Second Chance Ranch

She walked the horse to the mounting block. Zach pushed up on his left leg and swung his right leg over the horse’s rump. When his prosthesis hit the wood, it folded on him. He tumbled back off the horse. Ethan stepped up and caught him. His left foot remained in the stirrup. Prince Charming didn’t dance or spook. He stood calmly. Ollie sprinted around the horse and disengaged Zach’s foot.

Ethan pulled Zach backward so his feet could touch the ground. His right leg didn’t hold. Ethan’s arms clamped around Zach’s chest, holding him upright. Zach’s hat fell to the ground.

Zach struggled to make his right leg work. Quietly, Sophie handed him his cane. He grabbed the lifeline and used the cane for balance. After struggling for a moment, he found his balance. Ethan picked up Zach’s hat.

“We probably worked too long,” Sophie said.

Zach wanted to rail that Andy had more endurance than he did. He nodded. “Ethan, you want to drive me home?”

Sophie dropped the horse’s leads. “Zach—”

He shook his head and started to walk away.

Prince Charming turned his head and caught Zach’s attention. The horse bobbed his head.

“He’s expecting a carrot,” Ollie offered. He nodded toward a pail on the bench. Zach took two steps and looked inside. Carrots. He pulled one out and turned toward the horse. Prince Charming readily accepted the treat.

Sophie stood on the other side of Prince Charming, gently rubbing his neck, her eyes dark with worry. He didn’t—couldn’t—acknowledge her.

With a final pat on Prince Charming’s shoulder, Zach turned and walked toward the parking lot.

What made him think that he could be the man he used to be?

Sophie buried her face in Prince Charming’s neck, taking comfort from the strength and smell of the horse.

“Give him a few minutes.”

Her head jerked up and she found Ethan standing beside her. “We never scheduled another lesson,” she said.

“I’ll talk to him.” Sadness and concern creased Ethan’s face. “Seeing him on a horse was great. I’ll have him call you to set up another appointment.”

She nodded and watched as Ethan walked toward the parking lot.

“Lord, touch his heart,” she whispered.

“Don’t you worry, Miss Sophie. I saw a spark in that young man’s eyes. Once he wrestles his pride down, you’ll see him again.”

She glanced over Prince Charming’s neck to Ollie. “I pray you’re right.”

Over the next week, Sophie held on to Ollie’s words. She heard nothing from Zach. She called Beth, asking about Zach.

“He’s not taking my calls,” Beth informed her. “If I was in town, I’d drive out to his apartment and face him down again.” Beth did a lot of traveling for her job with a big department store headquartered in Santa Fe. “I told Ethan to talk to him, but I haven’t heard back from him.”

Sophie couldn’t wait any longer. Andy’s next session was scheduled for tomorrow. “Give me your brother’s address.”

Beth gave her the street number of the new and trendy condominium and town house.

Sophie helped Ollie finish putting out feed for all the horses. She stopped by Prince Charming’s stall. “Hello, handsome.”

The big horse stuck his head out of the top half of the door. He nudged her hand.

“You are so spoiled,” she said, rubbing his nose. “I’m going to try to get Zach. You were great with him. Now he needs to understand that he needs you.”

Prince Charming nodded.

“You like him? He’s a real cowboy. Well, I like him, too. I’ll see what I can do to bring him back.”

Driving to Zach’s place, she prayed for wisdom and the right words to touch the stubborn man.

The new complex of town houses stood on the eastern edge of the city, built at the foot of one of the mountains surrounding the city. She found the number of his town house and parked. She whispered the opening lines of the twenty-third Psalm as she exited her car and walked up to the door and knocked.

Nothing.

She knocked again. “Zach, it’s Sophie.”

After several more seconds, the door opened. He was unshaved, and his closed expression didn’t give her any hope.

“I was hoping to talk to you.”

He studied her. “Why?”

Well, at least he didn’t shut the door in her face. “I wanted to talk about your next lesson.”

He shrugged his shoulders and walked back into the living room.

She followed him, closing the door gently behind her.

“How have you been doing?”

He shrugged again, settling into a leather recliner in front of a sixty-inch plasma TV. A baseball game flickered on the screen.

She walked to the sofa. “I think we pushed your first time too far. We should’ve stopped earlier.”

He didn’t respond.

“Zach, talk to me.”

He turned to her and nailed her with his blazing gaze. “What do you want me to say? Yeah, I didn’t tell you the truth when you asked if I was tired. I’m less of a man now than I was when I blew you off when Beth came home during college.”

It was a reaction, but not the one she hoped for. “What I see is a man who’s trying to come back. What I see is a man who helped a young boy overcome his fear and enjoy his ride on a horse.”

He turned away from her, staring down at the head of his cane.

“Zach, the man I met in college was full of himself and knew his strengths. One of those strengths was a faith in God and a determination to do the right thing.” She pulled a pamphlet out of her purse and put it on the coffee table. “This is from NARHA.”

He gave her a puzzled frown.

“North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. It talks about equine therapy and its benefits. What you expected from your body was unreasonable.”

His head came up and he looked at the pamphlet.

“When I fought for the guys who were wounded on the battlefield, I wanted to save them all. The ones who survived were blessings. You have a duty to those who didn’t make it. You lost a foot, but I don’t think you lost your soul. The Zach McClure I knew is still inside you. You just have a challenge you’ve never faced before.”

She stood. “Andy’s session is tomorrow morning at ten. He’s told all his friends about you, and I’ve had two more mothers of Down’s children call me, wanting to start with equine therapy.” She started for the door. Pausing with her hand on the knob, she turned to him. “I will never leave a fallen comrade.” With those final words she walked out the door.

I will never leave a fallen comrade. The words of the U.S. Military’s Honor Ethos echoed in Zach’s brain. How many times had he gone back to get a fellow wounded soldier. With the guys who were gravely wounded, their survival depended on their individual will to live.

He’d made it. The roadside bomb that wounded him had killed two members of his team. He didn’t remember much after the bomb, except his good buddy calling for him to hold on and telling him that they’d get him help.

They kept him sedated until he woke up in Walter Reed Army Hospital.

He picked up his Bible and turned to Exodus. The story that always amazed him was Joshua’s. This was a man who led Israel after Moses’s death in their fight to conquer the Promised Land.

Zach turned over to the book of Joshua and read the first three chapters, where Joshua faced his first major obstacle—the Jordan River. Not just a normal river but a river ten times its usual size. That crossing was a major miracle.

He faced his own Jordan River.

God gave Joshua a plan, and if Zach didn’t miss his guess, God just gave him a plan. And it started with showing up to help Andy.

Chapter Four

Zach took a deep breath and glanced at his brother, who sat behind the steering wheel of his truck. Zach chaffed at having to be driven, but he didn’t want his truck fitted with hand controls. He wanted to be able to build up the strength in his leg to be able to drive his own truck.

“You sure you don’t want me to stay?” Ethan asked.

Ethan had quickly covered up his surprise this morning when Zach called, asking for a ride.

“I’m sure.”

Ethan studied him. “I’ll stop by after I finish the business at the bank.”

Zach put on his straw hat. It was already warm beyond normal for an early spring morning. “I’m okay, Ethan.” He clamped his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Thanks.”

Ethan nodded.

Zach opened the truck door and carefully rested his feet on the ground. He used his cane for balance. Hopefully, he could permanently retire it in a few weeks with hard work and exercise.

He walked down the breezeway to the open rings. The first thing Zach saw was Andy. The boy sat on a bench by the helmets. He stared at the ground. Glancing up, he spotted Zach.

“You came,” Andy yelled, launching himself off the bench.

Zach braced himself for Andy’s hug. The boy stopped and looked up at Zach. He reached out and grasped the boy’s hand. Andy snuggled close to Zach’s side.

“I see your sidewalker is here.”

Zach’s head snapped up. Sophie stood before him, her blue eyes glistened with moisture, and he read approval and something else there. But before he could analyze it, Andy raced toward Sam.

“Hi, Sam.” Andy stroked the horse’s shoulder.

Sam turned her head toward the boy.

Pride for Andy’s actions filled Zach. The boy overcame his fear. It was something Zach needed to do.

“Get your helmet, and I’ll take Sam to the mounting ramp,” Sophie instructed.

Andy dashed off.

A smile curved Sophie’s mouth. “I’m glad you’re here. Andy was disappointed when he didn’t see you.”

“What did you tell him?” He waited, curious for the answer.

“I told him that Sam was glad he was here.”

“Is that all?” He moved toward her and lightly ran his hand over Sam’s withers.

She held his gaze. “When he asked about you, I told him that things would be okay. I prayed. I know Andy is happy you’re here and…”

Zach understood the unspoken part of her sentence. She was glad he was here, too.

“I got my helmet,” Andy yelled, waving it above his head.

“We’re coming,” Sophie replied.

Suddenly Zach knew that his “Jordon” could be divided.

Andy cheerfully waved one last time at Zach as his mother pulled him down the walkway. “I had fun. I’ll see you next time.”

Another child called out Sophie’s name as she rounded the corner. “Miss Sophie. I’m here.” The little girl’s braids bounced as she waved.

“Go put your things in the office.” Each rider had a small cubbyhole on the inside wall of the office for their things. “I need to take Sam back to his stall.” Sophie lightly patted the horse’s withers.

Zach grasped Sam’s leads. “I’ll take care of Sam.”

She hesitated. “You sure? I didn’t expect you to work.”

“I’m sure. I’ve been doing this kind of thing since I could walk.” He paused. “I think before I could walk. I remember my mother talked about taking me out to the barn and something about a pen.” That sounded bad to his ears.

She laughed.

“Take care of your other clients. I’ll take care of Sam.”

Her eyes danced with mirth and the corner of her mouth kicked up. “You’ve got a deal.”

Satisfaction raced through him. As he watched Sophie walk toward her next client, Zach’s heart lightened. He was where he belonged. Sophie somehow touched his heart in a way he didn’t understand.

Sam nudged his arm.

“What? You want a carrot, or are you thinkin’ the same thing I am?” Zach rubbed Sam’s nose. The horse lipped his hand.

“A carrot is what you want?” Zach walked to the barrel where the treats were kept and pulled out a carrot. Sam took the offered treat. Zach glanced at his cane propped in the corner behind the mounting steps and decided he felt strong enough to leave it there.

Over the next hour, Zach plunged into the wonderful pattern of caring for a horse. After removing Sam’s tack, he walked the horse down to the shower stall and hosed him off. Even this early in the spring, the day would be a scorcher and Sam deserved a cooling shower.

Sam also ate up the attention. She was a flirt.

“I see you found the shower,” Ollie said, walking by.

“Sam worked hard and I thought she’d like a little refreshing.”

Ollie pushed the straw hat back on his forehead. “I’m glad to see you here.”

Ollie’s words surprised him. “I couldn’t disappoint Andy.”

“You need a sidewalker, count me in.”

Ollie’s offer touched Zach.

“Thanks.”

“No thanks necessary. It’s my privilege.” He nodded and walked down the row of stalls.

Shock and amazement held Zach motionless. Ollie obviously was a man of few words, but each one held power. Ollie believed in him, which humbled Zach.

Untying Sam’s lead, he said, “C’mon, girl, let’s go.”

Sophie grabbed an apple out of the mini-fridge and walked out of the ranch office. There’d been no time to eat and this would be her lunch. Things had happened so quickly this morning that it reminded her of the mornings in the field hospital in Iraq when she went on autopilot.

Finally, things had settled down and no clients were scheduled for the next hour and she could think. She’d panicked when Andy and his mother had shown up and there was no Zach. Her heart soared when Zach walked out of the breezeway.

Where was he now? She moved down the row of stalls and found him outside, looking at the horses in the corral.

“I was worried that you might have disappeared.”

He turned to her and flashed a wide smile. “No, I haven’t left.”

She noted a hint of satisfaction in his voice. “You were great with Andy.”

He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “I couldn’t have disappointed him, but I’ll admit I was nervous when I got here today.”

He didn’t know how much prayer went into today. “It did go well. Andy didn’t tire as easily as he did last time. You didn’t, either.”

“You’re right. My leg held up nicely. Of course I took my time with Sam. She didn’t mind if I sat down and caught my breath.” He shook his head. “It was a one-sided talk, but Sam didn’t mind.”

“So, you ready to ride a little today?”

He glanced around. “You’ve got time today?”

“We have an hour, and I have Ollie and another volunteer to be sidewalkers if you’re willing.”

He nodded. “Let’s do it.”

“If you want to get Prince Charming, I’ll get his tack and meet you at the mounting steps.”

Zach walked to Prince Charming’s stall while Sophie grabbed the tack and blanket and walked to the mounting steps.

Ollie and Ethan stood with Zach. Zach held Prince Charming by his halter.

“I see we have a new sidewalker,” Sophie greeted as she walked to the group.

Ollie took the tack, and Sophie threw the blanket over Prince Charming’s back. Quickly they got the horse ready for the ride. This time when Zach mounted the horse, things went smoothly.

Sophie led Prince Charming into the ring. She stopped and glanced over her shoulder at Zach. “When you’re ready, tell Prince Charming.”

He nodded. She could see the excitement in Zach’s face.

Zach patted Prince Charming’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Prince Charming started forward.

After their first time around the ring, Zach asked, “Why’d you name him Prince Charming?”

Ollie snorted.

“What’s that mean?” Ethan asked.

“’Cause this guy was an unruly beast when we first got him.”

“So how’d he get the name Prince Charming?” Zach asked.

Sophie shrugged, but didn’t turn around. “Because he reminded me of the horse in the storybook I read as a girl. I thought there was a wonderful horse under all that bad behavior. I was right. I worked with him and earned his trust. Prince Charming is only used with adult patients.” She glanced over at Ethan. “We all have our bad moments. The place where Margaret got Prince Charming was a ranch in southern Colorado. Something happened. I think the owner was some city dude and didn’t know much about horses.”

They worked for close to twenty minutes, making rounds of the corral.

“Let me know when you’re tired.”

“I think a couple more times around, then we can call a halt to it.”

Both Ollie and Ethan nodded in approval.

With a final round of the corral, Sophie guided Prince Charming to the mounting stairs. She held her breath as Zach swung his prosthesis over Prince Charming’s back. His artificial foot rested on the platform.

She held her breath and Ethan tensed, ready to dart forward and help his brother.

Zach continued to hold on to the saddle blanket and slipped his good leg out of the stirrup. He paused for a moment, getting his balance. Slowly he released the saddle blanket and stood.

Tears welled in Sophie’s eyes. Zach took a step back, turned and smiled at her.

“I listened to my body this time.”

“That’s good.” She forced the words around the lump in her throat.

He held on to the railing as he walked down the stairs. Prince Charming nodded his head, as if agreeing with Sophie.

“I think this guy needs a carrot.”

Sophie grabbed a carrot and gave it to Zach. Prince Charming took the offered treat.

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