This is a continuation of Chapter 1. You might want to read it, to pick up some important details.
I want to thank LadyFalcon for her assistance by making constructive comments and editing this story.
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The day of my graduation, and a couple days after, were very busy. Mom invited my out-of-state aunt and uncle, plus my young male cousin, to my graduation. They stayed with us for two more days. Sarah's mom hosted a graduation party for her with some of her relatives, including her grandfather. Sarah and I would have preferred to have been together without the parties, but our parents wanted to celebrate our passing another of life's milestones.
I'll never forget the phone call I received from Sarah the evening of her graduation party. It sounded like she was in tears, but she was laughing, and screeching, and yipping, all at the same time.
"Sarah, calm down. What are you trying to tell me?"
"When Grandpa heard I didn't get my scholarship, he said he'd loan me the money for college." She seemed breathless and overjoyed.
"Oh Sarah, I'm so happy for you!" I was--I couldn't have been happier for her.
Sarah related that Arthur told her he'd finance her college education on the condition that she honestly study to the best of her ability. He said that when she became a veterinarian, she could repay his loan. He hoped that by becoming a veterinarian, she would help take care of his prized horses.
I realized that Sarah and I would now be attending the University of Illinois together. We'd be able to see one another every day--I thought maybe we'd even be in some of the same classes. Things were looking up for both of us.
Earlier in the year, Dad told me he'd pay my college tuition, if I'd help him take care of the apple orchard and prune the Christmas trees. I was going to be his hired hand for the summer. Now that school was over, it was time to go to work.
The third day after graduation, it dawned warm and sunny. I was helping Dad spray the apple orchard, when something went "clunk" in the sprayer. Dad stopped the tractor and checked the sprayer pump. He said the pump was broken and he needed to drive to town to find a replacement. "Son, it looks like you're going to have the rest of the day off."
Dad and I went back to the house and Mom fixed an early lunch. Later, I called Sarah.
I told Sarah Dad's sprayer was broken and he'd gone to town to find a new one. "I have the rest of the day off. Can I come over?"
"Sure sweetie, I was about to exercise Pegasus and Ardmore this afternoon."
"Ardmore?"
"Oh I forgot to tell you--Kathy's grandma isn't very well, and her family drove to Chicago to see her yesterday. We're boarding Ardmore for several days until they come back."
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. "Steve, why don't I saddle both horses and you can ride Ardmore? He's gentle. I'll see you in thirty minutes. Love you--bye."
Before I could respond, Sarah hung up. That was unlike her. She and I could usually talk for an hour. I hadn't seen her since graduation, so I was looking forward to spending some time with her again. However, I wasn't interested in horseback riding. Although Sarah had let me ride Pegasus several times around their barnyard, I was still a novice rider. I could see myself being embarrassed or hurt by being thrown off. What I needed was an excuse to get out of horseback riding, but I couldn't think of a good one.
After I hung up, Mom walked into the kitchen where we kept the phone. I told her Sarah wanted me to go horseback riding with her. She said, "Sarah only has one horse."
"Sarah's keeping Kathy's horse for a few days, and she said I could ride him."
"That's nice. You really ought to try it. I remember horseback riding with your father on our honeymoon. It was a lot of fun. Enjoy yourself, and be careful."
I went to our apple storage cellar and chose a couple blemished apples for the horses, and a couple nice ones for Sarah and me. By the time I arrived in Kolb's barnyard, Sarah was dressed for riding. She was wearing jeans, riding boots, a cowgirl hat, and a gray t-shirt with purple letters that said "Purina Horse Chow" on the back. Sarah had already saddled Pegasus with her saddle and Ardmore with Kathy's.
When she saw me carrying the apples, she said, "Give me those and I'll put them in the saddlebag with the other stuff. I brought along a small thermos of iced tea."
I held them out to her. "The two blemished apples are for Pegasus and Ardmore. The nice ones are for us."
She gave me a peck on the cheek. "You are always so thoughtful. You were even thinking of the horses."
Just before we departed, Sarah's dog Abby came running to us and was underfoot. Sarah said she'd have to tie Abby to her dog house before we left. Otherwise, she'd follow us on our horseback ride.
I mounted Ardmore and Sarah adjusted the stirrups on Ardmore's saddle to match the length of my legs. Finally she mounted Pegasus and we started down the tree-lined, dirt lane toward the road. We could hear Abby's yips of protest as we rode away.
Sarah said, "Since you haven't ridden much, we'll take it slow. Ardmore is more than happy to tag along behind Pegasus." The horses set off at a walk down Kolb's lane with Pegasus in the right wheel rut and Ardmore in the left. Ardmore seemed to like a position where his nose was abeam Sarah's saddle horn, so I was almost beside Sarah.
"Sarah, do you know how Ardmore received his name?"
"Oh, he was raised on a farm near Ardmore, Oklahoma. That was his name when Kathy got him."