Page 44 of Finding English

“What is it?”

“Did you hear that?” Henry cocked his head, retracing his steps to Domino’s stall and stopping outside as the stallion began to throw his head in agitation. “There.”

The whimper came again, and he knew Cassie heard it too, her eyes holding hope.

Henry approached the horse, shushing him with gentle words. “Cass, go get my father and Jack.”

Cassie never questioned him, spinning on her heel and running like a bat out of hell for help. If Mic had gotten in with the stallion it could be tricky, a child with an agitated stallion was a bad mix, but he’d take it over Bunce having her.

“Whoa, boy,” Henry crooned, as he held his hand to the horse. He could hear the soft crying get louder as Mic heard his voice.

“Mic, honey, I need you to be real calm, baby girl. Domino doesn’t like you crying, and it’s upsetting him.”

“But I scared, Henwy.”

She whimpered, and he could hear her trying to be so brave it broke his heart. “I know you are, baby girl, and I’m gonna get you out of there, okay? You have to trust me. Can you do that?”

As he listened for her reply, he slid the lock back and slowly opened the door to the stall. Seeing her sitting on her bottom, knees pulled up tight to her body in the far left corner of the stall had Henry swallowing the bile in his belly.

Domino began to paw the ground and pace side to side stopping Henry from getting by him. If he tried to move to quickly and barge past Domino, the horse could rear up and cause Mic untold damage.

Her wet eyes met his own, and he held out a hand to her to stop as she went to move. “Mic, hold still a second.”

Domino snorted and Mic screamed as his tail brushed her face, the closeness making Henry’s heart jump to his throat. He heard people behind him but didn’t dare take his eyes off Domino and Mic. “Cass, I need you to stay back. Dad, I need your help.”

His father was by his side in seconds, his calm presence helping Henry remain cool-headed.

“Dad, I need you to calm Domino so I can slip past him and get to Mic.”

His dad laid a hand on his shoulder before he began to speak to the rattled stallion, his voice low and melodic. Domino stopped his dancing about, and Henry stepped inside the pen. Shifting to the left, Henry moved toward Mic who was watching him intently.

Jerry grasped hold of the stallion’s halter and stepped back so the horse wasn’t trapped as Henry swept Mic into his arms, holding her tight to his body as the danger passed.

Cassie hit them with her body, her arms wrapping around her child and Henry as soon as they left the stall.

As he walked them toward the house, they were surrounded by the relieved faces of their friends. All of them knew this could have ended very differently than it did. He’d have to find out how Mic got in the stables and then have a stern word with her about not doing it again.

“Is Domino okay?”

“Yeah, Mic, he’s fine.”

Henry looked to his dad, who was corralling the animal into the closest paddock. His father had always been his hero, but today he had cemented that spot. He hoped he could be that for Mic and any other kids they had one day.