The dear money

"Tell me Ran. Where is your mother so rich from?"
Ran Kon turned around so jerkily in the saddle that she almost plopped off James' back. She gripped the black mane of the stallion and pulled herself up and looked at Kai in horror.
How did this guy come to ask her such a question. Kai crouched casually on Scarlet of a somewhat capricious, very noble mare and looked at her with his dark blue eyes in a friendly and expectant manner.
"Marina my mother is not rich. It just looks like it." Ran hissed "Only my father has real money. And because he has a guilty conscience, he finances a chic life for the mother of his illegitimate daughter. Is that enough to answer your stupid question?"
"I just wanted ..." Kai stammered, totally perplexed.
Ran didn't wait for the sentence to end. She hooked James on with her heels and started trotting.
Ran had turned 16 four months ago and on her birthday she had decided to become independent as soon as possible.She wanted to prove to herself and, above all, to her mother that the luxurious life that she led thanks to Ran's father was unnecessary and that she could manage quite well on her own. Since then, she has strained her surroundings with unpredictable reactions and capricious moods. Ran Kon was particularly irritable when it came to money.
James jumped into a powerful rhythmic gallop after a few quick steps. Ran enjoyed the fast ride. A light wind blew in her face. It had been quite warm all day.
Kai and Ran had decided to go for a ride in the forest. There the air was pleasantly cool and it smelled wonderfully fresh of moss, pine cones and resin. James galloped into the small clearing at the end of the forest path. Ran parried through and brought the stallion to a halt. She released the reins. James craned his neck forward and immediately began to graze.
Ran was annoyed with himself. Why did she have to hit Kai so hard? After all, he couldn't help her strange family situation.Ran was the product of a lengthy extramarital relationship between the successful construction tycoon Karl Simmon called Charly and the beautiful Marina Kon. The two got to know each other when Marina was working at a large Hamburg advertising agency and she had to accompany her boss to a presentation at Charly Simmon's company. The flirtation with the young graphic design student turned into more. But when Marina got pregnant, Charly got cold feet and returned to his wife.
"You have to understand that," he said at the time, "I can't leave my wife because of the two boys. They need me. But you don't have to worry. You and the child won't miss anything."
Since then he has looked after Marina and his daughter really generously: Penthouse apartment, car, expensive clothes, Charly takes care of everything. It goes without saying that Kai had to assume that Marina was well off. So why shouldn't he ask about it? Ran would apologize to Kai.
Ran and Kai had known each other for seven years.But they had only been riding out together for a year. In the past, Ran always found this Kai Meischberger rather repellent, cheeky and arrogant. Back then, Ran was still sweeping around on her pony while Kai had long been riding big horses.
Ran found that he was really imagining it. Besides, if she was honest, she'd always felt a bit jittery about this boy. He was a year and a half older, after all. Today she admires Kai. He was an excellent rider. One of the young hopes for the next Olympiad. Although he was still only a member of the C-squad, his advancement was inevitable. Before that, Ran had the greatest respect. In addition, Kai Meischberger recently officially became the junior manager at Zweibirken.
Zweirken was the name of the stud run by the Meischberger family. From the stable with over 40 parking spaces to the new riding arena and several paddocks, everything was available that a modern riding company has to offer today.
Ute and Jens, Kai's parents, owned half a dozen horses of their own.The other parking spaces were rented to riders from Hamburg and the surrounding area. Zweirken had a brilliant reputation in riding circles but also in the Hanseatic city. Some customers came from the city every day. Others only showed up on weekends. Including some well-to-do women and senior daughters.
"Hey what kicked you?" shouted Kai and pulled Ran out of her thoughts. Kai sat very upright on Scarlet but without looking stiff. He kept his broad shoulders straight, making him look taller. Scarlet stopped right next to James and snorted triumphantly as if she and not her rider had intended to stop here.
"Why are you freaking out like that?" asked Kai.
"I don't know either. I'm sorry. I think today is probably not my day. I didn't mean it. Sorry."
Ran brushed a strand of hair from his face and looked contrite at her riding friend.
"Women" said Kai, shaking his head and waving his hand to make it clear that the subject was over for him."Next time I'll be more careful with intimate questions."
"Thank you really chivalrous of you. I'll remind you of that when I get the chance."
"Enough of the friendliness, we have to go back." Said Kai and pushed Scarlet on with light pressure on the thighs. At a straight gallop, Ran and Kai hurried across the clearing of the small wooded area. Before diving into the forest, they instinctively ducked so as not to get the low-hanging branches wiped in their faces. The soft forest floor swallowed the sound of the hoofbeats. Only the even snorting of the animals could be heard. Ran was about half a horse's length ahead when they approached an old fallen huge tree trunk. Ran reined in James and directed him skillfully between the trees past the obstacle. Kai let out a loud Yeah and drove Scarlet across the trunk with one gorgeous leap. Grinning, he clenched his fists and waited for Ran. She just laughed and shook her head at the macho number.But the mare walks really well, thought Ran appreciatively.
"We have no chance against Scarlet and you," said Ran and patted James comfortingly on the neck.
Kai looked at Ran and brooded.
"You'd like to ride her, right?"
"That would be great Kai"
To Ran's amazement, the boy got off his horse and said casually, "Okay. Then you can't say today is not your day."
He and Ran exchanged horses. Ran was very proud that she could ride her boyfriend's competition horse. Scarlet bucked a little.
"You have to touch her more vigorously, Ran" said Kai.
Scarlet was a really headstrong horse. But for the first time, the two got along well. At the edge of the forest Ran parried through, dismounted and took over James again.
"Heinrich shouldn't know that I rode Scarlet." said ran to Kai.
“As I know the old fox, he has seen us a long time ago and if not, he is guaranteed to feel it.” Kai shrugged his shoulders and swung back onto Etoilé.Side by side they rode along the small path that led between two fields of rapeseed slowly back to Zweibirken.