Sunshine Valley

The past

    “Evie, when you left here to go find whatever it was you wanted to find, I never left you. Every chance I got, I watched the two of you show and compete. I would bring your dad to the meets. One day, you two were winnin’, the next day, you were gone.”

    It was a long time before Evie said anything. “That’s what he did first. He sold my horse. He knew me well enough to know that I would get rid of everything associated with her. I sent everything I had home to dad that had anything to do with my riding days. There was nothing in my life to remind me of her. Nothing but memories.”

    Dillon held the gate open for her, “come in.”

    Evie entered the pen. They walked in silence toward the barn.

    “She has a big area to play in.”

    “Play she does.” He sighed, “and fuss with me.” Teka ran past Dillon and pushed him forward. “See what I mean.”

    Once they were in the barn, she noticed the trailer she bought for Teka. The trailer her dad came and got full of memories.

    Dillon showed her up to the top level of the barn. There were all the boxes she had loaded into the horse trailer. Box after box of ribbons, trophies, pictures, newspaper articles, and memories.

    She fell to her knees, “Dillon what are you doing with all of my stuff?”

    He sat down behind her so that if she did fall backwards he could catch her. “Your dad thought it was only fittin’ for her stuff to follow her.” He paused for a moment. “I only opened one box, after I realized what it was, I sealed it back up and here it has been.” He was very nervous.

    She just knelt there not knowing how to feel. One moment she was angry. Angry at the world. Angry with her ex-husband. Angry at her dad. Angry with Dillon. Just plain angry. Then she was overtaken by sadness. A sadness that consumed her heart.

    He wanted to console her but didn’t know how. Didn’t know if he would say the right thing or the wrong thing and just end up hurting her more. So he chose not to say a word. 

    “I guess I owe you an apology.”

    He was confused for a moment. A wrinkle crossed his brow. “Why?”

    “You really do need a truck that big.” Her voice was so monotone. So without flavor, not like her at all.

    A smile crossed his lips in spite of himself. “All is forgiven.” What he really wanted to say was all is forgiven my love. But knew he couldn’t.

    She was staring off into space or so he thought. “Do you remember the summer before we started high school?”

    “Oh yeah,” he sighed. “How could I forget it? It was the worst summer of my life.”

Sunshine Valley