Nothing But Horses

by Shannon Kennedy

  “You’ll be buying a lot of parts,” John Gibson told her, “but it will still be cheaper than a restored classic.”

  “And it’s mine, all mine.” Robin held out her hand for the keys which Bill ceremoniously handed to her. “I got a ‘68 Mustang and it will be Presidential blue when I paint it.”

  “Is she serious or just trying to make him feel good?” I whispered to Vicky. “She won’t be able to drive it forever.”

  “Are you kidding? If you knew Robin like I do, she’ll have that car on the road by June.” Vicky tucked her arm through mine and hugged me. “She loves her four-wheeled horses the way we love the ones with four hooves. I have to say carrots are cheaper than gas right now.”

  “Yeah, but the cost of hay and grain keeps going up.” I watched Robin eye her dad speculatively and then start talking him into paying half the cost for an engine and a transmission. He wouldn’t have to pay for the labor to install them. She’d get her boss to help with that at the car lot.

  Laughing, Jack came to join Vicky and me. “He might as well give up since Princess Robin gets what she wants when she wants it. He spent more on my truck and Felicia’s Jeep. He’ll have to rope and hog-tie her to get Robin out of the Mustang Corral now.”

  I looked at Bill. He had his attention on Robin who still stroked the fender of the car like I did Nevada’s neck. Bill glanced at me, grinned and gave me a thumbs-up. He was a hero today. All at once, Robin squealed. She hugged her dad, and then hugged Bill again.

  “Told you,” Jack said, smiling. “She got my dad on her side.”

  He didn’t look upset or concerned about it, so I asked. “Are you really cool with your dad buying those parts?”

  “Sure.” Jack winked at me. “My baby sister doesn’t have a clue how hard she’s going to have to work to get the new motor into that car, or the transmission. She’ll be buying the brakes, new tires and all the custom stuff.”

  “Yes, but you’ll help her if she needs it, won’t you?” Vicky gave him a long, slow look from under her lashes. “I don’t want Robin to get hurt trying to muscle in that engine.”

  “Brianna has all the equipment at the car lot to do the job.” Jack met Vicky’s gaze, then after what seemed like an age, he nodded. “I’ll offer to help.”

  That apparently didn’t satisfy Vicky. She didn’t say anything, just kept her attention on him. “Wow, you’re tough. All right,” Jack said. “Bill and I will be there to do the heavy lifting. We’ll get Harry to help too, so don’t turn Dani loose on him. Deal?”

  Vicky gave him a sunny smile, tiptoed up to kiss him. “You’re my favorite super-hero.”

  “Yeah, well I’m not wearing tights, so don’t even ask.” He sauntered away to hassle his sister and buddy.

  I laughed, looked down at Vicky. “I bet you could get him to wear them if you wanted.”

  “Probably, but I’d rather have him keep Robin safe.” Vicky sighed and looked at the car. “I’ll never tell her, but I don’t get it. If I had a car, I’d want one I could drive to school right now.”

  “Me too,” I said. “Shall we go hang out with the horses and finish the barn?”

  “Let’s.” Vicky turned with me and we started for the garage door.

  Grandpa, Grandma, Mom and Autumn were crossing the yard when we left the garage. I waved at them. “Robin’s drooling over her present. She loves it.”

  “Oh, I’m so glad,” Mom said. “We’ll go let her tell us all about it.”

  “Yeah, well be careful,” I said. “She’s already talked her dad into paying for the new engine and tranny. She’s smooth. She’ll get you on board too.”

  “Not me,” Grandpa said. “I’m the slickest horse-trader in these parts. No little girl will get me to do anything I don’t want to do.”

  Autumn gave him her best big-eyed look. “But, you called Santa for me, didn’t you and said I was being super-good?”

  “I texted him on my new phone,” Grandpa told her. “I got you covered, punkin.”

  “And Robin’s always nice to me so you gotta be nice to her. She plays Barbies with me when Sierra thinks they’re dumb.”

  ‘I’ve never said that.” I scowled at my little sister. “I wouldn’t. You like them so much.”

  “You roll your eyes and heave big sighs,” Autumn said. “Robin doesn’t. She just tries to take the best dresses so I haveta grab ‘em first for my dolls.”

  “I’m going to muck stalls,” I said. “You’re on your own, Grandpa. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. It’s hard to beat the Barbie card.”

  Vicky giggled as we headed for the top barn. “I’m so going to harass Robin about those silly dolls. Your sister could give mine lessons in manipulation. I always end up reading three or four stories to Autumn when I stay over and I can stick to one for the girls and one for the boys at home.”

  “She is a good kid,” I said, slightly worried, “but Mom and I spoil her.”

  “She doesn’t lie or steal or hurt animals,” Vicky said. “She feeds Queenie every morning and every night. She helps with the barns seven days a week. She jumps in when there are customers. She isn’t a brat when you have us visit or do a sleep-over. I wouldn’t worry too much, Sierra. The kid is adorable, but she isn’t a princess.”

  I nodded, hoping Vicky was right and that I hadn’t wrecked Autumn for life. I was nine when my little sister was born. The doctor told my mom that she couldn’t do barns for the first month after she came home from the hospital with Autumn. That annoyed my stepdad big time. He went off on one of his rodeo binges and I ended up feeding, watering, and cleaning behind fifty horses by myself. I was fine with it, but my third grade teacher, not so much. She had issues with me missing so much school.

  The good part was my mom filed for divorce and dumped Autumn’s dad, my jerk of a stepdad. The bad part was Mom hooked up with another loser a few months later and actually married him the following spring.

  * * * *

  Because this last snow storm came in from the south, it meant we could go to the midnight service at church. We didn’t head into the Marysville area that had been totally hammered, but north and east between Pine Ridge and Stewart Falls. There were other bigger Catholic churches but Mom liked the one she’d attended when she was a kid so that was where we always went.

  I never asked her, but I had to wonder why she didn’t insist any of my stepdads join us over the years or even have Father John marry her. She always opted for civil ceremonies and let the guys pick the places, usually a local park or once at the county courthouse. Grandma told me Mom ran away to Coeur d’Alene in Idaho when she eloped with my dad. So, it was kind of strange and yet, nice to have Dave meet us there. I’d seen him at Mass before, but it was the first time he sat with us.

  Between the candles, the music and the traditional Christmas story, I felt totally at peace as we left the old stone building. A beefy, burly priest in his holiday vestments, Father John stood at the doorway blessing the different attendees. He smiled at me. “Sierra, we have an opening in the teen choir. I’d love it if you would join us. Practice is on Wednesday nights.”

  “We’ll talk about it,” Mom said. “I know how much Sierra loves singing.”

  “You need me in the barns at night to help with chores,” I told her. “You can’t do forty horses by yourself.”

  “You need a life,” Mom said. “I’ve chosen mine, but you need to see what else is out there, what else makes you happy.”

  That silenced me. It was something I’d never heard her say. She exchanged a few more words with Father John. He blessed Dave, Grandma, Grandpa, Autumn and me. Then, we all trooped in the direction of the parking lot. My brain jumped around the rest of the way home. Everything was changing and I didn’t know if I liked it or not.

  A new school with my friends, a new basketball team with a coach that I hadn’t met yet and now the opportunity to sing in the choir. I remembered they’d gone to a few competitions last spring and returned with more than one trophy. The
y sat in the case in the community room where we congregated for social events and church suppers. Could I really be part of that?

  Surprisingly, Queenie didn’t come meet us when we walked into the house. She’d curled up outside Mom’s bedroom door and whined. I bent and petted her. She seemed okay. On the way through the kitchen, I’d noticed that the food dish was empty and she’d eaten all of her supper. Her nose wasn’t warm.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, but the year-old dog didn’t answer. She sniffed at the closed door and whimpered.

  I reached for the knob, but before I could open the door, Grandma was there. “Go help your momma put Autumn to bed. Your grandpa and I will take Queenie outside with us when we check the barns.”

  I reached down to pet the collie, but she wriggled away from me. “She seems really upset about something, Grandma.”

  “Your grandpa and I will handle it. Go, Sierra.”

  Things were getting downright strange. I didn’t want to argue with my grandmother on Christmas, so I followed directions. When I glanced over my shoulder, I saw Queenie and Grandma hustle into my mother’s room, closing the door behind them. Okay, it really was getting weird around here. Maybe, I’d entered an old episode of that old TV show, The Twilight Zone.

  When I went into my little sister’s room, Mom had just finished tucking her under the covers. Autumn sighed and turned her face into the pillow. “It doesn’t look like you need any help,” I whispered. “You have this under control. I’ll go make some hot chocolate for us so we can finish prepping for tomorrow.”

  “Your grandparents and I will do that this year,” Mom said. “Go get ready for bed and I’ll bring in your cocoa and a couple cookies.”

  “I’m sixteen, not a little kid.” I planted my fists on my hips and glared down at her. “You don’t need to send me to bed.”

  “It’s still Christmas Eve in some parts of the world.” Mom lifted her chin and met my gaze. She pointed to the door and we left Autumn’s room, letting her continue the journey into slumber. “If you want Santa to come, you need to go to bed, Sierra.”

  I nearly told her that I was too old to believe in some old guy sliding down the chimney with a bag of toys and landing in our woodstove. Then, I realized the holiday wasn’t just for me. It was for my baby sister too. “Okay, I’m going, but if Grandma and Grandpa find the animals talking in human languages out in the barn, I expect you to come get me.”

  Mom smiled and slipped an arm around my waist. “I love you, honey. Merry Christmas.”

  * * * *

  Morning came early. Autumn landed on my bed with her stocking and mine a little after seven. “Santa came! Look what we got!”

  I laughed and arranged my pillows so I could sit up and lean against the headboard. She cuddled next to me and we proceeded to pull our loot from the red fleecy stockings. Chocolate, oranges, apples, carrots for our horses, cosmetics for me, fingernail polish for her, new riding gloves and earrings—Santa totally spoiled both of us this year.

  “Did you leave out cookies and milk for him?” Autumn demanded. “And carrots for the reindeers? I forgot to do it before church because I was busy helping Mom with your present.”

  “What present?” Okay, so it was snooping, but I didn’t know if she’d tell me or not. She used to share all the holiday secrets when she was younger, but that didn’t mean she would this time. “I didn’t see anything new under the tree.”

  “It’s not there.” Autumn giggled. “And me and Queenie aren’t telling you. It’s a surprise.”

  “So, Queenie knows too?” I asked. “Hmm, I’ll bet I can bribe her with a doggie cookie.”

  “Nope.” Autumn rose up on her knees and kissed my cheek, then nearly strangled me with one of her hugs. “I already promised her three more if she ‘members not to woof and let you know what’s in Mom’s room for you.”

  “Good to know,” I said.

  Well, that explained a lot. My mother and grandparents were definitely in cahoots if I had a present lurking in the bedroom. I wondered what it could be, but there wasn’t any way to find out until after chores. It wasn’t a new horse. I’d have spotted that during the early routine of mucking, watering and feeding. Of course, there was no way any equine could be hidden in the house. We didn’t do miniatures and even the ponies were at least forty inches tall at the withers.

  Whatever it was, Queenie wanted it. She didn’t leave her spot halfway down the hall during our breakfast, not even when Autumn put kibble in her dish and topped it with small pieces of bacon. Grandpa filled coffee cups and eyed Mom. “What do you think, my little Shamrock? Shall we send Sierra to your room and let her find that present? Otherwise, poor Queenie is going to miss out on her doggie gifts.”

  “Works for me, Dad.” Mom nodded at me. “Go find what’s waiting for you, Sierra Morn. I’ll warn you now that anything it does is your responsibility.”

  Autumn danced beside me, all giggles as I walked down the hall. At sixteen, I had to be cool, not act like I was totally excited and curious. My little sister knelt down and snuggled Queenie close.

  I froze when I heard a little yip. It didn’t come from our dog who just whined again. “What the—?”

  I twisted the knob and gently pushed open the door. The tri-colored pup from Robin’s house bounced out through the narrow gap. He pounced on my horse-head slipper, and then left it to attack Queenie.

  Laughing, I bent and scooped him up into my arms. “How did he get here? Why is he here?” I turned my head quick so he couldn’t nip my nose. “What is he doing here?”

  “He’s yours.” Autumn flashed her sunshine grin before my mom could say anything. “He’s your Christmas puppy. Are you surprised? We all knew. Robin and Mommy and me made him your present.”

  I laughed again. “Oh, I think his mom dog probably had something to do with it too. And I am surprised and amazed. This is the best gift ever.”

  “How do you know that?” Grandpa asked. “You haven’t even looked at all the loot under the tree. Santa must have brought you something else you may like.”

  “I guess we’ll have to go see,” Grandma said. “Sierra, you probably want to take him and Queenie out in the yard for a little walk first. He’s been excellent about not piddling in the house, but we don’t want to push our luck.”

  “You’re right.” I held out the pup so I could take a good look at him. He was mostly gold and white like Queenie, but it was as if someone had used black paint to accent his fur. Dark edged his collie ears, eyes, and around his nose. More black trimmed his ruff and the white apron on his chest. He was so cute. I hugged him tight and barely avoided a swipe of his tongue. “Did Robin tell you his name?”

  “He doesn’t have one,” Mom said. “She knew you’d want to choose that for him.”

  “Okay.” I carried him down the hall and into the kitchen, Autumn and Queenie right behind me. I put down the pup long enough to change my slippers for my boots, then I picked up the new addition again. I took the dogs through the pantry to the mud-porch and out the back door into the yard. Queenie trotted off to do her business and the pup followed behind. He was male, but still young enough to squat and potty.

  I pulled out my cell phone and texted Robin. I needed details on how old he was, what he ate, whether he’d be all right without his mother and siblings. I didn’t expect her to get back to me right away, but she would eventually. I also figured that she wouldn’t have arranged for him to come here if he wasn’t ready. When it came to animals, she was a born rescuer.

  Even her worst enemy had known that or he wouldn’t have sacked up my puppy and the rest of the litter to throw them in a river during a cross-country meet. Of course, Robin being Robin, she not only saved the pups, she also defeated his cousins so her school took first place. My school too, now.

  Queenie heard something. She tore off toward the house, barking. The pup followed, eager to woof and help. I slogged through the snow after them. They had Dave on the front steps. He’d put down
two sacks and was petting them when I arrived. “Looks like you didn’t need me to save the day.”

  “You can never tell.” He smiled at me, and then glanced back at the pup. “Merry Christmas, Sierra. You obviously already got one of your presents.”

  “Yeah. He’s pretty cute.” I wasn’t about to gush in front of the guy. It wasn’t my style and I’d learned a long time ago not to show weakness around my mom’s toy-boys. Granted, Dave didn’t act like one of the rodeo clowns, but I wasn’t stupid. I’d watched enough of my mother’s ‘crash and burn’ relationships.

  “You and your friends amaze me.” Dave stopped making over the dogs, picked up the bags again and waited while I climbed the steps. “I don’t know many adults who would dive into a river and rescue a sack of drowning pups. Robin did that. Then, she called and chewed my ears until I got there and arrested the punk.”

  “She was still ticked because you didn’t arrest him for abusing her horse,” I said. “Or his cousins for killing his dam and leaving him an orphan.”

  “Like I told her then and I’m telling you now, I can’t arrest people for being “stupid.” Only for being mean and I have to believe they actually committed a crime. I need evidence.”

  I folded my arms and looked him up and down. “And us telling you that Caine is pure scum doesn’t count. Or that his cousins tried to bully the younger girls at school isn’t proof either?”

  “Nope, because you kids not liking them doesn’t make them guilty of anything.” Dave winked at me. “However, like your grandfather says, they had to learn cruelty toward animals from somewhere so I turned their names over to the Children’s Protective Services on the reservation. Their families will be investigated, and if the other kids need help, they’ll get it.”

  “That’s awesome.” I took one of the bags from him and we went around the porch to the back door so we wouldn’t track snow on the carpet. “It’s not the way I’d have done it, but it still pays them back for helping Caine. They’ll have a lot of hoops to jump through and smart people will see they’re evil.”

  “Hold up, cowgirl. How do you know they helped him? He says it was all his idea.”