Temporary Secretary

Twenty-Two

"Daddy, what are we going to do today?" Stella asked as she ate her breakfast, sitting with Paul, James, and I at the kitchen table.

"I don't know, darling. What would you like to do today?"

She pondered for a moment, eyes squinting and fingers tapping against the table.

"How about we ride horses?"

"Yes!" James agreed as he put another bite of eggs into his mouth.

"Horses it is, then."

I sat there anxiously biting at my nails, nervous because I had never ridden a horse before. I stopped touching my breakfast, worried that I would embarrass myself by simply trying to get on a horse.

"What's got you all nervous, love?"

"Well, I-I've never ridden a horse before."

"It's easy if you try, love. Don't worry, you can ride with me for a bit."

Paul threw me a sly wink from across the table and I simply rolled my eyes at his innuendo. 

We finished up breakfast and made our way down to the stables near the barn, which was a fair distance from the house.

Paul went straight for his horse. It's coat was a beautiful mix of black and white, it's mane a deep gray. He reached out to pet his horse, who nuzzled up to him in response. Stella and James went for the ponies at the end of the stable.

"James, can you ride with Stella today?"

"I can't ride by myself yet, daddy?"

"Not yet, little man. You'll get there some day."

James sighed, but was excited all the same to get on the pony with Stella. Paul grabbed his cowboy hat off of a nail on the wall and place it on his head, causing a giggle to come from my mouth, but I said nothing. We led the animals out of the stable and began to mount them. Paul helped me up first, making sure I was sitting steady before he got on behind me. Once Stella and James were situated at their own accord, we set off, riding through the rolling hills of the Mull of Kintyre.

The horse galloped, the pony trailing not fair behind, towards a beautiful meadow as snowflakes began to fall upon my face.

"Daddy! It's snowing!" Stella exclaimed, while James tried his best to catch the snowflakes upon his tongue.

"You're right, James!"

"You know what that means?" I whispered in Paul's ear.

"Mhm, what, baby?" He responded.

I nibbled on his ear, trying to get him excited. I could tell it was working when he began fidgeting slightly.

"What is it, baby?" He asked once again.

"Hot chocolate!" I responded in a peppy manner.

Paul glared at me, but in a loving manner if that is possible.

"I was thinking more of a white Christmas." He raised his eyebrows suggestively, turning his torso to face me.

I smirked at his comment, grabbing the brim of his hat.

"If that's what you have in mind, then I guess I will have to teach you how to save a horse and ride a cowboy."

His eyes went wide at my comment, taking in my suggestive innuendo for its full value.

"Already, kids, let's head back to the stable! Can't have you all getting frostbite, now can we?"

Paul led the horse in front of the pony, and back to the house we went, quickly I might add. We wasted away the rest of the day, the children reading books, coloring, playing games, and doing anything they could find. Paul and I spent the day any way they wanted, having so much fun, but craving that little bit of fun of our own.