Alice
Scout’s been prepped, and I went over the plan with Rosemary and Arthur yesterday afternoon, but I’m still a nervous mess as I pace inside my office. I know this is a trial run, and nothing is official, but it still feels like a big freaking deal. I’m so caught up in my own thoughts, I don’t hear the door opening. When I turn around to pace in the other direction, Arthur is there.
A sharp breath hits my lungs, and he gives me an apologetic look.
“You always sneak up on me,” I say, forcing a smile.
“No, you’re really good at getting in your head and focusing on whatever’s going on there.” He taps his temple, and I know he’s not wrong. I can easily get lost in my thoughts. “I knocked and everything, but still, I’m sorry I startled you.”
“It’s okay. I’m a little nervous about today.” The honest words slip out, and he nods, walking further into the room as the door remains open.
“I see that. I’m nervous, too.” My brows furrow because it’s nearly impossible to imagine Arthur ever being nervous about anything. He’s confident and calm at all times. “Cece is my niece. Gabriel is my brother.” I already know this, so I nod as if I understand why that should be the reason he’s worried, but my face must still communicate otherwise. “I don’t see them much. There was some family drama, mostly between me and my dad, and it’s sort of bled into my relationship with the rest of the family. So I’m a little anxious because I’m not sure how Cece is going to do, if she’s going to want me there, or if it’ll be weird talking to my brother.” He swallows hard after the last word, looking down at his boots. We talk for a few minutes almost every day, but it’s usually about work, or Luther, or what we’re eating. We don’t really do… this. And yet, I’m so thankful he’s opened up because it’s like he knows that sharing his nervousness with me must help. I’m not alone in my feelings now, and neither is he.
“How can I support you?” I can’t fix this for him, but maybe I can make things a little easier. I expect him to say that it’s okay, that he’ll handle it, or that he doesn’t know.
“Um, maybe you could talk to my brother first? I might need a minute. We text every now and then, but it’s always a little harder when it’s in person, you know?” He keeps his eyes low, a quiet sniffle breaking through the air.
I don’t know. I don’t know because I don’t have siblings and my family drama is… different, but I know this is hard for Arthur. I can understand that much. “I bet it is. I’ll do that. I’ll introduce myself first and go through the plans for today with him and Cecilia to give you some time.”
His pretty eyes lift to meet mine then, those dark lashes looking impossibly darker and thicker with the wetness between them. “Anything I can do for you?”
“You just did.” My smile is genuine, and when thetimer on my phone beeps, indicating it’s time to go, we walk out of my office together. When we part ways, I walk toward where Gabriel will park and Arthur heads toward the barn. We exchange a quick look, an even quicker smile, and my nerves settle.
“Feeling good?” Rosemary asks, meeting me outside.
“I think I am, actually. We have a good plan in place.” When I turn to face her, she’s smiling and a small chuckle leaves her.
“Atta girl.” She doesn’t remind me she’ll be there to support me, to support Arthur, or that she agrees that the plan is good. She doesn’t have to. Those two little words give me all the confidence I need.
A few minutes later, a blue SUV pulls up, and it’s obvious that the tall, dark, and handsome man who steps out of it is related to Arthur. They share the same dark hair, tanned skin, and kind eyes, but Gabriel is clean shaven, with his hair lightly styled and no baseball cap in sight. As he helps his daughter out, he lowers his forehead to hers and whispers something only for the two of them, and only when she nods, does he step back, take her hand, and start walking toward us.
I take a few steps forward as Rosemary stays behind. It’s part of our plan, not to overwhelm Cecilia, who stands behind her father when we’re close enough to shake hands.
“You must be Alice,” he says to me with a bright smile that I return.
“I am. It’s nice to meet you, Gabriel.” We shake hands, and I take the lead. “We’re really excited you could both be here today. I think it’ll be fun. And I bet I’ll even learn a thing or two myself,” I say, peeking over Gabriel’s side to look at the little girl holding a stuffed pickle. “For starters, I need to know where you got that pickle.” That gets her attention, though she doesn’t meetmy eyes. I crouch down to her level as she fidgets with her toy.
“Daddy got him for me. His name is Pickle, and he’s my best friend,” she says, not taking her eyes off the toy.
“It’s really nice to meet you, Pickle. And it’s really nice to meet you, too, Cecilia. My name is Alice, and I’m going to do some activities with you, if that’s okay?” Technically, there are more people involved, but if that’s overwhelming, it could just be me.
“Yeah. That’s okay. But Tio Arthur will be there too, right?” The way she says Tio is so sweet. It sounds like chee-oh.
“When we’re with the horses, he will be, yes. And Rosemary, the person behind me, will be there, too. She’s very nice, and she’s been riding horses longer than I’ve been alive.” I state it like the fact it is, not animating my voice any more than necessary.
“And how long have you been alive?” Her father clears his throat, then, giving her hand a squeeze, but I look up at him and smile to let him know it’s okay.
“Twenty-seven years. How about you?”
“Five years and eleven months. I’m almost six. Can we go now? I want to meet the horse.” She’s so straight to the point. I love it.
“We can. Would it be okay with you if Rosemary and your uncle help you pick out a helmet and some other gear? You probably won’t need them today, but it’s good for us to be prepared and for you to know what they feel like. Pickle can come, too. I have to do some boring paperwork with your dad before I join you.”
“Yep. That would be okay because Tio Arthur will be there.” Looking up at her dad, she lets his hand go. “Come on, Pickle. We’re going to meet a horse today,” she whispers as she hugs her stuffed friend.
With all the confidence in the world, she walks over to Rosemary, introduces herself, and asks if they can go get her horse helmet.
“I like your style, Cecilia. You don’t waste any time,” Ro says to her as they walk away.
