Love Means No Boundaries - Andrew Grey

yo
y ne
e el
e se
e wa
w s
a
outside, e wo
w rk
r ing.
g Joey
y re
r t
e ri
r ev
e ed
e the
e violin fr f o
r m the
e off
f i
f ce
c
e an
a d
re
r t
e urn
r ed
e wi
w th the
e ca
c s
a e
e to the
e kitch
c en
e . “Do you think you can make it to the car on your own?”
“I think I can.”
“T
“ h
T en
e I’
I l
’ l fo
f llow
w yo
y u.” Joey
y staye
y d
e beh
e ind an
a d let
e Robbie
e
mak
a e
e his wa
w y
y to the
e back
c door
r an
a d outside, e amaz
a ed
e that
a Robbie
e
mad
a e
e a
a dire
r ct
c line
e towa
w r
a d the
e ca
c r
a .
r It
I had
a n’t
’ been
e moved
e since
c
e they’d
go
g tten
e home
e the day
y befo
f re
r ,
e but Robbie’ e s
’ ab
a ility
y to nav
a iga
g t
a e was
a
impre
r s
e sive.
e “Y
“ o
Yu’r
’ e
r am
a azing,
g yo
y u know
w that
a ?”
” Joey
y co
c mmen
e ted
e as
a
he
e wa
w t
a ch
c ed
e Robbie
e open
e the
e pas
a sen
e ge
g r
e
r door
r an
a d cl
c imb into the e ca
c r
a .
r
“N
“ o
N t re
r al
a ly.
y I’
I v
’ e
e had
a plenty
y of prac
a t
c ice
c nav
a iga
g t
a ing
g in the dark,” he
e an
a swe
w re
r d
e , as
a Joey
y han
a ded
e him the
e instru
r men
e t an
a d cl
c osed
e the
e door
35
Andrew Grey
before climbing behind the wheel. “I have orchestra rehearsal until eleven, and then we’ll have lunch before working with some local music students.” Robbie’s face lit with excitement. “I love this part.
    I love working with the kids. In Chattanooga, I got to work with a six-year-old cellist who was blind too. She was having a difficult time, and I was able to help her. After we were done, her mother hugged me and told me she hadn’t seen her daughter smile like that in months.” Joey glanced at Robbie as he pulled into the drive in front of the auditorium. “Is it okay if I call you when we’re done?”
    “Of course.” Joey gave him the number, and he nimbly programmed it into his phone.
“When we get back, I thought I’d take you to the barn, and you can meet the horses.”
“When I was a child, before I got sick, I always wanted a pony, but Mama wouldn’t let me get one. I did get to ride one once at a carnival, though.”
“Would you like to ride?” Joey wasn’t sure how Robbie would feel about it, but he was sure he could get him on a horse and lead him around the yard.
    “Could I?” Robbie’s face was a study in fascinated wonder.
“Sure.” Joey was about to say more when he saw the doors open, and Arie came scuttling toward the car, immediately opening the door.
    “Let me help you inside.” Arie practically lifted Robbie out of his seat and guided him away from the car like he was some sort of invalid. Joey found himself becoming angry at the way Arie was treating him. Robbie wasn’t helpless and most certainly could have made his way inside on his own. Maybe he’d need a little guidance, but he didn’t need to be treated like he was useless. Why did Robbie allow it? The car door closed, and Arie glared back at Joey. He began helping Robbie toward the door before letting him go and walking back to the car, rapping on the glass.
    36
Love Means … NO Boundaries
    Joey lowered the window as Arie peered through the glass and spoke. “We’ll bring Robbie back this afternoon.” Joey looked over Arie’s shoulder. “You’ll call when you’re ready?” Robbie smiled in his direction and held up the phone and nodded. Arie saw the gesture and scowled at Joey, but didn’t say anything more. Instead he turned and walked back to Robbie, hurrying him inside. What did I ever do to you? Then he realized it had happened again. He’d been able to forget until he saw the look on Arie’s face, and his fingers went to his face, tracing the pink scars and scowling toward the building as the door swung closed.
    Joey pulled away and got to work, spending the day alone, away from the farm and everyone else. At noon he thought about going back to the house for lunch, but couldn’t bring himself to be around anyone. He remembered reading the story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame in school, and he suddenly realized how Quasimodo might have felt.
    As he looked over the hay fields, trying to determine when they might be ready for cutting, he heard the thunder of hooves and saw Eli approaching on Tiger. Pulling up, he slid off the horse’s back as gracefully as a ballet dancer. “I brought you some lunch.” Eli reached into a saddlebag and brought out a small insulated bag before handing it to Joey along with a thermos.