Classics in Summertime

I’m sure when Dylan came walking onto my dad’s property the day after our bonfire that he had at least some inkling of an idea that I would be at the barn, because that was the first place that he looked. He found me with a brush in one hand and Conchita’s bridle in the other, as I brushed the beautiful, white mare.

This time, when I heard footsteps, I turned before I said anything, not wanting to get anyone mixed up again. Dylan was walking towards me with a smile on his face and his hands shoved in his pockets. It was nice to see he had his usual smile on instead of the concerned one I’d seen the night before.

“Hey,” I said sweetly, matching his smile as he approached me. “What are you doing here?”

“Just came to see what you were doing.” He paused for a moment and pulled his hand from his pocket to rub against the back of his neck. “And, actually, to apologize… I didn’t mean to pry into your life like that. What happens with you and Wyatt is your business. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No, Dylan, it’s okay.” I shook my head quickly as I put the brush down, still holding onto Conchita’s bridle with one hand. “I didn’t mind, really. It was nice to talk.”

It truthfully was nice to talk to him. I was glad it didn’t carry on any further, but I hadn’t said anything to him about Wyatt and I’s rocky relationship that I didn’t want him to know.

“I’m glad.” He was smiling again as he looked from me to Conchita. “Can I pet her?”

“Of course,” I said, smiling back at him while I tightened my grip on the bridle. “She likes it when you rub the back of hers.”

Dylan didn’t seem nervous at all as he reached out his hand to touch Conchita in the way that I suggested. He looked completely relaxed and at ease, which was a great quality to have around horses.

“Have you ever ridden before?”

“Once or twice,” he said as he shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing like you, I’m sure.”

“We can go for a ride if you’d like. There’s a beautiful trail out past the pasture where you can see the mountains. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen.”

Dylan’s eyebrows furrowed, almost as though he was shocked I had even invited him, and he nodded his head quickly. “Yeah, that sounds wonderful. I don’t have a horse, though.”

“That’s okay. You can ride one of mine.” I paused and handed Conchita’s bridle to him, which he slowly took from my hand. “She seems to like you just fine. You can ride her.”

Dylan looked at Conchita for a long moment before looking back at me. “What’s her name?”

“Conchita,” I said simply. “She was my graduation present.”

“She’s beautiful.” Dylan pet her nose once before he continued. “Who are you going to ride?”

“I’ll just grab Splash. They get along pretty well.”

I was walking over to Splash’s stall when I heard my brother’s light footsteps behind me. I turned and saw him walking into the barn with his arms folded across his chest and a look much like the one that Wyatt had the first time he saw Dylan.

“What are you doing?” Austin asked, ignoring Dylan and walking straight for me.

“We’re going for a quick ride,” I said as I opened Splash’s stall and stepped in, quickly putting on her saddle to get her ready. “We’ll be back in a few hours.”

“I’m not sure dad and Wyatt would be too happy about that,” Austin said, matter-of-factly, still staring at me with his arms crossed. Luckily, Dylan was so focused on Chonchita that he didn’t seem to notice the conversation Austin and I were having.

I leaned forward, getting at eye level with Austin. “That’s why you’re not going to tell them.”

Austin clicked his tongue as he shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know, Ev. That doesn’t sound like a secret I can keep.”

For being just 10 years old, he certainly had an understanding of the world and what he could get out of it.

“I’ll do dishes for a month.”

“Deal,” Austin said quickly, leading me to wonder how much of the world he actually did understand. I would have easily gone up to a year to get him to keep his mouth shut. “But, if you’re not back before dinner, I’m telling dad.”

“Deal.”

I stood up and turned away from Austin, bringing my attention back to Splash. After putting on her saddle, I pulled her out of her stall and towards where Dylan was standing with Conchita. Austin was nowhere to be found, and I hoped it was a good sign and didn’t mean that he was off somewhere causing trouble.

“So, you said this trail goes by the mountains?” Dylan asked as I approached him with Splash in tow.

I nodded my head gently and he smiled. “It’s the most beautiful thing you’ll ever see, I promise.”

Dylan chuckled and his smile widened. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Ev.”

His smile made me smile, and in that moment, I realized I’d have done dishes for a century to keep Austin quiet.