Free His Eyes by Renee Carter Page A

I said in mock-anger and playfully punched his shoulder. He laughed at me. “Tristan, I’m serious!”
    “Remember that music you had on when I was first in your car?”
    I nodded. “Yeah, Sting—The Police.”
    “That was pretty awful,” he deadpanned.
    “ Right .” I rolled my eyes. “Do you even listen to music?”
    “Of course I do.”
    I raised my eyebrows. “Yeah? What’s your favorite band?”
    “Coldplay.”
    “What?” I cried. “Are you serious? I love them!”
    Tristan laughed, “I didn’t think you liked any bands from this decade.”
    “ Seriously .” I pulled the Camry into a parking spot. “Sting is classic.” I switched off the engine. “We’re here.”
    “And the surprise is...?”
    I said enthusiastically, “We’re at the stables to visit Aeris!”
    “Oh.” His face darkened. “What makes you think I want to ride?”
    “Because you used to love it.” I walked around my car to the passenger side and opened his door. “Listen, this isn’t for me. The last horse I was on was four feet tall and could only walk in a circle. I was three; I fell in his poop; there were tears. Since then, horses and I—not such a good thing.”
    He snapped, “Amy, there’s a reason I haven’t been riding Aeris,” and tapped meaningfully on the edge of his glasses.
    I sighed and pulled on his arm. “Oh, come on. I’ll be your eyes.”
    “That’s real comforting, after your story,” he said sarcastically and climbed out of my car.
    I smiled and slid my hand into his. Tristan’s fingers tightened around mine and I felt my cheeks grow warm. I had to get a grip...on myself ! Not him! Honestly.
    We entered the sky-blue stables. They were beautiful and bright, with a high-beamed ceiling. There were two rows of stalls on both sides of the building. Helmets, saddles, bridles, and other equipment I couldn’t name hung on pegs outside of the stalls. Through the doors, I could see the brilliant faces of purebred horses. I looked to Tristan and asked, “Where’s Aeris?”
    He frowned as he thought. “Uh, on the left...halfway down the row. He’s black.”
    We walked a little further and then I saw an intense onyx eye staring at me. I stopped and marveled at the handsome animal. His coat was so deeply black that it shimmered navy in the light. His ears were cocked forward while he regarded me. Then he dismissively blew air through his nostrils and, turning toward Tristan, pinned his ears back.
    Tristan let go of my hand and took a step toward the stable. “Aeris?” The horse watched him as he held out his hand. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I should’ve come.” Aeris watched for another moment and then rubbed his head against his owner’s hand. He patted the horse’s neck and turned to me. “Well, you still want to go?”
    “Of course.”
    Tristan nodded. “You’ll have to tack him—get him ready. I can’t.”
    I eyed the saddle that hung by the stable door. “I don’t think I can put a saddle on right.”
    “Well, it’s probably better that way,” he replied. “We wouldn’t both fit in it.”
    Wait—what was he saying? Go without a saddle? Was my pony-riding story for nothing? I gasped, “What do you mean?”
    “We’ll ride bareback,” he said with a smirk. “We’ll just need the bridle.”
    Right.
    I gingerly lifted the leather bridle from its peg. The long reins hung down from the bit. I moved toward Aeris, whose ears turned back. Tristan kept a firm hand against the horse’s neck while I slipped the bridle over the animal’s head. He felt me slide on the bridle and then instructed, “Okay, now tighten the straps. The bit’s in his mouth?”
    I pulled on the straps. “Yeah.”
    “All right.” He held onto the reins. “Open the door.”
    I opened the latch and Tristan backed up, leading Aeris from the stall. He felt with his free hand down the horse’s neck to his back. He held out the reins and I took them. I watched, my mouth falling slightly open, as