Love Means No Boundaries - Andrew Grey

“What’s wrong?
You look miserable.”
Joey shook his head and turned away. “I hate it, Eli. Since the accident, I hate my own face.”
    “Is it that, or the way others react to you?” Damn, the man was perceptive. “You can’t change the way others see you until you change the way you see yourself. You’re not broken, Joey, and you’re not ugly. The scars have already started to fade and the doctor says that will continue.” Eli reached into the other saddlebag and pulled out a second insulated bag. “I can’t tell you that you’ll look the same as you did before the accident, but regardless, you 37
Andrew Grey
     
need to decide if you want to let the way you look define how you see yourself.” Joey watched as Eli opened the bag and pulled out a sandwich and took a bite. “I never thought you’d let yourself be measured by how you look.” Joey watched as Eli grew quiet and ate quietly. Slowly, Joey began to move, opening the bag and withdrawing his own food. He didn’t feel like eating. “I feel like a fool.” Eli smiled as he swallowed. “You’re not a fool, Joey. You’ve just been feeling sorry for yourself over something as ultimately unimportant as how you look.” “Yeah, I guess.” Joey took out a sandwich and began eating, the early summer breeze blowing its cooling breath across the sweet field. “Why didn’t you say something earlier?”
    “You weren’t ready to hear it.” Eli’s eyes twinkled like he knew something that Joey didn’t.
“And you think I am now?”
Eli smiled as he took another bite of his sandwich. “I certainly hope so. I don’t know how much more of your moping I can take.
Even the horses are starting to get depressed.” Eli smiled, and his eyes shone mischievously. “If I have to look at one more horse with a long face….” Eli began to laugh, and Joey couldn’t help joining him.
    “God, that’s a really old joke.”
“Yeah, but it got you to laugh didn’t it?” Eli continued chuckling as he finished his sandwich and opened his thermos, gulping from the liquid inside. “Thanks, Eli.” Joey finished up the lunch and put the remains back in the bag, handing it to Eli.
“You’re welcome.” Eli closed his lunch kit and put it back in the saddlebag along with Joey’s. “I’ll see you later.” Mounting the horse, Eli waved as he directed Tiger toward home.
    38
Love Means … NO Boundaries
    Joey watched him leave and felt better than he had in quite some time. Eli was right. He had good friends who cared about him and a mother who would do anything in the world for him. Getting back to work, he spent the rest of the afternoon mapping out his plans for harvesting the first cutting of hay in a few weeks. As he was finishing, his phone rang. It was Robbie telling him he was ready to be picked up. Getting his notes together, he put them in the back seat and began driving.
    Pulling up in front of the auditorium, he saw Robbie with Arie waiting next to him, looking impatient and very unhappy. As he pulled up and rolled down the window, he heard Arie complaining that Robbie wouldn’t have to wait if he’d just let him bring him back. “That’s enough, Arie.” Robbie handed Joey his violin and climbed in the car, closing the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow for the performance.”
“Okay.” Joey noticed that Arie’s voice became even and happy sounding even as his face glared bullets at Joey. Robbie raised the window and Joey pulled away, doing his best not to look back.
     
“How’d it go?”
     
“Really good. The kids were great and so talented. We’re going to work with them again in a few days. It’s amazing. We work with them four times in two weeks and by the end, you can hear a difference. It’s like they’re sponges, soaking up everything you say.”
    “Are you up for meeting some of the horses?”
“Are you kidding? I’ve been looking forward to that all day.” Joey pulled the car into the yard, stopping in front of the barn. Robbie got out and waited by his closed door. “I can hear them.” Joey watched as he turned his head. “That is the horses isn’t it?” “Yup. Let’s go inside, and I’ll make introductions.” Joey led Robbie inside and to the first stall. “This is Belle. She’s a sweet old 39 Andrew Grey
girl.” The big head poked out of the stall, and Robbie stepped back as she blew air out her nose. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. She just wants to say hello.” Joey placed Robbie’s hand