I definitely never saw us ending up in this current situation, and never in a million years would I have guessed Aunt Kim would have taken her own life. It wasn't that long ago that I found her in her bed, lying stiff and motionless. Strangely, the days have passed both fast and slow at the same time.
Running the horse rescue is everything I thought I ever wanted, but, of course, I know how easy it is to romanticize something before you actually get it. And I'm not saying that I regret anything, or that this isn't as fulfilling as I thought it would be, but in my mind when I ran a rescue, that was my sole job. Trying to juggle working full-time on top of being a mother and taking care of the horses is enough to wear anyone out.
After carefully applying lipstick, I fuss over my hair a bit more and then grab my purse, heading inside. Like the weirdo I am, I had to Google this gala before I could fully commit. It seems like your typical charity gala, not that I would know, and the money goes towards various organizations, ranging from finding homes for retired racehorses to therapeutic riding centers for troubled youth. Several other horse sanctuaries are receiving rather large donations, and the people that run them would be great to meet and talk to.
From my experience, the competitive equestrians compete in and out of the show-ring and can be quite petty with each other. But those of us who are in it for the absolute love of the animals—who want nothing more than to help and are more concerned about welfare than ribbons—well, we are eager to help each other, sharing tips and tricks, and lending a hand whenever necessary.
I pull my event ticket from my purse as I near the entrance and feel a little anxious to be stepping into an unknown event. The whole thing seems rather laid back compared to what I thought a gala would be like. There's food and drinks and live music but it seems like most of the time we're just going to be meandering around talking to each other and donating to the various charities that have booths set up.
I am almost immediately handed a glass of champagne after I get checked in. I really should eat before I drink any alcohol, but I'm happy to have something in my hand to make myself look occupied. I'm assigned to table number seven, and I'll have to introduce myself to Poppy's father at some point. I'm not exactly sure what Poppy told her father in regards to me taking her place, or if she said anything to him at all. Their obvious relationship issues are none of my business, and I don't want to get into it tonight.
The gala is already in full swing when I get to my table, setting the champagne down. A couple is seated across from me, and they introduced themselves as investors who used to own racehorses, up until they found out the truth about how many thoroughbreds on the track are treated. They now help fund a program that helps former racehorses receive training so they can be matched with a new owner and have a successful second career.
We hit it off right away since I'm also an off-track thoroughbred enthusiast. The night seems off to a great start, and then an older man strides over stopping right behind my chair.
“You must be Miss Walker.” He tips his head down and then offers a hand to shake. “I'm Barry Rudolph,” he introduces.
“Josie,” I say, and get to my feet so I can shake his hand. “It's very nice to meet you.”
“You as well. I must say, I was surprised when Poppy told me she was letting a friend come in her place.” He raises his eyebrows. “I wasn't aware my daughter had many friends. As she can be rather… difficult to get along with.”
And now I'm starting to see why Poppy didn't want to come.
“We both like horses,” I blurt, not knowing what else to say. “She actually is going to take one of my rescues to use in her lesson program.” I nod enthusiastically and look back across the table at the couple I was chatting with before. “He's just a little grade pony, probably about twelve hands high, but we think he would do really good for kids. He would be a great pony to introduce riding on, well once he gets proper training.”
Another couple joins us at the table, and waiters come around, refilling the waters. Appetizers will be served soon, followed by a cocktail hour. According to Poppy, that’s the best time to walk around and talk to other people, while putting in bids for the prizes donated by different donors. Then, we have a sit-down dinner followed by dancing, and then finally the big auction.