"Is that just training him to catch a frisbee?"
"Yeah, but it's got certain tricks—jumps and turns. People find it entertaining. We have whole routines that are choreographed. I know that probably sounds cheesy."
"No," he said, sweetly. "What's he look like? I know you said he had short hair. What's his coloring?"
"Blue merle tri. He's tri-colored, brown, and white, but the third color is blue merle. That's all over his back. Can you picture it?" I asked when he tilted his head.
"Merle is blue and black speckled, right?"
"Yes," I agreed.
"So, he's got four colors."
"Yes, he's a four-colored tri," I said, laughing at the irony. "He's as blotchy and speckly as they come, too—even covering his face. I tell him all the time that he's too much of a party animal and he needs to tone it down and get his markings under control."
"I bet he's pretty."
"He really is," I agreed longingly. "I miss him. We spend a ton of time together. His fur's really short for an Aussie. His parents were both full Aussies, supposedly, but he and his littermate both came out with short hair. I'm convinced they were mixed. I have a photo." I had my phone in my pocket, and I flashed the background screen to him. He wasn't speeding, and the road was deserted, so he glanced with no problem.
"He's a great-looking dog," Henry said. He wasn't the type of guy to flatter, and the genuine compliment made me blush.
I continued the conversation with Henry. I was saying things I would normally say, but I felt different. I was relatively sure I still wanted to work with dogs and go on with my life as planned, but I was occupied with other thoughts.
We talked more about my school and his horses. We asked each other questions and shared training philosophies and approaches. We talked about chess a little, too, but that conversation got cut short because we arrived suddenly back at the ranch. Henry took a back way onto the property, and Josh was standing by the barn, waving at us, waiting for us. Henry rolled down his window to talk to him.
"Hey, I'll be back. I'm going to drop Amelia off with my mom."
"I'm supposed to do that," Josh said. "I'll take her from here. Your mom left a note. She said she tried to text you."
"I haven't looked at my phone," Henry said.
Josh made a face at that, but I didn't think much of it. I was simply relieved that he was no longer mad at me, and I could come back here in a few months and have good connections and relationships.
"Where's my sister?" I asked, looking at Josh since he seemed to know.
"The long barn. She's with the new mama cows. Mrs. Sutter's over there with her. I'll take you over."
"Is there any chance we get to ride the horses over there?" I asked, hopefully.
Josh flinched thoughtfully, like he wasn't expecting me to ask that. "I hadn't thought about…" He glanced at Henry, who gave him a little nod. "Yeah, I was going to take you in the Gator, but we can saddle up Sunday and Snowball," he said.
"You can let her take Elanor," Henry said.
I beamed at them and reached to open the door of the truck. I had been occupied with other things, and it took a second for me to get back to the reality of this being our last full day on the ranch.
My poor sister was doing the experience without me. And now, I was adding a horseback ride to the list of things I wasdoing without her. Not that she would want to do it. Either way, I felt a wave of guilt. There was nothing I could do now since I had already asked about it. I wasn't going to say 'never mind about taking the horses'. I might as well enjoy it. I told myself to relax and enjoy God's creation. I started to get out, but I paused and looked at Henry.
"Thank you," I said.
"Thank… you," he said in a tone that was hesitant and sincere.
"Can I leave this on your desk and come back for it when I'm done later? I won't go to the stalls." I was holding the Bible, and nudged toward him, but he didn't look at it. He just held eye contact with me.
"Of course," he said.
I smiled and closed the door, going with Josh to meet my sister.
Chapter 9
