Mr. Eastford snatched the papers and read them, then threw them onto the ground.
“Fine,” he said. “We don’t need him anyway. We have plenty of horses and ponies at our own barn.”
“Yes,” Esther said, her arms crossed. “You’ll also be pleased to know that you’ll be getting a little visit from animal control. A welfare check of sorts. Just to make sure that no other ponies are being treated the way Bluebird was while he was in your care.”
Mr.Eastford had a face like thunder as he shoved Jess towards the truck.
“But Daddy, I want that pony,” she whined.
“Well you shouldn’t have sent it to the auction then,” he shouted at her. “Now get in the truck.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
With Jess and her father gone it was like Christmas in July. Sally was hugging me and her father was pressing Bluebird’s papers into my hand.
“We want you to have him,” Sally said. “Free and clear, he’s yours. My father signed the papers and everything.”
“It’s really true? He’s mine?”
It had all seemed so simple, to go to the auction and buy my dream horse. Only it hadn’t worked out that way. I hadn’t found my dream horse and the pony I did buy had been nothing but trouble. But now he was completely and truly mine, except for the hundred dollars I still owed Ethan.
“Of course he is. I told you before. He’s happy with you. He belongs with you.”
I hugged Sally and thanked her for helping to make my dreams come true. But I couldn’t help thinking that just maybe my dead sister had a little something to do with it too.
The day went by in a blur, as did the days that followed. They were full of camp kids and jumping lessons and falling into my sleeping bag at night exhausted but happier than I’d been in a really long time. Before we knew it the Saturday of the camp show was here and we stood in the barn surrounded by nervous kids and even more nervous parents.
“I think I’m going to throw up,” Faith said, looking a little green.
“You’ll be fine,” I told her. “Remember, if you’re feeling nervous then your pony will be too. You have to act confident.”
“But I don’t feel confident,” she said.
“Then fake it.”
“Okay,” she gulped.
It was a show in the loosest sense of the word. The kids had arrived in varying degrees of jeans and t-shirts. A couple of them were in breeches and one or two of the parents had splurged for the whole deal, jackets and all. Those kids were boiling hot already.
“I thought this was supposed to be fun,” one of them moaned, tugging at a too tight choker.
“It will be,” Esther told them. “Now suck it up. You have parents out there waiting to see what they’ve spent all this money on. Hop to it.”
Mickey and I were gate stewards, jump crew and kid wranglers all rolled into one. We helped the kids tack up their ponies and pinned their numbers on, then ferried them off to the ring where they either fell off out of pure nerves or somehow pulled off a brilliant ride. It was all a bit hit and miss. Some of the kids who’d been great in class completely lost it when they saw their parents watching and the ones who’d never really seemed to care, rode amazingly well.
“I jumped a clear round,” Faith beamed as she came out of the ring panting after completing the cross rail course.
“But were you pretty doing it?” Mickey teased her, poking at the red ribbon tied to the end of her braid.
“Of course I was,” she said, sticking her little nose in the air.
And I guess she was right because she won the class. When Esther pinned the blue ribbon on her pony’s bridle and told her to take her victory canter around the ring, I got a little teary eyed.
“Are you crying?” Mickey asked, fanning herself with the towel we were using to wipe the kid’s boots.
“No,” I said. “It’s just sweat running into my eye.”
“You liar,” she teased. “You’re all emotional because this is the very last day of camp.”
“I’ll miss them,” I said. “Won’t you?”
“Not in a million years.”
By the time the morning was over, most of the kids had ribbons of one color or another. Everyone gathered around under the big oak tree where Esther was cooking burgers and hot dogs. I’d invited Sally and she came with her parents who brought cold iced tea and purple frosted cupcakes.
“I’m so glad you made it,” I said.
“Are you going to do the exhibition?” she asked eagerly.
Esther had suggested that when the last of the classes were over, Mickey and I should put Hampton and Bluebird through their paces.
“Yes,” I said. “I can’t wait.”
“Do you mind if I help get him ready?” she said.
“Not at all, besides I don’t have much time anyway. We still have the egg and spoon and the bending race to go.”
“That sounds like a recipe for disaster,” she laughed.
“Exactly.”
After lunch, when the kids were all hopped up on sugar, we shoved them back into their saddles and sent them off to the ring.
“I’m going to win the bending,” Faith said as she trotted by. “Princess is a natural.”
“Good luck with that,” Mickey mumbled under her breath. “Princess can’t turn on a dime to save her life.”
We watched as two at a time they came between the bending poles. Some kids missed a few, others missed them all. By the time the dust had cleared, there was only Faith and a little boy called Nathan left.
“Come on honey, you can do it,” Faith’s parents cheered her on from the rail.
She bit her lip and picked up her reins, then kicked Princess on for all she was worth. Weaving this way and that she finished seconds before Nathan did.
“I won,” she screamed, hugging Princess’s neck.
The pony, kind of annoyed by being made to do all these things that seemed like work, kicked her tiny hooves in the air and deposited Faith in the dirt. But she was so happy she didn’t even care. She was back in the saddle before we could even rush out to see if she was all right, and trotting down the ring towards Esther to get her blue ribbon.
“I told you,” I said. “The kid is a natural.”
“Of course she is,” there came a voice from behind me. “She is my sister after all.”
I spun around and there stood Ethan, his hair full of highlights from spending too much time at the beach.
“What are you doing here? Your sister? What?” My words all came tumbling out.
“That annoying brat is your sister?” Mickey said. “I should have known.”
“I know, sorry. She’s eight going on eighty.”
I looked at Faith, still trying to hug a disgruntled Princess and back to Ethan. I could suddenly see the resemblance. I didn’t know how I missed it before.
“Hang on a minute,” I said. “If Faith is your sister then why isn’t she riding at Fox Run?”
“They don’t have a summer camp there,” Ethan shrugged. “Plus Andre scares her. She took one lesson and refused to go back. Said she wanted to ride somewhere they actually cared about horses and taught you things other than the best breeches to buy.”
“You could get in big trouble,” I said. “Being in the enemy camp and all.”
“I think I’ll survive,” he said. “Besides, a little bird told me that Jess tried to take Bluebird away from you and that she left here with her tail between her legs?”
“Something like that,” I said.
“Awesome.”
“Yeah, it was pretty cool,” Mickey said. “Too bad you missed it. Maybe you should just bring your horse over here and board with us from now on.”
“Maybe I will,” he grinned.
I shot Mickey a dirty look.
“What?” she mouthed, trying to look all innocent.
But I knew what she was doing. Having Ethan here every day would be the last thing I needed. I’d never be able to conc
entrate on my riding again.
Faith came barreling towards Ethan, dragging Princess behind her.
“Did you see?” she cried. “Did you see me win?”
“I did,” he said. “Pretty impressive for a little snot.”
“Hey,” she said and launched herself at him.
I rescued Princess’s reins from the tangle of arms and legs that was Ethan and Faith.
“Cool it,” Esther called out from the ring. “No rough housing.”
The two siblings untangled themselves sheepishly.
“Looks like you just blew your chance to come here,” I said. “Esther is a stickler for the rules.”
“She can’t be any worse than Andre,” Ethan said, and I was pretty sure he was right.
“I’d come and ride here if I was you,” Sally said, raising an eyebrow. “There are some shady things going on over at Fox Run. The trainer at my school refuses to let us show there.”
I wanted to ask Sally what the bad things were but the final class was over and the winner of the egg and spoon race was collecting her ribbon while her parents took a million pictures.
“We need to get ready,” Mickey said.
“Girls, a little help here,” Esther shouted over to us.
“You go and help,” Sally said. “I’ll get Bluebird ready for you.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Absolutely.”
So Sally disappeared with Mickey and Ethan offered to help Esther and I set up the jump course. As I moved poles and adjusted jump cups, I kept catching Ethan looking at me out of the corner of his eye with a weird smile on his face. Yes. No matter what was going on at Fox Run, it most definitely wouldn’t be a good idea for him to board here.
“You’d better go and get changed,” Esther said as the jumps finally started to look like a real course again. “I have this strapping young lad to help me finish.” She grinned at Ethan.
“Alright.”
I was so sweaty and gross that it was hard to pull my breeches on. Mickey and I had decided to forgo the show attire and wear breeches and navy polo shirts. It was too hot for anything else.
“I’m glad this isn’t a real show,” Mickey said, wiping a brown mark off her forehead. “It’s far too hot for jackets. I can’t believe Esther is making us do this.”
“You mean you don’t want a chance to show off?” I laughed.
“I’d rather just watch you and eat cupcakes,” she rolled her eyes.
But as she led a gleaming Hampton out to the ring and everyone gushed over how handsome he was, I saw her smile. She loved it just as much as I did. She just didn’t like people thinking she did.
True to form Hampton cleared the jumps because Mickey left him alone and let him to his job. The crowd cheered as she patted his neck.
“Your turn,” Sally said.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Hampton may have been gleaming but Bluebird shone like polished gold. Sally had braided his mane and tail with blue ribbons.
“I hope you don’t mind,” she said.
“He looks amazing,” I said. “Thank you, for everything.”
Bluebird pranced out to the ring like he was twice the size he really was. I could see all the kids pointing and nudging their parents. This was what Esther wanted, to create little horse hungry monsters who would stop at nothing to get riding lessons and eventually ponies of their own.
“Let’s show them how it’s done boy,” I said.
And Bluebird didn’t disappoint. He pricked his little ears and threw his head up, then galloped towards the first jump. Where Hampton had taken the course with ease, gracefully launching over the colored fences, Bluebird took them at a breakneck pace, getting over them the best way he knew how. I clung to the tack as we soared skywards and heard the crowd gasp and then cheer when he rapped a rail with his hooves but it didn’t fall. This would be what it would be like to compete on him. I couldn’t wait until the fall show season started. We’d take the pony jumper circuit by storm. The crowd exploded as we made it over the final jump. Bluebird had cleared the same course Hampton had, despite having much shorter legs. He also did it a lot faster.
“He really is a jumping pony,” Ethan said as we came out of the ring panting in the hot air. “You guys were great.”
“Thanks,” I said. “And I haven’t forgotten about your money. I’ll get it to you as soon as I can.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he smiled. “I like knowing that I’m the part owner of a crazy jumping pony.”
“You rode over that course like your butt was on fire,” Mickey laughed. “And you’ll never guess who I found.”
She was dragging someone behind her. I caught the glimpse of a blue floral dress and a tanned leg and then suddenly there was my mother.
“Mom!” I threw myself into her arms.
“Hello darling,” she squeezed me tight.
“I’ve missed you so much. Where have you been? What’s been going on?”
I had so many questions but she brushed them aside.
“Did you have a good summer?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said, feeling a little sheepish. “I bought a pony.”
“So I heard,” she looked at Bluebird who was being fussed over by Faith. “I watched you jump him.”
“Is it okay?” I said.
Standing there in front of all my friends, I didn’t really give her a chance to say anything but yes.
“Well, I guess it’s too late to send him back now,” she said.
My face fell but she started to laugh.
“Of course it’s fine. You saved a life. I get that. I’m proud of everything you’ve accomplished.”
“I have so much to tell you,” I said.
Harlow’s lameness, the auction, the storm, this summer sure had been a wild ride. I wanted to tell her all of it and I wanted to ask her about Ethan. What were you supposed to do when you were around a boy that you liked? I had no idea. At least the horses weren’t that complicated.
“I have so much to tell you too,” she said. “And I’d like to introduce you to someone.”
She beckoned for a guy to come over and join us. He had black hair and a crooked smile but something behind that smile seemed broken. I didn’t like him.
“Emily,” my mother said. “This is Derek.”
“Hello,” I said.
He stuck out his hand to shake mine, it was wet and limp like a dead fish.
“I saw you ride,” he said. “That was pretty good going for a tiny horse.”
“He’s a pony,” I said sullenly.
I didn’t like Derek and I didn’t like the fact that he was now holding my mother’s hand. If this was the reason that she had been missing in action all summer then I didn’t like him at all.
“So what are you then?” I said, crossing my arms. “Like, my mom’s boyfriend or something?”
“Kind of,” he said. “We’re getting married.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The summer of fun was over. The camp kids had gone. I was back home and there were boxes everywhere. Derek was moving in and my house suddenly didn’t feel like a home anymore. The only trouble was that I couldn’t tell my mother how I really felt about him. She’d been gracious about the whole pony thing, she’d even given Ethan the hundred dollars that I owed him and paid the vet and farrier bills that had been sitting on the counter when I got home. She hadn’t made me give up riding or Bluebird so how could I make her give up the one thing she seemed to love, even though I knew in my heart that he was a creep.
“He’d better not break my mom’s heart,” I said to Mickey as we sat on the fence waiting for the vet.
“He didn’t seem all that bad,” Mickey said.
“All that bad? He chews his food with his mouth open and he keeps asking me how the tiny horse his. He’s all over my mother, kissing her and everything. It’s gross.”
“But as long as she is happy, then she’ll let you do whatever you want out here. You go
t to keep Bluebird, didn’t you?” Mickey said.
“Yes,” I sighed. “But I think that was just a bribe so that I wouldn’t screw this whole marriage thing up for her.”
“You really think she’ll go through with it?”
“If she does, I’m moving back to your house.”
“That would be cool with me. I kind of miss having to step over you in the morning.”
I laughed. “You know, if I’m moving back to your house, you have to get me a real bed. My back hasn’t been the same since I spent all that time sleeping on the floor.”
“Agreed,” she said.
We jumped off the fence as the blue truck pulled down the drive.
“He’s here,” I called to Esther.
Harlow nudged me with his soft gray nose as I slipped his halter on. I’d missed spending time with him. Holding the end of the lead rope while he limped about wasn’t the same thing and riding Bluebird wasn’t either. Harlow was the horse I won my first competition on and I wanted him back.
“Hello ladies,” Dr. Delta said.
I smiled as he bent down to feel Harlow’s leg but my heart was racing. He picked up his foot and squeezed the suspensory. This time Harlow didn’t flinch. Dr. Delta nodded and put the foot down.
“Trot him for me,” he said.
“I ran beside Harlow to encourage him to trot. He was frisky from having been shut in his stall all summer and he pranced and danced beside me. It took three times up and down the barn aisle before he finally settled into a steady trot.
Mickey had a big grin on her face and gave me the thumbs up. I suddenly realized that Harlow’s head hadn’t been bobbing.
“Is he okay?” I asked. “Is he sound?”
“He looked pretty sound to me,” Dr. Delta cracked a smile.
Esther and Mickey and I were hugging each other and Harlow and even Dr. Delta, who seemed a little embarrassed but allowed himself to be wrapped up in the group hug anyway.
“You’re going to have to take it easy with him,” he said when he finally managed to untangle himself. “Slow rides, months of rehab. He’s not going to be jumping for a long time.”
Pony Jumpers (Show Jumping Dreams ~ Book 2) Page 10