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“Just listen to what I said,” Jack warns.
I lift the corners of my mouth, conceding. “Understood.” I give him a little curtsey.
Jack throws the cigarette to the ground with satisfaction, snuffing it out with his shoe. I walk away from him, shaking my ass all the way to my Jeep, and I hear Jack chuckle behind me. When I slide into the driver’s seat, I turn and smile at Gabriel who’s been waiting for me.
“What was all that about?” he asks.
I look in the rearview mirror just as Jack pulls onto the street, and I shift the Jeep into reverse. “To behave with his daughter at prom,” I say, snarkily.
Gabriel gives me a confused look but he doesn’t ask for an explanation. Instead, he props his foot on my dash and hangs his elbow out the window.
18
CAN'T RUN FROM FATE
SASHA
Home by Sheryl Crow
“You live in the Palisades,cariño?” Gabriel asks, jumping out of the Jeep and lowering his glasses to get a better look at the property.
The mid-century ranch hasn’t been updated like all the other homes in the area that have been bulldozed and had monstrosities built in their place. I’ve always loved the vintage vibe of our home.
“I thought you weren’t going to call me that anymore.” I motion for him to follow as I walk to the back of the house.
“I said I wouldn’t call you thatin front ofCash anymore.” The corners of his mouth tilt up in a wicked smile.
“Come on,” I gently bump into him, “I’ll introduce you to Grandpa John.”
The pasture comes into view, and Grandpa John is in the round pen with a new horse I haven’t seen before. Only a head-collar secures the horse, and Grandpa John carries a 30 foot sash wrapped around his forearm.
I notice Gabriel watching intently as Grandpa John moves to the rear of the horse, careful to stay out of the kick zone. The young flea-bitten gelding flees, and Grandpa John pitches the sash towards him until he starts to canter, following the walls of the round pen. His eyes are pinned on the horse, keeping his body square. Once the horse has made a couple of revolutions, Grandpa John pitches the sash in front of the horse, causing him to change directions. Keeping the pressure on, he pitches the sash at his rear to keep him moving.
“See how he starts to bend his neck closer to the inside of the circle?” I point out to Gabriel, and he nods, keeping his eyes pinned on the scene front of him.
“He’ll start to lick and chew,” I explain to Gabriel. “His head will get long and closer to the ground.”
Gabriel crosses his arms over his chest, and as if on command, the young gelding works his mouth, his head elongating, almost reaching the ground. Grandpa John is focused on the horse, watching and anticipating his moves, speaking the same language.
“The horse is saying he’s ready to stop now, asking Grandpa John to take the pressure off.”
We watch as Grandpa John coils the sash around his forearm and casts his eyes to the ground. The horse stops and looks at him as if he’s trying to decide what he’s going to do next. Grandpa John moves his body so his back is almost to the horse. Nose flaring, the horse’s eyes are pinned on Grandpa John.
“Isn’t he afraid the horse will try to bite him?” Gabriel asks, concern his is voice.
I shake my head. “Just watch.”
Grandpa John is magical and hypnotic to watch. He taught me everything I know. Horses have their own language, you just have to learn how to speak it, and then you can become true partners.
The horse starts to move, and I hear Gabriel suck in a breath. To see him mesmerized by this is actually really sweet. He’s usually so cocky and elusive, but when I look at his face, all of his emotions are pushed to the surface.
The horse reaches out with his nose toward Grandpa John’s shoulder and he turns slowly to rub him between the eyes. Then Grandpa John starts to move around the pen, and the horse moves with him like a magnet, turning when he turns, stopping when he stops.
“That’s some fucking magical shit,” Gabriel murmurs in a serious tone that makes me laugh.
“That is how you train a horse the humane way.” I touch Gabriel’s shoulder and direct him towards the house.
“I can take you around while we wait for my grandpa to finish.”
