Lucky Break

by Sienna Mercer

‘Are you OK?’ Rebecca had handed Topic’s reins to Hank, who had rushed over.

  ‘My ankle,’ Ivy said.

  Topic gave an apologetic whinny as Hank led her back across the yard.

  Rebecca carefully removed Ivy’s boot and looked at her ankle. ‘It doesn’t seem broken. Can you stand on it?’

  Ivy stood up and put her weight on it. It hurt but wasn’t unbearable.

  ‘I think it’s just a little sprain,’ Rebecca said. ‘I’m so sorry – I should have stayed closer. You just seemed as natural as your sister.’

  Ivy sniffled. ‘I think me and horses don’t go together.’

  ‘Don’t say that,’ Rebecca said gently. ‘I know that was scary, but it wasn’t anything you did that spooked Topic.’

  Ivy didn’t believe her.

  ‘Look.’ Rebecca pointed to the edge of the ring near where Ivy had been riding a moment before. A mother duck and her three ducklings were waddling under the fencing.

  ‘Topic is scared of ducklings?’ Ivy asked, baffled. It might have been funny if she hadn’t wanted it to be true so much.

  ‘I know it sounds unlikely, but horses can get scared of lots of things,’ Rebecca replied. ‘Listen, let’s get you inside to put that foot up. We can try again another time.’

  Ivy dusted herself down. She had tried horse-riding once and, as far as she was concerned, once was enough. As she limped back to the farmhouse, Ivy had to face the fact that she would never be a horsewoman like her mother.

  Ivy sat on the porch swing, with her leg up and her notebook on her lap. She was trying to write a sonnet for English class but wasn’t getting very far. She hadn’t even had a chance to look at her mother’s diary before Olivia had gone off with Rebecca, Hank and John on the trail ride.

  Ivy was stuck at the farmhouse with a bruised ankle. They wouldn’t be back for hours, so she’d sent a text to Brendan: Cowgirl sings the blues. Could use city boy to help change her tune.

  Brendan had texted back right away: Mounting my iron steed. Giddy up.

  Finally, she saw the little cloud of dust coming up the long driveway.

  She wanted to run to greet him, but all she could manage was a few limping steps. Brendan put his brakes on, skidding in a half-circle to a stop in the yard.

  Before he said anything, he held up his phone on full volume, playing ‘I Wear My Sunglasses at Night’.

  ‘No more cowgirl blues, please,’ said Brendan. Then he grabbed her in a big hug.

  ‘Careful of my ankle!’ Ivy squealed, but she was so happy to see him.

  Brendan scooped her up and carried her back to the porch. He sat her on the swing pillows and squeezed in next to her. She told him what had happened. ‘I’m sorry you got hurt,’ he said, ‘but I’m very impressed that you were up on a horse in the first place.’

  ‘It was going pretty well, actually,’ Ivy said, rocking gently, ‘until the Duckling Incident.’

  Brendan chuckled. ‘You must be pretty determined to connect to your mom if you got up on a horse.’

  ‘That’s exactly the problem,’ Ivy replied. ‘Even my dad can handle a horse. I’m clearly the black sheep of the family.’

  ‘Nothing wrong with that,’ Brendan said. ‘You look good in black.’

  ‘Yeah, but, what if …’ Ivy had been thinking about it all morning. ‘What if she was alive? What if she wouldn’t get me?’

  Brendan stopped her in mid-swing. ‘Don’t be silly, Ivy. You would be her daughter and she would love you. Besides, she obviously liked black because she loved your dad. Now, I want to see these terrifying ducklings.’ Brendan pulled Ivy to her feet and grinned. ‘Feel free to lean on me, if you need support.’

  Ivy led him slowly over to the pond. The three fluffy yellow ducklings were quacking along behind their mother – a happy family in an orderly line.

  Ivy sighed. That was just never going to be her family.

  She heard a horse whicker from inside the barn.

  ‘I thought all the horses were on a cattle drive,’ Brendan said.

  ‘All but Lucky,’ Ivy replied. ‘And it was a trail ride.’

  ‘Isn’t Lucky your mom’s horse?’ Brendan asked.

  Ivy nodded.

  Brendan looked at her. ‘Do you want to go in?’

  Ivy thought about it for a moment. Lucky hadn’t shied away from her when they first met, and Rebecca insisted that the reason Topic was upset was the ducklings. Maybe she could go and talk to Lucky. With Brendan by her side, she felt safe. ‘Let’s do it.’

  They stepped into the cool barn, the smell of hay filling her nostrils as they clomped across the wooden floorboards. Lucky neighed from the back stall.

  Very, very carefully, Ivy approached the stable door. Lucky poked his head out to see who it was and tossed his head.

  ‘He’s saying hello,’ said Brendan.

  Ivy remembered Olivia whispering to the horses and decided to try it herself.

  ‘Hi Lucky,’ she said quietly. ‘I won’t be afraid of you if you won’t be afraid of me.’

  Brendan stayed next to her as she reached her hand out to touch his muzzle.

  Lucky stood still, his tail swishing. He seemed to be waiting for something.

  Ivy glanced at the photos of her mom on the wall. In one, her mom had her arm around Lucky, in a hug. ‘If I hug Lucky,’ Ivy whispered to Brendan, ‘then it’s almost like I’m hugging my mom.’

  Ivy took a deep breath. She was going to get closer. She grabbed a rope off a nearby peg and pulled open the stable door. She walked down Lucky’s left side, running her hand down his beautiful white neck. He didn’t seem to mind at all. She clipped the lead rope on to his halter and took hold on his left, just like she had with Topic.

  Lucky took a step out into the aisle, then another.

  ‘He’s beautiful,’ said Brendan.

  Ivy nodded, relaxing her grip on the rope a little, as Lucky walked out of his stable on his own.

  ‘Wait, wait,’ Ivy said to the horse. ‘Don’t go. We’re not leaving.’

  But Lucky seemed to think it was his turn for a walk. Ivy knew she couldn’t handle him outside the stable.

  ‘Uh oh,’ Ivy whispered. ‘I probably shouldn’t have opened the door.’

  Ivy fought back the panic. How was she going to get Lucky back in his stall? She pulled on the rope, trying to get Lucky to turn around. ‘Lucky,’ she sing-songed. ‘Come back this way.’

  She tried to hold on to his lead, but as she reached out, he backed up into the wall. Ivy shuffled one way and Brendan shuffled the other, trying to keep the horse contained. But Lucky didn’t like it.

  He whinnied and reared up, eyes rolling in his head as he pulled the rope right out of Ivy’s hand.

  She scrambled to get it back and Brendan did, too, but that only made things worse. Lucky shook his head and reared up, just inches away from Ivy.

  She staggered back and tripped, only just managing to roll out of the path of his trampling hooves as he bolted. Her hair got in her face and she shouted, ‘Lucky, wait!’ as he galloped towards the stable door.

  She scrambled to her feet, pain shooting through her ankle, only to see Lucky streaking across the ranch, towards the trees. This time there wasn’t anyone to bring him back.

  ‘Oh no, what have I done?’ Ivy said, starting to cry.

  Chapter Eight

  Olivia was leading the group of visitors, while Rebecca pointed out the features of the trail and helped anyone who needed encouragement. Olivia loved riding Honey and the crisp, sunny day was perfect for the tour along the river and through the pine trees.

  Rebecca had told her just to follow the green arrows, which was easy enough, and after a good two-hour ride, past a beautiful mini-waterfall, they were back at the ranch. Olivia had had plenty of time to think about Operation Smooch being a total failure so far. She couldn’t believe Jackson hadn’t kissed her yet! Ivy thought he was waiting for the right moment, but it had better come along soon! Or I’ll have to kiss Garrick first
! thought Olivia with a shudder.

  As she turned Honey towards the stable, she saw Ivy and Brendan waving frantically at her. She urged Honey into a trot and pulled her short when they got close.

  Ivy’s face was streaked with tears and Brendan looked more grave than usual.

  Olivia dismounted right away. ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘Lucky,’ Ivy gasped out. ‘Lucky escaped!’

  ‘Oh no!’ Olivia whirled around to look in the direction that Ivy was pointing, into the woods.

  A domestic horse out in the wild could be really vulnerable, Olivia knew. Especially one as old as Lucky.

  ‘Aunt Rebecca!’ she called across the yard.

  Hank and John were leading the visitors back to the stables and Rebecca rode over. ‘What’s happened?’ she asked, keeping tight control over Admiral, who was prancing.

  ‘It was all my fault,’ Brendan put in. ‘I left Lucky’s stable door open. He ran away into the woods over there.’

  Olivia glanced at Ivy, and she looked utterly crushed. Olivia wondered if there was more to the story than Brendan was letting on.

  ‘How long ago?’ Rebecca demanded.

  ‘About half an hour,’ Ivy said, fresh tears rolling down her face.

  Rebecca looked down on Brendan from Admiral’s back, like a general looking down on an army deserter. ‘I think it’s time you went home.’

  Olivia felt awful. She knew Brendan wouldn’t have done anything like that on purpose. Ivy started sobbing, and Brendan whispered something to her.

  ‘I’m really sorry this has happened, Ms Kendall, and I hope you find Lucky soon.’ He hugged Ivy tightly and then rode away on his bike.

  ‘John and Hank will get the rest of the horses in and I’ll go looking right away,’ Rebecca said. ‘I hope he hasn’t gone far. Olivia, can you help?’

  Olivia nodded.

  ‘What can I do?’ Ivy said. ‘I have to help somehow.’

  Rebecca tossed Ivy her cell phone. ‘Call everyone in my phonebook and tell them what’s happened. Anyone who can help, will, I’m sure.’ She gave Ivy a sympathetic look. ‘Ivy, don’t beat yourself up over this. You’re not to blame.’ Then she rode away to the group.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Olivia said to Ivy. ‘We’ll find him.’ She turned to mount Honey again but Ivy caught her arm.

  ‘It wasn’t Brendan,’ Ivy confessed. ‘It was me.’

  Olivia sucked in her breath. ‘It doesn’t matter now,’ she replied. ‘He’ll be OK.’

  The thought of Lucky alone out there in the woods made Olivia’s heart ache. Ivy nodded and limped to the porch swing, clutching the phone like a lifeline. Olivia swung her leg over Honey and rode over to where Rebecca was briefing Hank and John.

  Rebecca called out to the grey-haired, flannel-clad visitors, ‘Thank you all very much for coming. I hope you enjoyed yourselves.’ Then she said more quietly, ‘Let’s go, Olivia.’

  They rode hard to the woods, where Ivy had pointed and then slowed down, looking for signs.

  ‘This way,’ Rebecca said. ‘Where those branches are broken.’

  The horses picked their way through the trees, their hooves crackling the leaves and twigs underfoot.

  ‘There are some positives,’ said Rebecca, breaking the nervous silence. ‘It’s not winter any more, and Lucky wasn’t fully tacked. It would be much worse if he had reins that could get caught on branches. He’s a smart horse and knows the area very well.’

  It wasn’t much to believe in, but it made Olivia feel a tiny bit better.

  ‘Horses like people and familiar things,’ Rebecca went on. ‘If he smells horses he knows or hears my voice, he might come to us.’

  Olivia patted Honey on the neck. ‘I’m glad you’re here, then.’ She’d only ridden her a few times but already she loved the horse. She could only imagine what Rebecca must be feeling for Lucky.

  Olivia pushed a branch away from her face. ‘I feel so awful. If we had never come –’

  ‘Don’t say that,’ Rebecca said. ‘You two are all the family I have left and having you here has been wonderful. But that Brendan boy …’

  Olivia was torn. She wouldn’t betray her sister’s trust and tell the truth about how Lucky got out, but she couldn’t let Rebecca think bad of him. ‘Brendan is a really good person,’ Olivia said. ‘He’s perfect for Ivy and treats her so well.’ Not to mention that he’s really brave and loyal for taking the blame, Olivia thought.

  ‘Humph.’ Rebecca changed the subject. ‘I think I’ve lost the trail.’

  They had emerged on to one of the many paths in the woods. It followed a high fence, and there were too many hoofprints to know which were Lucky’s.

  ‘What do we do now?’ Olivia wanted to know.

  ‘We should keep riding for a little while, and then go back to see what group efforts we can coordinate.’

  Olivia nodded.

  She would do whatever it took to find Lucky – for Rebecca and for her bio-mom, but most importantly, for her sister.

  ‘It will have to do for now.’ Ivy closed her laptop sadly.

  She’d been trawling the internet for advice on lost horses, and she’d found some great websites.

  One woman had managed to convince the local police academy to run training exercises in the woods when she’d lost her horse and someone else had got the recreational pilot’s club in the area to do a rota of flyovers. Ivy was willing to do anything to help find Lucky and she planned to start making phone calls first thing in the morning.

  ‘You’re doing everything you can,’ Olivia offered.

  Olivia looked dishevelled after five hours of searching. Ivy had spent her time phoning everyone that Aunt Rebecca knew and organising a search party of thirty people for first light tomorrow.

  ‘I have never felt so wretched.’ Her ankle throbbed and it felt like her legs were made of lead as she stood up to change into her bat-patterned pyjamas.

  ‘It wasn’t your fault,’ Olivia replied with a pained expression. ‘Don’t blame yourself.’

  ‘There is no one else to blame,’ Ivy said. ‘Brendan shouldn’t have said he’d done it. I’m so lucky to have him – even if Aunt Rebecca doesn’t think so.’

  Olivia nodded. ‘She just needs to get to know him.’

  ‘Except now she’ll never let him set foot on her property again,’ Ivy replied.

  I’ve messed everything up, Ivy thought. I’m definitely not my mother’s daughter.

  She thought about her mother’s journal, lying wrapped up on top of the dresser. It was almost like she didn’t deserve to read it any more.

  As she laid down on the floor, wishing she was at home in her coffin, Ivy drifted off, to dream of a white horse running in the moonlight.

  Back in Franklin Grove five days later, the twins were upset to hear that Lucky was still missing.

  They had phoned Aunt Rebecca every day for updates, but there were no new leads. Now Olivia had to put him out of her mind. In less than an hour, it would be the grand opening of Romezog and Julietron. The entire cast was assembled backstage in all their metallic glory for a last-minute pep talk.

  Aliens were perched on parts of the holodeck set, robots were scattered among the bizarre blue trees that Sophia had designed for the outdoor scenes. They were big spheres of Styrofoam stacked on top of each other. Everything was on wheels, ready to be whisked in and out by the stage crew at Ivy’s command.

  Camilla hopped up on to an alien sculpture from the party scene to address the group. ‘You all look amazing and you’ve worked so hard. Our play is going to be in a galaxy of its own.’ She looked very professional, dressed in a black suit with a moon rock necklace. ‘Special praise goes to Sophia Hewitt for the incredible costumes and to Garrick for all the extra time he put in memorising his lines.’

  Olivia had butterflies in her stomach that had mutated into alien creatures that threatened to burst out of her and do a little dance on the table. Opening night meant no more air-kissing. This was it. />
  ‘And remember: yorg zup fandiot.’ Camilla saluted and strode away.

  ‘What on earth does that mean?’ Olivia asked Jackson, who looked like a real cyborg in his metal and wires.

  Jackson shrugged. ‘Probably Martian for “Break a leg”.’

  Olivia giggled. ‘I hope not! Can you imagine how funny Garrick would look writhing around even more than he already does!’

  She glanced at her Romezog, who was sitting in the corner on a silver four-poster bed from Juliteron’s bedroom scenes with his head in his hands – all ten of them.

  That doesn’t look good, Olivia thought.

  ‘Thirty minutes until curtain,’ Ivy called, in stage-manager mode. There were dark shadows under her eyes from worrying about Lucky. ‘Doors are now open and the audience are taking their seats.’

  Charlotte stomped past with Sophia chasing after her. ‘I will not wear another pillow!’

  Garrick didn’t even look up.

  ‘Just give me a minute,’ Olivia said to Jackson and headed over to Garrick. She stood in front of him and said, ‘I hope I don’t regret asking, but what’s wrong?’

  ‘I can’t find my itching powder,’ he said, still staring at the floor. ‘Without it, I can’t do this.’

  ‘What do you mean by “this”?’ Olivia asked, worry creeping in.

  ‘This!’ He threw his many arms out wide, indicating the whole production. ‘Be Romezog.’

  Olivia’s heart dropped into her knee-high gold boots. If Garrick wouldn’t take the stage, then there was no show!

  ‘Don’t say that,’ Olivia said. ‘The show must go on!’

  ‘I can’t,’ he whined at her. ‘The only reason I got the part was because of the itching. Now I won’t get my kiss.’ Garrick looked like a wreck. ‘And I had all this extra stuff planned at the end, too.’

  Olivia didn’t know what to make of the extra stuff, but she knew she didn’t want him to call off the performance. You can’t do Romeo and Juliet without Romeo … or Romezog, she thought.

  ‘You don’t need the powder,’ Olivia said. ‘Just act it. Remember what it felt like and pretend.’

  Garrick looked confused. ‘Pretend to itch?’