Marysville, Washington
Tuesday, January 7th, 5:45 pm
Ingrid went around the group asking everyone to report back about their holidays. Since it was a whining, whinging moment for the majority of what I considered the loser brigade, I kept my mouth shut. I ended up feeling bad for them. One of the girls had to deal with a drunk father and a boy talked about the family fights. Tom just said he worked a lot and then passed to Harry who listed all the movies he’d seen at the local theater. He’d pretty much hung out there for hours rather than go to the Army base with his sister or visit the relatives who hadn’t wanted him when she was in Afghanistan.
How could I say anything? Okay, so I had to deal with the Jamisons, but they weren’t a big deal. I had an amazing holiday. I wasn’t the only one. I noticed Vicky didn’t have much to say either. Finally, our therapist got to me. “Sierra, do you have anything to share?”
I shook my head. “Nope. Ask Vicky.”
“Thanks a lot.” Vicky giggled. “My stepdad barely showed up so we had a great time without him. I got a puppy. My brothers and sisters gave me a ton of presents for him. And my little sister got a kitten so our house is a total menagerie. Sierra got one too.”
“A puppy?” Ingrid asked. “Or a kitten, Sierra?”
“Both, I guess,” I said. “My mom’s new guy brought in a stray cat and her kittens to live in the feed-room to control the mouse population. And I got Charlie.” I took out my phone and pulled up the picture, then passed around my cell. “He’s majorly cute, but he totally hogs my bed.”
That got a lot of laughs and the subject became pets. Everybody had opinions as to which were the best ones, dogs, cats, fish, birds. The meeting wound up being one of the easiest I’d ever attended. Since everyone was talking about animals, I could think about Tom. Did he actually intend to ask me out? What would I say when he did?
It wasn’t that I hadn’t been to dances or movies with guys. I had the occasional date. However, most of the boys at school didn’t much care for horses and the idea that I had to be home for chores was off-putting. None of them wanted to wait while I cleaned the barn or fed the stock before I could leave. And if one of the mares went into labor or a gelding colicked, then I had to cancel. It wasn’t a way to keep a boyfriend.
Mom didn’t say I couldn’t date. She just wasn’t hyper-enthusiastic and after watching her series of men, I didn’t blame her. I got to where I thought of them as “Passing Through” or P.T. for short. I’d called my last stepdad that from the day he arrived to the day that his newest buckle bunny took him away. I didn’t go as far as Autumn and tell him that he wasn’t the boss of me, but I ignored him when he tried to tell me what I could and couldn’t do.
The meeting wound down with Ingrid’s words of wisdom and then she went around the group again. Each of us had to share a goal for the next week. When it got to me, I said, “I’m going to stay on top of my school work and try to show my new basketball coach that I’m a good player.”
“Doesn’t he already know that?” Tom leaned forward to look at me. “You got a scholarship to play ball at Lincoln.”
“Yeah, but Coach Norris has a different style than what we did at Mount Pilchuck.”
“Why don’t you talk to Robin?” Vicky asked. “He coached her cross-country team and they’re the district champions.”
“Sounds good,” I said.
When the meeting ended a few minutes later, Vicky and I started cleaning up. Tom grabbed the vacuum and did the floor. Ingrid saw the other kids out and then came back as we finished. “Sierra, why didn’t you want to talk about your holidays tonight?”
“Why would I? Eleanor’s dad got blitzed and passed out under the tree. Ron’s family had so many knock-down fights that the cops had to come. What was I supposed to say, Mrs. Claus? Gee, I got a ton of great presents, not just a puppy. My grandparents gave me a car and they’re paying the insurance. My family and friends are awesome and I had the best break ever. Nobody needed to hear that.”
“Don’t forget the parties up at Shamrock.” Tom started for the hall closet with the Hoover. “It made my New Year’s Day. I loved it when you dragged everybody out to the barn to sing “Happy Birthday” to your horse. That was hysterical.”
“Hey if you want carrot cake and ice-cream, you have to pay the toll,” I said. “New Year’s is my horse’s real b-day, so of course we celebrate it.”
“Did anyone make you uncomfortable during the holidays, Sierra?” Ingrid still did her helpful, snoopy routine. “Anything you want to share?”
“My 4-H leader is a major witch and I want out of her club,” I said. “I need to talk to Mom about starting our own group up at Shamrock. I just haven’t figured out how.”
“No way.” Vicky stopped bagging the leftover sandwiches. “Our own club? One for the pre-owners and boarders, right? This could be a major selling tool, Sierra. If the students want to join, they’d have to increase their riding time and choose favorite horses.”
“How is your current leader a witch?” Ingrid asked. “What did she do?”
I didn’t answer, unwilling to share what happened up at Salmon Pond or the way I lost my temper. I didn’t have a raging fit, but I still wasn’t willing to admit that I’d been snarky toward an adult. Instead, I eyed Vicky. “You’re so brilliant. I can take that to Mom and tell her this would be a fantastic way to increase the income at the barn. My grandparents would be onboard because they can’t afford to support the place. Will you help me make posters?”
“You know it,” Vicky said.
“Great.” I glanced at my watch. “I’ve got to go. Tom, did you need a ride home? Come on, Vicky. I’ll drop you.”
“Okay.” Vicky grabbed her coat and backpack. “Tom, where is your car?”
“At my apartment. I had to pay my rent. I’m saving my gas to go to the college for Running Start classes. Marysville isn’t that big. I can walk around town.”
“So, when do you gas up?” I led the way to the door. “On pay-day?”
“You know it.” He laughed. “I’m not hitting my emergency fund. That’s for catastrophic events, not everyday expenses.”
“Makes sense.” I was out of there. Ingrid followed us to the parking lot. “See you next week,” I said.
It was her turn to be a comedienne. “You know it.”
On the way to his apartment, Tom told us about his Running Start classes. He’d been involved with the program for the past year and a half. When he graduated in June, he would not only have his high school diploma, he would also have his Associates degree. He was smarter than I’d thought. I didn’t tell him that.
Once we dropped him, Vicky gave me a long look. “So, are you dating him?”
“He hasn’t asked me out.”
“When he does, what will you say?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “It depends on where he wants to go.”
“That isn’t the question, Sierra.”
“It’s my answer, Vick.”
* * * *
Marysville, Washington
Wednesday, January 8th, 3:00 pm
I was the first one ready to play that afternoon. I grabbed a ball and practiced my dunks. It surprised my last coach that I could jump and hit the basket at the same time. But, come on! I’d been riding since I was three. Back when I was tiny, I had to climb on logs, benches, stumps and mounting blocks to get on my pony. I taught myself to jump up and do a belly flop on Dream’s back. Then, I wiggled like a worm on a hook until I could sit up on her back. Yes, it was the same pony that my little sister adored now. Dream had been teaching little kids to ride for eons.
Now, I had my humongous horse, Nevada. I could still jump onto him when I rode bareback. He was seventeen hands or 5’8” at the withers. I shot another basket, then dunked the ball again. I turned and saw Coach Norris watching from the far side of the gym. I picked up the ball and walked toward him. “What are we starting with today?”
“Drills.” He ran a hand over his head. “You really are a natural, aren’t you, Sierra?”
What was I supposed to say? If I agreed, I’d sound smug and like the diva he already thought I was. If I disagreed, we’d both know I was lying. I finally settled on the truth. “I do practice a lot.”
“Because you love the game.” He smiled at me, a real smile this time that touched his eyes. “How much do you practice at home?”
“Only for an hour or so after chores and supper. Longer if I don’t have a lot of homework and I can get Grandpa to come play with me when he visits.”
“What kind of chores do you have to do?”
“We own Shamrock Stable between Marysville and Stewart Falls.” I shrugged. “We close at six-thirty. I do one barn while my mom and little sister do the other. Watering, mucking stalls and feeding twenty horses. Then, I have to clean the indoor arena and set it up for the next day’s riding lessons.”
“What kind of setting up does it take?”
“It depends on the lessons,” I said. “Mondays, Mom teaches Western games so I put out the cones and barrels. Tuesdays, it’s English and that means jumps, cavalletti poles, the works. Wednesdays, it’s beginning Western either for the riders or the horses. I clean the mirrors, wash down the letters so the students can check their positions or forms when they ride and do patterns at certain parts of the ring. Thursdays, we’re closed but she still trains so she tells me what she wants and Fridays, it’s the Mommy and Me contingent from the local pre-schools.”
“Then, you’re off on weekends?”
I laughed and shook my head. “No way, Coach. Weekends are insane. Saturdays, we start at seven in the morning. Sundays, we feed early so we can go to church. We open the barn when we return. There are forty horses who want to eat at least three times a day and only ten have private owners who pay board. We have to support the rest because they belong to us.”
“You mean your parents support the rest.”
“No.” I glanced toward the locker room door when it opened and Cedar came into the gym, followed by Kanisha. “My mom is divorced, so it’s her, me and my sister. We take care of what is ours.”
“I see.” He gestured toward the other girls. “Time to warm up. It was nice talking to you, Sierra. I hope to see your family at the game tomorrow.”
“They’ll get here as soon as chores are done,” I said. “My grandparents are still visiting from Arizona. They’d love to see me on the court.”
“They will,” Coach Norris promised. “Like I said, everyone on the team plays.”
As soon as I got home, I told Grandma about the first game of the season and she promised that she would make sure everyone was there. I hurried to change clothes and went to saddle up Nevada so I could ride in the last lesson. When I reached the barn, I saw Mom and Grandpa saddling Wyoming. They didn’t see me right away. I started to call out to them, then stopped when I saw the look on my grandfather’s face, as if he was about to cry.
His jaw tightened and he closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Rocky. I’m so sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” Mom said. “It took me a lot of conversations with my counselor to figure out that it wasn’t mine either. Nobody deserves to be abused. Dave told me I needed to share this with you.”
“I wish you’d told me sooner.” Grandpa started to reach for her, then stopped like he didn’t know if he should or not. “I love you so much.”
“I know, Dad. It’s why I blamed myself.” She turned into his arms. “I felt like I failed you when I allowed someone to brutalize me.”
I stepped back toward the tack-room before they spotted me. I didn’t know exactly what, or who they were discussing, but I wouldn’t find out if they knew I was around. I still didn’t hear anything because she lowered her voice. When he answered, Grandpa barely whispered.
I gathered up my brushes, conditioner and Nevada’s halter. Then, I headed down to my horse’s stall. Mom managed a smile when she saw me, but it wasn’t the usual bright one. “Hey,” I said, “my first basketball game is tomorrow. Will you be able to make it?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Mom said. “Vicky and Robin told me that you had an idea to improve business. Your grandpa and I would love to hear it.”
“Are you sure?” I glanced at my grandfather who was busy wiping his eyes with a red bandanna. “Are you all right, Grandpa?”
“It’s that oat hay your momma bought. It always makes me sneeze.”
I didn’t see any crumbs left from horsy lunch in the stall, but I wasn’t going to tell either of them that. Instead, I shared what Cathy and Lisa had told me about having clubs based at their barns. “I thought if we started a riding group here, our boarders and pre-owners could join. I checked it out online and the 4-H organization rules say that members need horses to ride, but they don’t have to legally own them. They can lease them. What do you think?”
“That it needs some research,” Mom said. “Is this for the business, Sierra, or are you just trying to get out of the Silver Spurs?”
“What do you mean?”
“I had a call from Tanya Jamison today.” Mom came across to Nevada’s door so she could look at me. “Tanya said you embarrassed her and the rest of the club last Saturday. What happened?”
“Not much.” I focused on working conditioner into Nevada’s thick golden tail. “She told me I wasn’t welcome there and Cathy Tiernan invited me to join the Horse Heaven Angels. So, I sat with them instead.”
“And Lisa? Was she rude to you?”
“No way. Lisa was great. She wanted me to bring Nevada up for the clinic so he could learn to do three-day eventing. She thinks I should talk to you about being in her Pony Club. It’s based on the same rules as the associations in Europe.”
“And what happens when your horse cuts loose in one of his bucking sprees?” Mom demanded. “Do you get a parachute? No way, Sierra. If you want to do eventing, we’ll buy you a real horse. You’re not taking No, No Veda into a situation where you have to take flying lessons instead of jumping ones.”
I moved up to my big, red monster’s side and squirted conditioner into his mane. “That’s so not my thing. We’re going to do Western games after he learns to be good at equitation. So, what about a club, Mom? Can we start our own?”