🖊️ Just the Two of Us

To: (123) 456-7890 -- From: Asteri

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Song: [Emmylou - Vance Joy]

Book: [I Have Lost My Way - Gayle Foreman]

Keywords: [horses, life, love]

Tonight I had riding, and I got to ride my favorite horse, Royce. He's a black and white overo paint, 14.2 hands, and an absolute sweetheart. He's the silliest horse I know; he has a strong sense of humor and will goof off every lesson. His favorite thing in the world is jumping. He absolutely loves it, it's our favorite thing together.

He's also old. 29 years old kind of old. And for those of you who are not horse people, domesticated horses live to an average of 31 years old. Meaning, 31-29=2. So, Royce is old.

Coming back to the fact that I had riding tonight, I got to take Royce out to his field alone. Just the two of us in the twilight (his show name is Just the Two of Us; I wonder why!). And I was thinking about the fact that I'm probably going to lose him before my high school graduation, and how unbearably sad that is.

So I talked to him. I told him how much I love him, how I'll always love him. Beyond the stars, the planets, the nebluae and galaxies, I'll love him. I told him how he'll always be with me, for the rest of my life. How no matter what, I love him endlessly. 

And then I went to leave and walked by his field and then I stopped. And I reached my hand out under the top part of the fence and reached for him. And he stretched, stretched... contact. Just for a moment, but it was most definitely a moment. The moment of contact in the twilight, of me and him touching, our souls touching...

I love him. My sweet, beautiful boy, who I will never own but who I have loved for two and a half years and will continue to love forever.

I love you, Royce. Till the last star dies.

--Asteri