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On shaky legs, he went up the ramp until he was inside the large box. On the wall of the trailer hung a pair of leads. His beloved Apollo wasn’t the only horse that had just arrived from Montana.
Parker grabbed one of the leads and clicked it to his gelding’s halter. As he unfastened the safety chains, he crooned softly to the animal, who nuzzled him, moving his head up and down—telling Parker in horse language that he was happy they were together again, too.
Then he led his horse out of the trailer, making room for his twin to go and get his own horse—a painted gelding named Einstein.
Parker looked at the assembled family. Grandma Kate came over, her smile pure, sweet sneakiness. She opened her hand, revealing an apple that had been cut in quarters. He took the fruit and gave it to his horse. Apollo daintily ate the treat.
“Say hello to Grandma Kate, Apollo.”
Apollo nodded his head then stretched his neck and lowered his head.
“My, you’re a handsome fellow, aren’t you?” Kate said as she stroked his neck. Apollo nickered in response, equine agreement.
Ari approached Dale, who’d led his horse out of the trailer after taking a moment to rest his forehead against the paint’s nose. She had the same sweet treat in her hand, a welcome-home gift that Einstein happily devoured.
Dale looked as emotionally rocky as he himself felt.
“I don’t understand. How…” Parker felt his throat tighten. He hadn’t thought he’d ever see his horse again. He’d actually been worried that Marcus would have sold him off to be slaughtered.
“Grandma Kate arranged for this,” Jackson said.
Parker turned his attention to her. “I don’t have words…thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. It just burned my butt when I found out what had happened. That’s not the way you treat family.”
“No, ma’am,” Dale said. “But that was family life as we knew it.”
“We both know better now,” Parker said. “So, thank you. Not just for the horses. But for being you. For showing us what grandmotherly love feels like.”
Parker kissed her left cheek, and Dale kissed her right.
“You’re both good boys. I’m so proud of you. I’m looking forward to watching you both become the wonderful husbands and fathers you were meant to be.”
Jackson led them into the second barn and the two stalls he’d had prepared for Apollo and Einstein. It took them a little while to see the horses were settled, and they used some of that time, getting reacquainted. They introduced the animals to Jenny, as well.
“Apollo is the better trained of the two,” Dale said. “If you’d like to learn to ride, he’d be the one to start out on.”
Jenny lavished love on both animals. “I think I’d like that.”
Once the horses were bedded down, they all trooped back inside the house for dessert.
“It must have been expensive to ship them here, Grandma Kate. We’d like to pay for that,” Parker said.
“Oh, there’s no need for that.” Grandma Kate’s eyes twinkled.
Jackson and Cord both chuckled.
“Apparently, your dad didn’t realize that Marcus had refused to let you load your own horses.” Jackson grinned. “According to our dad, your oldest brother caught royal hell for that.”
“When I called and spoke to your father, he assured me that he would look into the matter, and then he called me back the very next day. Your father promised me the horses would be arriving, and that Marcus insisted on paying for the transportation himself.”
“I think that’s the first time in a long time our oldest brother has been forced to accept the consequences of his actions.” Parker shook his head. “I don’t know why some people reach out and others just act out. It’s a question I’m going to think on a lot because we hope to someday have a family. And neither Dale nor I want any of our children to grow up selfish.”
“Setting the right example is important,” Grandma Kate said. “Loving is important. But in the end, people make their own choices and their own decisions—sometimes even despite the way they were raised.” Then she looked from Dale to him. She nodded and smiled at them, at all three of them.
