The Adopted.

Chapter 9:

  We go back down to the food court. I order a hamburger and a big pretzel, fries and a slushy. Avery orders a chicken salad and diet coke, and Tanner orders a triple steak burrito, fries and a shake. We find a table in a far corner by a Chinese food place. "Cool, I love Chinese food smell," Tanner says inhaling. "Smells delicious," Avery says. I nod. 

 Avery and Tanner starts eating. I look at them and they look back at me. "What?" Tanner says around his food. "Oh, I thought we were going to say Grace," I say. Like we always did at the orphanage, but I guess not everyone does it. "Oh, I only say Grace when my parents are around for dinner, and that is once every two months so," Tanner says. 

 "Well, we can do it, if you want," Avery offers taking a gulp of her coke. "Okay," I say. Avery holds my right hand and Tanner my other hand. "Bless us oh lord, for these thy gifts, which we have received, for thy bounty and in the christ our lord we pray amen," I say. "Amen Avery and Tanner says and goes back to eating. 

  "Did, yawl always say that at your school?" Tanner asks. "Yeah," I say. "Cool, I went to a catholic  middle school one year and we had to say that too," He says. "Cool," I say starting on my hamburger. We eat in silence, talking sometimes. When we are done, Tanner asks what we'll do next. "More shopping?" Avery asks. "Nah, how about we go check out the horses." Tanner asks. 

   "Will your parents let us go," Avery asks. "There not there, so they don't care," Tanner says standing up. "Okay," Avery says. We pick up the shopping bags and go out the mall. When we reach the car and before Avery opens the trunk I take out the shirt I got for Tanner. "Here, I got this for you, even though I didn't buy it!" I say showing Tanner. 

  Tanner grins showing his white, even teeth with some meat stuck between two of his teeth. "Thanks man!" He says taking the shirt. "Oh, and it's a Shark! did you see my case?" He says. "Yeah, but I got the shirt before I saw your case," I smile. "Okay, hold on." Tanner says reaching in one red bag. Tanner tells me to close my eyes and I do as I'm told smiling.

   "Open your eyes" He says. I slowly open my eyes and I see the beautiful yellow dress I saw when I entered Macey's. "Oh my!" I cry out. I clamp my hand on my mouth. "Oh-- I!" I try to get something out of my mouth. "I already bought it so you can't say no," He says. "It's beautiful," I finally say. "I guess, I saw you looking at it and when you were talking with Avery I went and got it for you, I almost had to wrestle a girl down, but she backed down when I hit her with my award winning smile," Tanner grins. 

   I smile and Avery comes around to the back, "You guys haven't even put the bags in the trunk?" Avery asks. Tanner and I laugh whilst putting the bags in the trunk. We drive away from the mall and onto the road again chatting about things that we love to eat. We drive for an hour or so when we come to a large ranch with a bunch of cattle and crops. 'Welcome to Sunny Side Ranch☀️!' a sign says. "This is as country as It can get," I say with a country accent. 

  "You spoke way too soon," Tanner laughs. Avery parks by a little barn and we all get out of the car. We go to the small barn greeted by a nasty smell and a petite man. "Well sir Tanner, welcome back," The man says in the most country accent I've ever heard, even more country then the movies i've watched. "Yes sire!" Tanner replies. "Okay, the horses have just been groomed and cleaned, please try to go easy on 'em, and if you got anything needs cleanin' I can do it," He says. 

  "Thanks Bob, that's okay, can I get Buffy, Hulk, and ?" Tanner asks. "Yeah, right this way," He mentions us to follow him. "I've me you, but, not you, what's your name miss?" Bob asks me. "Oh, I'm Estella Burk," I say smiling. "Mighty nice meetin' you, I'm Buford, but folks call me Bob, ponytail Bob, or PT-Bob," Bob says showing me his braided ponytail. "Oh, nice ponytail you've got there PT," I say smiling. "Thank you, and you've got a nice, pretty accent on you," He smiles showing his teeth with one gold canine. "Why thank you," I smile. 

  We go to a stable with many, many horses. "Woah," I gawk at the beautiful horses. I stop at a beautiful black horse with dark green eyes. "Awe, hey there, who are you?" I coo letting the horse nuzzle my hand. "Isn't she precious? That's smeraldi, meaning Emerald," He says petting smeraldi. "Oh, cute name," I coo to the horse who seems to smile at me. "Do you like the name?" I ask. smeraldi neighs as if to say yes. I smile. 

 "Meet Buffy," Tanner brings an Albino horse over. "Aw, Buffy, so cute," I smile hugging the horse from it's neck. "Yeah, isn't she," He says. We take the horses out the field to Ride them. Tanner on Buffy the Albino horse, me to Avery on Hulk, a small brown and white horse and I on smeraldi.