Live Wire by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

Author:Pamela Fagan Hutchins [Hutchins, Pamela Fagan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pamela Fagan Hutchins
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-One

Gene makes a step out of his hands and flexes his legs. Standing beside the tall mare with the big belly, Maggie stares at him from under a cowboy hat. He’s pretending none of the emotional conversation earlier happened, and she appreciates it.

“Put your foot in my hand. I’m giving you a leg up.”

“Ah. Last time I used a mounting block. That worked pretty well.” She manages a half smile. The Excedrin she took before she left her cabin is starting to work on her headache.

“We’re expanding your capabilities.”

Even with his help she struggles to capture the saddle horn and mount gracefully. “Getting on this creature, I’m like a bear on a balance beam.”

“Bears are pretty graceful. I was thinking more like a fish flopping around in the bottom of a boat.”

She gives him a middle finger salute.

“There’s the Maggie I know and love.”

“Aww. You love me.”

He rolls his eyes. “Stay within sight and shouting distance, in case you have trouble.”

“I’ll be fine, Grandma.”

He pats Lily’s rump. “Take Louise with you.”

Maggie rides out. She plans to follow the route Hank used for her tour, but that is soon foiled by closed gates. There’s no way she’s getting on and off Lily without someone around to help. Plus, closed gates could mean bull encounters on the other side. No, thank you. Even without bulls, she’s nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Lily seems jumpy, too.

Maggie follows fence line until Louise leads them to an open gate half a mile away to the south of ranch headquarters. The land there is rugged, with deep gulches filled with trees and rimmed with rocky ledges. Louise flushes five white-tailed deer from a draw. Lily snorts and hops, then plants her feet.

Maggie grabs the saddle horn. “Easy, girl.” She strokes the glossy black neck.

Lily huffs, then sighs and continues on. The land slopes uphill toward the mountains. As they draw closer to them, the pitch upward dramatically increases.

“Let’s just go to the top of this ridge, then we can turn around.”

Lily’s shoulders roll as she climbs. She stops for a breath and snatches a bite of grass.

“Come on.” Maggie nudges the horse with her heels and gets no response. “Yah, Lily.”

The mare ignores her. She’s stopped in the midst of tall shrubs with sagging branches of deep red berries. Lily shoves them aside to get to the grass underneath.

“Carrying a big foal in there must be hungry business.” Maggie gives in and puts the reins over the saddle horn. She snaps a selfie with her body turned so Lily’s head is in the shot, then takes a few pictures of the scenery. She shoves the phone back in her pocket. Lily is chewing with determination, her mouth stuffed with grass.

Maggie gathers the reins. “Enough. Let’s go.” She squeezes with her legs, nudges with her heels, and gets nowhere. She kicks the horse’s flanks. Lily keeps eating. Finally, she gathers her courage and smacks Lily’s shoulder with her palm. Maggie’s hand burns.

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