Rudolfo waved us through. I sucked in a deep breath as my horse pushed ahead as if anticipating a good stretch of the legs. Well, me too. I was up for this and Rudolfo must think I was ready. Tesoro would take care of me. That much I knew. Hadn’t she always been meek and responsive in the corral?
Sliding off his mount, Rudolfo closed the gate behind us. The sun had burned away the dew. Wild grasses released their scent on the morning breeze, along with the lavender.
Once Rudolfo was back on his horse, we were off. Tesoro took up the relaxed canter I loved. My body moved to the rhythm. Soon we were in the woods, taking the trails that Gregorio and Lexi no doubt took. I needed this and sat up straighter in the saddle.
Oh my. Didn’t see that branch coming. I ducked, but not before the willowy branch had whipped across my cheek. Boy, that smarted. I wanted to check to see if I was bleeding but Tesoro was picking up speed. I didn’t want to lose my grip on the reins. Turning around, Rudolfo made a squatting motion. What was he saying? His lips moved but the words came to me in unintelligible chunks.
“Duck?” I called out. “Are you telling me to bend over?”
Whap. This time the branch came from the side.
Good heavens. Crouching over the horse, I tried to murmur sweet nothings to my partner. “Now, Tesoro, let’s take it easy.”
His lips pursed into a tight knot, Rudolfo turned back to me again. What the heck was he saying? Tesoro was straining at the tight reins, shaking her head the way I did to loosen my ponytail. This girl wanted to run. Our outing was getting scary. “Not now. Slow down, Tesoro.”
She shook her head again, that golden mane ending up in my teeth. So much for comradery.
Just when I thought I might die on this horse, the path emptied into a clearing. Those pesky bushes and saplings were left behind. “Good girl, good girl.” I patted Tesoro’s neck but she seemed to shake me off.
Holding up his reins, Rudolfo showed me how he’d tightened his. Why of course. But when I tightened the reins, Tesoro––my buddy, my friend––came to a halt. We stood there in the clearing, perfectly still. Crickets chirped around us. Birds sang from the trees. But we weren’t going anywhere. Her tail swished behind me. Nonchalant as all get out, Tesoro lowered her head and munched the grasses. I sneezed. Maybe all this outside beauty was getting to me. For one exhausted moment, I wanted to slide off the darned mare and limp back to the stables. How far could that be?
Thighs burning, hands stinging and behind aching, I was feeling pretty old. Beyond my “sell date,” as the kids would say. Not at all like that Gabriella who had flitted into the castle like some exotic bird.
Rudolfo nudged his mount next to mine and peered at me from beneath those shaggy brows. “O-kay?”
I expelled a sigh. “Sure. I’m fine. O-kay.” No way was I going down like this. I brought my head up.
Nodding, Rudolfo again took the lead. I must have imagined that grin tilting his lips. After all, he was a kind man. Loosening the reins, I clucked to Tesoro.
Nothing. No motion. None whatsoever. She wanted to eat the grass.
Up ahead, Rudolfo swiveled around in his seat. “Tesoro,tu vieni.”
The darn horse bolted forward like she’d been touched with a prod.
All the rest of the ride from hell, I was painfully alert. Every twitch of Tesoro’s ears, I was ready to collapse over her neck like the darned pasta we ate almost every night. Somewhere along the way, Rudolfo must have circled back. When the stable came into view, I wanted to weep.
My entire body felt tense and achy from holding my body erect. Rudolfo dismounted, came over and grabbed Tesoro’s reins.
“Thank you. Oh, thank you.” I slid to the ground, my boots hitting the ground with a painful lurch.
“Si, si.” He threw that out casually. Not very encouraging. Clucking to Tesoro, Rudolfo led her back to the stall. No way would I take off her saddle and stroke her down today. She’d turned on me. As I limped from the stable, I thought I heard Rudolfo crooning a tune to Tesoro.
Really? This felt all around traitorous.
Or had they both been making fun of me?
With a sniff, I kept walking. The uneven ground made it difficult. Every part of my body ached. In trying to avoid injury, it seemed that I’d irritated every tendon in my body, from my shoulders to my calves. That big inviting bathtub adjoining my room? No time for that now. But tonight I would spend quality time in that tub.
* * *
In the classroomlater that morning, we finishedGreat Gatsby. “Told you the guy dies in the end,” I heard Lexi whisper to Gregorio.
“That is life.” His face was set in acceptance. What other sadness had Gregorio accepted in his lifetime? The loss of his mother was probably at the top of the list. My heart went out to him. How had she died? Bianca must have been very young.
The lesson ended. I assigned the first three chapters ofTo Kill A Mockingbird.
“Your father, I mean, His Majesty, mentioned that we might have movie night tonight,” I told Gregorio.
