Page 46 of Never Left You

“And you didn’t see anyone looking for you?”

He hissed again once I added a bit more pressure to the scrape on his knee. “Am I in trouble?”

“No.” I said faster than I could even think. “You came here, and that’s the smart thing to do. But we may want to invest in a phone for you, or maybe one of those watches.”

Just then I heard the crunch of tires approaching the stable. The headlights brightened up the dark entryway, and Abi’s blonde hair came into focus seconds later. She bolted from the car, leaving the door wide open and the engine running.

“Stetson!” she screamed, rushing towards the tackle shed. “Oh my God, Stetson. What happened!?” She pulled him into her arms, her entire body shaking as she tightly closed her eyes.

“He fell off Marsh,” I answered for him, seeing as he was buried in her hair.

She shot me a look. At first it was full of anger, heat behind her eyes, but then after a few moments they softened. Her lips quivered as she held her son close. She blinked a few times before a single tear fell. Then, taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes tight and pulled her son at arm’s length.

“Good thinking coming here,” she said, her voice becoming more solid, her back and arms less shaky. Even though tears were forming, they refused to fall. All except that one, single tear.

I had the urge to wipe it away, to take them both in my arms. Abi was scared, an idiot could tell that, but for Stetson, she was pulling herself together. She didn’t need to be strong. She could break here, with me and Stet. She could break, and I would be there to catch her.

“I went home…”

“We were all out on the land.” Abi's voice shook slightly. “I made everyone go out to look for you. The house was dark…”

“But I saw the light in the stable.” Stetson looked at me. “Cash was here.”

Abi’s gaze hit mine for a flash, less than a second. “He was.” She sniffed and turned back to her son. “Come on bud, let’s get you home and in a bath and in bed.”

“What about Marsh?”

“We’ll go out tomorrow and look for him.” She helped her son off the table, and gripping his hand tight, led him out of the barn.

“Night, Stet,” I said, no longer wanting to be ignored.

Stetson turned and waved to me. “Thanks Uncle Cash.”

I waved back, standing frozen in place as Abi left the barn. If it wasn’t for the moment our eyes met, I would have thought I was invisible.

Marching into the stable the next morning, I was determined to find that white horse for Stetson. I was on a mission. I would saddle up Nova and not come back until I had that stupid horse in tow. I just didn’t expect my mission to be halted by a beautiful blonde, already saddling up a horse.

“Morning,” I said to Abi as I approached Nova.

She didn’t say anything. She just kept preparing her Palomino horse, aptly named Twinkie.

“Are you going out to look for Marshmallow?” I asked, opening up Nova’s stall.

She twisted her lips and nodded.

“Me too.”

She hummed.

“We could ride together? Maybe find him faster?” I suggested.

“I’m not stopping you,” she grumbled.

Furrowing my brow, I looked over at her. “Are you mad at me?”

“No, why would I be mad at you?”

“Because you’re acting like you want to throw a brush at me.” I shoved my hands into my pockets and took one step closer to her.

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