car because it was time to set up her things in the hayloft. She was sure that Ella and Kayla would have set up their own beds and things while she was gone with Cody, so it was her turn now.
Cody and Ally returned to the ranch with the dinner and made their way inside. Ally was right when she thought that the girls would set up their beds because they did. Now it was Ally's turn to set up her bed and that was what she was going to do now, and then hope that there would be some pizza left for her.
"Cody's joining us for tea," said Ally.
"Great," Ella smiled, "we can paint his nails."
"I thought you were here to get work done, kiddo," said Cody.
"We are, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little bit of fun."
"My nails are not going to be painted."
Ally laughed as she made her bed. It was funny seeing her friend and her brother argue. But, Cody was right; she and her friends were here to get work done, so they needed to stop mucking around. As soon as dinner was finished, it was time to get to work because the ranch was becoming quiet with no riders. It was almost empty, a perfect time for the thief to come back for the horses.
When Ally's bed was made, she decided that it was time to talk to Ella about Seth. She hoped that Ella would have been able to tell her what was going on with Seth, and maybe Kayla would have been able to find out as well. But, even though it was Ella's business, Ally and Kayla were her best friends, so they wanted to help. Hopefully Ella would have talked to them.
"Ella," said Ally, "can we talk?"
"Talk about what?" asked Ella.
"Seth."
Ally noticed Ella look at Cody.
She wondered what it was about.
It looked like it was for comfort and support.
Then, Ally looked to Cody and he nodded his head, clearly telling Ella that something was okay.
Ally wondered what it was about.
"Okay," said Ella, "I'll tell you."
"What's going on?" asked Kayla.
"Seth's a bad boy player. I saw him with a girl at the party, and he was doing, well, you know, with her. He was drunk, as well."
"Since when does he drink?" asked Kayla.
"Since he does what he wants, when he wants. That's exactly what he said to me," replied Ella.
"Really?"
Ella nodded.
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because I wanted to get my head around it before I told you."
"And, let me guess," said Ally, "you hate him now?"
Ella shook her head, "I actually don't. I mean, I was mad at him, I still am, but I don't hate him."
"Really? I would."
"I know. But even know he has lied to me, he has still proven to be a good friend, and I want to be friends with him."
"But he could hurt you," said Ally before she looked at Cody, "you would know, wouldn't you? Is he going to hurt Ella?"
Cody shook his head, "he kept it from Ella. He doesn't want to hurt her."
"And you know this because of experience?"
"I know how bad boys want to live their lives, and if Seth chose not to tell Ella, then he didn't want to hurt her."
"Well, I guess that is a good thing," said Ally.
Ella nodded, "I have already spoken to Cody and Jade about this, so, yes, it is a good thing."
Ally and Kayla nodded, happy, that Ella was finally able to tell them. Ally couldn't believe that Seth was such a different person. She had known him to be a good boy, a nice and polite boy, but now she heard that he was a bad boy like Cody used to be. Ally wondered if she would have been able to be friends with Seth now that she knew this about him. But, she had to forget about it now because she had work to get done.
...
After the dinner, the girls and Cody, seeing as he would still be working tonight, had decided to take turns in making sure that the horses were safe. Cody made the girls promise to agree that he would be the only one to go outside and check so the girls would just have to stick with checking the stables. But, that wasn't a hard agreement to make because the three girls did not want to be walking around in the dark, so that wouldn't be a problem.
Cody had decided that he would get up regularly, and leave his Facebook alone for a while, and check outside. He had been getting up for what seemed to be every five or ten minutes, but the girls didn't mind as long as the stables and the horses were safe. So, it would be worth it.
So, once again, Cody had gone down from the hayloft to check around, leaving the girls alone.
And Cody hoped that it would still be quiet.
...
When Cody was gone, the three girls sat up in their beds, in their pajamas, wondering if the thief was going to come back or not. The three of them prayed that they wouldn't come back ever again.
"What do we do if we actually see the thief?" asked Ally.
"You're Cody's sister so you would probably punch them," Ella teased.
"And you are Cody's step cousin so you would probably punch them as well."
"Yeah, I guess I would."
Ally laughed.
"I guess it is my turn to check the stables," said Ella.
"Okay," replied Ally.
Ella then got her torch, put on her bunny slippers and went down the stairs. Everything seemed quiet, and the horses were calm. That had to be a good thing, and Ella was glad of that. And Blaze was still here, so that was an even better thing. As long as Blaze was safe, Ella was happy.
Ella then continued on her way around the barn, checking that all the horses were still in their stalls. Thankfully, they all were, and Ella was glad of that. But, she was sure that something, or someone, was creeping around the stalls as well. She could hear footsteps and she wondered if they belonged to the thief. She continued walking and looking around before she bumped into someone's chest.
A male chest.
And then she looked up into green eyes.
She knew those green eyes anywhere.
Josh's green eyes.
"Josh?" asked Ella when she composed herself.
"Ella? What are you doing in the barn again? And at night?" replied Josh.
"Making sure the horses don't get stolen. Again."
"Since when were you allowed to sleepover?" asked Josh as he eyed Ella's pajamas.
"Since I asked Cody, and since I asked your mum."
"Right. Well, everything is quiet."
"I can see that."
"Don't get snappy with me."
"Don't get snappy with me," Ella said back.
Josh groaned.
"I've had it with you," said Ella.
Josh crossed his arms over his chest, "then I guess we are all in agreement."
Josh groaned, just like Ella, and then he left the barn.
Ella couldn't believe it.
She was supposed to be making sure that the horses were safe and yet she managed to get herself into an argument with Josh again. She was so sick of it, and she hated it. She hated how it could just happen. But, now it was time to get back to the hayloft because she had finished her rounds and everything was good.
"I heard some yelling," said Kayla when Ella joined her friends again.
"Yeah. I kind of bumped into Josh," replied Ella.
"When are you going to stop biting his head off?"
"As soon as he stops biting my head off."
Ally and Kayla just shook their heads as Cody came back. He came back, so that meant that nothing had happened, and it was all quiet. That was a good sign, and what was even better was the fact that he was on Facebook again, so, clearly nothing had happened. The girls just hoped that they would stay like that tonight and, by the looks of things, it was.
...
Cody continued getting up and looking around as he did for the night, and the girls continued getting up and checking the stables.
No one realised how late it was.
And Cody had to tell the girls to get some sleep.
And they eventually all did.
Cody stayed awake.
He was happy that everything seemed quiet right now, but he needed to make sure. He didn't want the thief to get any of the horses, and he had to be the one to make sure it was all good.
The bad boy side in him may have come out.
But it was what he had to do.
Cody continued looking around for a while and he glanced over to Ally and Aden's paddock that was closer to the barn to where they were standing. He couldn't see them, and that got his heart racing. He made his way over to their paddock as fast as he could, and he was relieved when he saw the mare and foal peacefully standing in the paddock.
Ally then came over to the fence when she saw her owner and gave her a pat, relieved that she was still in the paddock. But, he had to leave her to it because he had to get back to his rounds and then to the barn. He looked around again to make sure everything was quiet, and when he was happy (well, as much as he could be), he headed back.
Cody checked the stalls, like he did each time he came in, and when he came to Blaze's stall, he did not like what he saw, and he knew that Ella wouldn't have liked it as well.
Blaze was gone.
Great.
The thief must have been a magician.
Cody didn't even see them, and the clip clop of horses hooves surely would have woken the girls up.
Cody was not happy right now.
Cody raced up the stairs back to the hayloft, and the noise he made jolted the girls awake.
The look on Cody's face told Ella everything she needed to know.
She jumped up, "something's happened? Blaze! Where is he?"
Ella then pushed past Cody and raced down the stairs to Blaze's stall.
Cody looked at her from his place in the hayloft, shining the torch down on her face.
She looked up, crying and sobbing.
"He's gone," said Ella.
Cody sighed, "I know, kiddo."
"What are we going to do?"
Cody couldn't answer because, simply, he had no clue what to do.