Page 78 of Pigeon

“That the jackhammer on steroids you were bitching about?”

“He must only hate adults,” Horse complains while the rest of us laugh at him.

Ivy finishes up the demonstrations and then asks who wants to ride first. Every hand goes in the air except for Luke’s. Instead, he pushes his way to Ivy’s side and points at himself. Seeing this, I hear Ava suck in a breath and watch as Gunner wraps an arm around her shoulders.

I stand, pick up the saddle Ivy wanted to use today, and carry it to her. Placing the pad on Lucky’s back, Ivy takes the saddle and sets it on the pad. Explaining what she’s doing and why, she has Luke repeat her steps when she’s done. He does each step perfectly, just as Ivy showed him. After Ivy checks the cinch, adjusts the stirrups, she hands the lead rope to Luke, signs that he needs to follow her, and we all walk back outside. We gather outside the round pen while Ivy and Luke walk inside, Luke leading Lucky. Helping Luke mount the tall horse, Ivy steps back while Luke’s face lights up with his smile.

“Pigeon, could you please saddle Junior for me and bring him out here?” Ivy asks.

I do as she asks, and then I boost Ivy onto his saddle since her booted foot won’t fit in the stirrup. I walk to the railing and lean against it. Watching her, I’m blown away at how good she is at this. Not just working with horses or kids, but in instilling confidence in Luke. He’s like a whole new kid sitting on that horse. He’s sitting straight, watching Ivy intently, and imitating her every move. He’s no longer hanging to the back of the group or following Craig’s lead. He’s his own person when he’s sitting on top of a large, gentle buckskin gelding. Glancing at Ava and Gunner, their faces show that they’re seeing it too.

Ivy leads Lucky next to Junior and walks around the round pen, showing Luke how to sit a horse, how to move with it, how his heels need to be down, toes up in the stirrups. They continue making laps. Luke zeroed in on Ivy, his horse, and nothing else. When Ivy’s comfortable with how much Luke has learned today, they come to a stop next to me. I help Ivy off Junior, and she shows Luke how to safely dismount. When he turns toward his parents, his smile has never been larger. I know then that we’ll be seeing a lot more of Luke in the future.

Ivy goes through the same procedure with each child, except for little Alex, who rides in front of Ivy on Junior. Each kid listens, and each kid gets off their horse standing a little straighter and smiling wide. The twins can barely contain themselves, but they follow Ivy’s rules about not spooking the horses or running behind one.

“We need horses, Daddy,” Zoe, or maybe it was Mia, announces.

Gunner groans while the adults laugh, but we all knew where this was probably going to go, and it went there.

“My balls wouldn’t have been damaged for life if she’d have told me all this,” Horse complains.

“Kids listen. Adults don’t. Mere woman and all that jazz, so I let you learn the hard way,” Ivy retorts. “Want to try now?”

“No! I’m never willingly putting myself through that again!” Horse shouts before getting shushed by the twins.

“Can I?” asks Livi, bouncing on her toes in excitement.

“Yeah, but the kid’s saddle won’t fit you. You can ride Junior instead,” Ivy offers.

“I’m smarter than Horse. Way smarter because I was not born with a penis. So much so, I’ll admit I’ve been on a horse but never learned how to ride. I’d feel better if you’d lead me too.”

I turn, walk into the barn, and return with another adult-sized saddle. Swapping them out, I help Ivy mount as Livi does the same. I adjust her stirrups to the length Ivy suggests, and the two women walk off.

“If Livi decides she wants a horse after this, we’re moving in with you. One’s not going to fit in my backyard,” Cash says with a grin.

“I can’t wait until this baby is born. Ivy promised me a day in the saddle then,” Ava informs Gunner.

“Ivy’s costing me a fucking fortune,” Gunner complains but does so with an indulgent grin.

After Livi’s turn, several others step up, wanting their ride. Ivy’s patience is endless, and everyone, regardless of age, size, or gender, receives the same care from her.

Turning to Cash, I joke that Ivy doesn’t own a horse large enough for him or Gunner to ride when I notice a look pass between Ivy and Livi.

“What was that? I saw a look,” I ask Ivy as she passes, leading Lucky with Bella astride.

“There was no look,” Ivy denies, but Livi laughs before turning away from me.

“I saw it too. I’m good at spotting looks, as you well know, Pigeon,” Axel adds.

“Ivy Hayes! Stop right here and explain,” I order.

She stops in front of me and then smiles.

“I may have done a thing,” she admits.

“What kind of thing did you do?” I ask.

“I may have adopted a couple of horses that are large enough for Cash and Gunner to ride,” she admits while everyone around us laughs.

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