Musings
Actually took place a little over a week ago ...
He couldn't believe it had been less than a year.
Anraí leaned on a fence post, staring up into an evening gone crystalline and just cold enough to frost his breath. No snow yet, but you could feel winter sliding its fingers over the land. He listened to the low sounds of horses made snug in their stalls for the night, watched the glitter-crusted sky and wondered.
Roughly ten months ago he was in New Mexico, taking a phone call from a woman in Montana with a problem horse. Now, after a dozen different kinds of tumult and upending, the problem horse wasn't so much a problem anymore. And he and Laine were soon to be married, not to mention expecting their first child.
Tomorrow his family would arrive. Three days after that he and Laine would be wed. And in the middle of June ... a baby. A baby. He'd pinched himself a few times to be sure he wasn't dreaming.
Of all the things he'd thought to be by the end of this year, husband and expectant father hadn't made the list. He was still a breeder and trainer of horses, but he'd sold his share of the New Mexico spread he'd helped build to move up here and help Laine transform her late brother's cattle operation into the horse ranch of her dreams. He'd found a woman to share love and a life with and a land that resonated with his Connemara-bred soul far more than New Mexico ever had. He had no regrets.
He certainly did have plenty to think about, though. Fastening his shearling jacket up to the neck, he did just that.
He couldn't believe it had been less than a year.
Anraí leaned on a fence post, staring up into an evening gone crystalline and just cold enough to frost his breath. No snow yet, but you could feel winter sliding its fingers over the land. He listened to the low sounds of horses made snug in their stalls for the night, watched the glitter-crusted sky and wondered.
Roughly ten months ago he was in New Mexico, taking a phone call from a woman in Montana with a problem horse. Now, after a dozen different kinds of tumult and upending, the problem horse wasn't so much a problem anymore. And he and Laine were soon to be married, not to mention expecting their first child.
Tomorrow his family would arrive. Three days after that he and Laine would be wed. And in the middle of June ... a baby. A baby. He'd pinched himself a few times to be sure he wasn't dreaming.
Of all the things he'd thought to be by the end of this year, husband and expectant father hadn't made the list. He was still a breeder and trainer of horses, but he'd sold his share of the New Mexico spread he'd helped build to move up here and help Laine transform her late brother's cattle operation into the horse ranch of her dreams. He'd found a woman to share love and a life with and a land that resonated with his Connemara-bred soul far more than New Mexico ever had. He had no regrets.
He certainly did have plenty to think about, though. Fastening his shearling jacket up to the neck, he did just that.