“Artax not Ajax. Got it, got it.” Sanders repeated to himself. Artax not Ajax. That little mantra would repeat in his head every time he said the horse’s name. Forever ingrained. Serving as a mnemonic device for the unfamiliar name.
Akiko escaped his tickling fingers and moved to walk next to the teacher. Sanders shrugged and strode confidently ahead. He tied off Epona outside the barn before they all moved inside and passed the empty stalls until they reached Artax not Ajax.
“Careful there.” He cautioned Akiko stepping up to stabilize her with his hands on her shoulders. His booted foot simultaneously pressed down on the stool sending it back to all fours for her. “Don’t want you to fall in sweetheart.” Once Akiko seemed safe, Sanders backed away from her. His phone vibrated in his pocket as Lochellen complimented the stallion.
Sanders glanced at the name that flashed on his screen and frowned. He halfway shoved the phone back into his pocket but pulled it out again after a moment’s hesitation. “Sorry. Excuse me.” He apologized and accepted the call moving back towards the barn entrance for a little privacy.
Keeping his voice low, Sanders paced nearby kicking at loose straw as he seemed to plead with someone on the other line. His voice rose and fell in volume as he turned towards and away from the girls as he paced. Clips of conversation rose over the sound of his boots crunching straw and scraping the ground. “Akiko...riding lesson….no, it is perfectly safe…” He stopped suddenly standing with feet wide apart at shoulder’s length and stared down at his feet. “Fine. Yes. Okay. I will.”
The phone was lowered from his face and Sanders moved back towards the girls. “Akiko, your mother would like to speak with you.” He held the cell out for his daughter sighing as he waited for her to accept it. “We’ll take," Artax not Ajax repeated in his mind triggering his memory, "Artax out and get ‘em saddled up for you, okay?”
“Sorry about that.” He apologized to Lochellen trying to smile to dissipate any tension he’d exhibited. Sanders moved to retrieve the saddle he’d set aside for Akiko that morning. “Her mother is... you know what, nevermind. I won’t say anything else.” Sanders' mama had taught him not to say anything at all if he couldn't say something nice. And at that particular moment he couldn't think of anything nice to say about his daughter's mother.
He held out the saddle to the teacher changing the subject from Akiko’s mother. “You’ll have to learn me on jump saddling. I’ve never done it myself. In fact, is it alright for her to wear her glasses? Should we have gotten her some contacts?”
He swung the door to the stall open and stepped inside. He held his hand out for the horse just as Akiko had and Artax turned his head away finding the man had no treats to offer. Sanders ran his fingers over the side of the stallion’s face and patted his neck as he walked around the side of the animal. Artax stepped aside making room for the new addition to his stall.
Akiko escaped his tickling fingers and moved to walk next to the teacher. Sanders shrugged and strode confidently ahead. He tied off Epona outside the barn before they all moved inside and passed the empty stalls until they reached Artax not Ajax.
“Careful there.” He cautioned Akiko stepping up to stabilize her with his hands on her shoulders. His booted foot simultaneously pressed down on the stool sending it back to all fours for her. “Don’t want you to fall in sweetheart.” Once Akiko seemed safe, Sanders backed away from her. His phone vibrated in his pocket as Lochellen complimented the stallion.
Sanders glanced at the name that flashed on his screen and frowned. He halfway shoved the phone back into his pocket but pulled it out again after a moment’s hesitation. “Sorry. Excuse me.” He apologized and accepted the call moving back towards the barn entrance for a little privacy.
Keeping his voice low, Sanders paced nearby kicking at loose straw as he seemed to plead with someone on the other line. His voice rose and fell in volume as he turned towards and away from the girls as he paced. Clips of conversation rose over the sound of his boots crunching straw and scraping the ground. “Akiko...riding lesson….no, it is perfectly safe…” He stopped suddenly standing with feet wide apart at shoulder’s length and stared down at his feet. “Fine. Yes. Okay. I will.”
The phone was lowered from his face and Sanders moved back towards the girls. “Akiko, your mother would like to speak with you.” He held the cell out for his daughter sighing as he waited for her to accept it. “We’ll take," Artax not Ajax repeated in his mind triggering his memory, "Artax out and get ‘em saddled up for you, okay?”
“Sorry about that.” He apologized to Lochellen trying to smile to dissipate any tension he’d exhibited. Sanders moved to retrieve the saddle he’d set aside for Akiko that morning. “Her mother is... you know what, nevermind. I won’t say anything else.” Sanders' mama had taught him not to say anything at all if he couldn't say something nice. And at that particular moment he couldn't think of anything nice to say about his daughter's mother.
He held out the saddle to the teacher changing the subject from Akiko’s mother. “You’ll have to learn me on jump saddling. I’ve never done it myself. In fact, is it alright for her to wear her glasses? Should we have gotten her some contacts?”
He swung the door to the stall open and stepped inside. He held his hand out for the horse just as Akiko had and Artax turned his head away finding the man had no treats to offer. Sanders ran his fingers over the side of the stallion’s face and patted his neck as he walked around the side of the animal. Artax stepped aside making room for the new addition to his stall.
Bitch, I'm limited edition.
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Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 11-07-2016, 10:41 AM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 11-08-2016, 12:08 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 11-08-2016, 07:24 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 11-09-2016, 04:33 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 11-10-2016, 04:05 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 11-10-2016, 05:35 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 11-11-2016, 12:46 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 11-16-2016, 01:07 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 11-16-2016, 04:30 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 12-01-2016, 08:54 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 12-03-2016, 07:03 AM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 12-04-2016, 12:29 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 12-07-2016, 03:38 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 12-08-2016, 01:49 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 12-24-2016, 02:44 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 12-24-2016, 04:13 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 02-05-2017, 09:45 AM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 04-30-2017, 12:24 AM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 04-30-2017, 06:44 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 05-12-2017, 11:21 AM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 05-15-2017, 11:00 AM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 05-18-2017, 01:11 AM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 05-21-2017, 04:53 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 05-27-2017, 06:25 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 05-29-2017, 03:46 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 06-09-2017, 10:03 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 06-24-2017, 09:15 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 06-27-2017, 12:44 AM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 07-23-2017, 08:57 AM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 08-03-2017, 05:52 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 08-08-2017, 05:53 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 08-13-2017, 06:56 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 10-09-2017, 07:32 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 10-24-2017, 12:20 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 11-06-2017, 01:58 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 11-22-2017, 01:43 AM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by saronym - 03-15-2018, 12:41 AM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 01-05-2018, 07:52 PM
RE: Summer Reins [Closed] - by megs - 04-01-2018, 04:35 AM