Page 65 of The Wilder Widows

The energy crackling between Doris and Axel would have set the prairie on fire if it had been any dryer.

“Look at her go,” Marge whispered to me as she dragged her gelding up beside mine. “Looks like someone is starting to open herself up to the possibilities after all.”

We exchanged a smile as we watched Doris and Axel walk back to the barn together with Norma in tow.

“That she is.” I sighed and let the ideas of possibilities for myself start to blossom as well.

****

“Mine’s busted!” Marge growled while she thumped her legs along the sides of Cochise. “Damn thing won’t move!”

After our lesson on tacking up, mounting and basic riding skills, Alice and I didn’t need assistance since we had plenty of experience. Marge and Doris needed extra help, and Axel willingly devoted extra attention to Doris. Now we stood at the edge of the pasture getting to know our horses while Axel, Madeline, and some wranglers rode off to rustle up the cattle we would be transporting fifteen miles across the countryside.

“Give a little cluck and a squeeze,” I said, riding up beside Marge.

“I’m squeezing so hard I might shit myself!” she groaned, and her reddened face shook while she squeezed even harder. Giving up, she slumped forward and let out a defeated sigh. Cochise continued chomping on the grass, paying no mind to the determined rider on his back.

“You need to take charge. Show him who’s boss.” Alice rode up on her other side and gave him a swift tap on the rear. Cochise only flicked an ear and continued eating. “Wow. That really is a stubborn horse. Should we find you a new one?”

Marge inhaled a breath, furrowing her brow while she straightened back up. “Nope. This one’s mine. He may be stubborn, but so am I. I’m not giving up that easy.” With renewed determination, she began bumping at his sides again while she tugged unsuccessfully on the reins to lift his head.

“This is amazing!” Doris bounced in the saddle as she trotted up beside us. “I’m on a horse! I’ve always wanted to ride a horse, and now I am. And she’s so beautiful!” Norma came to a stop beside me, and Doris shifted in her saddle to regain her balance.

“I spent so much of my youth on horseback,” I said. “From the time I was five, I took regular lessons at a stable down the road.”

“You were so lucky.” Doris ran a hand along Norma’s neck. “I was too busy taking care of my little sisters, and we didn’t have any extra money for things like riding lessons.”

“I had to do a lot of chores to convince my parents to keep paying for lessons. I even got to do some shows a few times. Mostly western pleasure, but I rode English sometimes, too.”

“I rode as a kid,” Alice said from where she sat perched on Lady. “We had a dozen horses on the farm. Then I found boys in middle school and never got on again.”

“I’d take horses over boys any day.” Marge scoffed.

“Of course you would.” Alice rolled her eyes. “You’re a lesbian.”

“True.” Marge shrugged.

“I picked horses over boys,” I said. “But then I stopped riding during college and never got going again. I missed it.” I patted Whip on the shoulder, and he responded by bending his neck around and sniffing my new boot.

“We’re ready!” Madeline called. She and Axel led a herd of cattle behind them. Three wranglers moved behind the herd, whooping and cracking bullwhips to keep the animals moving forward. “Just ride on over here, and we’ll teach you how to wrangle cattle as we go!”

Excitement fluttered through my stomach—a real cattle drive. I’d seen an advertisement in one of my horse magazines as a child and had dreamed of doing this ever since. And now I was on one. Clucking my tongue, I spun Whip toward the herd. Doris and Alice fell in beside me, and we looked back to see Marge frantically kicking her gelding.

“Come on, Marge!” I shouted over my shoulder.

“I’m trying!” she called back, but Cochise ignored her pleas.

“When he sees he’s the only one left, he’ll come running,” Alice said with certainty. Having been on the left-behind horse on trail rides myself, I knew she was probably right. We kept on moving until we heard Marge squeal behind us. We whipped around to see Cochise barreling toward us, Marge clutching the horn for dear life while he cantered up beside us.

“Cripes!” she shouted when he slid to a stop at my side. “You son of a bitch! You could have killed me!”

“Stubborn. Obstinate. Unpredictable,” Alice said, looking over at them. “I’d say you picked just the right horse for you.”

“Can it, Alice!” Marge answered, huffing for breath. “He’s an asshole!”

“Like I said...” Alice smiled.

Our laughter mingled while we rode up to Madeline and Axel at the front of the herd.