Reconciling Circumstances: Day 11

Word Count: 66,003

Summary of Events:
Chapter 21:
Étienne worked with Tempête and dreamed about wowing the stallion's breeder when he competed with Tempête in five years. Heleighna met Granville and Jacques-Henri for lunch and noticed that Jacques had changed for the better.
Chapter 22:
Heleighna was mucking out the stalls down Sauvage's aisle when Étienne and Dr. Charron came to check on him. Étienne was concerned by what Dr. Charron had found, but when the x-rays came back positive he felt a lot better.

Excerpt of the Day:
"As she cleaned out the piles she heard advancing feet. She stopped working and listened. It sounded like more than one person. She turned and saw M. Étienne and the veterinarian, Dr. Charron, walking down the aisle.
She turned back to her work, they were checking up on Sauvage, she was sure. They approached without a word and opened Sauvage's stall door. Heleighna glanced over through the upper half as Dr. Charron's head dipped down.
"Hm," Dr. Charron said. "It still looks swollen."
Heleighna heard a stamp.
"And it's still tender," Dr. Charron said. "You've been regular with the ice and cold water, right?"
"Yes," M. Étienne replied, his voice sounding tight.
Heleighna glanced at him and saw that his entire face was tight, not in the way that had so terrified her the other day, but in a more concerned, fearful way, like he was scared because of what Dr. Charron was saying.
"Now you said you've been walking him for an hour," Dr. Charron said.
"Yes," M. Étienne replied.
"You were at a half an hour last time I was here and there seemed to be improvement," Dr. Charron said. "But it almost seems like things have gone back downhill again."
"How?" M. Étienne asked sharply. Heleighna was sure that was just because he was scared.
"Well, he's more sensitive again, he was much better last time," Dr. Charron replied.
Heleighna moved the wheelbarrow and got the fresh bedding.
"And also his swelling does seem to be bigger than it was before," Dr. Charron said.
Heleighna moved the fork over the bedding and spread it out.
"You haven't upped to a brisk walk, have you?" Dr. Charron asked.
"No," M. Étienne replied.
"Hmm," Dr. Charron said. Heleighna looked up and saw him stroking his chin contemplatively. He'd grown a beard since she'd last seen him, she noticed.
M. Étienne looked at Dr. Charron with brooding panic. Heleighna felt like offering him some encouragement, but she didn't know how, and to get near him she'd have to get near Sauvage, and Sauvage was still rather scary to her.
"How does your walk routine go?" Dr. Charron asked.
"I walk him in the aisles for forty five minutes," M. Étienne replied. "And I finish off with fifteen minutes walking the perimeter of the arena."
"That would do it," Dr. Charron said.
Heleighna was puzzled. What did Dr. Charron mean?
"Why did you start walking him in the arena?" Dr. Charron asked.
"Because I'm tired of walking down the aisles, and I think he is too," M. Étienne replied. "He definitely seems happier walking around the arena."
"How thick is the sand cover in the arena?" Dr. Charron asked.
"Six inches," M. Étienne replied.
"What's under that?" Dr. Charron asked.
"Packed dirt, more sand, grave, and rocks, also packed, and then that's where the walls end and it's dirt again," M. Étienne replied. "It's about ten feet down before the dirt begins again, and the bulk of that is packed dirt and sand.""