The fall breeze brushed down the aisle as Tai maneuvered his way around
the small bay horse with his crutches and one good left leg. Sora lifted the
light western riding saddle off of the short horses back, a task that Tai
could not yet perform.
    Seven months ago, Tai was on his way to Sora's for their anniversary
party when he was hit by a pickup running a red light. He had been in a come
for a short while and had musculoskeletal damage. The doctors had advised
therapeutic horseback riding which would build back his muscles and aid in
surgery on his damaged bones.
    Sora quickly hosed down the hot horse, she was accustomed to what was now
routine.
    Tai stood still, admiring Sora's care and determination. She had promised
to stand by him, no matter how hard the work. Because of her, his life was so
much easier and his progress was rapid.
    Sora finished.
    "Thank you, again, Sora- chan," Tai said.
    "No problem, Tai- chi," she replied.
    She helped him into her mom's minivan and started the trip home.

    Matt turned around. That was the last aisle, he thought, Tai and Sora
must not be here, great! All that way for nothing! He grabbed a carrot and
found his way to the bay horse's stall.
    "How are you today, Lucky Star?" he asked.
    The horse nickered and Matt rubbed the mare's face up and down along her
stripe. He wore workboots and jeans with a simple blue button- down shirt.
    "Hey!" a female voice called, "Give me a hand, will ya?" it asked.
    Matt looked across the aisle to see a black haired beauty around his age.
    "Sure," he replied.
    "Name's Becky," she said offering her hand.
    "I'm Yamato but you can call me Matt," he said in reply shaking her hand.
    "Well then, 'Matt', why are you here?"
    "My friends were here, but they must've left," he explained.
    "Oh, yeah, the guy for the therapy, gotcha," she said brushing a fly away
strand of black into her tight bun. "Gimme a hand with this saddle, it's a
working western saddle so it's kinda heavy."
    "Okay." Matt lifted the saddle up but miscalculated the weight and he
toppled over into Becky. He dropped the saddle and TRIED to look into her
eyes.
    That was awkward, Matt thought.
    "Um," she said, "Thanks that was a big help, I've got it from here."
    "Okay," he replied. You messed that one up, Matt, he thought as he
quickly left, humiliated.

    Kari answered the phone and immediately recognized the voice of one of
the many secretaries at Odaiba General Hospital.
    "Tai, it's for you," his little sister informed.
    He hobbled towards the phone.
    "Hello?"
    "Hi, this is Odaiba General calling to remind you of your operation three
days from now, and to tell you to make sure you take care of all your pre-
operation things."
    "Okay, thanks," he said.
    "Bye," the lady replied.
    "Bye."
    Sora waited patiently. Tai looked at her and saw what he was putting her
through. He limped quickly across the floor to his crutches. He picked them
up in anger. He tried to use them too fast and tripped. Kari yelled and Sora
moved into help. He pushed her away and threw his crutches as far as he
could. Kari gave another yell and Sora quickly grabbed him and took him to
his room.
    Tai tried to get away but Sora wrestled him to his bed.
    "Tai, calm down."
    Tai gave one last attempt to break free but then silently started crying.
He sat upright and Sora hugged him.
    "I'm tired of this, Sora," he said, regaining his composure, "It's so
frustrating having you and Kari wait on me and take care of me and then going
to the hospital for endless checkups and operations, and just being so,
so…helpless." He sighed with a defeated shrug.
    "I know, and it'll be okay," was all the comfort Sora could give and she
kissed him lightly on the lips.
   
    The indoor rink was cool and Tai sat atop the bay mare once again, Sora
watching closely. Matt was there and so was Becky. I wonder what's going on
there, Sora thought.
    Matt was trying his best to be subtle in his clues, but Becky wasn't
catching any of them. He liked her, he had flashed his smile, tried ALL his
pickup lines, but everything bounced of Becky Williams like he had never said
tem at all.
    "So, Becky," he cleared his throat, "what are you doing later?"
    "Nothing, why?"
    Now's your chance, Matt, he thought.
    "Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go out, on a date like," he said,
so cool and calm, but inside the suspense was killing him.
    "Sure," she replied nonchalantly. His heart gave a jump.
    "Tai, I have an idea," Becky shouted, making her way through the
bleachers.
    "I think your strong enough… now," she said to herself, but everyone
heard her.
    "Um, what?" he asked.
    "Hop off," she commanded. Tai did and Becky expertly removed the stirrups
from the saddle. "Okay, back on." Tai gave her a funny look, but got on.
    "Sora had her hands clasped, hoping that this would go well for Tai's
sake as much as hers. Every time Tai hurt, inside or outside, it hurt her,
too.