Deep Unto Deep

Chapter Two

I drag myself out of the comfort of the shower and step in front of the mirror, wiping off the water that's collected on its surface.
"ALEX!"
I startle at my sister yelling and banging on the door to my bathroom, adjusting the towel around my waist and poking my head out the door to tell her off.
"What the hell? It's barely eight in the morning- what the hell is going on?"
"You promised you'd take Octavia and I riding this morning, did you forget? I did, actually. But it doesn't really matter, Octavia is the only one without a hangover right now so you can take just her. I'm staying here and drinking that hangover cure-all mom makes and reading. Just take pictures for me, okay?"
I drag a hand through my hair and down my face,
"Yeah, okay, sure. Where's Octavia? Tell her I'll meet her down at the stables in ten."
"She's already there. We thought you were already there too, you said to meet you there at a quarter till-"
"Shit, okay. I'll get dressed and get down there. Does she have food? I'm starving- I was just going to have breakfast and work on that painting me and her found-"
"What? No- whatever. Just don't leave her waiting for any longer, she's already been there long enough."
I nod and follow her to the door of my bedroom, smiling and closing the door behind her once she's left. I walk into my closet to pull out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, changing as quickly as I can, and grab the pair of worn out boots I'd been wearing riding lately, stumbling my way out of my room as I tug them over my socks

I smile when I find Octavia, greeting her horse before finding James who's still put up in his stable.
"How has Lola been with trail rides? I know you do plenty of arena work with her-"
All three of us had been riding since we were old enough too, starting with Western and eventually switching to English. I was the only one who still commonly rode Western over English.
"She's alright. I've only ever taken her on the trails when Olivia gets bored of arena work and wants to take them to the cliffs for picnics."
I nod and listen to her as I hop over the door into James' stable, slipping the bit into his mouth and tightening the fasteners on his bridle. Leading him out to the cross-ties across from Octavia and Lola.
"Alright, well- the fox-hunt is in two weeks, so we'll get her used to the trails and then next week we can see how she does around the dogs. Sound good?"
"Sure. Are you coming with us on the next fox-hunt? I know you used to come a lot before everything."
I cringe at the reminder of my Dad, crinkling my nose to fight the shoot of reminder and turning my attention to James. James had become my responsibility since Dad passed. None of us could bear to get rid of him, but I was the only one who wasn't afraid to ride him, even after we had a trainer come in and work with him until he was deemed "green". Meaning he was safe to ride, that what had happened to Dad was a freak accident, and unlikely to ever happen again.
"I guess so. I probably should since it's Lola's first time going on one of the hunts and being around the dogs."
I finish tacking James and walk over to check Lola's tack out of habit. Octavia had already picked an English saddle for today, I guess that it's a likely pick for her just so she can get used to riding in one over the trails.
"You're good, you can take her out of the cross-ties. I'll meet you outside, just give me a minute to check James."
She nods as she unclips Lola from the cross-ties and walks her outside. I do the same for James, tossing the reins over his head and pulling myself into his saddle.
"Alright, take Lola into a trot, you know where the trail starts. I'll be right behind you."
She brings Lola carefully into a trot with a click and a gentle kiss of pressure with her legs. I follow her into the woods, adjusting myself in the saddle before I kick James into a lope. We rode through the trails for most of the morning, until I couldn't handle the hunger biting at my stomach, and the soreness I know I would feel in my legs tomorrow from the ride. We had made it to the cliffs on the opposite side of the island from the house by mid-morning, stopping for a break for ourselves, but mostly so the horses could graze and drink by the river that ran nearby.
I stepped our of the saddle and adjusted the reigns before walking James over beside Lola who's head is dipped low to drink from the water. I tuck my hands into my pockets and walkover to where Octavia has laid out on her back in the grass and flowers nearby.
"You look content-"
"I am. This is my favorite place on the island."
I smile as the late morning sun plays over her face, laying down beside her on my back. I look up at the sky for a moment before turning to look at her, smiling at how happy she looks. She looks radiant. Sun cutting through the brown of her eyes to melt them into honey and butter, gentle waves of hair falling over her forehead and around her in the grass. Her hair has surrounded her in a halo of gold and amber, I catch myself staring, turning back to the sky, and running a hand over the grass absently as I watch the clouds.
"Yours and Olivia's pact- that you made when I first came to the island?"
I freeze up, heart skipping, and stomach jumping, even though it's something I doubt I should even have an anxious reaction too. I gather myself in the next beat of my heart and respond, resolving to stare at the sky and not at her. A cough, and an answer from my lips.
"Yeah? What about it?"
I respond hesitantly, determined to look at the sky even though I can feel her looking at me. See the look on her face in my peripheral as much as I can feel it.
"I- nevermind. I was just thinking about it. I don't know why. Just about how stupid it is, you know?" She laughs, turning to look up at the sky too. "I mean- there's never really been a need for it, right? We're practically siblings at this point-"
I feel my stomach drop as she laughs, but I still won't let her see that. I let out a breath, turn and laugh with her for a moment, breeze dancing around us and cooling the sun burning my face.
"Yeah, practically siblings. I guess we should head back? Don't want to miss lunch."
Something crosses her face for a moment. Disappointment, unrest. And I realize something, but it's too late. She's standing, offering me a hand to help me up. So I take her hand and silently tuck away the thoughts in my head to think about later.
"Mom was the only one who ever really cared about us all eating together, and she left last night. Either way, I'm starving, I didn't have time to get breakfast this morning"
I smile, trying my best to break the tension that's settled itself into the air and the breeze between us.
"Oh- sorry. I thought you would have had breakfast before you came down to the stables."
I shake my head at her, stepping into James' saddle and urging him back towards the woods.
"I'll go first on the trail back, I'll see you back at the house?"