The Dream

Joe wandered around the house looking for Briana, but couldn't find her. Briana was hiding somewhere and didn't want to be found. Joe gritted his teeth, annoyed that his search seemed to be in vain.

"What are you doing, Boss?"

Joe turned his body around, and saw Anthonio looking at him with an astonished look. "I'm looking for Briana. Do you know where she is?"

"Briana has been practicing riding since early this morning," Anthonio told Joe.

Joe's eyes went wide. "What did you say? Who let her do that?"

Anthonio shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. She took out one horse and rode off. Shee hasn't come back until now."

Without another word Joe walked quickly to the back of his house. When he reached the garden he saw Briana walking towards him while leading her horse. He could vaguely see Briana's slightly pale face. That fact made his heart a little uneasy.

"What are you doing?" Joe approached Briana.

Briana gave him a faint smile. The horse she was leading was acting up a bit, but she managed to keep it under control. She took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"I've been riding. It feels really good to do this activity again," Briana said without any guilt at all. She looked so happy to have done the activity she loved the most.

Hearing that made Joe walk over to Briana. His hand pulled Briana's free hand. The look in his eyes was very sharp when it came to Briana.

"Are you crazy? You're not fully recovered," Joe said fiercely. He glanced and nodded at one of his servants who was about to take the horse held by Briana.

Briana untied the horse and gave it to Joe's employee. Her eyes followed the horse until it disappeared from her vision. She used this opportunity to avoid Joe's gaze that seemed to be judging her.

"Regarding that matter, I'm the one who knows my condition best. Sorry for making you worry," Briana said quietly.

"You know, your heart was just operated on. And it hasn't been a month," Joe interjected. "Of course I'm very worried about you."

Briana approached Joe and hugged him tightly. "Thank you for worrying about me. I promise I'll take good care of myself."

They were silent for a few moments with their own thoughts. Joe kissed the top of Briana's head. Then he lifted Briana's chin, and lightly kissed her lips.

"I don't think I can forbid you. It's useless for me to say much if in the end you still oppose my good intentions," Joe said finally.

"I promise I'll take good care of myself." This time it was Briana who kissed Joe's lips. She wanted to silence Joe's lips to stop talking.

Joe held Briana's face, and pushed her away. His eyes looked at Briana intently. The girl had a very strong will and was difficult to persuade.

"There's a horse racing tournament coming up," Briana said, trying to distract Joe.

Again Joe's eyes were wide. "Who told you about this?" Joe demanded.

"The other day when I went to the market with Maria, I overheard a group of men talking about the tournament," Briana replied calmly. "Not only that, but I also found a piece of paper with an announcement about the tournament." Briana added.

"What does that have to do with you?" asked Joe. Although he knew what Briana was talking about, he wanted to hear directly from Briana that she intended to participate in the horse racing tournament.

"I want to take part in it," Briana replied with a look of innocent. "I want to be the best horse jockey who can win the race."

When she said all that nonsense, Briana looked very excited. She didn't seem to care about her own health. Especially with her heart condition, which had just been operated on a few weeks ago.

"I won't let you. I don't want to let you go out there and do crazy things," Joe snarled angrily.

"It's not anything crazy, Joe," Briana snapped in a stifled voice. "I'm in a tournament."

"It's still crazy because it puts your life in danger," Joe snapped, not wanting to hear Briana's words.

Joe then walked away from Briana in annoyance. He asked himself, didn't Briana know that he had always been worried about her. Over the past few days he was always scared when he thought that Briana's life was in danger.

"Joe...," Briana called out half shouting. "Joe ...."

Joe didn't move. He kept walking without looking back. Then his shadow disappeared behind the wall of his house.

Briana's shoulders immediately slumped. She lost her confidence. She really hoped Joe would support her. But the opposite happened. Joe chose to leave her without wanting to hear her explanation.

***

Now after that incident Joe tried to avoid Briana. When they meet, Joe still talks to Briana. But when Briana was about to discuss the horse racing tournament, Joe immediately avoided and chose to leave Briana.

"Until when are you going to keep avoiding me?" asked Briana one afternoon when she accidentally met Joe in the living room of the house.

"I'm not avoiding you. Who told you that?" evaded Joe.

"I said it myself," Briana replied fiercely. "You're not as cold now as you used to be."

"Don't twist the facts. I'm still talking to you like this. Then why are you saying that I'm avoiding you?"

"You always avoided me when I would talk about the horse tournament," Briana replied in a low voice. "You know that was my dream all along. I really wish you would support me." Briana added with trembling lips.

"Listen. I'll support you if it doesn't cost you your life," Joe said. "But not this one. That horse racing tournament is off limits to you. I'll keep you out of it for the rest of my life. For your own good," Joe concluded and left Briana alone.

"I'll follow him even if you tell me not to," Briana shouted loudly.