Page 36 of Waiting for Ru
Ru smiled. “I’m not really Irish. I was born in Nottingham. But I…went to live in Ireland when I was eight.”
“I’m Dorset born and bred. I love it here. I love everything about this place. The number Two and the Back’s horses are stabled here as well as Jasim’s. I look after Sunset, one of Marcelo’s ponies. She’s my favourite.”
“Jasim said I could watch the game tomorrow.”
“We’ll all be watching unless we’re working.” She took her drink and left the kitchen.
Ru went back to his room. He unwrapped the bedding and shook out the duvet. He’d bought a cover that had constellations and stars all over it that were supposed to glow in the dark. It came with a pillowcase and had only been ten pounds. That seemed a bargain. The single sheet had been seven pounds. He rolled up his sleeping bag, put it back in its bag and stuffed it in the wardrobe.
Once he’d dropped a few peanuts in Bela’s cage, he stripped to his shorts, used the bathroom and climbed into bed. This time he remembered to set his alarm.
Which seemed to go off moments later. Four thirty already? Ru groaned, fumbled to silence it and rolled out of bed. Bela wasn’t in her cage and hadn’t touched the peanuts, but sometimes she went off for days so he wasn’t worried. He made coffee and a bowl of oats and went back to his room to eat. His gaze snagged on the workbooks he’d brought with him and he wondered when he’d get time to look at them. But not every day would be as long as yesterday.
Well, that’s what he hoped. He had a feeling Mike had been testing him out, seeing how far he could push him. Ru washed up his mug, spoon and bowl and returned them to his cupboard. By the time he set off for Cookie and Joni, with a packet of Polo mints in his pocket, no one else was up.
Ru went through the usual daily checks he’d been taught to carry out on the farm. Though he had a lot to hate his uncle for, Ru’s love of horses wasn’t part of it. No high temperature, no cuts or problems with their hooves. Cookie gave him a slobbery kiss on the cheek before she ran into the paddock and Ru laughed.
“Was that for the mint?” he called after her.
Once the isolation stable was as pristine as he could get it, he disinfected his boots, washed his hands even though he’d been wearing gloves, and headed for the main block. It was a hive of activity in there, but Mike stormed up to him the moment Ru walked in.
“Where have you been? You think you can turn up late and no one will care? It’s not acceptable…
Ru stood in stunned disbelief as Mike railed at him. Every time he tried to tell Mike that he’d been busy with Cookie and Joni, Mike just yelled over him.I don’t need this.Ru had done nothing wrong. He stopped trying to speak, and the lack of response seemed to infuriate Mike even more.
Eventually, Paolo came over. “Lower your voices.”
Mike shut up. “Sorry, boss.”
Paolo looked at Ru.
“I didn’t raise my voice. Boss.” The late addition ofbosswas deliberate.
“What’s going on?” Paolo looked at Mike.
“I told him we start at five. It’s almost six.”
“I’ve been working since before five. I’ve turned out Cookie and Joni. Mucked out their stalls and cleaned some of their tack before coming here. You told me I was in charge of them so I looked after them.”
“Seems there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding,” Paolo said. “Did you tell Mike you were going to see to them first?”
Make it my fault, why don’t you!“No. Just as he didn’t tell me he was going to the supermarket for everyone yesterday.”
“Stop this now,” Paolo hissed. “Mike, get on with Dream. Ru, do as you’re told.”
Paolo left the barn and Mike looked so murderous that Ru curled his toes in his boots.
“I want all the bridles done by the end of today,” Mike said and strode off.
Which was impossible. Ru said nothing.
He was working on the first one when Poppy slipped into the tack room.
“Mike gets anxious when it’s a game day here.”
Ru nodded.
“He’s still a bit of a prick though. Just thought I’d give you a heads up that you ought to make sure you’ve not taken any of the bridles of the ponies that will be used this afternoon. They were done a few days ago anyway. But if you have one in pieces and it’s wanted…”
He hadn’t thought of that. “Which ones are okay to do?”
Poppy plucked a sheet of paper and pencil from a clipboard by the door and wrote a list of names. “These horses will be in the pasture, but not being ridden so you can do those.”
“Thank you.”
She headed for the door, then turned and whispered, “Mike went to check you’d done Cookie and Joni. He’s looking for an excuse to get you into trouble. Watch yourself.”
Ru nodded. He wanted this job, but he couldn’t yet see how he could get Mike on his side.
