Page 77 of Pigeon

“When are they getting here?”

“In a couple of hours. Kids are excited as hell, so he’ll give in and come a little earlier than planned,” I reply.

Gunner, Ava, their kids, along with Pooh, Pippa, and Craig are coming to the ranch for their first riding lesson. Afterward, I’m grilling burgers, and Ivy made a macaroni salad and cut up veggies for the burgers this morning. She insisted she’s fine to give them lessons, even with her foot still in a walking boot. She’s been walking without the crutches for a few days now and thinks she can do everything she used to, but I’m fighting her on it.

I never returned my dad’s many calls, and the day they were coming to Denver has come and gone. I have no guilt over doing that, especially with Ivy getting hurt. When I told her about his call, she told me that she’d meet with them if I wanted to, but she’d be fine with my decision either way. To be honest, if he hadn’t continued calling, I would have completely forgotten about his request.

When Gunner arrives, I step outside to see several SUVs, trucks, and a couple of bikes come to a stop near the house. I laugh when I recognize that nearly everyone I know just pulled in our driveway. Doors slamming, kids screaming, and pets racing across the yard, I feel Ivy’s arm wrap around my waist from beside me. I stiffen when I see the last vehicle in line. It’s Lucy’s, and Tessie is driving. When the car pulls to the side of Trigger’s truck, stops without hitting anything, I breathe in relief. When Tessie emerges from it, she throws up a victory sign before giving a fist pump. I laugh.

“Had a few tag-alongs,” Ava says as she makes her way up the deck stairs. “Hope that’s ok.”

“Of course, it’s okay. We may need more burgers, though,” Ivy answers with a laugh.

“We should have enough. Trigger’s planning on bringing fish to the cookout,” Bella says with a grin as she carries a large bowl past us and into the house.

“We all brought food and drinks in hopes of not being turned away,” laughs Trudy as she follows Bella with her arms full of bags.

“You’d never get turned away, and thank you,” Ivy replies before following Trudy.

The guys get busy setting up lawn chairs on the deck while the women put the food away. Joining us outside when they’re done, I pull Ivy onto my lap and insist she props her foot up on another chair.

“You worry too much,” she murmurs.

“Love you and want you to be healthy again, wife,” I answer.

“They all think we’re too delicate to survive without them,” Ava says while several of the other ladies nod their heads in agreement.

“Vex and Taja didn’t come?” I ask Gunner.

“No, and talk about being overprotective. Vex refused to let Taja get this far away from the hospital. Said she’s not going to be out of his sight or far from medical help until after the baby’s born,” he answers.

“After what happened before, I guess I can see his point,” I mutter while Gunner nods in agreement.

“Ivy!” Trigger shouts from beside his truck.

“Yeah?”

“Can I use the side by side?”

“Sure can. Pigeon filled it with gas this morning, so it’s ready for you. Have fun!” Ivy shouts back.

“Love you, girl!” Trigger hollers as he carries his gear to the side by side.

“Love you, too, Trigger!” I shout back as everyone laughs, but Trigger doesn’t even respond. He’s too excited to hit the fishing hole to care that I was being a smart-ass.

“Okay, kids! Let’s hit the barn!” Ivy shouts, and the kids come at her at a run, even little Alex.

I help Ivy stand, and everyone follows us to the barn. Taking seats on the various bales of hay and any surface available, the adults sit and quietly listen. Ivy explains to Craig that her ASL is limited and asks if he’ll help explain things to Luke if she can’t.

“I got you, Ivy,” he answers in a serious tone.

I’m surprised, along with most of the adults, when Ivy starts explaining the rules. I thought she’d pull Lucky out, pop a kid on, and walk them around, but she’s not. She explains to the kids that there are rules for their safety but also for the horse’s safety. Telling them what they are, each kid nods in understanding.

Showing the kids the various brushes and hoof picks, the twins squeal in delight.

“We always clean their hooves first, so if there are stones in them, we get them out, and the horse is comfortable while we’re riding them,” Ivy explains and then demonstrates.

Holding Lucky’s hoof, she lets each kid use the pick to learn how to do it right. Moving on from there, she explains that while it’s fun to brush a horse, it’s also very good for them and explains why. Showing them how to use each brush and when to use them, she again demonstrates then lets the kids take a turn. She continues with explaining the tack, the various names of the basic pieces and then lets the kids halter Lucky. Lucky is a rockstar and stands like a statue when the kids are near him. Glancing over at Horse, I laugh. When he looks at me, I can’t help but taunt him a little.

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