Cindy looked directly into Janine’s eyes and said. “I think you know that but your stubborn pride doesn’t want to admit that -”
“I’m doing this for Dad. He’d be heartbroken if Peg died.”
“I will be as well, Love, but sometimes -”
“I won’t let you kill him!” Janine yelled. “He’s my patient. You can’t touch him.” She brushed past Cindy and dashed out of the stable.
© A Sunderland 2011
Startled, Cindy turned and opened her mouth to call after her daughter. Instead she shook her head, and hissed, “Jeez.”
Pegasus waved his head and snorted.
Cindy reached for an apple as she turned to him. She whispered, “nobody wants to see you fit and well and bounding through the fields more than I do.” She held out the apple in the palm of her hand.
He took it lethargically, and tried once to bite it. The apple rolled from his mouth and fell to the floor as he barely moved his jaws to hold it.
Cindy put her right hand under his face, pressed her face against his nose, and whispered, “I promise things are going to get better for you.”
[Day 201]
Cindy was just sitting down for lunch in the dining kitchen in her office when Janine walked in, looking very sheepish.
“Oh, hello,” Cindy said, “I didn’t expect to see you.” She stood up. “Is everything alright?”
“Yes. Are you free to talk?”
“Of course. Do you want a coffee?” Cindy walked towards the sink.
“Yes please.”
“Have you had lunch?”
“No I’m starving. What is there?”
Cindy poured coffee into a cup. “I’m having fresh tuna salad; I’ll see how much is left in the fridge.”
“That looks great.”
Cindy poured milk into the cup, picked it up, turned round, and looked open-mouthed at Janine.
Janine looked up as she picked up another fork full of tuna and said, “wow, this is delicious.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying my lunch!”
“You said there was enough for two.”
Cindy slapped the cup down on the worktop. Ignoring the splashes, she opened the fridge door. “No, don’t worry about me,” she said sarcastically, “I’ll make do with a potted meat sandwich.”
“If you’re going to be like that I’ll go.” Janine threw the knife and fork onto the plate.
“No, you get on with your lunch.” Cindy reached for a cloth. “What did you come here to talk about?” She wiped up the spill and then topped up the cup.
“As if you didn’t know!”
“Pegasus, I assume.” Cindy was startled by her daughter’s accusing tone. “But I’m surprised that you’ve come out of college to se me.”
“Yes well. Uncle David came into class today, gave my lecturer that ‘if I could just ask for a quick favor, nothing to worry about’ smile of his, and was all sunny disposition and charming until he got me outside.” Janine scowled, “then he tore a right strip off me.”
“Ouch. I wouldn’t have liked to be on the receiving end of that.” Cindy looked concerned, but inside she was smiling contentedly.
“He told me to get my butt up here and sort the matter out as two adults. Said he would OK it with college for me to take the time off.” She grimaced. “Not that he bothered asking me if I was alright to miss lectures.”
“Well I didn’t ask him to intervene.” Cindy walked over with Janine’s coffee. She smiled. “Get on with my lunch, you seemed to be enjoying it.” She put the cup on the table.
“Sorry for stealing your lunch.” Janine took another mouthful of tuna.
Cindy sat down and picked up her coffee. “I’m glad that you’re here. I hope it’s because you want to be. Not because you were told to.”
“I told Uncle David that I’m doing this for Dad. That I don’t want to have to send him a message that his favorite horse is dead and I’m responsible.”
“It wasn’t your fault and it wasn’t Megan’s fault. There was -”
“I should have acted quicker.” Janine looked purposefully at her mother. “I can make up for that by saving his life.”
“Sometimes it’s far kinder to let a beloved pet go than to keep it hanging on with a poor quality of life just so that we feel better.”
“He can have a full life again. Other horses have been saved and they’re out in the fields leading a normal life.”
“Not normal for them.” Cindy shook her head. “He’s not going to be content simply grazing in a paddock all day. Especially when you take Blaze out.”
“If we can’t rehabilitate him then I think he’ll get used to having a relaxed, comfortable life like a lot of ex racehorses do.”
Cindy put her coffee down and reached out for her daughter’s hands and said, “when I have to tell an athlete that his playing days are over, or a dedicated service man or woman that their career is finished…”
