Fast forward 3 weeks- date is June 6th, around 9:00 am; they have all graduated and are free now😅:
"Come on!" I say dragging Braxton with me. "I don't want to be late!"
I refuse to be late to my barrel competition. "It starts at noon and I don't have anything ready!" I plead for him to hurry up. "I can only move so fast." He says. "Well move faster." "Do you know how sexy it is when you beg like this?" He jokes. "You're a pervert. Hurry up!" I tug at his arm. He kisses me and follows my urgent lead.
We go out to the barn and grab everything we might need, including a few outfits and necessities for me.
"Is this how you're going to be every time you compete?" "Yes. And lucky you, I have a show jumping competition next week." "Oh great. Just great." He mutters. "If this is a problem for you, you can stay home." I tease.
"No, no, it's all good."
I get Diesel out of his stall and load him in the trailer. "You be good now boy." I pat his hindquarters. "You too boy." I smack Braxton's butt as I step out of the trailer and close the door.
"Hey I want to tell you something." Braxton says once we get in the truck. "Yeah?"
"I bought a house." "You what?!" "Now before you say anything else, I want you to know that it's actually here in Winona. It's in that trailer park just north of town."
"I know that trailer park very well. My aunt Crystal and uncle-second-cousin Bruce had a house in that park. We'd go and ride four wheelers with them and some of my cousins when we were all little." I say, having flashbacks. "But Bruce was diagnosed with cancer and passed away a few years ago. Crystal moved out of the park and eventually out of Winona, got remarried, and now lives in Red Wing."
"Wow, I'm sorry." He says. "Wait, uncle-second-cousin?" "We're all inbreds, its a long story." He breaks in to laughter.
"So I guess I can only see you when I come down..." I say, looking down at the steering wheel. He sighs and puts his large hand on my thigh.
----------
"And next in the ring we have Caitlin Jo Jackson riding Ladies' Man." The loudspeaker muffles. "This is it boy." I reach down and pat Diesel's neck before spurring him in to the arena.
The first barrel is no problem, the second I nearly hit my leg, and the third I did hit my leg but not enough to knock me off the leaderboard.
"A time of 13.69 seconds is enough to put Caitlin Jo Jackson and Ladies' Man in second place!"
I untack Diesel and go to the designated area in the bleachers just for for competitors.
"In third place is Skylar Thomas riding Skye's the Limit!"
I look over to the girl next to me, who I recognized as Abigail Lloyd. "God I hate Skylar." I whisper in her ear. "So do I, she doesn't care about her horse." "Do you know if she'll be at the jumping competition next week?" "Yeah I'm pretty sure she's going." "Damn."
"Congratulations to our winners on this weekend, and we hope to see you all next time!" The announcer said.
"So babe, second place?" Braxton lifts me up off the ground in a hug. "Yeah, thank god I beat Skylar." I say in to his neck. "I'm surprised Sherrie did better than you." "Thanks babe."
Sherrie Alum wasn't bad, she just want good. "The only reason she can win is because her daddy is the announcer."
----------
We managed to eventually back the trailer up to the barn, despite many attempts.
By the time everything was cleaned and put away, it was almost dinner time.
Dinner was quiet and long.
"So, Braxton is moving to Winona." I break the silence. "Really? Where?" Jeff asks. "It's the trailer park just north of town."
Jeff and I share a look of displeasure.
"Is that so." He eventually says. "Yeah, it's a little small but it's in good condition."
----------
"Doesn't it feel great to be free?" I say. The sky was fading to black after the sunset.
"This is America, we've been free." His smartass remark made us both laugh.
"No I mean from school. Smartass."
"I know what you meant baby." He puts his muscular arm around me.
"Can I ask you something?" He says later.
"Go for it."
"What do you plan on doing until you leave?"
"Well, I don't know. I haven't really thought of that. I mean, we've been out of school for only a day."
"I know but, I want to make these next few months memorable."
"I'm sure they will be."
"One more question."
"What?"
"Will you move in with me?"
I freeze. I have no idea what to say or do.
"Yes." I turn and kiss him.
"Good. We start moving in Monday."
