by Andrea Young
Sitting at the table, Joe poured cereal into a bowl and then milk. He always felt hungry and today was no different. He finished off the box of cereal, all the milk, and most of the bread. When living on the road, three square meals a day wasn’t the norm, but the last two years having enough food not to be hungry never seemed to happen. Joe remembered his uncle complaining that he was growing too heavy, slowing the horses down. It hit him all at once—the scarce food was no accident. In a fit of anger Joe threw the empty cereal box across the room. His emotions roiled through him. He wanted to stay angry and let that fuel his resolve, but seething anger wasn’t his nature and it turned into a heaviness that sapped his spirit.
Joe’s thoughts went back to Finny. He was positive she was an angel sent from heaven. Why she took a chance to help him was still a mystery. Joe planned to pay her back for everything. As soon as he got a job he’d pay her for all the food she got for him. Joe knew the thing that would please her the most would be to ride her horse. He was determined to make that happen.
Still hungry, Joe finished off the rest of the bread.
Yep, Sky was the answer. If he could make Sky right, Finny’s dream would come true and she deserved that.
A soft knock came from the door. Joe grabbed his crutches and met Finny as she walked into the kitchen.
“Hey, Joe.” He could tell she wasn’t her normal self.
“Anything wrong?”
“Just worried about where you’ll stay now that we can’t use the mobile home.”
“If Vel won’t help, I’ll figure it out. Besides, I’m almost out of this thing. I’ll get a job and I’ll be set.”
“What about school? Do you want to go back?”
Joe shrugged his shoulders. “Hadn’t really thought about it. Sorta figured that part of my life was over.”
“My mom says the high school years will be the best and I should enjoy them to the fullest. That’s why I brought it up, but I guess it doesn’t matter.”
Joe sensed Finny had more to say, but didn’t know how to prompt her along. He didn’t understand teenagers even though he was one. “Finny, you ready to go work with Sky?”
“You bet! Maybe today he won’t attack the saddle.”
“That’d be nice. I think we should try the bridle too.”
After a quick check to make sure everything in the home was in order and that the trailer looked unoccupied, the two began their walk.
“I turned sixteen yesterday. I can get my driver’s license.”
“Joe . . . yesterday was your birthday?”
“Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you say anything? I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
“I just did.”
“I mean yesterday, for crying out loud!”
“Sorry.”
“Well, happy birthday! We need to do something to celebrate.”
“You’ve done too much for me as it is. I’m just glad to be closer to eighteen.”
“Well, sixteen’s a milestone, a right-of-passage age. At least that’s what my dad says.”
“What’s that mean?”
Finny laughed. “I’m not sure, but I’ll be there in a little over a year. Maybe then I’ll figure it out.” By the time they got to Azure Hills they had their dream cars picked out.
Finny and Joe went to Sky’s stall only to find it empty.
“That’s weird. Maybe Vel turned him out.”
Joe pointed. “He’s over there grazing. I think he jumped. See the hoofprints on the ground?”
“The door is like four feet.”
“It’s possible. At the mustang roundups the fences are built six feet just to keep them in.”
Finny made her way to Sky, speaking in soft tones.
“Come on, Sky, hold still. Let me . . .” Sky blasted off with a snort. He ran to the end of the property, then back to Finny, stopping within inches of her.
“Finny, don’t let him treat you like a horse. He’s playing with you. He should respect you enough not to think of you as an equal.”
“What should I do?”
“Yell at him and chase him away if he runs to you again.” As if on cue, Sky blasted off, digging up dirt and knocking over anything in his path. He circled the kids snorting and prancing.
“He’s trying to herd us. He has no respect.”
“Is that bad?”
“Yeah . . . He might not tolerate us trying to break him.”
“At this point, I’d be happy just to catch him. Whoa, Sky, settle down, boy.” Finny tried again to halter him. He’d stay still until she was just about to touch him, then spin away. Twenty minutes later, they were no closer.
“What are we going to do?”
“I think we need to change our strategy,” Joe said. “We need to ignore him.” They walked to the bench by the barn and sat.
“Don’t make eye contact.”
Two minutes later, having no one to play with, Sky walked to them. Neither one made a move or acknowledged his presence. Sky came almost to them and then cantered away. After a minute with no response from Finny or Joe he pawed the ground. Sky finally trotted up and bumped his head into Finny, knocking her off the bench, then stood looking down at her. Finny righted herself and grabbed a halter and slipped it on Sky’s head.
“Well, we caught him.”
“After he knocked you down. We’ve got to figure out how not to let that get any worse.”
Finny led him to the crossties and grabbed the brushes. Joe got up to help her groom.
“He’s hard to figure. He don’t act normal,” Joe said with worry.
“Normal is boring.” Finny smiled, letting him know that whatever happened was fine with her. Joe went to get the saddle. Once back he laid it over the rail. Without warning Sky grabbed the saddle with his teeth and flung it across the yard. Joe froze in shock.
“Oh, geez, I guess you’ve never seen a horse do that either?” Finny asked, also shocked. Joe looked at her and shook his head.
“Let’s take him to the ring. I’ll saddle him there.” Finny led Sky over, his ears pinned back, his eyes never leaving the saddle.
“Okay, Sky, behave. This doesn’t hurt.” Joe patted Sky’s back while Finny held his halter. Sky weaved back and forth as Joe placed the saddle gently on his back. Joe patted and spoke soothing words to him as he slowly tightened the girth. Once it was on, Finny let Sky go to do what he wanted. The horse didn’t move. He just reached around, grabbed the skirt of the saddle, and ripped it off.
“Oh man, thank God we used a saddle Vel was going to throw away.” Finny and Joe waited for the explosion. Sky didn’t move. Like a statue he stood just trying to reach the saddle with his teeth. After five minutes of being unsuccessful Sky flung himself to the ground and rolled over the saddle repeatedly, crushing it.
Finny held her hand over her mouth, “Do you think he’ll ever just deal with having a saddle?”
“Yeah, I think he will, though it’s hard to believe now.”
Sky suddenly shot up and began to run around the arena in earnest. Bucking, leaping, screaming. The kids did the only thing they could, sat back and watched.
“Finny, lets go to Vel’s and watch him through the window. I want to see what he does when he thinks we aren’t watching.”
Staying as far back from the window as possible, they watched Sky. The horse instantly stopped fighting the saddle and searched for them. He paced up and down the arena fence line, then jumped over it and trotted toward the house. After grabbing a few quick bites of grass he went to the porch and sniffed it, the saddle still in place. Sky pawed at the porch, snapping a chunk of wood off.
“We gotta get out there,” Joe said. “He’s going to jump up on the porch.”
Finny made a dash for the door. She opened it, startling Sky just enough to keep him off the steps. Like a puppy, Sky’s ears were up, happy to see Finny and Joe. He ignored the saddle, which was seemingly no longer a problem.
Finny patted Sky on the nose and
was able to snap on the lead.
“Let’s get the bridle and try to lunge him.”
Finny nodded and led Sky to the arena. Joe brought the bridle and poured honey over the bit. He gently encouraged Sky to open his mouth. Sky, enjoying the honey, didn’t protest the bit. He played with it, rolling it around on his tongue, getting used to the feel.
“He doesn’t seem to mind the bit.”
“They usually don’t. It doesn’t hurt.”
“It would be nice if something went easy,” Finny said. Over the bridle, she placed the halter with lunge line attached and then gave a cluck to Sky to go forward. No longer full of energy after running around the ring, Sky trotted with manners on the end of the line.
“Look, Joe, saddle and a bridle, another step closer.” Joe leaned on his crutch and nodded in agreement, trying to stay positive.
“Put him through his transitions, Finny.”
Finny asked Sky to walk, then trot, then canter, then back to the walk and started all over again. He did everything he was supposed to.
“I think that’s plenty,” said Joe. “Nice how well he listened this time.”
“He didn’t pull on my arm or anything.” Finny brought Sky back to a stop and pulled him toward her. She patted his head, then led him to his corral.
“We should put him in the stallion pen,” Joe suggested. “The walls are over six feet and the doors are higher. That’ll keep him in.”
“Great idea. It’ll give him more room, too.”
They bedded Sky’s new stall at the back of the barn, which opened to a large pen with a sturdy, six-foot-high fence. They gave him his grain, hay, and water and watched him eat, marveling at the amount of feed the horse consumed.
“You ready, Joe?”
“I guess,” he moped.
“Vel is so cool, she’ll help, I swear.”
“It’s just if she doesn’t, then what? Or what if she changes her mind and calls the police? Then I gotta split.”
“No, don’t say that. You can’t go.”
“I know. We gotta get Sky going.”
Finny wanted to tell him that that wasn’t what she meant, that it hadn’t even occurred to her. The thought of him out of her life was unbearable. She brushed her hair behind her ear, struggling with how to say it.
“I just need to get a job. Once I do, I’ll feel better.”
“Let’s try next door. Jeff is really busy. He has grooms, but no one to help train his young horses. I have my lesson today anyway. Come with me. It’s worth a try.”
“Okay.”
Finny gave Sky a good-bye pat and she and Joe made their way to Silver Spur. As they walked up the drive, they spotted Carl.
“Look, there he is. I’d like to punch him three hundred dollars worth.”
“I don’t recommend it,” Finny said with a quick laugh. “Besides, I don’t think he’d recognize you. In the last six weeks you’ve gained weight and I swear you got taller.”
“Yeah?”
Finny nodded. Joe smiled; he’d take growing a bit. They walked past Carl with no hassles. Joe figured Finny was right.
“I gotta see who I’m riding. I’ll be right back.”
Joe sat on the large cushioned bench in the spotless barn aisle. Around the corner came Elsa.
“Well, well, look who’s back.”
“Hi, Elsa.”
“So, to what do we owe the honor of your presence?”
“Same as before, looking for work.”
“So my ‘work’ wasn’t good enough?”
“I need a real job.”
“Joe, I know you do.” Elsa sat next to him. “I really was just trying to be nice and give you a hand until you found one. I didn’t mean to be . . . pushy.” Joe was surprised; she sounded sincere. Maybe he’d misread her.
“As a matter of fact, I’ll go talk to Jeff right now.”
“You don’t have to, Elsa, really.”
“Don’t be silly—it will ensure that you get hired.” Elsa patted Joe’s unbraced knee and went to find Jeff. A moment later Finny came around the corner leading an older flea-bitten gray horse.
“Finny, Elsa said she’d hook me up with a job here. She went to go talk with Jeff.” A jealous anger instantly lit in Finny; she mentally damped it down.
“Well, it would be the first time she’d ever been useful.”
“You really don’t like her do you?”
“She’s just gone out of her way to make my life miserable for the last four years and I have no idea why.”
“She’s jealous of you, that’s why.”
“Jealous of what? She has everything. I have nothing.”
“I’ve never hung out much with other kids, so I can’t say I really understand anybody, but she works at what to say and do, like it’s all an act. You don’t, you’re like really cool without trying. That’s why she’s jealous.”
“Joe, that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
Joe smiled and looked away. Finny, so happy she felt like crying, got busy brushing her horse. Joe got up to help and worked on the opposite side.
Elsa reappeared walking beside a tall, thin man in his early forties, pink-tinged fair skin marred by a lifetime in the sun.
“Joe,” Elsa said, “I’d like you to meet Jeff Hastings, the finest hunter/jumper trainer in the country.”
“Hello, Joe.” Jeff, laughed and stretched out his hand to Joe. “I hear you’re looking for work.” Joe gave Jeff a firm handshake.
“Yes I am. I’m good with horses and willin’ to do anything you need.”
“What’s your experience?”
“Mostly breakin’ and trainin’, but I’m willin’ to groom and muck too.”
“You can break?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What about your leg?”
“This comes off tomorrow. Then I’m good to go.”
“Did that happen on a horse?”
“ Yes .”
“How old are you?”
“Eighteen.”
“Perfect. I have a field full of three-year-olds that need to be handled. The last guy I had moved away. We’ll start you on a thirty-day trial to see what you can do.”
“When can I start?”
“How about Monday.”
“Thank you, sir. I won’t let you down. Oh, I’m from out of town. Does this job come with a place to live?”
Jeff thought for a moment. “I guess you could stay in the old trailer where the last guy lived. You’d have to clean it. He was a good horseman but a lousy housekeeper.”
“I don’t mind cleanin’. Thank you.”
“Finny, if you’re ready, I’m teaching today.”
“Yes, be there soon.”
Jeff nodded and headed toward the arena.
“Well, Joe, I promised you a job and I delivered,” Elsa said.
“Yes, you did. I can’t thank you enough.”
Elsa put her hands on Joe’s shoulders, reached up, and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll think of a way you can thank me.”
Joe flushed hot as Finny went cold. Elsa gave Finny a smile and walked away. Finny saw Joe blush. He liked Elsa. Why wouldn’t he? She was beautiful and in two minutes she had given Joe everything he wanted. Who wouldn’t fall for her? Finny knew she was doing it again. Her emotions were somersaulting in her head like a crazy person. She knew Joe liked her as a friend. Boys liked her like a buddy. Now she knew why—she was really cool without trying.
“Finny, can you believe it? A job and a place to live? It’s all working out.”
“Yes, it’s all perfect.” Finny led the horse to the mounting block and got on.
“Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s great.” Not meeting Joe’s eye, Finny kicked her horse forward and trotted to the arena. After a moment of confusion Joe followed to watch.
Ivey, Katie, and Kayla were already in the field warming up their horses. Jeff typically worked thirty minutes on the flat and the gir
ls knew to get their horses limber and ready.
Ivey cantered her horse up to Finny. “Hi, Finny. Is that Nemo?”
“It sure is.”
“You’re so lucky.”
Finny had to laugh; Ivey’s horse was beautiful and won at the shows all the time. Nemo was Jeff’s former Grand Prix horse and although he didn’t jump high anymore, the kids all thought he was the greatest.
“I hope Jeff lets me ride him sometime,” Ivey said with longing.
“Ask him. I bet he’d let you.” Ivey’s eyes got huge. She shook her head as if that was a crazy idea.
“He’s too scary.”
Finny laughed again. She understood; Jeff could be intimidating even when he was in a good mood. Katie and Kayla trotted over to Finny and Ivey.
“Who’s that?” Kayla was staring over Finny’s shoulder. Finny craned her head around. “Oh, that’s my friend Joe.”
“Is he your boyfriend?” Katie asked. She looked impressed.
“No, just a friend.”
“Oh.” All three girls looked disappointed.
“He’s cute. Cuter than Dale even. How come he’s not your boyfriend?” Ivey asked.
“Okay, girls, track left, posting trot.” Jeff came into the field barking out the order. The three younger girls instantly separated and put their horses to work. Finny was grateful for Jeff’s timing. She nudged Nemo in the sides and put him into a working trot.
“Shoulder in, down the long side,” Jeff shouted. Nemo, expertly trained, moved his shoulder away from Finny’s outside leg with just a feather touch.
“Excellent, Finny.” Compliments from him, which were few and far between, always thrilled her.
She trotted past Joe leaning on the fence watching her ride. She felt like a jerk for getting mad. He was a wonderful friend and if that was all, then that was better than nothing. Maybe someday she’d figure out boys and even get a boyfriend, she told herself. But as much as she tried to make things right in her head, she knew watching Joe slowly fall in love with Elsa would do her in.