Tomorrow

"Nah, I'm just keeping an eye on her." Eric slowly leaves the stall and waits for Ashlee before closing and latching the door. "Mick likes to be present whenever a foal comes - and Jim, since he's a vet in case anything happens." He pauses and nods. "See, this is the most I've been around here in a long time. I drove truck for many years so I..."

He stops and shrugs then heads back towards the barn door. "Sometimes it's hard for a man to find his place again," he concludes. He didn't really expect Ashlee to understand. She didn't know his history. She didn't know that sometimes he felt like a burden around here. But that was how it should be.

Forcing a smile, he heads out of the barn and shuts off the lights. "It's getting pretty late for you isn't it? Especially... when you're gonna come help me in here tomorrow after you're done with your schoolwork?" He had a feeling she'd jump at the invitation.


"Eh, it's alright." Jeff shrugs and falls into step with Stacy once again. "I like it best now... warm days, cool nights. Winter time gets pretty cold but we hardly ever get snow. Summer's when it gets beastly hot. Once in a while we have to worry about water but not too often."

Becoming quiet for a moment or two, he seems to be thinking. "So if... Dylan doesn't come back... you still staying as our lookout anyway?"

So Cool

Coming into the stall Ashlee does her best to not startle the horse. Walking up close to Eric Ashlee puts her hand next to his and waits. Feeling the horse move around a big smile spreads across Ashlee's face as she looks up at Eric.

"I can feel it. Wow, that is so cool."

Moving her hand to rub buttercups neck Ashlee pets her gentility before giving her a soft kiss and looking back to Eric.

"Wow that's really cool. Are you going to be in charge of helping her?"

Stacy give another smile and nods. Jeff was right everyone was put in each others lives for a reason.

"Yeah, I think your right. I think we ended up here for a good reason."

Pushing off the fence Stacy puts her hands in her pockets before nodding for Jeff to follow again as she walked.

"So, how's the weather the rest of the year?"

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Paths

Eric grins at Ashlee's enthusiasm and starts down towards the other end of the barn. "Oh, she's about eleven months now." He chuckles. "Lasts a little longer with horses, ya know."

Arriving down at the larger box stalls, he stops at Buttercup's and opens the latch. Sliding open the door, he steps inside and gestures Ashlee to follow him.

The palomino mare nickers and turns from her supper to greet her visitors with interest. Eric scratches her under the chin. "Hey, you. How ya doing, huh?"

She chews her hay and pricks her ears forward, extending her nose to sniff Ashlee. Eric moves to the mare's belly and sets his hand down low. Smiling, he motions Ashlee closer. "Come here." He places her hand near his where they could feel the foal moving around. "There's an active one in there." He chuckles. Patting Buttercup's back, he gives her some loving. "Yeah... I'd say either tonight or tomorrow night we'll have a foal."


Jeff squints a little and shakes his head, still smiling. "Naw. I don't think the moonlight has anything to do with it."

Glancing down for a moment, he was a little sheepish, but he was telling her the truth. Looking back up at her, he shifts his weight, his shoulder resting against hers lightly. Still leaning on the fence, he nods. "Yeah... I don't know how other people without God make it through their own hard times."

He turns his head, his eyes roaming Stacy's face. "Sometimes I think God puts new people in our paths to help ease some of that past pain.

Hard Times

Just continuing to look out into the dark seeing the dots of the stars and the faint two lights Stacy takes in the moment. Things felt right, good and like they were getting better and she was happy.

"It's comforting knowing no matter how big anything us God is never far away. I think that's what's helped me get through the hard times."

Finally looking to Jeff a bit of color comes to her cheeks at his comment. She hadn't heard someone genuinely say that in a long time it was nice.

"Thank you. I think its the moonlight enhancing it though."

Stacy gives another laugh. It felt nice to have a friend here. Jeff was nice and made her feel very welcome.

Ashlee's eyes light up at the mention of the horse. She hadn't seen buttercup yet but she sure was excited too.

"Yeah I'll come that sounds like fun. How far along is she now?"

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