Page 80 of The Outsider
I laughed. “Don’t speak too soon; there’s still the entire ride home.”
John kept a hold on Bella’s reins to keep her with us, and we rode at a relatively slow pace out to the woods, following a trail towards Summerhurst. Thankfully, there wasn’t nearly as much snow in the Valley as outside it.
“Technically,” John said, pointing ahead of us at a tree marked with a red X, “once we cross that, we’ll be on Summerhurst land.”
We rode for about fifteen more minutes. I'd never seen the woods on horseback, and I quite enjoyed the experience, especially because my fiancé’s warm, firm body was pressed up against mine the whole time. I leaned back into him, and he kissed my hair as we began to climb the side of a slope.
“Once we reach the top of this hill,” John said, “you’ll see it.”
My stomach jumped as we reached the summit, and the landscape that stretched out before us took my breath away.
In the distance, across several fields, there stood an enormous white farmhouse, almost blending into the snowy landscape, except for sunlight glinting off the glass windows. It was two storeys, with dark shutters on all the windows, and the biggest porch I'd ever seen, which wrapped around the whole house, supported by white columns. I could just make out a faded red front door. Off to the side, there was a large red barn and a collection of other, smaller buildings. The place was huge in comparison to any home I'd ever seen back in the compound.
I was suddenly aware that my mouth was hanging open, because John chuckled.
“You lived here?” I managed.
“You like it?” he asked a little shyly, smiling.
“It's...incredible,” I said, my eyes wide, and he kissed my cheek before urging Ghost and Bella on.
We approached a series of outbuildings, which John pointed out for me as we went.
“Storage,” he said, gesturing at a squat, grey building, then counted off the tall, white brick buildings near it. “Utility shed. Distillery. Workshop. The mill is on the opposite end of the property, because that’s where the river is.”
I felt like my eyes were bugging out of my head as we passed each of them.
“Obviously, the barn,” John continued, pointing at the big red building ahead of us, then at a smaller, brown building next to it. “Stable for the horses, which is where we’re headed. The chicken coop is on the other side. We’ll have to spend some time getting the animals settled back in today.”
I nodded as if I knew anything about what that entailed as we closed in on the stable. John hopped off Ghost’s back and led both horses towards the gate of a large paddock that enclosed the back of the stable and barn. He opened it and walked us across the pasture to the back door of the stable, then gave it a hard shove.
The door squealed painfully as he pushed it open, hinges badly needing oil. Ghost walked into the stable on her own and Bella followed—they still clearly felt right at home. John took my hand and helped me dismount. He went to start unsaddling Ghost.
“Wait,” I said, and he stopped, giving me a quizzical look.
“You not get enough?” he said, raising an eyebrow. “You did good today, but we have a lot to do. We can ride again tomorrow if you want.”
I shook my head. “Not me. I wanted to see you ride. It’s only fair…unless, of course, you’re the chicken one.”
It was a childish taunt, but I knew it’d work. John never backed down from a challenge, even one so juvenile.
Sure enough, he grinned and led Ghost toward the back of the stable. I followed him out into the wide-open space and watched as he mounted Ghost as easily as he climbed out of bed in the morning.
I stopped for a moment to admire John on horseback. He cut a striking figure in his leather hunting jacket, sitting up tall, all sharp angles and masculine grace. He looked completely in control, reins clasped in hand and his jaw set in concentration. A slight flush rose to my cheek; I never thought I’d be turned on by horseback riding, but there was a first for everything.
“Come on,” I said, grinning. “You have to at least show me a bit of what you can do.”
“I'm rusty,” he protested, and maybe that would've worked on a stranger, but I knew him better than that.
“Go on, then,” I said with an exaggerated shrug. “You said I was doing well, so I've set the bar. Rise to the challenge.”
John laughed. “Alright, alright. Wouldn’t want to be shown up by my rookie wife now, would I?”
Wife.My heart still beat faster whenever he called me that. I wanted it to be official so badly. I wanted to wear his ring and take his name and be a part of this place that he obviously loved so much. I wanted to belong here, and by extension, belong to him—always. I’d had a taste of what family and community could mean for the first time in my life, and it awakened a painful yearning. With my passionless assigned marriage and my dysfunctional family, I hadn’t known what I was missing until now.
John clicked his tongue and Ghost started forwards. Gradually, he urged her into a full-on gallop around the paddock, rapidly switching directions and holding the form he had taught me earlier. It was as I suspected: he was good, but acted like it was nothing. He had a unique ability to pick things up quickly with an ease and confidence that would make anyone feel inadequate. Anything that involved active participation to learn, he was able to simply absorb, as if by osmosis. He may not have read Hemingway or known what the Eiffel Tower was, and the so-called ‘guardians of culture’ at the Cave would’ve sneered at him, but he was the smartest person I’d ever met.
Galloping around the paddock, he looked happy, like he was finally back where he belonged, and it made me feel warm inside.
