Star Gazer

by Chris Platt

  Jordan looked at the lunch fixings, but she had no appetite. She made herself half a sandwich so her mom wouldn’t protest. “It’s just that we have Star now and she’s the horse I want. Why get rid of her and start all over again in a year or two?” She picked at her sandwich. “At first I wasn’t so sure about owning a draft horse, but after I got to know Star I can’t imagine having any other horse. I love her, Mom. Star needs someone special. All of her people are gone, and the ones she trusted gave her away. Are we going to do the same thing?”

  Her mother didn’t answer. Jordan knew there wasn’t any good answer.

  “What time are you supposed to be at the Miller farm today?” Mrs. McKenzie asked, changing the subject.

  “Jacob said to be there at one. He said there’s going to be a special surprise.”

  Her mother looked at the clock on the wall. “Then we better hurry. Do you mind if I stay and watch for a little bit today?”

  Jordan thought for a moment. “I don’t know. I make a lot of mistakes.”

  When Jordan still didn’t say okay, a look of understanding came over her mother’s face. “Oh, I get it…you don’t want me to witness your mistakes?”

  Jordan looked down at her plate. “Something like that, yeah.”

  “Well, whenever you’re ready to have me watch, I’ll be there.” She reached out and patted Jordan’s hand. “Just remember…there’s no shame in making mistakes. The important thing is that you’re out there trying. And you’re doing something that makes you happy. Now, eat your sandwich and let’s get over there. Jacob and Daniel are waiting. I’ll come home and deal with the vet and Star’s abscess while you’re having your lesson.”

  “Thanks, Mom. Don’t forget to give Star some carrots. She likes it when you give her treats.” And the more time you spend with Star, Jordan thought, the more chance you’ll get attached to her.

  She finished her sandwich and put the plate in the sink. “Do you think they’re strange?” she asked, leaning against the counter. “The boys, I mean. Do you think they’re dweebs because they dress funny and have old-fashioned ways?”

  Jordan’s mom rose from the table and set her dishes on the counter. “Where did that come from, honey?” She pulled a container of cookies from the cabinet. “We were just talking about Star. How’d we get to boys?”

  Jordan shrugged. “I don’t know. Nicole finally brought over two of the girls she rides with and one of them was making fun of Jacob and Daniel.”

  “I don’t know anything about that girl, but I know those boys have been awfully nice to you. I know they volunteered to help when they didn’t have to. And they’re just about the most well-mannered teenagers I’ve ever run across.” She grabbed the car keys off the hook by the light switch. “Yes, they might dress a bit different, but hey, look at half the kids your age…Do you really think they dress normal?”

  Jordan laughed. “You might have a point there.”

  Her mother handed her a chocolate chip cookie. “I’m happy you’re making some nice friends here,” she said. “Now grab your stuff and let’s go.”

  As soon as they arrived at the Miller farm, Jordan bolted out of the car, ready to get started. She still felt a little intimidated about making mistakes in front of everyone, but she was excited to be learning so much. And who could complain about getting to work with horses every day!

  “I’ll be back to get you in a couple of hours,” her mother said. “Call me if you need to be picked up before then.” She waved to Mrs. Miller, who sat on the front porch, then drove off.

  On the way to the barn, Jordan stopped to admire the big bed of marigolds that she’d always viewed from the road. She heard giggling and turned to see to a splotch of blue disappear into the trees at the edge of the lawn. Daniel’s siblings seemed to be doing their best to hide from her. She hoped they weren’t watching her driving lessons.

  She continued on to the barn and was totally unprepared for what she saw. Tommy Sutton stepped from the interior of the old wooden structure, pushing a wheelbarrow full of dirty straw. He hesitated when he saw her, then lowered his head and kept going.

  Was this the surprise Jacob talked about?

  “What are you doing here?” Jordan said with an accusing tone. She couldn’t imagine what Tommy would be doing at the Miller farm. How had Jacob reacted when he saw him?

  “None of your business what I’m doing here,” Tommy snapped. He put the wheelbarrow down, eyeing her curiously. “What are you doing here? You’re not hanging out with these throwbacks, are you?” When Jordan didn’t say anything, his eyes widened. “You are, aren’t you?” He hooted with laughter.

  Jordan didn’t see anything funny about that. Jacob and Daniel were a whole lot better to hang out with than he was. Why did kids always pick on anyone who seemed the least bit different?

  Tommy emptied the wheelbarrow on the muck pile, then disappeared back into the barn.

  Jordan stood there for a minute trying to decide if she should cut through the barn and risk seeing Tommy again or walk the long way around. She heard shouts coming from behind the barn and decided to take the outdoor route. She hoped Tommy hadn’t provoked Jacob into a fight. The Amish and Mennonites believed in peaceful ways—but Tommy Sutton didn’t. She broke into a jog and rounded the corner of the barn, then pulled to a stop at the scene before her.

  Jacob had harnessed his horse to another Percheron and connected them to a couple of long poles that lay on the ground. He walked behind the team and to the side of the logs, guiding the horses through a series of cones.

  This must be log skidding! Jordan couldn’t believe her good fortune.

  She watched as Jacob moved the horses—and the load they were pulling—in and out without disturbing the cones. A small crowd of men and boys who were probably waiting for their turns hollered in support as the horses and driver navigated the course.

  So this is what all the commotion was about, Jordan thought as she joined the onlookers.

  Unfortunately, when Jacob and his team rounded the orange cone at the top of the turn, they hit it with the edge of the log and knocked it several feet to the side.

  “Awww,” Jordan said in sympathy. She didn’t know any of the rules for skidding, but she was pretty sure hitting a cone meant points off in a contest. Jacob managed the rest of the course with only a couple more penalties, then it was Dan’s turn.

  Mr. Miller motioned for Jordan to join them. She walked with him to where Jacob and his team stood and helped him unhook the large black horses from the logs so Daniel could hook up his team.

  “This is so cool!” Jordan said.

  “Yup. But it’s hot work!” Jacob looked up at her briefly, then led the two horses to the water trough for a drink.

  “This is a beautiful horse,” Jordan said, petting the sweaty hide of King’s pulling mate. “Where did he come from?”

  “This is my dad’s horse, Duke,” he said as he watered off the horses. “This is the team I use when I compete in log skidding. They’re a good team and I’m hoping to do well at the fair this year. The competition is only a couple months away.” He tied the horses to a hitching post.

  Jordan thought about her silly threat to beat Mr. Sutton. Jacob and Daniel had been doing this most of their lives, and she was only on her second driving lesson. She hoped the town grapevine wouldn’t spread that little bit of gossip back to Mr. Sutton.

  “So what’s the deal with Tommy Sutton?” Jordan asked, following him to where all the others stood watching Daniel getting ready to run the course. “Why is he here?”

  Jacob frowned and Jordan noticed he still had the ugly bruise on his forehead from the accident. “The kid driving the car was eighteen and has to stand trial,” Jacob explained. “But Tommy got off with probation and a hundred hours of labor. The judge wanted to send him to Brother Fisher’s place to work, but he thought it would be too disruptive to the Amish community.”

  “So he sent him here instead?” Jordan couldn’t believ
e it. “Why?”

  “Maybe so he’d learn tolerance and a little respect,” Mr. Miller said as he helped Daniel secure the logs. He waved his son on and stood back under the shade of the barn. “That boy’s doing a lot of hard labor and we appreciate the help, but I think maybe he needs us a whole lot more than we need him. He just doesn’t know it yet.” The men standing around him seemed to agree.

  Jordan wasn’t exactly sure what Mr. Miller had meant by that remark. But Daniel was starting the course, so she focused her attention on him.

  He expertly drove his team and the heavy poles through the first several cones without mishap, but came close to touching on the fourth one.

  Jordan stood mesmerized by the skillful coaching Daniel used with his team to pull the long poles in and out of the cones. She cheered with the others when he dragged the complete course with only two faults.

  While they unhooked the big Belgians from the load, Jordan shared her news about Star Gazer.

  “That’s great!” Jacob gave her a pat on the back. “Then I guess we better make sure you’re up to speed on driving horses by the time Star is ready to be harnessed.”

  Jordan’s pulse raced at the thought. Jacob was right. She had a very short amount of time to soak up as much information and training as she could. Star Gazer had given up on pulling. It was Jordan’s job to remind the mare how good she’d been—and how much fun it would be to work together as a team. And maybe if she could prove to her mother that she and Star Gazer made a great team, her mom would change her mind about selling the mare.

  She rubbed her hands together. “I’m ready. Let’s get started!”

  sixteen

  “What’s this?” Jordan asked, eyeing the beat-up old cart Candy was harnessed to. It looked like something her father had once built to pull behind his bicycle—only this one was a lot bigger. And uglier.

  Mr. Miller hooked a lead line to Candy’s bridle. “You did so well yesterday that I thought maybe we’d get you started on the training cart earlier than planned.” He patted the bright red cushion.

  Jordan looked at the cart doubtfully. She remembered seeing lots of nice carts parked inside the big barn. Where had this old thing come from?

  “I wish you could see the look on your face right now,” Jacob said. “You look like Cinderella when her coach turned back into a pumpkin.”

  Daniel laughed.

  Mr. Miller motioned for Jordan to get into the cart and handed the lead line to Jacob. “Don’t pay those two boys any mind, young lady. This is just our insurance policy against ruining a good cart. There are always accidents with a beginner,” he said. “Once you can handle this cart, we’ll let you drive one that’s a little nicer.”

  The cart’s two big wheels stood at least four feet high. It had to be tall to match the size of the draft horse and to allow the driver to see over its rump. Jordan managed to clamber in without losing her dignity. She quietly picked up the reins while Mr. Miller held Candy, waiting for Jordan to get ready.

  “Just remember all of your lessons from yesterday,” Mr. Miller said. “The cues are going to be exactly the same. You’re just higher off the ground now, that’s all. Jacob has a lead line on Candy, and he’ll walk beside her to make sure nothing goes wrong.”

  Jordan took a deep breath. She could feel her hands shaking on the reins. “Walk up,” Jordan said to the mare, but Candy didn’t move. Jordan remembered the lecture Jacob had given her about Star Gazer not minding her. She sat up straighter and tried to make her voice sound more confident. “Walk up!” she said again, then shook the reins up and down and clucked.

  Jacob pulled on the lead rope and stopped the horse.

  “Uh-oh, I forgot and slapped the reins on her rump,” Jordan said.

  “But, you remembered. That’s good,” Jacob said. “I even heard a little more command in your voice when Candy wouldn’t obey.” He handed her a driving whip. “Use your voice to tell her you mean business,” he instructed. “And if that doesn’t work, tap her with this if she refuses your request.”

  Jordan frowned and declined the whip. “I don’t like hitting a horse. It seems mean.”

  Daniel rolled his eyes. “I know,” Jacob said. “My sister says the same thing. But it’s only mean if you use it unfairly or with too much force. Don’t think of it as a whip. Think of it as a tool to help you drive.”

  She still hesitated.

  Jacob sighed. “Look, Jordie, say I was standing in line behind you and I needed you to move up. If I took one finger and put a little pressure in the middle of your back, you would move forward, right?”

  Jordan nodded.

  “And I wouldn’t have to shove you or knock you down, right?”

  “Right.”

  He smiled and handed her the driving whip. “Think of this as a finger poking Candy in the back. It doesn’t have to hurt. It just reminds her to move forward, okay?”

  Jordan took the whip, unsure how she should hold it. She already had her hands full of leather reins.

  “This might take some getting used to,” Jacob cautioned. “You’re going to have to hold it in your right hand along with the reins.”

  Jordan rearranged the reins and whip, then signaled that she was ready to go. Jacob led Candy toward the paddock they’d worked in the day before.

  Mr. Miller opened the gate. “We’re going to start you here until you’re used to the cart. Then we can move you out to the big pasture,” he said. “Daniel set up some orange cones for you so you can practice turns.”

  Daniel poked Jacob in the ribs and a conspiratorial look passed between the two of them.

  “What’s with you guys?” Jordan asked, looking from one to the other. “Come on, out with it.”

  Jacob waited until the horse and cart passed through the gate, then he climbed up onto the bench seat with Jordan and settled in next to her. “Daniel bet me that you’d run over at least four cones…” He paused. “And I said you’d only run over three.”

  “What?” Jordan yelped. Everyone laughed and she joined in. But part of her felt a little hurt that they didn’t have more faith in her.

  Mr. Miller closed the gate behind them. “Jacob is going to stay in the cart with you and give you direction. If you run into problems, he can take the reins for you.”

  Jordan watched as Candy’s ears flicked back and forth, listening for a cue. For a split second, Jordan panicked. The horse was so big, and she was so small. But the moment passed and she picked up the reins. She had to learn the correct way to do things, for Star’s benefit. The better she was able to work with Star, the better the chance of getting to keep her. Soon it could be Star Gazer’s big rump she’d be trying to see over. The thought brought a big grin to her face.

  An hour—and six smashed cones—later, Jordan had to admit that it was a lot more difficult than it looked. How did the boys manage to pull those long poles through all of those cones without disturbing them? She couldn’t even make a turn around a cone with a whole paddock to do it in.

  She walked Candy to the harnessing rack, removed her tack, and began to bathe her.

  Mr. Miller patted Jordan on the back. “Don’t look so down in the mouth, kid. You’re doing just fine.” He tipped his hat back and gave her a fatherly smile. “The wheels stayed on the buggy, and everything—including you—is in one piece. I’d say it’s a good day.”

  Jordan had to agree when he put it that way. Daniel was lucky to have such a great dad. She couldn’t help wondering what things would be like if her own father were still around.

  She untied Candy to walk her to the pasture where her teammate stood waiting. She stopped and turned back to Mr. Miller. “I really appreciate you working with me. I hope I can be a good horsewoman someday.”

  Mr. Miller handed her an apple to give to Candy. “I think you’re going to be a fine horsewoman. We’ve got a lot of summer ahead of us, and the boys seem to enjoy teaching you. You’re welcome to keep coming over if you want.”

  “Tha
t would be great,” Jordan said. “I’d really like that.” She held the apple out for Candy. Unlike Star, who took the entire apple in one bite, Candy took dainty little nibbles until it was gone. “Is there something I can do to help around here? You guys are spending a lot of time on me.”

  Mr. Miller removed his hat and scratched his head. “Well, I suppose you could fill water tanks. I’ve got the Sutton boy doing stalls.”

  Jordan had almost forgotten about Tommy. She’d seen him stop several times on his way back and forth to the manure pile to watch her driving lesson. She hoped he hadn’t witnessed her running over the cones. She tugged on Candy’s lead rope and walked her out to the pasture.

  “In about ten minutes, Mrs. Miller has a treat for everyone,” Mr. Miller called. “We’ll meet in front of the barn.”

  Jordan put Candy to pasture and started on the water troughs while Daniel and Jacob cleaned tack. She dragged the hose to the first stall. As she filled the tank, she daydreamed about driving Star Gazer. She didn’t look up until she heard the wheelbarrow roll by.

  “Nice driving, McKenzie,” Tommy said in his best sarcastic tone. “Only six cones down? Amazing. I’m really looking forward to watching you and that lame mare beat my dad in the pulling contest.” He laughed all the way to the next stall.

  Jordan gritted her teeth. Why did he have to rub it in? She already felt self-conscious enough about her less than stellar horse skills and driving abilities. But then it occurred to her that Tommy wasn’t exactly one to be talking about driving skills after the accident he and his friend had caused. She opened her mouth to speak, then hesitated.

  Tommy frowned, staring at her like he could read her thoughts. “Go ahead. Say what you were thinking.”

  Jordan shook her head. She wasn’t going to let Tommy bait her. But the smarmy look on his face pushed her over the edge. “I think you—”

  “What’s going on here?” Jacob interrupted the tongue-lashing she was about to give Tommy.

  “Everything okay?” he asked, walking straight for them. He looked first at Jordan, but his eyes came to rest on Tommy.