Page 15 of Time To Learn

His eyes flicker between me, the bucket, and Ailith outside the stall—I glance at her through the bars, satisfied she’s keeping her promise and hasn’t come closer—as he backs further into the corner. It breaks my heart, but at least his ears aren’t lying flat at his neck anymore. Instead, he opens his mouth, yawning wide, and I have to suppress a chuckle as he stretches his neck, eyes half closed.

“Okay, I’m just going to feed you now, Thunder,” I whisper, raising my arm slightly up to my left. Quickly, but as quietly as I can manage, I pour the grain into his trough, before I back slowly away and out of his stall. He takes two steps towards me as I stop, and I gasp softly as his nose touches my arm briefly. Then he shifts, his long, thick mane hanging down his side giving away his breed, and he goes to his trough.

On a long sigh, I close the door, relieved and moved that he actually touchedme.

Ailith stops singing and skips towards me, her arms raised in theair.

“You did it, Mummy,” she whisper-shouts.

Grinning at her, I place the bucket on the floor, before I give her a weak highfive.

“You were right. He just needs time, and that’s what we’ll keep givinghim.”

She nods, putting her fists in her sides. “Do you think he liked me singing tohim?”

“Absolutely.”

It’s not a lie. I have no doubt that it helped to have Ailith’s beautiful voice take some of Thunder’s attention away fromme.

“Okay,” I say and move back to the feeding trolley, rubbing my hands with glee. “Onto the next, and then we need to get Malik ready.” I glance at the small pocket watch I inherited from Dad that hangs on my flannel shirt. “They should be here in about two hours.”

With joy in my heart at the morning’s success, I push the trolley forward, and I can’t help but look back at Thunder’s stall as we go about our business. His head is up, turned in my direction as he leans up against the door, and I smile athim.

Then I laugh when he snorts and backsaway.

“Stubborn,” I murmur.

Then I focus on the rest of the horses before time runs away with me again.

* * *

Three hours later,I watch the trailer with Malik inside, as Mr. and Mrs. Preston drive away. Their daughter—Amanda, a fourteen-year-old girl with a bubbly personality—waves at us from the backseat.

“I promise to ring you and let you know how Malik is in a couple of days,” she calls out before she rolls up the window.

Ailith leans into my side and I wrap my arm around her shoulders.

“He’ll be fine,” Mum murmurs from her spot on my otherside.

Nodding, I smile at the retreatingcar.

“Yes, he will. I’m glad Amanda still seems completely besotted withhim.”

Mum’s arm comes around my waist and I look ather.

“They’ll go far, those two. And –,” she waves the cheque Mr. Preston handed to her in front of my nose, “this will keep our books in the black for a while, too.”

“Always aplus.”

But for howlong?

“Oh, Laura, don’t wrinkle your nose at me,” Mum scolds.

I try to clear the worry from my eyes before I meet hergaze.

“We’ll be fine.” Her eyes don’t waver from mine. “We always willbe.”

I wish I had her confidence, but I know the books better than she does. Still, I don’t want to ruin her good mood, so I just smile ather.