Destiny of Demons

Horses and Home-Schooling.

Maria POV

When Zak comes home from the museum, he is quieter than normal, in the past that would have put me on the edge, however with how this pandemic has been burning its way across America, I figured it was down to that.

Dinner time went without a hitch, as well as walking Gracie, and the usual bedtime routine for Theo. I had waited. But now I was bored, and wanted an in on what was stewing under his baseball cap.

"Out with it." I demand as he comes into the lounge after reading Theo a bedtime story.

"Hmm?"

"Whatever is going on in that head. Tell me. What happened today?" Zak sighs and falls onto the couch bedside me, looking at Gracie before looking at the TV.

We had planned to watch the new documentary about the Night Stalker, but that wasn't going on until he spilled. "Zak." I demand.

"There was a screw up on the system, too many guests coming in at once. Lucky Mom thought of a way to split the groups and make sure that they did the tour whilst remaining in the social distancing guidelines." He says, taking off his cap and dropping it onto the coffee table.

"Okay. Well, that's a good thing then, isn't it?"

Ruffling his hair, he adds. "Mom has also booked Theo in for horse riding lessons..."

I blink. "Horse riding?"

"Apparently he asked for a pony?"

I try to think back and then click. "We watched Shrek 2 the other day, he wanted one like Donkey when he turns into a steed. He also wanted it to talk..."

"Well Mom has taken it upon herself to find a riding school, and to book him lessons."

With a breath, I mull it over. "What school?"

"I don't know, she showed me this giant mammoth horse, I said no, instantly." He answers, looking over to me for support.  I nod my head in agreement.  "But she found a smaller horse. I just... I don't trust them."

"Me either." I admit. "But you also don't like dolls and if I can recall, you have a museum room full."

"Horses and dolls are completely different, Maria. Dolls cannot harm our son. What if he falls off?  I - Why are you not as worried as I am about this?" He asks me, full of annoyance.

"I am."

"Doesn't sound like it."

I pinch my lips together, trying not to snap back with any comment that he could take as personal. Instead, I wait.

"What if he falls off? What if the horse bolts and our son is on the back? What if he is kicked? He could break an arm, his back, he- The animals are dangerous!" He fumes sitting forward.

"He could also really thrive.."

His eyes fly to mine. "You think this is a good idea?!"

"I don't think it's a bad one... Theo might not even like it, one lesson won't hurt."

"One lesson is all it takes to paralyse him."

Grabbing the laptop, I type in horse riding schools for children and pull it up, showing Zak.

"This.. This is what your mom is gonna take him too. One of these places." I tell him, pointing to the photo of a small horse, a child sat on the horse wearing a safely helmet and an instructor holding the rein smiling.  "Our son is not going to be thrown on a mammoth animal and left to wander around on his own."