Family: Out of Business

Unnerved

Claire's pov

I spent the next two days trying to come up with a game plan for making good on my promise to my grandfather to keep his children happy. My aunt's situation was just too dang complicated and it made my head hurt every time I thought about it, so I decided to put it on the backburner for now. My dad is away on business again so that just leaves Uncle EJ.

Normally my uncle never wants me to come with him when he leaves the mansion but today he actually insisted. He wouldn't tell me where we were going, he just said he had an errand to run and I was going to help him, whether I wanted to or not. I didn't really want to go with him but then I thought of the promise I made Grandfather so I went without too much complaining.

"Why are we here exactly?" I asked, once we arrived at our destination, looking around at all the rural farming supplies adorning the outside of the building and all the casual clothing displayed in the windows.

"It's time to start getting the stables supplied so they'll be ready when our new horses arrive," he replied matter of factly while getting out of the car, as if he hadn't just dropped a huge bombshell.

"New horses?" I asked, in shock at this jaw dropping news.

"Yes, Claire. I don't believe I stuttered. The thoroughbreds will be here before month's end."

"Thoroughbreds?" I questioned, still reeling from this new info. "But I don't know if..." I couldn't quite put my thoughts into words so I just stopped talking, hoping my uncle would sense my needs without further explanation.

Rising to the challenge, he pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly as I let my tears fall. I don't know why I'm crying, except for the fact I still miss Tuono terribly whenever I think of her and now that my grandfather's gone, thinking of Tuono makes me miss him as well. He was the one afterall, who gifted her to me on my eleventh birthday.

Uncle EJ rubbed my back soothingly as we stood awkwardly outside our car in the parking lot while I had my mini breakdown.

"They're rescues, Claire. They've been forcibly retired from racing and they need a good home. I'm sorry if you feel it's too soon and you're not ready yet but I had to act quickly or they would have been put down."

There wasn't a hint of insincerity in my uncle's response. I know how much he loved his horse Fuoco and I know he still misses him as much, if not more than I miss my sweet Tuono. If he thinks we're ready to have two new horses as pets, then I trust him. He would never intentionally hurt me when it comes to something like this, despite the fact he loves making me miserable ninety percent of the time.

"You going to be alright?" my uncle asked, as he broke our embrace to bend and look me in the eye.

I nodded, still too afraid to try and speak, in case I would meltdown again. I hate being emotionally vulnerable to begin with, let alone in front of my oft insensitive, judgmental uncle.

"Good. Pull yourself together so we can get our shopping done," he snapped, rather forcefully. "I don't want us attracting everyone's attention and pity because they think I rescued you from an alley or an abandoned well or something." My uncle pinched my cheek in a super condescending sort of way as he clarified, "I don't need another humanitarian award, afterall. There's just no more room in my trophy case."

"Ha ha," I said, slapping his hand away as I cringed hearing him laugh at his own stupid joke. I swear the British are the most unfunny people on this earth. God really dropped the ball with that bunch, or least where my uncle's concerned. I have to assume all British people aren't that bad.

"Move it, squirt," he ordered, slapping me on the back as he shoved me forward. "I don't have all day to play adventures in babysitting, brat."

"I thought Dad told you to quit calling me that," I sniped at him.