Forever Beautiful by Suzette D. Harrison

Author:Suzette D. Harrison
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Suzette D. Harrison

Fifteen

Watching a man who knows who he is and what he’s gifted and born to do wasn’t merely impressive. It was magnetic. I wanted to place my hand on top of his as Packer passed the brush he’d retrieved from the stable through Luz’s mane with the same care Mama or I would show a client. He even spoke to that animal in what felt like some secret, intimate language intermittently sprinkled with words I didn’t comprehend. Theirs was an endearing bonding routine. With every stroke of that brush, I felt myself being pulled in.

“What you just said to Luz… it included words that weren’t English.”

He looked at me, a question in his expression.

“Was that your Seminole native language?”

His face seemed peaceful despite that scar dividing his left eyebrow—typically exaggerating his no-nonsense countenance. “Yes. Maskókî.”

“May I ask what you said?”

He paused his grooming to approach where I waited at a safe distance. “I told this old boy he has a close future with the nearest glue factory if he embarrasses me.”

“Packer! You didn’t.”

“Ask him.”

He made a clicking sound with tongue and teeth. Luz responded immediately, moving towards us until Packer made another sound that brought the animal to a halt a mere arm’s length away that I considered too close for my liking. Gazing up at that horse I decided I was asking him nothing.

“Breathe, Floretta. Slowly. Calmly. And focus on me.”

“How’d you get that scar?” I pointed at Packer’s left eyebrow, stalling, yet genuinely interested.

“If I tell you, you gonna cooperate and do this?”

“Yes.”

“It happened ten years back. My youngest brother told me a spider was on me. I took off running, tripped over a two-by-four and busted my head open.”

I snorted to keep from laughing at an image of his big, powerful self running from an itty bitty, eight-legged something. “You’re scared of spiders?”

“Fear ain’t nothing but a dose of humility. You ready?”

I swallowed that wisdom and stopped my stalling.

My eyes never left his as he spoke short, rhythmic words in his language. I may not have understood, but obviously Luz did, snorting softly in response.

“He’s ready to welcome you.” Packer took my hand, gently but firmly leading me to Luz, approaching at an angle rather than head-on. He spoke quietly. “Take your time… avert your gaze a bit⁠—”

“Why?”

“Not always… but sometimes—depending on what the spirit's holding—a person can be perceived as challenging or threatening, staring eye-to-eye.”

I focused on Luz’s flank, thinking on the things I’d faced head-on in recent days that required more strength and tenacity than I knew I possessed. I’d faced them sometimes in fear. And still lived. Survival had me smelling myself, releasing Packer’s hand and approaching Luz like somebody lied and told me I was an excellent, experienced horsewoman.

“Hello, Luz.” I moved slowly, voice muted, approaching from the side as instructed. “I’m Flo.”

“Good. See the way his ears flicked? He’s paying attention. When you’re ready, offer him your arm and let him sniff you. Slowly.”

I knew by the sound of Packer’s voice that he wasn’t far behind.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.