Faith

I’d been at work for approximately two hours, fifteen minutes, and thirty two seconds, and already I was dying to get back to the barn to see Richie again. My horse fix had apparently not been strong enough because I was craving the sweet smell that came off him, the way his nose would rub up against my shoulder blades when I went for his treat in my pocket, how much of a fuzz ball he was in the wintertime…
I sighed as one of the two cats we kept at the store climbed onto my shoulder.
Kelly.
Maybe it isn’t normal for a music store to have cats in it, but my boss Ayomide wasn’t normal by far. Oh her real name wasn’t actually Ayomide but her boyfriend Kayin had given her the nickname back when they were in high school. Plus Ayomide’s Music Aspirations sounded much better than Edna’s Music Aspirations if you catch my drift. Anyways the reason we had two cats at the store was because my boss’ parents hadn’t allowed her animals as a child so she wanted to incorporate them into her business. This is why we happened to be the only store on the street that allowed animals to enter whether or not they were for the handicapped.
“Excuse me, miss?” I looked up to find an older woman about my oldest aunt’s age standing before me waiting for my help.
“Good morning, how may I help you?”
She cleared her throat, “I was wondering if you had any,” she lowered her voice for the next few words, as if ashamed to say it. “Of that gothic styled music.”
“Um, gothic styled music?” I asked pursing my lips.
She nodded looking around like someone had heard her and could just about die because she had even uttered those words.
“Did you have any particular band in mind?”
She thrust a list at me and opening it I saw a few chicken scratched band names written. Taking it in, I saw what she meant. Some of these bands were a bit heavy metal with lots of screaming involved, others weren’t that bad.
“If you’ll follow me, ma’am.” I picked Kelly off my shoulder and took her into my arms as I started walking to the middle of the store where this particular type of music was stocked. “I hope that helps, if you need any more help feel free to ask.”
“Thank you very much, Lucy.” Her smile was shaky but it was still there as I walked to the front of the store where my co-workers Dixie and Matthew stood behind the counter playing with our other cat, Gertie, while our terrible annoying parrot, Picasso, was squawking away.
“Could someone shut that damn parrot up?” I asked annoyed as I stepped behind the counter with Kelly. Normally I loved animals, any kind, but when it came to Picasso it was like nailing jello to a tree. Impossible.
“Oh, he’s just being friendly Lu.” Mattie said walking over to his cage to take him out and bring him to me. “See, can you say ‘hello Lucy’, Picasso?”
Matthew shoved the creature in my face.
“Hello Lucy.” Picasso repeated back in that awful voice of his.
I glared at my co-worker before turning to Dixie. “How goes the job hunt for Craig?”
Dix grimaced at that; she had been supporting herself, her boyfriend Craig, and soon would also be supporting their child in eight months all by herself. However Craig was supposedly on the hunt for a job but Mattie and I knew that he was pretending to look.
We couldn’t understand how Dix could let him walk all over her or her unborn child.
“Hey guys, let’s get to back to work can we?” Ayomide had entered the store from her office and saw the three of us standing around.
“Sorry boss,” I said shrugging my shoulders. “Picasso distracted us.”
She rolled her eyes at that but couldn’t help smiling, “Well, how about I take that distraction away and bring him back to the office with me so you guys can get some work done?”
We all nodded as Mattie handed the bird over to Ayomide and they headed to her office leaving the three of us waiting for the day to be over so we could go home and pick up our lives where we had left them this morning.

Pulling into the driveway of the barn, I looked at the clock on my dash and realized just how late I was in getting back to the dogs and Richie. I felt bad; usually I managed to make it on time to visit everyone on the property but today I was an hour and a half behind schedule.
Parking the car in front of the middle arena, I jumped out just in time to spot Liv coming down the hill from her house at full speed on the golf cart with the Dooly, Lloyd, and Piper chasing after her.
“Oh sweet Lord,” I murmured barely breathing.
I trusted Liv with my dogs thoroughly but with the pond pretty much right at the foot of the hill, I was positive the ten year old and the three dogs would go straight into the water and drown.
“Liv, Liv!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “OLIVIA!” I couldn’t stop the panic I felt blowing up inside of me like a balloon being filled with helium. If anything were to happen to that spunky, fresh girl I would never forgive myself.
At the very last second possible, Liv turned the cart just barely managing not to fall into the water. As she pulled up to me, I was hysterical thinking of what might have happened to her or the dogs.
“Olivia Virginia,” I snapped at her as she parked the cart and I pulled her off almost slapping the girl as the fear which held onto my heart started to loosen. “How many times have your parents, Deb, and I explicitly told you not to do that?!”
She stuck her tongue out at me, “Chill Lucy, I knew what I was doing.”
“Excuse me? Well what about the dogs at least?” I motioned to Dolly and the two puppies who, now exhausted, were sitting around the two of us catching their breath. “What if something had happened to them Olivia? How would you feel then?”
“But nothing did happen to them Lucille,” she spat out my full name knowing full well that I hated it.
“Okay, that is absolutely the last straw Liv.” I grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the barn. “I’m not going to listen to you put aside common sense just so you can have fun and almost get yourself and those innocent dogs killed. We’re taking this to your Mother.”
She squirmed trying to get free, “Alright, I’m sorry Lucy. Please, please don’t tell Mom.”
“You’re not getting out of this Liv; I’ve had enough of you getting away with these things. You need to learn a lesson,” I snapped at her.
Oh my gosh, I’m acting like a freakin’ mother. I’ve been watching Scar’s kids way too much, I thought to myself as we entered the barn and I asked where Trisha was. When Grace pointed me to the office, I tightened my grip on Liv’s arm and marched in with her behind me.
Inside the office was Trisha and Trisha’s husband CJ.
“This is the last straw Trish,” I said entering the room.
She took one look at Liv and sighed, “What has she done this time?”
“I’m tired of her giving complete and total disregard for her safety as well as the animals and people that are here. She almost drove herself and my dogs into the pond because she wanted to have fun. Plus she doesn’t care or even listen to what anyone has to say.” I was fuming at the very thought of what had almost happened.
“You did what Olivia?!” Trisha became upset hearing that her ten year old had almost killed herself and some animals for the sake of fun.
“Liv you have to be freakin’ kiddin’ me right now,” CJ snapped at her. “You can’t do that, you know better Olivia.”
“For Chrissake, Liv. This is the last time you’re getting a warning, if I hear it one more time from anyone Piper is going back to Lucy’s house.”
“But Mom,” Liv started to whine but was cut off.
“No ‘buts’ Olivia. I want no more racing around here with complete disregard, no more talking back, no nothing. If it doesn’t stop that dog will go back to Lucy’s house.” Trish had a firm look on her face that silenced her daughter. “Now go up to the house, you’re grounded.”
When Olivia had left with CJ who was to supervise her, it left Trisha and I alone in the office thinking in silence for a few moments before she broke the peace with three words.
“Come with me,” and she motioned for me to follow her.
It was obvious even then that Trisha was taking me to the new horses and the mini, but for what I had no idea at the time.