by Tricia Goyer
Grandma laughed. “Well, you’re going to have to eat one and find out. It’s actually like a large, flat doughnut that’s similar to Indian bread. I love mine with powdered sugar and honey. Mmmm.”
“Yeah, after the photos.” She tried to force herself to be excited, but as Emily walked inside toward the open-class wall she couldn’t shake Nicole’s words.
“Emily, look at that!” Her grandma’s face glowed with pride. “Two blue ribbons. I’m so proud of you.”
Emily nodded. “Well, not all of them got blue ribbons.” She turned and pointed to the wall by the front door.
Grandma turned and her hands covered her mouth. “Best of show? Emily Slater, did you get best of show?”
Emily followed her grandmother over to the wall. Grandma’s fingers trailed down the antique frame and then touched the large, purple ribbon.
Her grandmother turned to her. “I don’t understand. Why did you look so down?”
“Oh, mostly because of Nicole. I overheard her saying that Uncle Pete was the one who took the photos, not me. And that I was trying to take all the credit.”
“You know that’s not the truth, right?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Then you need to not let it bother you.”
Emily sighed. “Easier said than done.”
“Can we talk for a minute?” Charlotte asked.
Emily followed her grandma outside, and they found an empty bench around the side of the arts and crafts building.
“You know, I understand what you’re going through. You’re not the only one that people have been talking about lately.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I discovered that people have been talking about me too. Talking about how your grandfather and I think we’re better than everyone else because Shae Lynne’s shooting her video at our farm. They think we have all the luck.”
“The luck? Have they been to the farm and seen what’s going on?” Emily couldn’t help but laugh.
“Well, that’s the thing. Most of the time people’s mouths are moving but they don’t understand fully what’s going on. Sometimes they’re jealous. Most of the time they’re uninformed. Lots of times they really just need to seal their lips.”
Emily was surprised to hear her grandmother talking this way. “Yeah, but what are we supposed to do?”
“I’ve been thinking about this, knowing I was going to see some of those people again. I have to admit I did a bit of praying too.”
Emily waited, studying her grandmother’s face, looking for any sign of bitterness but not seeing any. “And?”
“And I realized I needed to forgive them for speaking out and to let it go.”
“Just like that?”
“Well, if I were to hold on to all the mean, spiteful, or uncaring words that people have said over the years, I’d be a pretty bitter woman. And I don’t want that. I don’t want to be that type of person.”
Emily watched the crowd walking by. Most of them had smiles on their faces as they expected a fun time. In a way, she’d been robbed of that feeling. And the good feelings about her win.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll try to do that. I’ll try to forgive Nicole and to forget what she said.”
Her grandmother patted her arm. “That’s my girl. Now, I think we need to celebrate your win. How about getting that elephant ear?”
“Awesome! That sounds perfect to me!”
As Emily walked arm-in-arm with her grandma, she said a silent prayer that God would help her forgive Nicole. The sun seemed a bit brighter, and so did her heart.
CHARLOTTE WAS GLAD TO SEE that by the time she arrived home the video crew was gone for the day. She could tell that props had been moved. And she saw from the fresh paint on the fuel tanks that they’d been hard at work, but thankfully she’d missed all the drama.
Charlotte parked the car, and Emily and Christopher got out. They both seemed tired from a day at the fair. Emily especially seemed happy to be home. Since Ashley hadn’t been able to get off after all, Emily had volunteered in the church’s pie booth with Charlotte. And while all the older ladies enjoyed having Emily there, Charlotte knew Emily didn’t find the afternoon quite as enjoyable.
“Christopher, can you set the table for dinner? I’m going to make grilled-cheese sandwiches and tomato soup tonight—your favorite.”
“Ah, Grandma.” Christopher leaned down and picked up a stick. “I was going to work with Toby. I have one last night before the dog show.” Sensing the young boy’s presence, Toby barked and raced out from behind the barn, jumping up on Christopher and nearly leaping into his arms.
“I’ll do it.” Emily volunteered. Then she trudged up the porch steps. “I don’t have anything else to do.” She entered the house and let the door slam.
“Thanks,” Charlotte called behind her.
“So, are you ready?” Charlotte turned to Christopher.
“Oh, yeah.” Christopher tossed the stick, and Toby bounded after it. Then he smirked. “The problem is, is Toby ready?”
Charlotte laughed. “Yes, I guess that is the question of the evening.”
After the simple dinner, Charlotte sat next to Bob on the living room sofa. Emily lay on the floor, watching a reality show, and even though it was nearly dark, Christopher was still outside working with Toby.
“Things go well today?” Charlotte asked Bob.
He turned the page in his paper. “Uh-huh.”
“Did every one play nice?” She smiled at her own joke.
Bob didn’t seem quite as amused. “Yes, Charlotte. It was fine. No problems.” He turned another page.
“Well, aren’t you going to ask how Emily did on her photography projects?”
Both Bob and Emily turned in her direction. Charlotte pointed at Emily. “Go ahead, tell him.”
Emily sat up and crossed her legs. Then she shrugged. “Well, I got a couple of blue ribbons and … a best of show.”
“Really?” Bob set his paper down. “A best of show?” He leaned forward in his seat. “On which picture?”
Emily smiled and turned down the volume on the television, pleased by her grandfather’s interest.
“The one with the sunflower.”
“Yeah, that is a good one.”
“Toby … good girl.” Christopher’s voice carried in through the window.
Bob rose and patted Emily’s head. Then he turned to the window. “Does Christopher compete tomorrow?”
“Yes, he’s doing well.” Charlotte rose and stood beside him.
Bob yawned and then unhooked his suspenders. “Can you believe that, Charlotte? Our grandchildren are getting ribbons at the fair. Just like my grandfather and father did. Just like I did, and their mother too. She would be so proud.” Charlotte noticed the emotion in Bob’s voice.
“Yes, she would, wouldn’t she?” Charlotte slid down off the couch to kneel next to Emily on the floor. “Your mother would be proud,” she said, tucking a strand of Emily’s blonde hair behind her ear.
“Thanks, Grandma,” Emily pressed her lips together. “I think I’ll go with you tomorrow. You know, to cheer Christopher on. And to tell him what you just told me. Because I know she would be. Even if he doesn’t win tomorrow, she’d be proud.”
Chapter Seventeen
Early Wednesday morning Charlotte sat in one of the folding chairs and glanced at her watch. Emily, Sam, and Jordan sat next to her, but Bob had decided to stay at the farm and keep an eye on the video shoot.
Christopher was going to be showing Toby in five minutes, and Charlotte hoped it didn’t take too long. The bleachers weren’t the most comfortable seats. In fact, her back was already starting to ache.
Charlotte noticed that they lined up the participants by age. Christopher was second in line, and he seemed so young compared to the others kids, mostly teens. He looked toward Charlotte, and she waved. He stood straight and tall but didn’t smile.
Toby, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be int
imidated at all. Her tail wagged as she focused on the dog standing next to her. The large golden Lab seemed equally interested in Toby, sniffing her—much to the horror of his owner.
The judge stood before the group, explaining the rules. Charlotte took notes as the judge explained the five areas that Christopher and Toby would be judged on:
– Heel on leash and figure 8
– Stand for examination
– Recall
– Long sit (1 minute)
– Long down (3 minutes)
Charlotte was surprised that Christopher wouldn’t be judged on some of the other things he’d worked on. She felt guilty for not paying attention. He’d focused on the hard stuff and hadn’t spent that much time on the easier things.
Listen to the judge, Charlotte wanted to call out. Instead, Christopher kept looking at the dog, trying to get her to sit and leave the other dog alone.
“Come on, Christopher; pay attention,” Emily whispered.
Thankfully, when it was time for Christopher to be judged, the other dogs were led out of the ring. Then, at the judge’s command, Christopher aced heel on leash and figure 8. Then it was time for recall. Charlotte had seen Christopher practice this with Toby at least a hundred times on the front lawn. She just hoped that all that hard work would pay off.
Christopher stood straight and tall. He motioned to Toby. “Sit.”
Christopher turned and started walking across the ring. Charlotte pressed her fingers to her lips. “Stay, Toby, stay,” she whispered, her heart pounding.
Thankfully, Toby stayed.
Emily softly clapped her hands.
When Christopher finished crossing the ring he turned. The judge nodded, Christopher motioned, and Toby trotted across the ring as if she were an old pro at the showmanship thing. The judge motioned again, and Christopher motioned for Toby to heel at his side. Instead, Toby cocked her head and licked Christopher’s hand. Charlotte sighed, and she wondered if it was okay to pray for a dog to obey.
Charlotte saw the judge scribbling on his notepad and hoped Christopher would do better with the next round.
When Christopher was done with recall, Charlotte waited and watched for the other kids to compete. Some of them did great, and others … Well, it appeared as if they hadn’t worked with the dogs at all.
After each participant had had a chance at the first three areas, the judge announced that the long sit and long down would be performed by the group of dogs in the ring.
All the dogs entered the ring, and again Toby’s attention was drawn to the yellow Lab next to her.
“Focus, Toby,” Charlotte muttered under her breath. “Don’t be such a flirt.”
“Yeah, Toby,” Emily echoed. She pressed her fingers to her lips. Then to her closed eyelids, as if not wanting to watch.
“Okay, handlers, signal or command your dogs to sit and stay, and then join me in the center of the ring. Once here, turn and face your dogs.”
“Sit,” a unison of voices said. Then the whole group walked to the center. Toby watched Christopher and shivered slightly as if wanting to follow him, but thankfully she stayed.
Charlotte had seen this event enough times to know that all the dogs were supposed to maintain the sit position without barking, whining, or moving from their spots. Once all the handlers turned and faced their dogs, the countdown began—one minute until they could be signaled to come and heel.
Toby glanced from Christopher to the yellow Lab, but thankfully she didn’t move. When the minute was up, the judge ordered the handlers to walk back, circle their dogs, and then return to the heel position.
Charlotte blew out the breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding.
“Only one more to go,” the woman sitting next to Charlotte said.
“The hardest one,” Emily added.
“Long down,” Charlotte answered. “Who knew something so simple could be so tense?”
Charlotte folded and unfolded her hands on her lap. For the long down, at the handlers’ command, the dogs had to assume the down position without assistance.
“Lie down. Down,” Christopher told Toby.
Toby lay down, as did the other dogs. Then all the participants moved to the center of the ring. Christopher stood straight and tall. His lips moved slightly, and Charlotte guessed he was counting out the three minutes in his head. She looked at her watch, focusing as the minute hand went around once and then twice.
At the two-minute mark everything looked good, but it was the cock of Toby’s head that told Charlotte something was up. Toby looked at Christopher and then at the yellow Lab again.
“Don’t do it,” Charlotte whispered.
“Come on, Toby.” Emily sighed. “Only forty-five seconds left.”
The yellow Lab whined, and Toby’s tail wagged. Then, with just a few seconds left, Toby crawled over to the lab and cuddled against his side. Even though Charlotte was horrified that Toby had moved, she couldn’t help but laugh—as did the rest of the audience.
It wasn’t until the laughter died down that Charlotte noticed Christopher in the center of the ring with his head down and his shoulders quivering. He was trying to hold in his emotion.
“Worked so hard, and foiled by a yellow Lab,” Charlotte mumbled to herself.
Emily just shook her head, speechless.
The white ribbons were given out, followed by the reds and the blues. Charlotte, Emily, Sam and Jordan cheered loudly as the judge handed Christopher a red, but Charlotte could tell from his face that he was disappointed.
They were all waiting for him as he put Toby back on the leash and trudged out of the ring. Sam patted his shoulder. “Great job, bro.”
“Yeah, I know I did great, but I can’t believe Toby did that. I would have gotten a blue if she had stayed.”
“I know, I know.” Charlotte sighed.
“That’s what love does to you.” Emily giggled at her own joke.
“I wish that yellow Lab had never come.”
“Well, I think it doesn’t matter, because a red is pretty good in my book,” Charlotte said. “Remember, it’s your first time competing.”
“My first and my last.” Christopher stomped off. “Maybe next time I’ll do a poultry project. Chickens don’t fall in love, do they, Grandma?”
“I’m not sure, but let’s not worry about that now. I need to take Toby home. Are you going to meet Dylan and his mom again?” Christopher nodded, but he didn’t seem as excited about it as he had been earlier.
Sam and Jordan made a quick exit so they could get on to their day’s events. “See you later, buddy,” Sam said as he gave Christopher a high five.
Charlotte, Emily, Christopher, and Toby moved out of the building and tried to make their way through the crowd heading the other direction. It didn’t help that every few steps someone stopped to admire Toby and pet her.
“Emily, did you want to ride back home with me, or stay here?”
Emily didn’t have a chance to answer the question because just as they passed the hog barn Toby barked and lunged. The movement caught Christopher by surprise, and the leash slipped through his fingers.
“Toby, no!” Christopher shouted, chasing her.
Charlotte gasped, wondering what in the world had gotten into the dog. She didn’t have to wonder long though, because as Charlotte hurried after both Toby and Christopher, she saw the swish of a yellow Lab’s tail rounding the corner.
EMILY HAD TO ADMIT she was both frustrated and amused by Toby’s disappearance. Frustrated, because they’d already spent thirty minutes searching the fairgrounds for her, and amused because Toby had a boyfriend. Emily smiled. And in my opinion that yellow Lab is pretty cute too.
Emily continued to push through the aisles of campers and tents, peering under each one for the disappearing dogs. Finally she came across a large mobile home where the Lab’s owner was hunkered down, calling his dog out from beneath the vehicle. Toby and her canine companion watched from the shadowed area under th
e vehicle but didn’t seem interested in being found.
Emily hurried over. “Come on, girl. Come on, Toby,” Emily called.
Grandma and Christopher joined them. Grandma called too, but neither dog budged.
“Toby knows she’s in trouble,” Grandma said.
“I’ll try.” Christopher hunkered down and held out his hand. “Come on, girl.”
Toby’s tail wagged, and then she trotted out to Christopher.
“She likes you best.” Emily sighed.
Christopher petted Toby and slid on the leash.
“I’ll take her from here,” Grandma took the leash. “You’re already late meeting up with Dylan.”
“It’s okay. I’ll walk her to the car for you. Dylan will understand.”
Emily followed Christopher and Charlotte.
“You stay with me,” Christopher scolded Toby. Knowing she was in trouble, the dog stayed close to Christopher’s side.
Emily couldn’t help but notice the dejected look on her brother’s face. His red ribbon dangled from his front belt loop, flapping like a sail without wind.
Grandma noticed his look too.
Emily looked at her grandma and then she approached her brother. “You know, Christopher …” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Mom would have thought this whole thing was cool.” She softly laughed. “Except for the escaping part.”
Christopher didn’t comment. He just nodded and kicked at a rock in the roadway.
Grandma paused. “Emily, why don’t you go back to the fair? I’ll get Toby home, and then come back here. Christopher should go meet up with Dylan,” she repeated again.
“Okay,” Emily said, pausing and offering a quick wave. “Remember what I said, Christopher.”
He nodded again, handed Toby over to Grandma, and offered Emily a bigger smile. “Thanks, Emily.”
Since the guys were watching the second round of the tractor pull, Emily had planned to meet Arielle and Natalie again and cruise around the fairgrounds, looking for people they knew. She texted Arielle and they picked a meeting spot.
Once they met up they walked around for a while, and then sat near one of the stages and watched the Bedford High School band perform. When they tired of that, they walked around the animal barns, checking out the ribbons.