And suddenly all I could think about was that maybe Jess wouldn’t be so alone in her jumper classes after all because I was riding a horse with real jumping bloodlines.
CHAPTER EIGHT
I took Saffron over a course of small verticals and she didn’t jump anything at all like a Grand Prix champion. She jumped like a horse that was green, over jumping some of the fences like a cat with feet to spare and completely demolishing others. She had also forgotten how to go in a straight line between them.
“Not exactly ready for the Olympics is she?” I asked Esther as I patted the mare’s neck.
“No not really.” Esther laughed. “But at least she tried.”
“She did,” I said.
Mickey had arrived and was in Hampton’s stall, hanging all over him. I’d never seen her so in love with her horse before. It was so cool.
“Want to ride?” I asked her.
“Esther said maybe tomorrow.” She grinned.
“Awesome.”
“I know, right? Unless we have to evacuate.”
“Not you as well?” I sighed.
“My mom is on her way to the fish store to get supplies for her tanks in case we have to leave.”
“She’s taking the fish with her?”
Mickey shrugged. “I know. She’s crazy but she said that those fish cost hundreds of dollars and there is no way she is going to let them get swept back out to sea by a hurricane.”
My stomach did a sick little flop. Everyone was joking about Hurricane Joyce but there was this undercurrent of fear in their voices like they thought that this was going to be the big one just like the weather reporters said.
I stepped closer to the stall so that Esther couldn’t hear and Saffron, whose reins I was still holding, pinned her ears at Hampton who in turn charged at the bars with barred teeth.
“Knock it off you two,” I scolded, then whispered, “Esther has an evacuation plan on her desk.”
“I know,” Mickey said. “I saw it.”
“Palm City racetrack,” I said. “I don’t think it’s far enough away but Esther said that it’s about as far as we have time to get.”
“They used to hold really big races at that track,” she said, her eyes getting big. “They were on TV and everything. I think one of the Triple Crown winners was based there back in the day.”
“That’s pretty cool,” I said. “Maybe it won’t be so bad after all.”
“Of course it won’t,” Mickey said. “It will be just like a horsey slumber party.”
“Oh you mean like the one we just went to?” I groaned. “Because that one didn’t work out so well for me and Bluebird.”
“Well this one isn’t going to involve any riding is it so I think you’ll be perfectly safe. We can pack a bunch of junk food and bring horse movies to watch. It will be kind of like a vacation.”
“I’d rather just stay here.” I sighed. “You know school starts soon. We don’t have much time left to ride.”
“Don’t even say the words,” Mickey shrieked. “School is evil and horrible and I’m not even going to think about it until the night before. And see, it will be extra cool that we have this one last adventure before we are chained to our desks for another year.”
“Maybe,” I said.
But back at home Mom and Derek were packing suitcases and Cat was in the kitchen boxing up all the hurricane food that Derek made Mom buy at the store.
“What’s going on?” I slumped into a kitchen chair.
“We’re evacuating,” Cat said.
“What, now?”
“There is this fish camp in Georgia that my dad used to go to. He’s already called and booked us a cabin. We’ll be there before the storm comes, although I don’t know why we can’t just stay here. I think it would be kind of cool to be right in the middle of a hurricane.”
“Georgia?” I cried. “I can’t go to Georgia.”
I jumped up and my chair toppled over.
“Don’t have a cow,” Cat said. “It’s not my fault.”
“What’s all the commotion about?” Mom said.
She appeared in the doorway with a pair of sandals in one hand and her makeup bag in the other.
“I can’t go to Georgia,” I said.
“Well you’re not staying here.” Mom shook her head, not looking amused.
“No, I know,” I said. “I’m going with Bluebird and Esther.”
“No,” Mom said. “Absolutely not. You’re coming with us, not going to some barn in the middle of nowhere.”
“Yes, I am,” I said. “I’m going with my pony and there is nothing you can do to stop me. I’m not going to leave him all alone in the middle of a hurricane. What if he gets scared?”
“Well that’s what Esther will be there for, right?” Mom said calmly.
I knew she was trying to keep her cool but there was nothing she could say that would make me go with them to some stupid fish camp in Georgia.
“Bluebird doesn’t need Esther. He needs me.”
Derek appeared behind my mother, fishing rods in his hand. I knew that he didn’t care about getting away from the hurricane. He was just using this as an excuse to go and do something that he wanted to do because he had to know that none of us would ever voluntarily go with him to some stupid fish camp.
“Emily says that she’s not coming with us,” Cat said.
I glared at her but she didn’t say it in a mean way. She just said it matter-of-factly, like maybe she even thought I was right to want to stay with him.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Derek said. “We’re all going together.”
“No, we’re not,” I said.
“We’re going as a family and that is final,” he said.
I started to laugh. “A family? Are you delusional? We’re not a family and we’ll never be a family. My pony is my family and I’m going to go with him and make sure that he is okay and you can’t stop me.”
“Really?” Derek’s face turned red. “I think I can. You’ll do as I say or else.”
“Or else what?” I yelled back.
We stood there facing each other, two people who had been forced together to make a family unit that didn’t work because he and I would never understand one another. I thought maybe he would hit me or throw something at me, like his fishing rods which would bounce off my head. But it was a staring contest that was never going to end until Cat finally stepped in-between us and put her hand on her father’s arm.
“I think Emily should go with Bluebird,” she said.
CHAPTER NINE
I guess when you save someone’s life they feel obligated to stick up for you. I knew that was the only reason Cat was saying I should go with Bluebird. Either that or she secretly hoped that I’d get washed away in the hurricane and she would be an only child again. But I didn’t care what her reasons were, all I cared about was the fact that she was agreeing with me and that had to count for something.
But it wasn’t working. Tears welled up in my mother’s eyes. She was starting to cry. Playing the sympathy card. I knew what was coming next.
“I can’t lose another daughter,” she sobbed before running from the room.
“See what you’ve done?” Derek snapped, following after her.
“I’m not going to the fish camp,” I told Cat.
“I know you’re not,” she said.
That night I sat out in our trashed yard watching the sun set and the first stars appear in the velvet sky. No one had spent much time out in our postage stamp of a yard since Cat accidently lit the tree on fire and the fire department had to come and put it out, drenching our already sad looking yard with a tsunami of water. Now weeds were sprouting up through the bare earth, trying to paint the yard green again despite the charred tree and fence posts that still remained.
My mother and Derek were inside yelling at each other. I couldn’t tell what they were saying but I knew they were arguing about me. They both said that I had to go with them but I didn’t
exactly see how they could make me. What were they going to do? Drag me out to the car and hand cuff me to the back seat? No. They were going to have to convince me and there was nothing they could say that would make me go with them. I already let Bluebird down once and I wasn’t about to let that happen again.
Eventually the mosquitos forced me inside but the yelling had stopped and I managed to sneak up to my room unnoticed. I stood there looking at the faded walls covered in my horse posters. Show jumping legends both new and old were there, soaring over colored fences with a look of determination on their faces. I didn’t care what anyone said. I knew one day that would be me. But what would happen if the hurricane really did hit us? What if it washed away Sand Hill and my house? I didn’t really think it was a very great house but it was the only home I had. If it was destroyed then what would happen?
By the next morning the hurricane was inching closer. It wasn’t turning. Not even pretending to look like it was going to turn. Hurricane Joyce was coming and the only choice was to get out of its way.
Mom was in the kitchen staring at a bowl of oatmeal. Derek was cooking some bacon. Cat hadn’t come down yet. Her bedroom door was still closed when I came past. I kind of wished she was up. It felt good last night to finally have someone stick up for me. Like maybe what it would have felt like if my real sister had still been alive. We would have had each other’s backs. Stood together against Mom and Dad when we didn’t agree with them. It would have been awesome.
I sat down next to Mom. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings but she had to know how I felt.
“I’m still going with Bluebird,” I said gently. “And your tears won’t make me change my mind.”
“I know,” she said.
“I’m sorry.” I looked down at the floor, feeling like a bad daughter.
For the first time I felt kind of guilty because she probably thought that I loved my pony more than her but it was just that she could take care of herself and Bluebird couldn’t.
“But you have to understand that I am your mother,” she said. “That means I can’t just let you go off in the middle of a hurricane all by yourself.”
“But I won’t be alone,” I said. “I’ll be with Esther, remember?”
“You won’t only be with Esther.” She grabbed my hand. “You’ll be with us too.”
“What?” I said.
“We’re coming with you and Bluebird. This family will evacuate together.”
I didn’t know what to say. I looked over at Derek, who was poking his bacon with a look of thunder on his face. My mom had chosen to make the family come with me instead of going with him to the fish camp. I wondered what she had to say to convince him to come. Or maybe he was just going to the fish camp on his own.
“All of us?” I said.
“All of us.” She nodded.
“Oh Mom.” I threw my arms around her. “Sometimes you really are the best.”
“I know,” she said.
We both laughed but Derek didn’t join in. I wondered what kind of payback would be in the cards for me when this whole ordeal was over. Derek was certainly not going to forget any time soon that I’d ruined his perfectly timed fishing vacation by forcing everyone to evacuate with my pony. We’d all be weathering the storm together at the Palm City racetrack. I had a feeling that the storm raging outside wasn’t the only thing we were going to have to contend with because knowing Derek, he was going to make the whole experience as miserable as possible and you couldn’t really get much more miserable than being trapped in a hurricane.
CHAPTER TEN
Mickey had Hampton all tacked up by the time I got to the barn. I was going to ride with her but Esther thought it would be best if Mickey had a lesson on her own for the first real ride. After all, we didn’t know what kind of state Hampton would be in after spending all that time with Jess. Even though we hadn’t really seen her ride him, that didn’t mean that she hadn’t.
“Are you excited?” I asked Mickey as she slammed her helmet onto her head.
“Kind of nervous actually,” she said.
“You’ll be fine.” I gave her an encouraging grin.
But as she walked Hampton out to the ring, I said a silent prayer that everything would go well. Mickey had been so excited to get Hampton back but that excitement wouldn’t last if he bucked her off on their first real ride together. Not that he had ever really bucked in his entire life.
Hampton got halfway out to the ring and stopped. He stuck his head in the air and gave a pitiful whinny, calling for Bluebird who was out in his field. My pony stopped grazing and answered him. Hampton called back again and this time Bluebird left his juicy patch of grass and galloped to the gate where he stood with his head over it, looking at me expectantly. Hampton shifted about nervously.
“Should I go and get Bluebird in?” I asked Esther. “I don’t want him to be a distraction.”
“No, leave him,” she said, her voice low so that Mickey couldn’t hear. “It might be good that Hampton can see him. I don’t need him flipping out today of all days.”
Esther already told us that she was taking a bunch of supplies over to the racetrack in the afternoon. Alerts had been blasting on the TV all morning, warning us of the approaching storm and the devastation that would follow. After Esther had taken the supplies and staked out our stalls she would start taking the horses. Bluebird and Hampton were going tomorrow afternoon. Every time I thought about it I felt kind of sick so instead I tried to focus on Mickey and making sure she had a good ride.
“Come on.” I grabbed the other side of Hampton’s bridle. “Let’s get him into the ring.”
“Okay,” Mickey said but she looked pale.
Once actually in the ring, Hampton settled down. He had never been a flighty, nervous horse and wasn’t one to wear his emotions on the outside but I could see he was a little confused. He swung away from the mounting block when Mickey went to swing her leg over him and Esther had to go and hold him for her.
“Maybe you should ride him,” she said to Esther.
“Don’t be silly.” Esther brushed off her concern with a wave of her hand. “You’ll be fine. Come on now, on the rail, working walk. Let’s get this boy moving again.”
I sat on the fence, ready to spring into action if something happened and I needed to grab Hampton, even though he wasn’t doing anything wrong. In fact I could tell he was trying really hard to be good and not mess up. His ears kept flicking back and forth, listening to what Mickey was asking him to do with a look of concentration on his face. Soon they were cantering happily around the ring and I watched a grin spread over my best friend’s face. She had her horse back and I couldn’t have been happier for her.
“Want to try a cross rail or two?” Esther asked.
“Sure.” Mickey grinned. “I feel like we could jump a mountain.”
“Don’t get carried away now,” I called out, laughing.
But as Mickey cantered Hampton down to the first cross rail, I watched something happen to the bay horse. He tucked his nose in and clenched the bit with his teeth. Flecks of foam flew out of his mouth and splattered his neck as he fussed and fretted and one stride out from the tiny fence he slammed on the brakes.
Mickey hadn’t been expecting him to stop. She crashed up his neck but managed to stay on.
“What was that?” she cried.
“He’s probably just nervous,” Esther said. “I bet he hasn’t jumped in quite a while. Why don’t you circle him and try again.”
But as Esther gave me a fleeting glance, I knew she didn’t believe that at all and I didn’t either. Hampton had never been worried about jumping before. He’d always taken it in stride. Sure, he’d ducked out every now and then when Mickey hadn’t been riding him correctly but I’d never seen that look on his face. The look of sheer panic. I’d seen it before on the pony Fury at Miguel Rodriguez’s farm. She’d been forced over so many jumps that it had fried her brain. I was starting to think that maybe Jess had
ridden Hampton more than we knew and just maybe her punishment wasn’t the only reason they sent him back early.
Mickey circled Hampton, the grin gone and replaced by worried determination. Hampton didn’t seem any happier about coming around to the fence a second time. In fact, his anxiousness was growing and this time instead of grinding to a halt, he ducked out to the side and galloped past the fence.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with him,” Mickey said, her voice wavering as she pulled Hampton to a halt.
“We’re probably just asking too much of him.” Esther patted Hampton’s neck. “Why don’t you work on some circles to finish off so that he can end the lesson on a good note? We’ll try jumping again another day.”
“Alright,” Mickey said but she didn’t sound convinced.
“She’s messed him up, hasn’t she?” I asked Esther quietly as Mickey walked Hampton away from us. “Jess I mean, she’s ruined him.”
“It’s too soon to tell,” Esther said.
But I knew in my heart that was what had happened because the hunter champion who was now trotting reluctantly in circles and showing the whites of his eyes was not the Hampton that had left Sand Hill only a few months ago.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Mickey went back to the barn with tears in her eyes. I felt so bad for her. I knew that I would have been devastated if someone ruined Bluebird like that. I put my arm around her as she stood in the barn next to Hampton.
“It’s okay to be upset,” I told her. “I’d be upset too.”
“I’m not upset.” She shrugged me off. “I’m mad. How could Jess do this to my horse? When I see her again I’m going to…”
“You’re going to do nothing,” Esther interrupted. “You have Hampton back now. Remember how I told you that I’d fix his weight and his fungus?”
Mickey nodded.
“Well we can fix his jumping too. We can fix him together. Next time you see Jess, you’ll just leave her alone. Got it?”
White Horses (Show Jumping Dreams ~ Book 10) Page 3