Testing: Day 13

Word Count: 78,021

Summary of Events:

Ivy's parents arrived to take her home, bringing her brother with them to bring their other team and wagon that had brought Ivy up back home as well. Gabriel worked with his colt and thought about Pastor Schnetler's suggestion that he might love Ivy, and felt that it was very much true. Ivy and her father had a private time together with him talking and her nonverbally replying that she really appreciated. Gabriel worked with Jude and made progress a little bit faster than expected — even with it still taking over an hour — and was quite happy with it.

Excerpt of the Day:

"Gabriel gave Jude one last handful of oats before thanking the stallion for his cooperation, then going to the back of the stall and hanging the halter there around one of the bars, and finally leaving the stall.

Jude had actually made some pretty good progress. Gabriel had a feeling it was because there was a trust between them. Jude trusted that Gabriel wouldn't hurt him, and that if he said no, he would be listened to.

Gabriel was just progressively testing that trust so that he could get Jude to do things for him, and so that he could put more of his trust in Jude. Really, working with Jude was a test in trust for both of them.

Much like working with Miss Oldford, except that Gabriel was quite sure he was getting further with Jude than he was with Miss Oldford. Of course, he hadn't seen Miss Oldford in nearly a week.

By now her parents would be here. Gabriel hoped that she hadn't told them anything negative about him. He didn't want to be shunned by any more people than he had to, and he also didn't want Mr. and Mrs. Oldford's perceptions of him to be built off of untruths, he wanted them to be able to meet him themselves and form their opinions that way.

He also hoped that he would be able to see Miss Oldford at least one more time before she left. He wanted at least to apologise, whether she accepted the apology or not, and hopefully that would ease things the next time they ran into each other.

Not that Gabriel wanted there to be too much of a break between seeing her here in Elk City, and seeing her in Ketchum. It all depended on how soon Jude accepted the halter.

Today's progress had been good, however, there was still more that needed to be done. Jude would let the halter get close to him, but he wouldn't let it touch him, and he hadn't looked at it yet.

Hopefully Mr. Watson wouldn't try to get it from the back corner of the stall and Jude would have some time to examine it all on his own. Gabriel was certain that would help, although he was also certain that if he had a braided rope halter Jude might be less leery, but he was going to work with the leather halter for now because that was what he had, he'd have to get supplies for a rope halter soon, though.

Leading Jude would probably be the most unsettling part. If nothing else Gabriel might have to leave the halter on with a lead attached to it for a few days, then he'd have to bring a horse in to work on ponying.

Gabriel had a feeling there was still a good month's work ahead of him before Jude would be able to leave Elk City, and even that trip could still be dicey; Jude might still run off on him in the night or something, he didn't really know."