by Mary May
“Mama, do horses go to heaven when they die?” Sabrina looked over Charlie’s head to Devon, who knelt down so Charlie could sit on his knee.
“Sweetheart, I’m going to tell you what I believe, ok?”
Charlie sniffled then nodded.
“The Bible talks about animals being in heaven. Now I’m not sure if the animals were born in heaven or if they came from earth. But I think that when a person loves an animal so much, like you loved Dandy, that God will bring that animal to heaven to wait for you. I can’t give you chapter and verse on that, mind you, but that’s what I feel in my heart. Do you understand that, Charlie girl?”
“I understand and I believe that in my heart, too. I believe that Dandy is running the fields of heaven and I’m happy that he isn’t old anymore and he can finally run as fast as the big horses. He can, don’t you think?”
Devon smiled at her. “I bet Dandy can run like the wind, little girl…I just bet he can!”
Charlie smiled at the sweet memory, grateful to have such wise and gentle parents that allowed her to grieve, yet gave her peace over the loss of her beloved pony. Dandy was just the first of her childhood pets they had to bury. Rhett, the blind bloodhound, died in his sleep just months after Dandy. This time it was Charlie’s turn to comfort Devon. He didn’t try to hide his sorrow as he gently wrapped the dog in his favorite blanket then picked out a lovely spot for his final resting place beneath the wide branches of the big oak in the field. In the years to come, many other cherished pets had been laid to rest beneath the tree, including Moppet and just last year Scarlett. The twins now had two blue-eyed blue tick pups that were chasing chickens around the farm.
They, of course, still had several horses on the farm. While Sabrina didn’t ride as much as she used to, she still had her mare Duchess that she loved. The twins had their own horses as well. D.J. had Jake and Luke had Ginger. Devon had Rocky and Charlie still had her beloved Stormy. Every horse was loved and well taken care of. She simply could not imagine not taking care of them, as they deserved. Anger rolled in her stomach, making her feel sick.
“How do they sleep at night? Knowing those poor horses are starving?”
Devon shook his head. “Baby, you are asking the wrong person. I don’t understand it either. Unfortunately this happens all too often.”
“Do you think they will ever find the owners?”
Devon sighed, running his hand over his face. “I don’t know. I know that a lot of it depends on how hard they look.”
Turning her head she looked at him in confusion. “Why wouldn’t they look hard? The people that are responsible for this will most likely get more horses. They have to be stopped!”
Devon nodded in agreement. “You’re preaching to the choir, Charlie. I agree with you, but we live in a relatively small town with limited resources. I’m sure Sheriff Rowland will do his best. The main thing now is the horses will get the treatment that they need. I’m very proud of you for taking this on. It’s a huge undertaking.”
“Oh, I know. I will be glad when they are all strong enough to come home. It will be a lot easier when I don’t have to go to Mr. Hicks’ every day, although I’m happy he was willing to let them stay there.”
The next morning Charlie was up early to be ready for when the three colts would arrive. Logan was already pulling up in the driveway when she stepped out on the porch. Wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the bite of the still cold spring air, she smiled as he got out of the truck and hurried over to her.
“Brrr…it is cold!” Tipping her chin up, he gave her a soft kiss. “Morning,” he whispered. “When are the new colts due to arrive?”
She smiled as she snuggled him for just a moment, savoring the warmth that radiated from his body.
“They should arrive any time now. It’s so sad, Logan. They break my heart -- they really do.”
He wrapped his arms tightly around her, pulling her in close. “Sweetheart, you will have them all fat and sassy in no time. No one will take better care of them than you will.”
Pulling out of his embrace slightly, she looked up into his eyes. “Do you really think that? You haven’t actually seen the horses yet. They are in shockingly bad shape.”
He nodded. “I have complete faith in you, and you know I will help you however I can.”
Tiptoeing, she kissed his warm lips once more.
“Thank you.”
They went inside where Sabrina and the twins were sipping mugs of hot cocoa. “Morning, Logan, would you like some cocoa?” Sabrina didn’t wait for his answer before she was pouring him a mug.
“Thank you, Sabrina. It smells wonderful. I can’t believe it’s still this cold in April. ” After taking a careful sip of the hot liquid he smiled. “Tastes even better!”
Sabrina smiled. “Thank you. That’s my mother’s recipe, and I think someone needs to tell Mother Nature to flip her calendar. It’s time for some warmer weather already!”
D.J. tossed Logan a bag of cookies.
“Here, sink your teeth into those.”
Logan opened the bag and took a chocolate cookie, biting into it with a groan.
“Mama made those. You know how you can tell that mama made them and not Charlie? Your teeth don’t break!”
Charlie scowled at her little brother. “Ha ha, very funny, D.J. My cookies are good, too, aren’t they, Luke?” Seeking support from the other brother in the room she was surprised to see him look everywhere but at her.
“Well, sis…they…umm…” He trailed off, looking at Sabrina for a bailout.
Feeling a mutiny, she crossed her arms and looked at her mama. “My cookies are good…right, Mama?”
Sabrina hedged. “Sweetheart, we all have skills and talents in life, but honestly baking isn’t one of yours… yet! But I’m sure you will be a fine cook one day.”
Charlie’s reply was cut short by the sound of a truck and trailer pulling into the driveway. Everyone went out to see the colts. Mr. Hicks smiled as he walked around to the trailer.
“Morning, everyone! It’s crazy cold, isn’t it?” Everyone nodded in agreement.
Devon walked out of the barn holding some lead ropes. “Morning, Hank, did they travel ok this morning?” he asked as the other man opened the back of the trailer.
“Yeah, since these youngsters have gotten some feed in their bellies, they are recovering pretty fast. Can’t say the same for some of the others, though. I sure hope Charlie knows what she is getting into,” he whispered.
Devon agreed. He hoped she did, too. He knew that Charlie would become very emotionally invested with the horses and if she lost even one, it would break her heart.
The first colt that was unloaded was black with two white socks on his hind legs and a small white strip on his forehead. He was standing stiff-legged with big brown eyes that looked scared to death. Charlie stepped up to him, taking the lead rope from Devon.
“Here, let me take them in, if you don’t mind. I want to start teaching them to trust me right away. The colt danced on the end of his lead as Charlie spoke softly to it. It whickered loudly for its friends who were still in the trailer.
“Shhh…pretty boy. It’s ok. Your friends will join you in just a minute.” She ran her hands down its neck, feeling the dirt and grime from being ungroomed for so long coat her hand. “We will get you all cleaned up and looking pretty again in no time!”
Charlie brought the skittish horse into the barn, talking to it the whole time. She knew it didn’t matter what she said; it was all about her tone, so she kept it soft and soothing. Turning him into a stall, she poured a little feed into his trough to give him something to munch on while she went after the other two. Once he had his nose stuck in the feed, he settled right down. She smiled, knowing this one wouldn’t need to be handfed.
The next colt was a light palomino, or that was Charlie’s best guess at its color under the coat of dirt that covered it. Like the one before, it was all nerves and pulled against the lead rop
e, trying to run from Charlie. She quickly got him into the barn and once he saw his friend munching on breakfast he seemed to calm down just a little, allowing her to pet him while she poured his breakfast, too. The last colt reminded Charlie of Stormy when he was little. It was red with a white star on its forehead very similar to Stormy’s, but this colt had four white socks. Once she had all three horses in the barn, she immediately inspected them for any injuries that might need attended to. Fortunately, they all seemed fine on that. What they did need and need in abundance was some serious T.L.C. and lots of groceries. She could give them both in abundance!
“I would like to run back to the Co-op for some de-wormer and vitamin supplements. Maybe some wheat germ oil would be good, too.” She looked up at Devon, who had followed her into the barn with the last colt, as well as the rest of the family. Sabrina looked like she felt when she first saw the horses. Heartbroken.
“I ain’t ever seen a horse so skinny,” D.J. said in a hushed tone as if the horse in question would take offense.
“I know, and the others actually look worse than these,” Charlie responded.
Sabrina looked up, startled. “You are kidding! They look worse? How is it possible for them to look worse and still be alive?” she questioned.
Devon placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Some of them really aren’t alive anymore. Their will to live has been broken, and that may be biggest challenge that Charlie will have to overcome.”
Mr. Hicks shook Devon’s hand once more and then turned to Charlie. “Young lady, the horses are welcome to stay at my place until they are strong enough to travel. I just don’t have the time to give them the care they need. You can come out and tend to them as you want. Just make yourself at home. But if you’re going to be needing some supplies, you might want to load up enough for a few days because we got some snow coming in.”
Sabrina turned to Mr. Hicks in surprise. “Snow? Surely not! It’s the first week of April.”
The older man nodded. “My shoulder has been aching for two days; that means snow is coming. Mark my words. Get what you need from town because the way it’s hurtin’ we are in for a good one. Ya’ll have a good day.”
After he left, Sabrina turned back to Devon. “Do you think he knows what he is talking about? We have never had snow this time of year.”
Devon shook his head. “One thing I have learned over the years is that men of his age usually know what they are talking about. So I’m taking him at his word and going to stock up on some things. Why don’t you go look and see what groceries we might need to last us at least a week in case we get snowed in.”
Everyone left to make lists of things they might need, leaving Charlie and Logan alone in the barn with her new babies.
Chapter 15
“Can I ask why you didn’t go home four months ago? I thought that was the plan? Wasn’t that the plan?” Mac asked Nate as he was lying on a bench press pressing upward on the bar loaded down with weights. He concentrated on keeping both arms level. His weaker right arm struggled to push the weight higher, but he focused and finally managed to get it back in the cradle. Drawing in deep breaths, he waited for his heart rate to drop just a little. The next thing he knew, Mac’s face was directly over his as he bent over the bar looking down into Nate’s face.
“What?” Nate asked.
Mac repeated his question with exaggerated slowness. “Why. Didn’t. You. Go. Home?”
Nate frowned as he quickly sat up, grabbing the towel off the chair next to him. He wiped his face and then glanced at the ever-nosy angel that was looking at him expectantly. “You know, for an angel you sure are nosy. Anyone ever tell you that?”
Mac shook his head, giving him his trademark megawatt smile. “No, and nosy is such a…a… harsh word. Let’s use charmingly inquisitive instead.”
Nate barked out in laughter, shaking his head. “Call it what you will, angel, but you’re still nosy.” He sighed as he dropped his hands to his side, gripping the bench seat tightly.
“So, why didn’t you go home?” Mac asked once more softly.
Nate looked him in the eye. “Because I’m a coward, Mac. That’s the honest truth. I’m a gutless coward and I couldn’t face Charlie after what I have done to her.”
Mac walked around the bench, sitting down next to Nate.
“No, man. You’re not a coward.” He paused, grinning as he changed his statement. “Well…ok you were, but I haven’t seen that guy in a long time. I think you probably are a little scared to face Charlie, but that’s not all of it, is it?”
Nate scrubbed his face with the towel, once more mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like he hated nosy pushy angels, but Mac let him go. “Maybe I have decided to let her go. Not for my own selfish reasons, but because what if she has already found someone else? Charlie is so beautiful…inside as well as outside. I know the vultures were circling when she came home without me.”
“Do you still love her?”
“Of course I do.”
“Do you think there is another man on the face of God’s planet that can love her more than you?”
“No.”
“Then you know what I think?”
“What’s that?”
“Time to go vulture hunting!”
Nate thought about Mac’s words long after the hospital had become dark and somewhat quiet. He loved Charlie with every breath he took. He hated himself for the way he had treated her. He knew he had some fences to mend and the most important one was with the Almighty. He now knew that there was most certainly a God in the heavens. Mac was proof of that. Thinking of the cheerful, nosy, off-the-wall, unpredictable angel had him grinning. Mac was not your average angel. Not that he actually knew any, but he had a feeling that he was definitely not the norm.
A memory went through his mind of another angel, a female angel. He remembered seeing a flash of a beautiful, although concerned, face with incredible crystal blue eyes and raven black hair while he was burning up in the wreckage. For a brief moment, the hell that he was in went away. He felt cool air surround him and the sweetest scent that reminded him of clean mountain air, freshly fallen snow, and ocean breezes cleansed his nostrils from the stench of his own burning skin.
He had thought at the time that he was hallucinating from the pain and toxic fumes. But now he knew she was real and had saved his life. He also knew he had said some really hateful things to her. He didn’t know if she would be able to understand him or if she even cared. After all he was just another human she had to guard, but he needed to start on some of these broken fences sooner or later and at least he wouldn’t have to look this one in the face.
“Hey, are you there?” he whispered softly.
Shana looked over to Nate’s bed. He had been awake for a long time and was now searching his room with his eyes. Was he looking for her? She hoped he knew she couldn’t appear to him like Mac could. “If you’re there, and I think you are…I hope you are… What if she isn’t?” He trailed off, looking uncertain and slightly embarrassed. “Gah! This was supposed to be the easy one! Ok, just do it already!” He muttered.
“The easy what?” Shana wondered. She walked to his bed and placed her hand on his shoulder. He seemed to want to talk to her about something. Closing his eyes, he tried again. “I’m sorry I don’t know your name, but I know you saved my life that night in the accident. I saw you for just a moment.” He stopped briefly, seeming to gather his thoughts. “In case no one has ever told you, you are incredibly beautiful, but that’s not what I wanted to say to you…I mean, I do think …I mean you are beautiful…” He stammered to a halt again. Shana covered her smile with her hand, giggling softly at his ramblings. Nate took a deep breath.
“Ok, what I’m trying to say is this. Thank you. Thank you for saving my life and for protecting me. I’m really sorry that I was so hateful to you before. I didn’t mean any of the things I said, and I would ask, if you can, to forgive me.”
The hand that was
covering her mouth now went to her heart. No one had ever thanked her before! Of course most didn’t know she was around until the day of their homecoming. She did have one that believed she existed, not that he never spoke to her or thanked her. She was genuinely touched that Nate would bother apologizing to an unseen entity. Leaning closer, she gently kissed his cheek.
Nate’s eyes widened just a fraction when he felt a cool stirring next to his cheek, and a sweet fragrance that he would always know as hers drifted faintly through the air. Smiling, he knew that she was in fact there, and, more importantly, that he was forgiven.
Nate was pre-occupied all the next day as Hattie worked on stretching out his right leg. The thigh muscles had cramped up earlier while he was walking with the prosthesis. A hand suddenly waving inches from his nose brought him out of his thoughts.
“I’m sorry, Hattie. Were you saying something?”
Smiling, she cocked her head at him. “Yes, I was asking if the muscles had stopped cramping. But you were deep in thought. You know, sometimes it helps if you talk about it.” Running her hands up his thigh, she continued to rub on the knotted muscles.
“I was thinking about God.”
The hands on his leg stilled briefly then picked up their rhythmic motions. “Were you now?” she asked, carefully keeping her tone casual and her eyes on the task at hand. Hattie had been praying so long for this moment so she cautioned herself to be careful and not push it. When he didn’t reply, she prodded just a little more. “Were you thinking about something in particular or just God in general?”
He grimaced as she prodded a tender area where his right knee used to be.
“I was wondering why He did it,” he finally said.