time around animals.” They stepped out onto the dirt road between the houses and the lake, so Therese let Clifford down as Than continued. “I wish it were otherwise. The horses and the birds and even your little dog have brought me a lot of pleasure these past two days.”
Therese didn’t know what to say. All of this was so unexpected. She had taken Than to be arrogant and maybe even selfish, but he sounded sincere. “I couldn’t live without animals,” she said.
Than frowned. Then he turned to her and said, “Being around people has been a pleasant change, too. I tend to be a loner, except for my sisters’ company.”
“That’s too bad. But you can always change.”
He sighed, gave her a sad smile, and shook his head. “Some things never change.”
She wondered what he meant, but she was afraid to pry, so she looked across the reservoir to the mountains on the other side. The sun was almost at high noon, and everything sparkled under its brilliant light.
“I never get tired of this view,” Therese said. “I feel so lucky to live here.” Then she thought of who else used to live here, and the tears welled. Panic gripped her heart, but she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She wasn’t going to cry.
“I know you must miss them,” Than said softly. “Bobby told me. I wish I could say I know how you feel.”
“Are your parents staying in the Melner cabin with you?” Therese wanted to change the subject.
“No. My dad had to work and my mom is visiting my grandmother.”
They were silent for a while, both looking out over the lake and at Clifford stopping again to pee on every other tree. When they reached Therese’s gravel driveway, they slowed down and came to a stop. “What does your dad do?”
He stuck his hands in his pockets and let out a deep breath. “Hmm. Well, my dad, he manages a large operation, and my mom helps him during parts of the year. It’s difficult to explain.”
“So he never gets to get away?”
“Never. In fact, this is my very first trip away from home, and I had to beg and make promises.” He laughed. “My dad’s a good guy. Please don’t misunderstand. But he’s got a huge responsibility, and, well, it’s difficult for him to be flexible.”
Therese noticed Clifford had gone on ahead of her toward the house. “Well, I’m glad you got to come out here. It’s beautiful country and the Holts are a n awesome family. And the horses are so incredible.”
“I’m glad, too.” He took a step closer to her. “I’m glad I got to meet you.”
Therese felt the blood rush to her face, and she looked down, shuffling around the gravel of her driveway with her sneaker. “Thanks. I’m glad I got to meet you, too.” She looked up to see him grinning down at her.
“So I guess I’ll see you later this afternoon, when it’s time to exercise the horses.”
“Yeah.” She wanted to add, “Unless I chicken out,” but she didn’t.
“See you later.” He turned and headed toward the Melner cabin.
She watched him walk away, enjoying the view.
Chapter Twelve: Mortal Sensations
Being human certainly had its advantages, Than thought as he walked away from Therese toward his cabin. For one thing, he never realized how much more humans than gods experience the world. As often as he had been all over the planet, he had never felt the sun on his back. He had never experienced the cold water of a lake or river running through his fingers. He had never heard the beautiful music of the birds. Than realized his primal senses were more finely-tuned when in mortal form, while his mind was more finely tuned when in godly form. In other words, he had never felt so much in all his life.
He wondered if the lower one went in the animal kingdom, the more this was true. Did horses feel more than humans? Beetles more than horses?
He stopped before a pine tree and pressed his nose close to its
Therese didn’t know what to say. All of this was so unexpected. She had taken Than to be arrogant and maybe even selfish, but he sounded sincere. “I couldn’t live without animals,” she said.
Than frowned. Then he turned to her and said, “Being around people has been a pleasant change, too. I tend to be a loner, except for my sisters’ company.”
“That’s too bad. But you can always change.”
He sighed, gave her a sad smile, and shook his head. “Some things never change.”
She wondered what he meant, but she was afraid to pry, so she looked across the reservoir to the mountains on the other side. The sun was almost at high noon, and everything sparkled under its brilliant light.
“I never get tired of this view,” Therese said. “I feel so lucky to live here.” Then she thought of who else used to live here, and the tears welled. Panic gripped her heart, but she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She wasn’t going to cry.
“I know you must miss them,” Than said softly. “Bobby told me. I wish I could say I know how you feel.”
“Are your parents staying in the Melner cabin with you?” Therese wanted to change the subject.
“No. My dad had to work and my mom is visiting my grandmother.”
They were silent for a while, both looking out over the lake and at Clifford stopping again to pee on every other tree. When they reached Therese’s gravel driveway, they slowed down and came to a stop. “What does your dad do?”
He stuck his hands in his pockets and let out a deep breath. “Hmm. Well, my dad, he manages a large operation, and my mom helps him during parts of the year. It’s difficult to explain.”
“So he never gets to get away?”
“Never. In fact, this is my very first trip away from home, and I had to beg and make promises.” He laughed. “My dad’s a good guy. Please don’t misunderstand. But he’s got a huge responsibility, and, well, it’s difficult for him to be flexible.”
Therese noticed Clifford had gone on ahead of her toward the house. “Well, I’m glad you got to come out here. It’s beautiful country and the Holts are a n awesome family. And the horses are so incredible.”
“I’m glad, too.” He took a step closer to her. “I’m glad I got to meet you.”
Therese felt the blood rush to her face, and she looked down, shuffling around the gravel of her driveway with her sneaker. “Thanks. I’m glad I got to meet you, too.” She looked up to see him grinning down at her.
“So I guess I’ll see you later this afternoon, when it’s time to exercise the horses.”
“Yeah.” She wanted to add, “Unless I chicken out,” but she didn’t.
“See you later.” He turned and headed toward the Melner cabin.
She watched him walk away, enjoying the view.
Chapter Twelve: Mortal Sensations
Being human certainly had its advantages, Than thought as he walked away from Therese toward his cabin. For one thing, he never realized how much more humans than gods experience the world. As often as he had been all over the planet, he had never felt the sun on his back. He had never experienced the cold water of a lake or river running through his fingers. He had never heard the beautiful music of the birds. Than realized his primal senses were more finely-tuned when in mortal form, while his mind was more finely tuned when in godly form. In other words, he had never felt so much in all his life.
He wondered if the lower one went in the animal kingdom, the more this was true. Did horses feel more than humans? Beetles more than horses?
He stopped before a pine tree and pressed his nose close to its
Similar Books
