“Yes please.”
She goes to get the dogs from wherever they’re off exploring.
“Guess I should’ve brought Sadie,” Bailey says about her golden retriever.
“You really should have. Maybe I should get a dog.”
“You should. Wes has connections at the shelter.”
“I would, but Aaron is allergic.”
Bailey looks like she wants to say something but holds back. It doesn’t take long before the two beasts bound into the living room. I open my arms to accept the love from them. Bennet, Sutton and Jameson’s Landseer Newfoundland, gets to me first, and his big fluffy smooshy face is in mine in a second. I wrap my arms around his neck and he accepts it.
“Suddenly everything is much better,” I say into his fur.
My hand is nudged, and I let go to give Duke, their blue nose Pit Bull, some attention as well. He crawls his way into my lap, even though he’s too big to be a lap dog. Still, I accept the attention gladly.
Once I feel like I’ve gotten a good fill of dog love for the time being, I unwrap my arms from Duke. “Alright, my friend, I can’tfeel my legs.” I try to push him off me but then notice something. “Ew, Sutton, why does your dog have a boner?”
Sutton bursts out laughing, and Bailey isn’t far behind with her own soft laughter as I wrangle Duke off me.
“I wasn’t needingthat.” I wipe my hands on my pants and shake my head.
Sutton finally manages to speak through her laughter, “He has an issue…that’s why he was at the shelter for so long. He gets a little excited and sometimes it can get stuck.”
“What do you meanstuck?”I gasp.
Bailey laughs a little harder while I’m horrified.
“If it’s really bad we’ll have to take him to the vet.”
“Maybe I don’t want a dog.” I shake my head.
My friends continue to laugh, and I join in, feeling lighter. I know I’m going to need to tell Aaron how I’m feeling, but at least for tonight I’m able to be distracted by my friends. And dogs getting inappropriate boners apparently.
Once I get homeAaron is already asleep, and I’m grateful for it. But I have to carefully climb into bed to not wake him. He grumbles and turns at one point, and I freeze, worried he’s awake. Luckily, he doesn’t move again, so I’m in the clear. Tomorrow is a new day, and maybe I’ll talk to him then.
But when I wake up, he’s gone, and so is my confidence.Which is fine, I have time to build it back up. And nothing can do that more than hanging out with a half-ton creature and jumping on its back.
I used to barrel race, and not many people know that Jameson’s mom, Emily, trained me quite a bit. Jameson too, but not for very long because then he left. I’m not up for all that today, but a nice trot seems nice and peaceful.
I take my time tacking up Boone. I have music playing in the stalls, and it helps keep my mind free of all the anxious thoughts I’ve been having. By the time I lead her out, I feel significantly better. She’s not the tallest horse we have, but as someone who is five-foot-one on a good day and hasn’t mounted a horse in a couple years I debate breaking out the mounting block.
But momma didn’t raise a quitter. Neither did my dad, I guess, but he’s a man and only gets minimal credit for my successes.Sorry, Dad, love you though. I grip the horn, and Boone’s mane, pulling myself up and swinging my leg over.
“Ah hah!” I exclaim. “I’ve still got it.”
I adjust in the seat and feel my confidence coming back at me full force from being successful on the first try. I let her get warmed up, walking and trotting while we get used to each other again. It’s just like riding a bike, and I’m ready to speed it up a little bit.
We go over to the open spot in the field that’s over several acres, and it’s my favorite place when I just want to feel the breeze as we run. I can tell Boone wants to feel it too.
“You ready?” I ask her.
Even though she’s more than ready, she waits for my signal. As soon as I give it, she’s off and I let her. It almost feels like floating; she’s so smooth as she runs to nowhere, but I trust her. I know she’ll listen to my signals. I even feel like she may be able to sense what I’m going to signal before I even do.
I’m not sure how much time passes; I’m not paying attention to anything other than how good it feels to be out here just me and Boone. As we’re trotting around my phone goes off, and we come to a stop so I can answer it.
“Hello Mother,” I answer.