Now Jim sat here beside Jessica, and wondered if he’d actually misread the whole thing. If he had, his moment of hope that a serious change had occurred was nothing more than that, a moment of hope. If Scott had really made her look at those magazines and books, what did she think of them? He tried not to think of Jessica in that way, but now, just considering it, he wondered what she would think of it … of sex.
He glanced at Jessica. She was petting Baby absent mindedly, and had been for the past fifteen minutes. Her attention had been steadfastly kept on Riley, who was off in the distance, training an adult male German Shepherd. The dog had only been with them for a week, but it was clear that Riley was losing his patience with him. As Riley jerked down on the dogs leash, put off by the dog’s stubborn refusal to obey a command he’d been given, Jim heard Jessica groan.
“There you are,” Josh said appearing from behind the barn. “Do you want to go see the horses?” Josh had been trying to find a way to get a moment alone with Jessica. He knew that Jim doubted Scott’s explanation about what had happened between Scott and Jessica the night before. But Josh wasn’t so sure. He wanted to ask her about it, but first he had to get passed what had happened with Baby. And now he had the opportunity for both. From the distance they could hear Riley curse. He turned from the dog in exasperation, and for the first time, noticed Jessica watching him. Now he knew how she’d come to know his commands to the dogs. He supposed it was nice that she took the time to watch … learn. Suddenly she sprang to her feet, said something to Jim who snapped his head in Riley’s direction. Jessica didn’t look back before leaving with Josh. Jim moved toward Riley.
“Since when have you taken an interest in dog training?” Riley asked as Jim neared.
“Having trouble with this one?” Jim asked, nodding at the dog.
“You could call it that,” Riley said turning to the dog that sat panting, before him.
“What would you say the problem is?”
Riley looked at Jim from the corner of his eye.
Jim rarely, if ever, made small talk with Riley, and never about dog training.
“Stubbornness or stupidity … take your pick. Why do you ask?”
“Ever have reason to think the dog may be deaf and blind?”
“What?!” Riley growled. “What the hell would make you say that?”
Jim shrugged. “When you give him a command on one side he listens, the other, he doesn’t.”
“The hand signals are the same, no matter what side I say it on …”
“He can’t see them Riley.”
“What the hell? In all the years I’ve known you, you have never, EVER, shown any interest in dog training, and then suddenly you come up with deaf and blind?”
“Is it that inconceivable?” Jim asked not sure whether Riley found the suggestion preposterous or whether he had hard time with Jim’s interest. He began to feel a little insulted.
“How the hell can a dog be deaf and blind, and no one know it?” Riley demanded.
Jim shrugged. “Hey, you’re the dog expert. If in your great wisdom you don’t feel it is remotely possible … then forget it …” Jim turned to leave.
Riley moved to the dog suddenly. He clapped his hands on the right side of the dog. The dog’s head swiveled in the direction of the noise.
Riley did the same on by the dog’s left ear. No reaction.
“Damn …” Riley cursed. He waved his hand in front of the dog, the dog didn’t respond in any way. He moved his arms closer and repeated the motion. Suddenly the dog looked up and wagged his tail. “Well, I’ll be. How the hell did you figure that out?” Riley asked.
“I thought my acute sense of observation was my greatest asset …” Jim said.
“Yeah, that’s it … seriously, how’d you know? This dog must’ve been deaf and blind since birth, cause he sure doesn’t show any sign of being deaf or blind. I’ve worked with dogs my whole life, and I didn’t pick up on it. What gave you the clue?”
“His one eye crosses just a little,” Jim replied, and couldn’t help but laugh when Riley moved closer to the dog for a better look. “I’m just kidding. Jessica told me. “
“Jessica?” Riley asked. He was so surprised that the question came out as a whisper. “H .. how did she know?”
“She didn’t say,” Jim said.
“Well, how the hell am I’m supposed to train a deaf and blind dog?”
“Seems to me that you just have to be sure you’re on the side he can hear on.”
“Right, thanks for the input.”
“Like I said, acute sense of observation …”
“Where’s Jessica now?”
“Gone to see the horses with Josh.”
“Should have known,” Riley answered. “Come on Max,” he said to the dog and took him by the collar and led him to his cage.
“She’d better not be breaking in any horses, “ Riley said, falling in step with Jim.
“I think she’d like nothing more than to be doing just that.” Jim said.
*****************************************************
“Do you think I’ll ever get to ride Ebony? Or any horse?” Jessica asked cuddling Baby to her while leaning on the fence of the corral where Ebony grazed.
“Sure,” Josh replied. “Listen, Jessica, about last night …”
“Really ride them? Not just around in circles in the corral?”
“If you earn the right Jessica, you’ll get to ride. Will you listen to me for a second? I’m trying to apologize about taking Baby away yesterday.”
Jessica suddenly looked sad, and cuddled the puppy closer.
“Do you think I’ll be able to bring her back in? I miss her, and she’s still just a baby …”
“I don’t think so Jessica. She was going to have to go back to the kennels eventually anyway … it was just temporary remember?”
Jessica looked at Josh. A faint smile appeared on her face. “I’m pretty sure that Princess Assicej would forgive Prince Aushoj, especially since he seems so worried about it.”
At the mention of the comic book characters that Josh had been faithfully developing night after night, Josh smiled and lowered his head. He was blushing, and he couldn’t help it. The story of the Princess and Prince from different planets had grown and evolved into quite a love story. There were so many parallels to how he felt about Jessica, about his hopes for their relationship, that when spoken about in the light of day, he felt like he was baring his soul to the world. Jessica edged closer to Josh, until her shoulder pressed against him.
“Do you know what I think Prince Aushoj would do to make it up to Assicej?” All Josh could do was shake his head. Her spontaneity made him giddy.
“Ebony,” Jessica said nodding toward the black stallion. “I think he’d let the Princess pet him.”
“Are you nuts?” Josh asked. “You’ll get stomped!”
Jessica and Josh stood staring at each other. Jessica smiled as Josh’s face turned redder and redder. The small chance that Assicej and Aushoj were purely fictional characters, was now decimated. Josh couldn’t believe how vulnerable he felt … bordering on embarrassed. But Jessica smiled as she kissed him on his cheek.
“Don’t worry Prince Aushoj, I’ll be careful. Ebony just needs me to be calm and gentle when I go in there, that’s all. Can I?”
Josh nodded. It wasn’t until Jessica was on the other side of the corral fence and slowly yet assuredly making her way toward the stallion, that Josh realized what he’d done. The horse stood stalk still, watching Jessica’s advance. If Jessica had any fear or reservation at all, she didn’t show it. Josh held his breath as Jessica moved forward. For her part Jessica was excited to finally get the opportunity to show Scott that Ebony wasn’t the wild untamable horse he seemed to think he was. She had meant to raise it with Scott the previous night … suggest to him that rather than saddle training him it would go far for him to try and connect with him. But as her pleasantly used private parts reminded her, she hadn’t had the chance. Oh well, now she had the opportunity to make first contact for Scott.
Riley and Jim rounded the corner of the barn, just in time to see Jessica closing the distance between herself and the stallion.
“Shit!” they muttered in unison.
“Is she out of her tree?” Riley demanded as he broke into a run.
“Riley … Riley!” Jim said, catching up to Riley and grabbing his arm.
“If you startle Ebony, Jessica is going to get hurt. We have to move slowly, quietly.” Riley slowed down. They walked as slowly and quietly as they could until they stood beside Josh.
“What the hell is she doing in there?” Riley asked Josh.
“I let her go Riley, but I’ll be damned if I know why,” Josh said.
“I’m going in after her,” Jim said.
“Wait a minute, Scott’s already going,” Riley said and nodded toward Scott, who had entered the corral at the other end, lasso rope in hand.
He walked slowly and steadily toward the stallion and Jessica.
“That’s a good boy,” Jessica was cooing to the horse, who now rested his nose in her hands. She ran them gently over his nose and then along his face, to his neck. “It’s all right,” Jessica said to Scott, who had gotten close enough that he had to decide whether to lasso the horse, or take his chances on walking closer. “You can come closer, he’s fine.”
Scott took some tentative steps forward. It wasn’t long before he stood next to Jessica.
“That’s a good boy Ebony,” Jessica said, “Scott’s not going to hurt you. See? Scott’s your friend. Pet him!” she ordered Scott.
Scott raised his hand to the horse’s neck. This horse was one of Scott’s greatest challenges. It seemed that he just couldn’t get the horse to warm to him.
“You have to talk to him, “ Jessica said.
“Good boy,” Scott said.
“No, something more personal.”
“I have nothing personal to say to a horse, Jessica!” Scott muttered in disbelief.
“Shhh, it’s okay Ebony, “ Jessica said as the horse lifted his head in response to Scott’s tone, and after a shake of his head, he nudged Jessica’s lips with his nose.
“Thanks for the kiss Ebony,” Jessica said. “Go on Scott, say something.” She urged.
“Okay … how about, just what do you think you’re doing out here?”
“Helping,” Jessica answered, “and your tone isn’t. Look, all Ebony needs is a little break from the lassoing and rodeo riding, and a whole lot of quiet affection.”
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