FOREVER IS NOT A EVER AFTER

Merry Christmas

I wake up next morning ready to go to the ranch I make sure all windows are closed locked and pull down the curtains except the one from the living room and set up the timer for the lights to come on and off at certain times during the week, I’ll be gone for 2 and a half weeks and I don’t want to risk coming home to an empty apartment. I lock the door and get the rest of the bags in the trunk. I play my Christmas playlist all the way to the ranch I’m so excited to spend all of the time with Pollock, he is the best bet I’ve got to get to the Nationals next year and he has got to get over the injury. 

I get to the ranch and put all my stuff away and go meet with dad at the stables looks we are getting some new foals this weekend and he is bedding the rest of the stable. “Hey dad! I’m going to go take Pollock for a walk” 

“Ok just be sure to take it slow” 

We take the trail that goes down to the river, we love it there it’s so nice you can see the rocks at the bottom and it’s got a small shallow pool were Pollock likes to stand and the water barely reaches his knees. The weather is cool and refreshing we can hear the water and some birds. Also the cool water is good for his sore muscles. I’m sitting down thinking about nothing at all while Pollock graces a few feet away. When the sun starts to set we head back home for dinner and some rest. 

When I leave the stalls after leaving Pollock I see the same red Pick-up that brought Pam the other day. Oh just great, I don’t feel like seeing no one today.  I head up to the house and Serch comes out the door just saying his goodbyes. 

“Oh hey! I brought my sister over guess she is staying until Monday” and he makes a face “I wanted to talk to you but mom called she needs the truck so I’ll see you on Monday maybe we can have a chat” 

“Yeah sure” I tell him I don’t really want to talk. 

“Ok perfecto! See ya!” And he runs off. 

I skip dinner and get ready to bed. Mom doesn’t really care much she is always bothering I should lose some weight so she doesn’t mind if I don’t eat, even though I’m not fat. 

On Sunday I help my dad starting out the new colts. My sister and Pam just stay home and my mom… well… she also stayed inside the house. We have a family dinner like every weekend, we had hamburgers on the back yard and I just wished I had school so I could go away, don’t get me wrong I love the ranch and I love barrel racing but being home with my sister and my mom was suffocating. I wasn’t used to this anymore and when I was here I was either training or helping dad but with all this extra time I was going to be crazy by the end of the vacation. 

On Monday I hurry up and leave the ranch early I wanted to go get some bandages for Pollock and some art supplies maybe that would be my salvation. When I’m arriving back at the ranch I see that Serch is already here waiting for his sister.  

“Hey can I help you with those” he tells me pointing at my bags

“Yes please, I’ll take them to my studio on the back yard” and I signal him to follow me. 

The studio is not big it’s like and old storage shelter and has just one window and the door which I keep completely closed and I equipped the inside with a bunch of different bulbs from every direction in order to be able to see my paintings. 

I get inside and turn on the lights 

“Wow this is big” and I turn to see what he was looking at. It was the canvas that Antony gave me a few months back with a full body horse painted on to it. 

“Well it’s nothing, Antony gave it to me” and I just shrugged my shoulders. 

“He what? He never give stuff to no one” he tells like he couldn’t believe it. 

“Yeah well he said it was his way of saying sorry, but I just simply don’t get him. One moment he is really nice, then he tells me he is into someone, and then he disappears for a couple of days and then he comes back and gives me things and then Monica is all over him, but he tells me he can’t tell this person what he feels cuz’ he isn’t a relationship guy because all he moves with his dad. But I already told him to tell her how he feels and I’m just guessing its Monica who he is talking about. He never said a name, and he is like my best friend now and I love him.” I sit down on a chair and look at Serch “and I don’t even know why I’m telling you this”

“So he hasn’t told you who this girl is?” He asked as if he knew something and now everything made sense but I knew I was missing something. 

“No, and I don’t want him to know what I’m feeling that way it’s easier and we can be friends cuz’ Monica doesn’t like me one bit!” I say and start laughing. And it’s like a light bulb went on inside my head! I would tell Antony I had a crush on his best friend and I know Serch would never be interested in me, and that way Antony can ask the mysterious girl out finally. The rest of the week I spend time with Serch every time he comes to leave or pick up his sister, I lock myself on my storage room to read or paint and take Pollock out for his daily exercise, the veterinarian said it was good for him to walk in water so we went to the river almost every day. I also tried to convince Serch to come horseback riding but he said he would be dead before he got on one. So I just let him be. I wrote to Antony several times the first week but he never answered so I just stopped texting when I saw he had posted a picture with a girl, that meant he had his cell phone and he just didn’t wanted to answer me, and on top off all the picture said something like Christmas Love or something.  That’s when I had to remember my self he was just my friend. 

On Christmas Eve we had a little family dinner with my mom’s family.

“Hey!” I hear someone shout from the other side of the yard, I turn around and I see him o my good what had he done to his hair!

“Oh my!” I shout and run to his arms I was just hoping to have his warm embrace.

“George… what a nice surprise what did you do to your hair you cut almost all of it” he used to have a short haircut, but not a military type of cut.

“Well I was getting tired of having to stile it” and he smiles “so what have you been up to little cousin”

“Nothing much” I tell him

“So no new lovers that I’ll have to kick his ass”

“Nope” I tell him hiding my smile.

“Good, cuz’ He wouldn’t see his luck with both of us” I turn around to see Ben walking towards us. This couldn’t be best my two best cousins almost like brothers are here. They both live far away and I barely see them anymore this Christmas is going to be the best. We ate and had fun playing some games that involved the whole family and then we headed home.

Next morning I was awoken by a loud banging on my door, I open up to George and Ben “where’s the fire” I tell them rubbing my eyes.

“Come to the stables quick your dad has something to show you” George tells me and turns around and they both leave me there. Then it downs me, something most have gone wrong with Pollock for them to be here this early and with dad on the barn, I hurry up and put on my boots and jeans and run down stairs.

When I come into the stables I see the 3 of them standing outside of a stall as I walk by Pollock’s stall and see he is fine I feel relief. When I look at what they are looking I just can’t believe it, it’s the most gorgeous red roan stallion I have ever seen, he is tall long legs and has big shoulders and a big croup.

“Wow, whose is this beauty?” I ask them

“All yours” my dad tells me and hands me the lead rope. “Merry Christmas”

I just can’t believe it I got a horse for Christmas, we go back in and then George, Ben and I go for a ride I want to see what He can do, and I need to decide of a new name for Him.

George takes his Black Mare, Ben takes my dad’s Blood Bay Stallion and I take my new horse. We were riding and talking when Ben says a race to the creek and dashes off. Immediately I run after him a few feet away there’s a small ditch and we jump over it laughing, but when I turn around to see were Gorge is I can only see his mare he is no longer on her.  So we stop and turn around just to go find him inside the ditch. It seems his saddle was not strapped on and when the mare jumped he fell off.  We were laughing our asses off, he looked good all covered up in mud. “Gian take Gorge back to the stables I’ll go find his mare and meet you there” Ben tells me and turns to follow the trail.

“He did that on purpose! I bet he knew the saddle was loose I know it wasn’t loose I saddled up my self” Gorge is mad now

“You know he’s got a wicked sense of humor, come on lets go it’s a long ride back”

I tell him and help him up the horse.

We get back to the stables and Ben is not here yet, so Gorge takes off most of the mud while we wait not long after he comes back with both horses. We have dinner and then they take their stuff and leave tomorrow both go to the airport to their respective places.

The rest of the vacation I spend my time trying to train “Whim” and I say trying because every time we come close to a barrel he just rears up and starts backing up. It’s going to be a hard road… that’s why I named him like that he would just do as he wishes.

New Year was just us and we waited for the clock to hit 12 wished Happy New Year and went to sleep.  Then the vacations were over and I didn’t really wanted to go, but then I was so excited I wanted to see my friends and be away from my mom’s nonsense.  I got my bags and packed everything for school tomorrow. I said my goodbyes and started my drive back, I sang all the way back to the apartment, went to the grocery store to get the basics for the week and then headed to the apartment. When I got there the first thing I did was put on some music before I started cleaning and putting everything away. 

“Am I dreamin' or stupid?

I think I've been hit by cupid

But no one needs to know right now

I met a tall, dark and handsome man

And I've been busy makin' big plans

But no one needs to know right now

I got my heart set, my feet wet

But he don't even know it yet

But no one needs to know right now

I'll tell him someday some way somehow

But I'm gonna keep it a secret for now…” 

I sing along Shania Twain “No one needs to know” as I make up my mind yeap no one needs to know I’m gonna keep it a secret.