The Gift: A Horse, a Boy, and a Miracle of Love by Lauraine Snelling

Author:Lauraine Snelling
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: Tehachapi Mountains of California, Turner McNeally, Cody, horse, Rebecca Wilkinson, lonely, widow, Jonah Wilkson, eight-year-old boy who doesn’t talk, therapy animal, Christmas, gift from God, miracle of love, Christian, fiction, romance
Publisher: eChristian, Inc.
Published: 2012-11-06T05:00:00+00:00

Seven

Lady, you are going to ruin that boy.

Jonah waved good-bye before getting in the car. Rebecca stared straight ahead.

Get over it, McNeally. If she wants to baby him, that’s her right. He’s her son after all. Shame they left early. No, more than a shame—downright sad. Mac shrugged into his sheepskin vest and, whistling for Bungee, he headed out to the cow pasture. This time he’d walk it; he needed the exercise and he needed to pound on something. Dirt was good for that.

You shouldn’t have said that.

I know. It just slipped out.

You are usually so careful about what you say.

I know it! I said it just slipped out.

You better call her and apologize.

For what?

You know for what.

“Good grief, Lord, is this You telling me all this or just my overactive imagination?”

Bungee leaped at his side, yipping his answer, whether he understood the question or not.

After checking the water trough, Mac counted the cows and watched to see if anything appeared unusual. All there and no obvious difficulties. He turned and headed back to the house, the dark empty house that, if he’d kept his mouth shut, might still have the warm presence of an interesting woman and her just-as-interesting son.

He glanced at his watch and picked up the pace. Perhaps Dani would call tonight. Two hours’ difference, seven o’clock there. He took the steps to the deck two at a time and pulled off his boots at the jack. Time for slippers, a cup of coffee, his chair, and the Sunday paper. Perhaps there would be a good movie on tonight. If not, he had a stack of books to be read, with a good suspense on top.

The phone rang just as he poured his coffee. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hey, Dani, I was hoping you’d call.”

“Not sinking into loneliness, are you?”

“No, in fact I had company for dinner, Rebecca Wilkinson and her son, Jonah. They answered that ad I told you about, so I’m helping Jonah and Cody get to be friends.”

“And you invited them to dinner? Way cool. How does Cody like them?”

“Just fine. You know how he loves attention, but I think that horse reads people better than most psychologists. What’s going on with you?”

“What did you mean about reading people?”

“Well, Jonah has a bit of a problem. He lost his daddy four years ago and hasn’t spoken a word since.”

“That poor little kid. What happened?”

“Military.”

“Oh.” A pause stretched before she continued. “I hope Cody can help him like he did me.”

“Me, too.” If they ever come back. Me and my big mouth. Mac shook his head and sighed. But if she keeps on like she is, he will be ruined for life.

“Dad?”

Her tone gave him the feeling he missed something she’d said. “Sorry, Honey, I got sidetracked for a minute. Did you ask me something?”

“Are you all right?”

Am I all right? Good question. “Sure I am.” He hoped she didn’t pick up on the effort it took to say those three little words. “So, back to my question, what’s happening with you?”

“Well, I called to ask if you’ve reserved my tickets yet.

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