Page 11 of A Chance Fall

There wasn't a single thing April could think of that she would need her father's help for. And that was okay with her.

Once Richard had left, April put on her work clothes and headed out to the front of the barn. She grabbed a rake and a shovel and started digging up the weeds. It was hard work, but she found it cathartic. The sun was hot on her back, and she could feel the sweat starting to trickle down her skin, but she kept at it.

The smell of farmland filled April's nose. The scent of nature was strong, and it made her smile. The leaves of the trees rustled, and she could hear the breeze as it blew through the branches. The barn's doors creaked with a low groan as it moved ever so slightly in the wind.

The other buildings around the ranch were smaller than she wanted for the horses she planned to keep there. April knew that eventually this place would need a lot of renovating to make it sustainable.

Still, she dreamed of what it could be. A place where animals would find refuge and people would find hope and love for nature.

It was a far-fetched dream, but it kept her going. April had big plans for the ranch, and she couldn't wait to start them. She wanted to build horse stables with plenty of space for the animals to roam.

She imagined the grassy open fields of her ranch, with horses running around free and wild. The sunlight glinting off their thick coats as they galloped around without a care in the world. She could almost hear them nickering and see their tails swishing in the breeze.

There would be areas for riding lessons, as well as special events such as horse therapy and summer camps for kids.

The possibilities were endless, and just thinking about it made April giddy with excitement.

It was a daunting task, but she knew that if she put all her energy into it, anything was possible.

In the middle of her daydream, April heard a sudden rustling through the trees behind the barn. She stopped, the dirty roots of a weed still lying limp in her left hand.

She wasn't afraid. It felt more like worry than fear. But worry that she was going to scare or hurt something instead of the other way around.

A long brown snout slowly pushed through the branches of the tree line less than two hundred feet away from her. The trotting mare ran into the open field.

April's heart swelled with joy at the sight of the majestic animal. She watched as the horse ran around the field, leaping and bucking with wild abandon.

Feeling breath catch in her throat, she dropped the rake and shovel, and walked slowly towards the field where the mare was. It was gorgeously brown with a wildly tangled mane and tail. Its hair shone against the sun. She didn't want to spook the mare, but she also wanted to get a closer look.

As she approached the field, she could see that the mare was running in circles, her hooves kicking up dirt and grass.

Any amount of work was worth something like this. The mare slowed down, taking time to nip at the grass. It began to walk closer to April, step by step.

She started edging slowly towards April, head down and proud, nostrils flaring. Was this the same one that she had fed so long ago? The one that was constantly searching for a new snack?

April slowly reached into the black lawn care bag at her side and pulled out a carrot. It was something she added when she thought about the time the horse left due to her lack of treats.

She had always been waiting for this moment to happen again.

She held the warm veggie in her open palm, offering it to the mare. The horse sniffed her hand, snorting softly before carefully snatching it.

April ran her hands over the silky fur on the mare's neck, feeling an overwhelming sense of peace come over her. The tall mare whinnied at her as she petted it gently. This was why she was here: to take care of beautiful beasts like this. To show people that they were worth so much more than what humans gave them.

The horse backed away slowly before beginning to trot back towards the woods. She watched from afar as the creature sprinted, kicking up dirt and grass behind her.

The horse ranch would have to start becoming more of her priority when she finally got a handle on the bed and breakfast.

Unfortunately, that didn't feel like it was happening any time soon.

April trudged back to the house, her mind still on the gorgeous mare she had just encountered. She couldn't wait to start building the horse stables and begin rescuing more animals.

There were stacks of mail waiting for her on the front desk, along with a few missed calls from potential guests. She knew she had a lot of work to do, but all she could think about was her dream for the ranch.

"Hey," her father said as he stepped into the entryway. "How was gardening?"

April shrugged, reading the several envelopes cluttering the desk. Electric company, credit card ad, even a request for a donation to a school she never attended. "It was good. But now I have all this to take care of." She held up the bills and showed him with a sarcastic smile.

"Well, the couple that was here earlier is down at the beach and they were hoping to get some towels."

---