Changing Leads

by Bonnie Bryant

  Alex didn’t have a response to that, so he just stuck out his tongue and crossed his eyes, making Lisa laugh. After that, the two rode side by side through the woods in a comfortable silence, broken only occasionally by shouts of laughter drifting back from A.J., Phil, and Julianna, who were riding ahead of them.

  A few minutes later, as the trail widened slightly, Phil pulled up and waited for Lisa and Alex to come even with him before signaling for Barq to walk again. “Hey,” he greeted them. “Are you tired of leading Patch yet, Lisa? I’ll take a turn if you want.”

  “Thanks.” Lisa relinquished Patch’s lead to Phil. As he and Alex started to chat about the team standings in some sport or other, she glanced forward. Now that she was free of leading duty, maybe she would leave the two guys together and catch up to Carole and Stevie, who were both riding farther ahead in the group. The three of them hadn’t had much time alone together since Lisa’s return from California, and they still had some catching up to do. The trail was winding around at the moment and Lisa couldn’t see either of her friends—or anyone else aside from A.J. and Julianna—but she, Alex, and Phil were bringing up the rear, so she knew that Carole and Stevie were ahead of her somewhere.

  She was on the verge of asking Calypso to trot when she rounded a corner and found a wide, straight, smooth stretch of trail ahead. She also found that the entire group was now in view.

  Callie and Stevie were leading the way. They were obviously having a conversation, though Lisa was too far back to hear what they were saying. As Lisa watched, Stevie suddenly urged Belle into a brisk trot. With a shriek of laughter, Callie followed suit on PC. Before long, the two of them were dueling it out in an impromptu trotting race along the shady path. Carole, who had been riding just behind them, joined in gamely, letting out a gleeful “Yeeeha!” and putting Starlight into a canter. When he caught up with the others she moved him back into his long, swinging trot.

  Soon the three racers were far ahead of the rest of the pack. After a moment, they disappeared around another bend in the trail, out of Lisa’s sight.

  It wasn’t until Calypso shook her head vehemently that Lisa realized she was clutching the reins tightly in both hands, pulling back on the mare’s mouth. She quickly loosened her grip and gave the horse an apologetic pat. But her gaze remained focused on the spot ahead where her two best friends—and Callie—had just disappeared.

  They’ve really gotten close to Callie this summer, she thought, her throat suddenly feeling tight. I guess that’s only natural.

  Natural though it might have been, Lisa had to admit that she wasn’t thrilled about it. This was perhaps the most serious change that had occurred in her absence. Carole and Stevie had spent the entire summer getting to know Callie, working with her on her physical therapy, introducing her to Pine Hollow and Willow Creek. Lisa had met the new girl before she left, but she had been distracted by thoughts of her upcoming trip, so the two of them hadn’t had much time to really get acquainted.

  And now Callie seemed to be an accepted part of their tight-knit group, every bit as comfortable with Lisa’s best friends as Alex and Phil were. I wasn’t expecting that at all, Lisa thought, admitting it to herself for the first time. Especially after the rocky start she and Carole had. How could they ever end up friends after all that? And the accident—Stevie was so torn up about what happened, how could she and Callie have come through it with a normal relationship?

  But somehow it had happened. And now Lisa was left in the uncomfortable position of playing catch-up, trying to find her place in a group of friends that had expanded and changed without her. It wasn’t that she disliked Callie—in fact, she found her smart and interesting. But she didn’t feel that she knew her well enough to want to share Carole and Stevie with her. Not yet. It was an awkward situation, and even though Lisa was sure that her friends didn’t have the slightest clue about how she was feeling—how could they, if she didn’t say anything about it?—she couldn’t help feeling a twinge of annoyance with them for leaving her behind.

  That’s not fair, she scolded herself. You were the one who went away for the summer. What were they supposed to do? Ignore Callie until you got home and gave them permission to be friends with her?

  For once Lisa’s logical thoughts weren’t much comfort. The three of them had been best friends for so long, and until her return Lisa hadn’t had a clue that anything had changed. Her friends had barely mentioned Callie’s name during their visit to California just before her return.

  Never mind about that, she told herself, urging Calypso into a trot as she reached the smooth part of the trail. The mare’s easy, limber gait reminded her of Prancer, and she sighed. Life is about change, right? Like it or not, nothing seems to stay the same for very long, and all we can do is figure out how to deal with it. I figured that out this summer. I’ll just have to adjust to this change, too—somehow.

  FIVE

  “Don’t you think you should get the food closer to the coals?” Stevie said helpfully. “Otherwise it’ll take forever to cook.”

  Phil cocked an eyebrow at her. “To cook? Or to burn?” he teased.

  Callie laughed. “I’ve heard plenty of stories about your way with a burger, Stevie,” she said. “In fact, on our ride here, Alex made me swear not to let you near a spatula or he’d go on a hunger strike.”

  “He could use one,” Stevie replied tartly. “All that ice cream he and Lisa have been eating since she got back is going to make him fat.” She knew it was a ridiculous accusation, since Alex had always been as thin as a rail. Actually, he had shot up at least six inches in the past couple of years, while his weight had remained fairly steady, so Stevie thought he looked more gangly than ever.

  “Fine,” Phil said soothingly. “But seriously, Stevie, shoo. Callie and I have everything under control here. You might as well go for a swim.”

  For a second Stevie toyed with the idea of getting annoyed with Phil and Callie. Since when did they believe anything Alex said? She hadn’t burned a burger on the grill for years. Of course, her father hadn’t let her near the grill in years, either, but she was sure she would be much better at it now if they would only let her try.

  As she glanced around her, though, she decided that arguing with them would be a waste—she would rather spend her time enjoying herself.

  After riding through the woods for the better part of an hour, the group had reached the picnic site. If Stevie had planned it herself, she didn’t think she could have designed this charming little spot in the woods any better. A deep, clean swimming hole formed by a sharp bend and a natural dam in Willow Creek lay a few yards ahead of her, just beyond the wide, sunny clearing where Phil had set up the grill. Deep woodland surrounded the swimming hole on three sides, while the fourth opened up into a grassy meadow dotted with late-summer wild-flowers, where the horses were grazing contentedly.

  Callie looked up from the coals and gave Stevie a searching look, obviously concerned about her silence. “You don’t really want to cook, do you?” she asked, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead. “I mean, I just thought I might as well do it because I can’t swim.” She gestured at her crutches, which had come along in Patch’s packsaddle and were now leaning against a tree stump.

  Stevie shot her a reassuring grin. “I know. And I’m glad you’re being such a good sport about it,” she said, quickly kicking off her boots and peeling her T-shirt over her head, revealing the faded cotton bathing suit she was wearing underneath. “Because I can’t wait to get into that nice, cool water. See you!” Shedding her socks and jeans, Stevie raced toward the edge of the water and executed a perfect cannonball off the overhanging rock ledge that formed a natural diving platform above the deepest water.

  Carole, for one, hardly noticed Stevie’s dramatic entrance. She was too busy trying to hold her own in a three-way splash fight with A.J. and Julianna. The three of them were at the far end of the swimming hole, where the water was only about four feet deep.

 
“Ye shall never leave zis water hole alive!” A.J. shouted in an excruciatingly bad French accent. At the same time, he swept his arm along the surface of the swimming hole, sending a sheet of water cascading over both Carole and Julianna.

  Julianna let out a shriek, windmilling her arms to try to avoid the onslaught and simultaneously getting both girls even wetter. She turned to Carole.

  “What do you think?” she asked breathlessly, shaking her reddish gold bangs out of her eyes. “Girls against guy?”

  “You’re on,” Carole agreed quickly.

  A.J. was already swimming away, bent on escape. “You’ll never take me alive!” he cried, letting out a loud shriek of diabolical laughter that ended with a gurgle as he dived underwater and shot across the swimming hole.

  “Not so fast, buddy,” Julianna cried, taking off after him.

  Carole dived into the deeper water in hot pursuit, kicking hard and following the sounds of A.J.’s playful shouts and Julianna’s giggles. She was having lots of fun, as everyone always seemed to whenever A.J. was around.

  A.J. and Phil had been best friends for as long as the girls had known them. The two guys shared a love of riding and attended the same school, but those weren’t the only things that made them so compatible. They also shared a lively, adventurous sense of humor and the unfailing ability to find fun in almost any situation.

  Carole gave one last strong kick, opening her eyes under the murky water. She spotted a pale foot kicking away in front of her and grabbed it, thinking it belonged to A.J. It wasn’t until she heard a squeal of dismay that she realized her mistake.

  “Oops,” she said, surfacing and treading water as she wiped her eyes. “Sorry about that, Julianna.”

  Julianna just giggled in reply. “Never mind,” she said. “He was getting away anyway. At least now I have an excuse.” She tugged at one shoulder strap of her bright red—and rather skimpy—bikini, drawing Carole’s slightly envious eye.

  Julianna really is gorgeous, she thought, glancing up from the other girl’s figure to her pretty, heart-shaped face and wide-set, greenish blue eyes. It’s no wonder A.J. is so crazy about her.

  Still, Carole suspected that it wasn’t just Julianna’s looks that had drawn A.J.’s attention. Julianna had a bright, sunny, adaptable personality, which Carole and her friends agreed made a good match for A.J.’s sometimes goofy sense of humor.

  Despite all that, Carole couldn’t help wondering occasionally if Julianna was really the perfect girl for A.J. He certainly seemed to think so—in fact, he seemed to consider it a distinct honor that she had deigned to go out with him. Still, in Carole’s opinion Julianna could sometimes come across as … well, perhaps a tad shallow. Not quite as sensitive as she ought to be. Even a bit careless in her comments and opinions.

  However, there was no denying that Julianna could be a whole lot of fun at times like this, Carole reminded herself as the two girls continued to tread water, resting from their wild race across the swimming hole.

  And if she makes him happy, I’m happy for him, Carole told herself firmly.

  “Come on,” Julianna urged Carole eagerly. “My half brother is on the wrestling team at his school, and he taught me a couple of grips last time I visited. If you help me catch A.J., I’ll give them a try.” She giggled. “Then we’ll have him right where we want him.”

  Carole laughed. “Sorry,” she said. “I have to pass this time. I’m all worn out.”

  Julianna didn’t seem the least bit perturbed. “Okay, then I’ll see you,” she said, stroking off after A.J., who was making faces at them from the opposite end of the swimming hole. “Wish me luck!”

  Carole waved her off, then turned to swim more slowly back toward the shallows nearby. She was still thinking about Julianna. Maybe she’s not perfect, she mused. But then again, who is? And if you have to have a fault, being too fun-loving is a pretty decent one to have. I can think of a few people who could stand to have a little bit of Julianna’s friendliness and high spirits rub off on them.

  Before she could stop it, a picture of Ben Marlow flashed into her mind. She remembered how he had looked as he stood there in the shadows, watching their happy party ride off together. She had been too far away to get a good look at his face, but she had no trouble picturing the serious, almost grim expression he usually wore whenever he wasn’t working with a horse. Why couldn’t he ever just lighten up and let himself have fun?

  Twenty minutes later, the enticing smell of cooking burgers was floating over the swimming hole. Lisa’s stomach rumbled in anticipation as she floated on her back with her eyes closed, enjoying the warmth of the sun beating down on her. The day had grown hotter, but the water in the swimming hole was still cool and refreshing.

  Lisa opened her eyes and allowed her legs to drop down until she was treading water. Wiping a few droplets out of her lashes, she glanced at the shore to see how the cooking was coming, wondering if she should volunteer to help. Lisa was a pretty good cook, and as she had told Alex, she had picked up some useful grilling tips from Evelyn that summer. It would be fun to try them out. But she saw that most of the burgers were already ready and waiting, piled high on a paper plate. As Lisa watched, Callie flipped another one expertly onto the pile. Then she and Phil set about slicing the buns they had brought and placing them on the grill to toast.

  Looks like I’m not needed, Lisa thought with a touch of self-pity. Callie has everything under control. As usual.

  Then she chided herself for the uncharitable thought. Of course Callie was busy with the cooking. She was the only one of the party who couldn’t swim. She hadn’t even bothered to bring along a bathing suit. What else did she have to do?

  Actually, knowing Callie, she could probably swim just fine, Lisa realized. At least in the shallow area, where she wouldn’t have to kick too much. After all, Carole told me Callie’s been swimming in the family pool since her bandages came off. But Lisa also knew that Callie’s parents had forbidden her to do any swimming that day as a condition of their daughter’s coming along on the ride. They were afraid that splashing around in a swimming hole full of rocks and weeds and other unexpected obstacles could be too dangerous. They were probably being overly cautious, and Lisa couldn’t help feeling a twinge of sympathy for Callie. Her own mother could be the same way.

  As she watched, Phil leaned over to say something to Callie, then turned and strolled off in the direction of the meadow. Lisa guessed he was going to check on the horses.

  This is my chance, she told herself. If Callie and I are going to be friends, I might as well start getting to know her a little better.

  She swam to the edge of the swimming hole and hoisted herself onto a wide, smooth rock that hung out over the water, wincing as her bare feet touched the sunbaked surface. Hurrying forward, she cooled her feet in the grass while she reached for her towel. She quickly squeezed most of the water out of her shoulder-length hair, then wrapped the towel around her waist.

  Callie was staring intently at the grill when Lisa approached. “Hi,” Lisa said.

  Callie looked up. “Oh! Hi, Lisa. Having fun?”

  “Sure.” Lisa hesitated, uncertain what to say next.

  Callie, too, was feeling at a loss for words. She swallowed, searching her mind for something intelligent to say. She had known that this moment had to come sooner or later, but she still wasn’t prepared.

  From her first week at Pine Hollow, Callie had recognized that Carole, Stevie, and Lisa were an especially close group. Best friends. It had made her feel awkward at first, like a third—or rather, fourth—wheel.

  Then Lisa had gone off to spend the summer in California, and the accident had happened. As Callie had begun the slow process of recovery, she hadn’t had much time to worry about who was friends with whom. She had simply accepted the help and companionship that Stevie and Carole, among others at Pine Hollow, had offered her. She had hardly been aware of it as their friendship gradually grew and deepened.

  But she re
cognized it now. Callie had never met people like Carole and Stevie before. She had never had friends quite like them. And as the summer had progressed, she had come to feel more and more comfortable with them. But they had been Lisa’s friends first, as Callie had suddenly remembered when the two of them had flown off to visit her in California. Somehow she had allowed herself to forget that, perhaps to forget that Lisa was ever coming home. But now she was here, and that threw the two of them into a weird, uncomfortable juxtaposition—both of them with the same friends but knowing next to nothing about each other.

  Now Callie guessed that Lisa was feeling much the same way as she was herself. She felt some responsibility for reassuring Lisa, though she wasn’t sure how to go about it. “This is great,” she said, doing her best to sound cheerful and natural. “I used to go on trail rides back in my old hometown a lot. The trails were really spectacular there—mountains, canyons, the whole bit—but we didn’t have our own private swimming pool in the woods like this.” She gestured at the others, who were still splashing around in the swimming hole.

  Lisa nodded. “You’re from the West Coast, right?”

  “Right. A little town at the foot of the mountains called Valley Vista.” Callie bit her lip as a sudden wave of homesickness swept over her. “It’s really beautiful there. I miss it a lot.”

  “That’s only normal,” Lisa said. “Still, it must be awfully exciting. Having a father who’s a congressman, I mean.”

  Callie shrugged and poked at a half-cooked burger, sending up a plume of steam. “It can be, I guess. Scott—my brother—certainly seems to thrive on it. But it can sometimes make it kind of hard to make friends. Good friends, I mean—like you and Carole and Stevie are to each other.” It wasn’t easy for Callie to admit something like that to anyone, especially a virtual stranger like Lisa. But she wanted to make Lisa understand how things were—that she didn’t have to worry, that Callie wasn’t out to steal her best friends. If she’d had her choice, her family never would have moved to Virginia in the first place, so they wouldn’t be having this conversation right now. But Congressman Forester thought it would be better to have his family with him full-time while he was on the job in Washington, so that had been that.