Just a few weeks earlier, everything had felt… normal. Jolene and Ricky lived a quiet life on their small farm, just outside town. It wasn’t much, but it was theirs. And at the center of it all was Keola. They had raised her from a young age. She wasn’t just a horse—she was part of their routine, their rhythm, their life. Calm, responsive, easy to be around.
If anything ever felt off, Keola was usually the first to notice. At least, that’s what Jolene liked to believe. That was also around the time things finally started falling into place. After months of trying, doctor visits, and more waiting than they cared to admit…
Jolene found out she was pregnant. The news felt unreal at first. Then overwhelming. In the best way. Ricky couldn’t stop smiling that day. Neither could she. For a while, it felt like nothing could go wrong.
But looking back… that feeling didn’t last as long as they thought it would.