Throw Your Heart Over

Chapter Eleven Part 12

Chapter Eleven

Christine looked in the mirror. Yes, she did clean up nicely, if she said so herself.

Her hair was finally long enough to mostly behave. She'd put on a bit of makeup, and the dress was in the bright colours that Norm insisted on. He was right. She looked okay. Well, maybe a little better than okay. She thought she might make it as far as pretty.

With a final twirl, she headed down the stairs to wait for Trey.

Nicholas was at the table, reading something. He looked up, and looked at her for a moment.

"Off on your date then?"

Christine thought it was obvious - this wasn't the way she dressed for the office or the barn.

"Yes. I think I'm a little early."

"Say hello to Trey for me. I'm going to check on the horses."

He dropped the paper and left for the lobby. Christine lost a bit of her bubbly feeling. Couldn't he have said something nice? Maybe she didn't look as good as she thought, or maybe he was just so used to models like Lissa that she looked pretty plain in consequence. She sat down, put her purse down, then back in her lap. She heard a vehicle drive around the back, and was relieved to be able to get up and go. Trey knocked on the door and she let him in.

"Hi."

"Hi. Wow, you look lovely."

And the good feeling was back again. It wasn't going to last.

"Thank you. I can just put on my coat-"

Suddenly footsteps came running across the yard from the barn. Nicholas pulled the door open, panting. "Colic. The Rocket."

"I've got my stuff in the truck" Trey turned to Christine.

"Go. " she said.

Trey and Nicholas ran to the truck. Trey grabbed overalls and passed some bags to Nicholas and the two ran to the barn.

Christine flew upstairs, tossed off the dress and pulled on some warm jeans. She made coffee, put it in a thermos and followed them to the barn.

They were in the arena - Nicholas was walking The Rocket who was sweating and tossing his head. He was kicking at his stomach, and Nicholas was urging him to keep walking. Trey was preparing some kind of medicine. It was the start of a long night.

Christine wasn't sure all that they did. She ran for anything they needed and kept making coffee. She would have liked to help calm T, but he was too distressed to notice she was there. She saw the fear in Nicholas' eyes and the concentration in Trey and kept saying "Please, please, please, over and over...

By morning, it was finally done. T was calm and sleepy. The three people were exhausted, but relieved.

"Breakfast?" Christine asked, as the three of them sat in the aisle, watching T.

"Great." Trey said, with a tired smile.

"Are you cooking?" Nicholas asked.

Trey looked over. Christine was annoyed. "I can surely make oatmeal."

Nicholas stood. "I'm not so sure. I'll do breakfast."

Trey stood, looking confused. Nicholas strode out of the barn.

"I'm not much of a cook." Christine confessed.

"You did a good job with the coffee last night." he assured her.