Chapter 2: Brad’s Challenge-1
1421 Words
Chapter 2: Brad’s Challenge
Brad walked down the aisleway in the show barn where Reynolds Quarter Horses had their horses stabled. There were twelve in all. Ten were horses that were being shown by Hank’s students. Two were horses that belonged to the Reynolds Quarter Horse business. Hank would be showing them himself.
Brad was on his way to the barn office but paused as he passed the entrance to the arena and looked in. A few of Hank’s protégés had arrived overnight. Hank and several other trainers were working with their students. The first show started two days after Christmas, now just four days away. Hank was astride Desert Jewel, his big black stallion, the one he had been riding when Brad had first met him when he had gone with David to a horse show. Brad had instantly fallen in love with the cowboy. Hank would be showing the horse again this week.
Brad leaned against the rail and watched for a few minutes. He felt a surge of pride. He was the boyfriend and partner of that handsome stud cowboy on that beautiful horse. He was proud too that while some of the other trainers were yelling at their kids, Hank calmly instructed his with an air of patient confidence. No wonder his services were in such high demand on the circuit. Hank looked toward him. He smiled and waved. Brad waved back. Brad felt a warm glow. Despite missing home, his dads and Claudia, being here with his man made him very happy.
After a few more minutes watching the activities in the arena Brad continued to the show office. Brad wasn’t just here as Hank’s boyfriend. He and Hank had taken over the business from Hank’s folks a couple of years back. He was the business manager for the operation, and he was on his way to work on making out a show schedule for Hank and his clients.
“Hi, Megan,” Brad said to the pretty, red-haired office manager as he walked in the door of the stable office. “Can I use a computer in here? The wi-fi out in the show grounds camping area isn’t picking us up.”
“Sure, Brad. Help yourself,” she said, indicating he should come around the front counter. She pointed to a desk with a computer that wasn’t being used.
“I’m sorry you aren’t picking up the wi-fi signal. I’ll report it. They’ll get it fixed soon.”
“Trying to figure out a class schedule for our clients and print out the patterns for equitation, horsemanship and showmanship, as well as the pleasure classes,” he said, sitting down at the desk.
As the computer booted up, he felt a cold nose on his leg. He looked down to see the face of a sweet-looking German shepherd dog staring up at him. He ruffed the back of its neck.
“Hi there,” he said. The dog’s tail thumped the floor.
Megan turned around and laughed. “That’s Susie. She’s the official barn greeter. She’s spending most of her time in the office now she’s had her pups.” Calling to the dog Megan said, “Suze, don’t you go bothering Brad. He’s got work to do.” Susie paid no attention to her. She kept her head on Brad’s leg and her tail thumping out encouragement for the man to keep petting.
“I don’t mind,” said Brad, happily giving in to the dog’s request for attention. “My dads had a shepherd named Annie. She passed away a couple of years ago. I miss her. They have a big ol' lab and a boxer mix now. But I sure liked Annie. Shepherds are a special breed.”
Megan agreed.
“You said she had pups. You think she’d mind if I saw them?”
“Not in the slightest,” Megan replied. “She loves showin’ ‘em off. Susie, Brad wants to see your babies.”
As if she understood, Susie rose and trotted off toward a door in the back of the office. She pushed it open with her nose and disappeared inside. Brad and Megan followed her into the room. There, in a box in one corner, was a puppy pile of sleeping babies, six in all. Brad knelt beside the box. Susie sat at his side and sniffed each of her puppies. One by one they yawned and stretched. Becoming aware they had company, they began to get up and vie for Brad’s attention, spilling out of the box and onto the floor.
Brad sat down with crossed legs. The puppies piled into his lap, reaching up to lick his face. He laughed and picked up one after the other and snuggled them against his cheek. Susie lay down next to him, looking very proud and pleased.
“Don’t you just love the smell of puppy breath?” he said to Megan, who leaned on the door jamb smiling at the scene. She laughed and nodded.
“They look about ready to leave for new homes. Are they for sale?” Brad asked, an idea forming in his head.
“Yeah, they are, but I’m afraid they’re all spoken for. Little Greta there,” Megan said, indicating the smallest of the litter who was valiantly trying to scale Brad’s leg and get into his lap, “was just bought this morning as a matter of fact.”
Disappointed, Brad picked up the little girl dog and held her in front of his nose. She reached out her tiny pink tongue and kissed the tip.
Brad sighed. “I’m sorry, little one. I hope you’re goin’ to a good home cuz I sure woulda liked ta take you home with me. We woulda had a good time together.”
After playing with the puppies for a while longer Brad got up. The pups were all returned to their box and Susie climbed in for a feeding.
“They sure are cute,” Brad said as he and Megan walked back into the office. “I really woulda liked to take Greta home. She’s a sweet little dog.”
Megan didn’t respond. She just smiled.
Brad worked at the computer for over an hour. He went over the list of classes in which Hank’s clients had indicated they wanted to show and which Hank had approved. He made out a schedule for each day of the three week long circuit. There were twenty shows in all. Not all the students were staying for the entire circuit, so it was a tricky task. Brad also had to work Hank’s showing schedule around when his charges would be in the ring so he could be with them to coach. He had just discovered a problem with the schedule when Hank came in to find him.
“Hey, Megan,” the cowboy said as he entered the office.
Megan returned the greeting.
“Babe,” Hank said, coming over and squeezing Brad’s shoulder affectionately.
Brad looked up and smiled.
“How’s the schedule look?”
“Hi,” Brad said. “Complicated. It was comin’ along fine until I had to fit you into it.”
“What’s the problem?” Hank said, bending to look at the computer screen.
“Well, there are a couple of times when you’re supposed to be showin’ Desi in one ring while you need to be coachin’ in the other.”
Hank studied the schedule for a few minutes.
That’s not going to be a problem,” he said finally.
“How so?” Brad asked. “You find the secret of bi-location?”
“Nope,” Hank returned nonchalantly. “I’ll coach. You’ll show the horse.”
* * * *
Brad followed Hank down the barn aisle. He had printed out the show schedule, thanked Megan and left the office. The horses were being fed. Hank was checking each one as Rico and Juan, the grooms who worked for them on the Florida circuit, doled out the hay and grain.
“Make sure Tornado gets those electrolytes in his water,” Hank was telling Rico as Brad caught up with him. “I don’t want him colicing again.”
Rico nodded.
“And check his shoes. Make sure they're tight. He loses ‘em more regular than the sun comes up.”
The groom nodded again.
“You were kiddin’, weren’t you?” asked Brad.
“‘Bout what?” Hank replied while reading Tornado’s stall card to be sure the feeding information was correct.
“About me showin’ Desert Jewel?”
“No.”
“No? Hank, I’ve never shown a horse.”
Hank moved to the next stall to check that stall card. “Hey, Juan. Kramer’s card is wrong. If he gets this much grain he’ll be as fat as you are.” He and Juan laughed.
Going to the next stall, Hank addressed Brad over his shoulder as he looked at the card.
“You’ve ridden Desi before.”
“Yes, on trail rides. Never in the show ring.”
“Brad, ya ride well. I’ll work with ya some. You’ll be fine. Desi’s easy to show. He’s been around the ring a few times.”
“Hank, he’s a stallion!”
Hank turned, placed both hands on Brad’s shoulders, leaned in close and whispered seductively in his ear, “You’ve ridden me before. And ya call me your stallion.”
“Hank, I’m serious. Desi’s a valuable champion stud. You show him to win so that you get breedings booked to him. What if I show him and blow it? Then what?”
Hank looked up and down the aisleway. No one was nearby. He kissed Brad on the cheek and said, “I trust you. You won’t blow it.”
Then he leaned closer to Brad, kissed him again and said, “Ya kin save the blowin’ stuff for me.”
Brad sighed. “You’re impossible.”
“That’s why ya love me,” Hank said as he went back to checking on his charges.
- Writer
