Sunshine Valley

Teka

    “Hey sheriff,” Danny called. “When u gonna sell me that horse?”

    “Never,” Dillon barked in his true gruff fashion.

    Or so Rebecca thought, hateful man.

    “Come on man. You can’t keep her at home.” Dillon raised an eyebrow at him. “You’ve got to treat your horse like you treat your woman. You’ve got to break her spirit and teach her where home is.”

    A loud boo erupted from the women at the table.

     “Daniel!” Mr. Rice growled.

    Evie glanced at Dillon.

    “Could this be why you’re still single?” He didn’t smile or give any sign that he was enjoying this conversation, he just stared at  Evie.

    Everyone started laughing.

    “You would know about being single wouldn’t you?” Danny fired back.

    “Yelp, but I don’t live in my parents basement, do I?”

    “Man, that was a low blow.”

    Dillon was still staring at Evie.

    “Come on man, sell me that horse.”

    Dillon whirled around on his seat. The horse that hated him so much was happily munchin’ on the Ledbetter’s clover. “I swear that horse hates me.”

    Danny erupted with laughter. “All the more reason to sell her to me.”

    Mr. Rice noticed the elegant Trakehner in the yard. But Evie was busy talkin’ to Widow Blake at this point. Widow Blake wouldn’t let anyone notice the world around them. 

    “Evie,” Mr. Rice called to her.

    “Yes dad?”

    DAD! Rebecca nearly choked. DAD! She didn’t think people could keep a secret in a small town but by ned they had managed to keep this one.

    He pointed with a shaky finger toward the fence.

    Bradley was laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe.

    Evie looked around Dillon and her heart stopped. She turned pale. Dillon finally turned around. He watched her as she got up and walked around the table. “Breathe Evie.” He encouraged her.

    “How’d that horse get in my yard?” Rebecca asked.

    “Jumped and walked.” Evie answered as if Rebecca was stupid.

    Everyone was watching her. 

     Suddenly, Dillon didn’t have to worry about tellin’ Evie about Teka. The horse did it for him.

   “Hi baby girl.” Evie almost cried. 

    The horse stopped munchin’ and gave her a sideways glance.

     Evie kept talking to the horse.

    She snorted and started walking toward Evie.

    “Hello Teka. Hello beautiful. 

   Evie was standing far enough away from the table so if Teka started a fuss no one would get hurt. 

    Teka walked very slowly toward her, sniffing every step of the way.

    “Look at you. Someone’s taken good care of you.”

    Teka continued to sniff and snort. Her chestnut mane shimmered with each flick of her throat.

   Teka let Evie pet her. “I’ve missed you.” Evie started to cry. She went over every inch of the horse with her hands. To everyone’s amazement, this seemingly wild horse stood perfectly still while Evie examined her. “My beautiful horse. I never should have let you go.”

    Teka turned her head toward Evie and snorted. It was as if she knew what Evie was saying.

    “I’m sorry girl. Really I am.” She stood up; “looks like both of us have been through a bad patch.”

    Hmm, bad patch. Rebecca’s thoughts wondered about what it could mean.

    Teka snorted again.

    “That’s my girl.” Evie rubbed her face some more. “You need to go home.”

    Teka snorted and nickered.

    “Home with me.” Danny shouted.

    “For the millionth time, no.” Dillon didn’t even turn around to look at him.

    Teka started to walk and Evie began following her, “good girl.”

    Dillon went to get his truck. Evie and Teka walked down the road and Dillon followed beside of them.

    “Dillon, how long have you had her?”

    “I’m not shore.”

    “Tell me how you found her.”

    They turned to go up a long driveway surrounded by white fences. To Evie’s amazement, it was half a mile from her house. She turned around and could see the end of her white picket fence.

    “I don’t know how but your dad bought her.”

     “And you?”

     “Teka belongs to your dad. She just lives here.”

    She didn’t know what to say. This was something her and her dad needed to talk about. “My poor girl. I’m sorry.” Evie turned and petted her again. She brushed her nose against Evie’s shoulder.

    “She really understands you.”

    “We’ve known each other for a while.” Evie opened a gate and Teka walked into her pen. Dillon was now standing beside her. “You need to make this fence at least six feet high.”

    “Why?”

    “That’s the highest she’s ever jumped.”

    Dillon was confused, “okay.”

    “How did she get out of the pen?” Evie offered up a quick question.

    “Good question. If I find a break in the fence, I’ll let you know.”

    “You won’t.” She sighed, “I can’t believe you have her.” They just stood by the gate watching Teka strut her stuff.

Sunshine Valley