~ Making Up Again ~
It turned out that our argument was for nothing, because when I went to the farm the next day, which was Saturday, Cassie stopped me on my way to the barn.
“Piper, thanks so much for offering to show Jeff around, but he won’t be back here until Monday night, and school starts Tuesday.”
“Oh, okay,” I said. “He won’t even be here for the Labor Day picnic?” I wanted to turn cartwheels and cheer.
“He wanted to hang out with his old friends for a few more days, so I drove him all the way back last night to stay with one of them. They have a band or something. I guess you’ll see him when school starts. I probably won’t be here for the picnic, either, I have a thing to go to. Oh, and while I’m talking to you, would you mind checking on Daisy after school when you come out all next week? I’m looking for a job and won’t get home till after 5:00.”
“Yeah, sure, Cassie. I can do that. But can’t Jeff look at her, too?”
“He’s a guy. He’s all wrapped up in his own self, reading or playing his stupid guitar. He won’t be much help. I can never count on him.”
“All right,” I said. “What should I look for?”
“Just anything out of the ordinary. If she looks uncomfortable, or has some milk dripping, or anything. You can call my cell phone and let me know.”
“Okay, no problem. But I’ll also call my dad.” I was happy to help out with her horse, but I absolutely did not want to be the one who was responsible for the foaling. I also hadn’t realized she didn’t even have a job. Where was her money coming from? She must have money saved in the bank. I had heard of adults that did that sometimes, unlike my mother. Cassie read me her cell phone number as well as Jeff’s, while I entered them into my contact list.
“Thanks a lot. See you.” She turned and climbed into her truck, driving up the road to town.
I really did need to call Addie and first, apologize for being a butthead again, and second, tell her the good news. She didn’t answer her phone, so I left a message: “Adds, it’s me. I’m really sorry for picking an argument with you. I will try to mend my evil ways. And, the pressure is gone--Jeff won’t be in town till the night before school starts, so we’re off the hook. Call me.”
Would she call back? The ball was in her court now. I mentally crossed my fingers that she would call soon. Then I realized: cheerleader tryouts were today. Agh! I hadn’t even asked about them. Some friend I was. I dialed Addie’s number and left another message: “Me again. How were tryouts? Let me know.” Would she still want to hang out with me if she had a bunch of real cool cheer friends, or football player friends?
After Mom got home from work, I let her take me to lunch and shopping at the nearest mall. We found some shoes, some jeans and, okay, I let her talk me into a couple of tops that were not too fluffy and frilly. One was a lightweight green cotton, but my favorite one was tan with a kind of fringe on it that looked western. They were both actually pretty cute and looked good on me. I successfully argued against the cargo pants and gave in on a sweater for when it got cold. Addie didn’t call.
That evening, I went over to my dad’s for dinner, since it was his night to be fatherly. We had baked chicken breasts with rice, one of my favorites. It’s usually delicious, but nothing tasted very good to me. Dad and I talked a lot about senior high and how I was expected to keep my grades up. That didn’t help my nervousness. Addie didn’t call.
When I woke up the next morning, I lay in bed staring at my old collection of Breyer horses. It included a quarter horse, an appaloosa, a thoroughbred, and an arabian. There was also a shetland pony foal and a paint. Addie and I were making our own collection of real-live horses; we had Dotty, Nickel and now Daisy, even though she was Cassie’s. Soon there would be a new foal. Today was Sunday and I had to talk to Addie. This would be our last weekend of freedom and we hadn’t even ridden once. We also needed to get things cleared up between us before school started. I took a deep breath and called Addie on my third cell phone in that many months.
“Hey,” she said.
“Hey, Adds,” I replied. “Did you get my message?”
“I got it.”
“Well...why didn’t you call?”
“Piper, I...we just keep having these arguments and you get mad and I get mad and you apologize and I do, too, and then we do it all over again a few days later. I don’t want to keep doing that.” Addie sounded so sad and sort of defeated. What was wrong with her?
“I know. I don’t want to either. Maybe if we go for a ride together, we can talk about it? I’m not mad anymore and I really don’t know why I got so mad before.” Please agree, I thought. You’re my best friend. You’re my only friend.
“Okay, I’ll meet you at the barn in an hour. But please don’t say I’m flirty and boy-crazy anymore.”
“I won’t. See you later.” Rats! I forgot to ask how the tryouts went.
I was at the barn in thirty minutes, brushing Dotty, waiting for Addie.
Early morning breezes blew through the big open door and swirled clumps of horsehair around. Addie rode her bike into the barn and parked it against a hay bale.
“It’s a perfect day for a ride,” she said. “It’s cooler today.”
“I put Nickel in his stall for you,” I said, hoping to see her smile.
“Thanks, Pipe.” She let herself into Nickel’s stall with his halter. She fixed it around his head, led him out into the large open area in the middle of the barn and tied him to a post. She began brushing his silky freckled white coat in long, easy strokes. He turned his head to nose at her hair. Nickel liked to smell people’s hair.
“My mom says I can have all day. She says it’s the last weekend of the summer and we should enjoy it.” Addie slipped Nickel’s halter over his neck and replaced it with the bit and bridle.
“Your mom is smart. I agree with her, but I have to be back by three o’clock to help Mom bake for tomorrow,” I said, as I saddled Dotty and led her to the door. “Mom is going crazy making pies and potato salad and there are only going to be four of us, I think.”
“Oh, your mom just likes to make a big production on holidays. Remember last Christmas, when she made the prime rib for all of us and got a nosebleed? That was exciting!”
“Yeah, and a little scary.” We’d had to go to the emergency room, and when we got back, we had cold prime rib and mashed potatoes for Christmas dinner. Mom liked a big production, but I don’t think her blood pressure did. When I told Dad about it, he just shook his head, like he had heard it before. I think Mom has been overdoing holidays for a long time.
I mounted Dotty, who tucked her head down and sidestepped a few paces. Her back twitched like she was going to buck, but I pulled her head up again and said, “Settle down, Dotty.” I was learning to deal with her antsiness. We walked slowly around in circles as we waited for Addie to get Nickel saddled up. In a few minutes, she came out of the barn on him and we started down the lane toward the woods.
“Are you still using the stool to mount him? I forgot to watch.”
“I am,” said Addie. “He’s too tall. I can’t reach the stirrup without a boost. But it doesn’t matter. If I have to get off him while we’re out, I’ll just pull him close to a fence or a stump to get back on.”
“Or I can help,” I said.
“Yeah,” she replied.
We rode along for a while, the sun shining, a gentle breeze blowing our hair. I tipped my head back and felt the warmth on my face. Dotty was feeling good and wanted to go fast, but I held her back. Nickel kept a steady pace, as always. He turned his head side to side a lot, making up for the blindness in his one eye. He was a perfect, quiet ride for Addie. As we rode in silence, there was something my best friend needed to say, and I knew not to rush her. We must have ridden for thirty minutes when Addie spoke up.
“I didn’t make cheerleader.” She started to cry.
“Oh, no! I’m sorry.” I brought Dotty to a halt. “Were there lots of kids that tried out?”
“Not too many. That’s what makes it even worse.” Addie pulled Nickel up and wiped her eyes on her shirtsleeve. “I wanted it so bad.”
“I know you did. You would have been really good, too.”
“Well, the teachers didn’t think so, the ones who decided.” Addie clicked at Nickel and started him walking again. “I think they only wanted kids who get A’s. That way parents can’t gripe that cheering interferes with schoolwork.”
“You get A’s,” I protested. “Well, once in a while.” I felt so guilty for not being encouraging before that now I was trying too hard and sounded lame. “Are you okay?”
“Oh, I will be. It’s just hard to deal with right now. Maybe I’ll join the debate club.” Addie started giggling, so I knew she was all right. Addie hates to argue and it’s what I do best.
“How about the Pep Club?”
“Maybe, I’ll see. So school starts Tuesday. How will we get together?”
She was ready to move on, and I agreed. “I don’t know. Let’s play it by ear the first day. We’ll get our schedules and go to class and see what we have together. Then we can plan when to meet up. But I don’t dare pull my phone out during class. Dad said if I get it taken away, he and my mom have agreed they won’t replace it.”
“My mom said the same thing.” Addie smiled. “I hope we have some classes together, but even if we don’t, surely we can eat lunch together.”
“If I don’t see you before, I’ll text you at lunchtime to see what you’re doing. Okay?”
“Okay, that works. So, you said Jeff is staying in Louisville with friends until late tomorrow. But will Cassie be at your picnic?”
“She said probably not, she had a thing to go to, but she didn’t say what. It sounded like she didn’t really want to come to the picnic. I thought she had a job, but she told me she was looking for one. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know anyone around here.”
“Well, she knows us, and Miss Julie. I’m sure your mom and Sam will be friendly if she shows up.”
“Yeah, if she shows up. There’s just something not quite right about Cassie, but I can’t explain it. She’s kind of fake, you know? She smiles too big.”
“Yes! I thought so too, but I didn’t want to say it in case you liked her a lot. She’s kinda mean to Jeff, too.” Addie slowed Nickel and pointed up at the sky. “Look!”
I shaded my eyes and looked up, too. Circling slowly over us was a huge, dark bird. It was close enough that I could see its white head and tail clearly against the blue sky. That had to be the best sight in the world. We watched the eagle circle above us for about five minutes before it caught the wind and soared beyond the trees until we lost sight of it.
“Wow!” I said. “Just wow!”
“I know, right?” said Addie. “That is so cool!”
Knowing we couldn’t top that sight, we turned our horses and started back to the barn. Nickel and Dotty perked up and began to walk faster, as most horses did when they were heading back to the barn.