High Hurdles Collection Two

by Lauraine Snelling

  “Maybe we should let Mom ride first.” DJ looked down at the boys, whose eyes went round as silver dollars.

  “Mommy knows how to ride?”

  Lindy backed away, making shooing motions with her hands. “Huhuh, not me. I wash and groom, but you guys do the riding.”

  DJ studied her mother. “You might like it, you know. We could put you up on a nice gentle horse. Rob—uh … Dad said he thinks he’d like to learn. Joe’s stories of our rides up in Briones got him hooked.”

  Lindy continued shaking her head as she settled into the lawn chair in the shade of the barn. “Thanks anyway, but I’ll watch. Every good show needs a spectator or two. Gran and I’ll fill that role.”

  “Gran is thinking of riding.” DJ kept the conversation going as she checked the girth once more. Like many horses, General had a tendency to suck in an extra breath when the saddle went on. DJ tightened the cinch another notch and led the pony over to the mounting block Robert had built for them. She motioned for Bobby to come stand beside her. She could finally tell them apart—most of the time.

  “Okay, now tell me what you are going to do first.”

  “Put my foot in the stirrup and mount.”

  “You better get up on the block first, okay?” DJ held the reins in one hand, prepared to give him a boost with the other if needed. Bobby reached up to grasp the saddle, then put his foot in the stirrup and swung up like he’d been mounting horses for years rather than weeks.

  “Good job.” She handed him the reins. “Now get set.”

  The little boy was concentrating so hard that a frown deepened between his eyebrows. The helmet slipped slightly forward. He raised his chin, straightened his back, and looked to DJ. “Ready.”

  “Heels down.” She studied his posture. “Are your reins even?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Okay, walk him forward in a big circle like we did before.”

  After Bobby, Billy did almost as well except for his concentration. He liked looking at the scenery more.

  “You are so good with them,” Lindy said when they all meandered up to the house again, General now contentedly grazing back in his pasture.

  “Thanks. They sure learn fast.” DJ sank into one of the cushioned green iron lawn chairs now shaded by the green-and-white striped umbrella.

  “You thirsty?” Maria set a tray of glasses and a pitcher of pink lemonade on the table. “Cookies in a minute. Still in oven.”

  “You baked cookies on a hot day like today?” Lindy leaned back against the recliner.

  “Not hot in house.” Maria turned back to the kitchen.

  “We are so spoiled.” Lindy took the moisture-beaded glass that DJ handed her.

  DJ held her glass up to her cheek. “M-m-m, this feels good. I’d thought about a shower, but since I already got wet …”

  Lindy chuckled. “You should have seen the look on your face.”

  I just bet... DJ shook her head. My mother never acted so goofy in her entire life—or at least the part I know.

  DJ’s lesson on Herndon late that afternoon wasn’t nearly as much fun as the water fight. She was learning how much she didn’t know about dressage. Riding a fourth-level dressage horse was far different from learning on and training an old police horse.

  “He is a powerhouse.” Bridget pushed her sunglasses back up on her sweaty nose. “But just as in jumping, you have to ride him, not just sit up there like a passenger.” She raised her hands. “Now, I am not saying that is what you did with Major. I am just giving advice.”

  DJ took in a deep breath and nodded. She did understand what Bridget was saying, but she still felt a tinge of hurt feelings. She never wanted to be “just a passenger.” She signaled Herndon into a trot, and they worked shoulder-in again through the entire routine they’d done before. But this time it was right. She could tell by Bridget’s smile.

  DJ got home just in time for a shower before changing for dinner. Somehow, devotions after the meal seemed even more restful out on the deck with the breeze teasing the leaves above her head. She tipped her head back on the cushioned chair to listen to Robert read.

  “Tonight we are going to read about a man who asked Jesus for help, and Jesus made his son well.” Robert laid the Bible on his lap.

  “The boy was sick, huh?” Bobby leaned on his father’s shoulder.

  “We’re not sick,” Billy offered from the other shoulder.

  “No, thank God, we are all healthy.” Robert traced down the page. “Now, Jesus was going all over the countryside healing people and preaching, so in this verse in John he is in Cana. ‘And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill.’ ” Robert smiled at his own sons and continued to read. “ ‘He went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.’ ”

  “Did the boy die?” Bobby’s eyes grew round.

  “Just listen, okay?” Robert continued the story until the end. “ ‘And he himself believed, and all his household.’ ”

  Billy climbed in his father’s lap. “I’m glad the boy didn’t die. His daddy would be sad.”

  “His mommy, too.” Now Robert had two boys in his lap. He set the Bible up on the table and wrapped his arms around them.

  “So what did you learn from the story? DJ?”

  “That you have to ask for help and that Jesus can heal anyone.” She raised her hands. “Like He did for me on the fingernail chewing.”

  “And me from being sick every morning.” Lindy patted her tummy.

  “And me from the pneumonia.” Maria crossed herself.

  “Jesus made my owie all better.” Bobby raised his knee and pointed to the red spot.

  “That’s right. So all we have to do is ask. Who wants to pray tonight?”

  Billy bounced, making his father groan. “I will. Me.”

  DJ closed her eyes and settled into the chair. Knowing Billy, DJ knew his prayer would be long but full of blessings. She did her own thanksgivings in her mind while Billy took care of everything else.

  They’d just finished when the phone rang. Maria brought the portable to DJ.

  “Young man,” Maria whispered.

  DJ put the receiver to her ear. “Hello?”

  “Hi, this is Sean.”

  “Oh, hi.” She could hear the lift in her voice.

  “You busy?”

  She shook her head, then realized he couldn’t see that. “Nope, just finished dinner.” She glanced up to see four pairs of eyes glued on her. She could feel the heat bloom up her neck and on her face. Trying to appear casual, she got to her feet and ambled off to the side of the deck, where she sat down on the steps, her back to her family. Giggles both childish and adult made her shake her head again.

  “DJ has a boyfriend.” The little-boy whisper could have been heard at the Academy.

  DJ stifled the groan. Why didn’t he call on my own line?

  “I tried calling your other number, but you never answer.”

  Maybe I should get an answering machine for when I’m not there.

  After a bit more back-and-forth, Sean said, “Are you going to the Gant thing?”

  “Yep. I can’t wait.”

  “Great. Me too. And besides, I need your professional opinion.”

  DJ snorted. “Yeah, like get real.”

  “No, you’re the horse expert, not me. You know that picture I drew the day you fell off Major? I just can’t get it right and thought you might help me.”

  “Sure, if I can. But I won’t do it again just to be your model.”

  Sean laughed. “Would be hard, huh?”

  “I’ve had lots of practice—I seem to take headers so much lately.”

  They talked for a while longer, and when she hung up, DJ realized she was alone on the deck. She leaned back against the stair post and took a deep breath. Sean was nice. I’m glad he’s going to the art school, too. Her fingers itched to get drawing, so she ambled upstairs to her room and took out pad and pencils. As she sat down at her drawing
table, DJ closed her eyes, the better to picture Stormy in some of the poses she’d thought would make good cards. Stormy was the filly Brad had given DJ after the terrible flooding in the spring.

  Her pencil began to fly across the page as if it had a life of its own. Her thoughts went another direction.

  DJ and her best friend, Amy, needed to spend time on their card line, but when? Summer was supposed to have all kinds of laid-back time— right? So what happened to hers?

  Chapter • 4

  Orders for more cards should have made DJ and Amy happy.

  But it didn’t.

  “We just have to print up more, that’s all.” Setting up Thursday evening, Amy recounted the packets they had remaining. Not enough to fill even half the orders. The group of kids in the business club at Acalanese High School had done more than a reasonable job. They’d been spectacular at showing samples of the card line to gift and card shops—and taking orders.

  “So we print up as many as we have money for, deliver them, then print more.” DJ stared at her friend. Amy’s hair was as dark as DJ’s was fair, her skin tanned a deep golden brown that could only come to someone of Japanese descent. While DJ was tall, Amy had a shorter frame, but they both moved with the grace of natural athletes and loved horses almost more than people.

  “Sure, that’s the way we’ve always done it,” Amy said. “But you have to admit, that will take more time. And cost more. I checked again, and if we could print a lot more at a time, we could get a better price break.”

  “I hate this part of our card business.”

  Neither of them liked the bookkeeping end of their business, a card line they’d christened DJAM, Etc. DJ’s pencil drawings of horses—mostly foals—and Amy’s color photographs comprised the inventory.

  “You know, up to now we’ve only sold the cards in packets, right?” DJ squinted her eyes. It helped to keep the creative thoughts coming.

  “Right.” Amy straightened her stack of six cards with envelopes and inserted them in the plastic bag, then taped it closed.

  “What if we printed some a size larger and sold them individually? The store would still get six but not in plastic.” She turned to her mother. “What do you think?”

  Lindy, who sat across the picnic table assembling packets with Gran, studied the card in her hand—a fuzzy foal looking up at a bird on a branch. “I love this one and would buy it alone. You could put different messages inside. This one could say ‘Where’ve you been? I’ve been looking for you.’ ”

  “Way cool.”

  “Or you could flip that: ‘I’ve been looking for you’ on the outside, and ‘Where’ve you been?’ on the inside.” Gran leaned back in her chair. “These are all so darling, it’s no wonder people are snapping them up.” Gran didn’t get time with the girls very often, but since she had finished the illustrations for the last contract and hadn’t signed another, they were having “ladies night.” Joe, Robert, and the boys had been sent off to a movie.

  Gran cocked her head. “You know, darlin’, you could put a Bible verse in these and sell them to Christian bookstores, too. They have a lot of both lovely and funny cards in their stores now. I’d think any verse having to do with joy would be appropriate because joy sparkles out of these cards.”

  “You really think so?” DJ and Amy looked at each other and shrugged. “Why not?”

  “Just who has time to call on those stores?” Amy asked no one in particular.

  Now it was time for Gran and Lindy to swap thinking looks.

  “Maybe we could.” Lindy got an answering nod from her mother.

  “At least right now, before the baby comes.” Gran picked up another card, one of Amy’s photos. “Has anyone thought to go to a service organization and offer these as a moneymaking project?”

  “Huh?” DJ and Amy pulled a twins act and spoke at the same time.

  “Well, I used to belong to the hospital auxiliary, and they were always looking for ways to make money to help the hospital. And a friend of mine belonged to BPW; they had the same need.”

  “BPW?”

  “Business and Professional Women. They do all kinds of good things in the community. This way they’d be helping in two ways—assisting local young talent and earning money for their projects. Since you both are female, this might appeal to other women’s groups, as well.”

  “You just might have something there, Mother.” Lindy leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. She turned to the girls. “If Mother or I set up an opportunity for you to meet with these groups and talk about your business, would you be willing?”

  DJ and Amy both groaned.

  “I’d rather scrub toilets.” DJ shuddered.

  “It wasn’t really so bad last time.” Amy half closed her eyes. “We didn’t die, anyway.”

  “Pretty near.”

  “Come on, DJ, once we got going …”

  The girls looked at each other again and shrugged. “If you get ’em, we’ll go.”

  “And if you get any appointments for when I’m at the USET camp, Amy would love to go by herself.”

  “Uh-huh, and when I’m camping in the Sierras, you will.”

  DJ groaned again.

  “What’s all this groaning I hear?” Robert strolled out on the deck. “Isn’t it getting a bit dark out here for heavy-duty work like you girls have been doing?”

  Lindy turned and playfully smacked him on the arm. “You girls?”

  He stepped back. “Whoa, I’m not touching that one.”

  “Good thing.” Lindy waved him to a chair. “Where are the Bs?”

  “Joe’s bringing them in. They spilled their leftover popcorn in his car, and he’s helping them clean it up. Or at least giving orders.”

  “Right.” DJ knew how well Joe gave orders to his two grandsons. He was one big marshmallow where they were concerned. Unless of course they got out of hand, and then he did take care of things. She’d been on the receiving end of his serious face more than once.

  “So I ask again, why the groans?”

  “They”—DJ waved at her mother and grandmother—“want us”— she indicated herself and Amy—“to speak to women’s groups about our business. And …” She paused for a moment of drama.

  “Sounds like a winning idea to me. And what?”

  “We need to print a whole bunch of cards, and we’re trying to figure out how.”

  Robert thought a moment. “Do you accept investors?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, will you let me invest in your business? I will loan you the money to print your cards, and you will pay me back as the money comes in. We’ll set up a contract if you like.”

  “Then you’ll be in debt.” Lindy taped another packet closed.

  “But what if all of a sudden our cards quit selling?” Amy asked.

  “Then your miserly banker will take the remaining money out of your hides.” Robert made an evil face to match his diabolical laugh.

  “I think we should stay with our old plan.” Amy slapped at a mosquito.

  “Time to go in. I hate bug bites.” Lindy began gathering up the supplies. “We can finish this around the kitchen table.”

  “How much money do you need?” Robert set down the last box of cards and took a chair.

  DJ and Amy both shrugged. “We haven’t figured that out yet.”

  “I’ll call and get a copy of the price breakdowns faxed over here tomorrow. Then we can talk about it again.” Lindy taped her packet closed.

  “Seems to me you girls are on the brink of needing to make some decisions, like whether to grow larger or stay where you are. And like your mother suggested a few weeks ago, T-shirts would be a great sideline, and maybe a book or two.” Robert began picking up the cards in the proper order to package.

  “A book?” DJ looked at Amy, and they both shook their heads.

  “We just needed money to support our horse habit. Don’t you think this is getting out of hand?” DJ propped her
elbows on the table and stared down at the foal sniffing a butterfly on a flower. What she really wanted to do was go see Stormy again. One week out of the summer wasn’t nearly enough, and here it was almost time to leave for the USET jumping camp.

  “We picked up all the popcorn. Now the birds can eat it.” The boys handed their sacks to their father. “Daddy, can we use the dust sucker?”

  DJ hid a giggle behind her hand. She knew they meant Dustbuster, the handheld vacuum that hung on the wall in the garage.

  “Sure. I’ll get it down.” Robert got to his feet and left with a boy on each hand.

  Joe leaned against the counter. “Is there any of that ice cream left?”

  Gran’s eyebrows danced up and down. “What happened to your diet?”

  Joe groaned.

  DJ pushed her chair back. “I’ll dish it up. Thanks, GJ.”

  That night in her prayers, DJ brought up the matter of the card business. “God, I don’t know what you want me—us—to do here. Mom and Dad have such good ideas, but they all cost so much. I know they would help with the money, but …” She paused and studied the shadow patterns on her wall. “I don’t know, it all just seems too much at times. I just want to draw, not all that other stuff.” She fought against her eyelids drifting closed. Once that happened, she’d be asleep immediately. “Thank you for helping me not chew my fingernails. Now, about this fear thing. You know, it’s hard to pray for something that isn’t happening. At least I can’t tell any differences. Maybe I should start lighting matches and see if that helps.” The thought made her stomach clench. “Okay, so what do I do?” She waited, wishing for an answer. All she could feel was Wait. Was that an answer? “So here it is. Thank you for taking away my fear of fire. Thank you for my business with Amy, thank you for Herndon, and mostly thank you that Major is better. I can see what you did there. Amen.”

  She turned over and read again the verse she’d chosen to memorize. “Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name. Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” She read it three times and then repeated it from memory, stumbling a little.