ICECREAM

ICECREAM

Sometimes I am dreaming of this, it's as frightening as it is beautiful. "Do it", my physiotherapist often says "It is good for you. It will relax your muscles and it will rhythmically relax the whole of you. I know a place, they are good, they work with all sorts of disabled people".

Hmm. Yeah. I know I should give it a try, but there is something about me you should know. I am a city-child. I grew up between high buildings, cars, screeching trams and toddlers in prams. A horse is an animal from cowboy-movies and Olympics.
Its back and saddle are high and I have a terrible fear of height. And then having to balance my fragile brittle back on THAT? Don't they see it is scary?

He grins and says "tomorrow you and I will go to the beach and we will watch people on horseback pass by". "In your dreams", I retort. "Not even if I buy you ice cream afterwards?" I know a bribe when I see one, but all the same I sigh and give in.

The next day then we drive to the beach, and he parks my chair on the road and carries me himself in his strong arms to the top of a dune, near the bridleway. It's still warm in the sunset, and I love watching the sun slowly lower itself into the sea. Soft wind lifts my curls and I close my eyes.

"There, see?" His happy voice wakes me up and there they are. Two HUGE horses, with two handsome men in the saddle. To be honest, the men are far more interesting than the horses. Those are dark, looming and stuff for nightmares. My physiotherapist sighs happily while they pass.

"Now, can we get ice cream?" I poke him. "Sure", he says. And off we go. "Want to try riding?" He asks hopefully. "Listen, you big idiot", I say. "It is YOU drooling over horses, not me. YOU go riding and I will happily watch you do it from a distance, and I will always agree to have ice cream with you afterwards. Deal?"

He looks down at me warily, but then smiles and nods. We have the biggest vanilla ice cream I have ever seen. This was one of the best nights of my life. Thanks, horsies!

***


Very short story, written for a Goodreads YA LGBT group prompt,
October 2016