Hot Potato

by Alyssa Brugman

  'Ah, not personally,' Hayley answered.

  'What does she look like?'

  Hayley tilted her head. 'Well, she's got blonde hair. Pretty. She wears a lot of make-up.'

  Erin put both of her hands over her mouth, stifling a giggle.

  Mrs Edel looked down at the number jotted on her desk pad and then dialled.

  The four girls stared at each other. Lindsey was so pale that Shelby was worried she might pass out. It was all happening so fast. Shelby's heart started thumping in her chest.

  A few seconds later Erin's mobile phone began to ring. She dug it out of her pocket. 'It's probably my mum,' she said, quickly stepping outside onto the veranda.

  Erin wouldn't remember that Lindsey had used Erin's mobile number for Gwen. Shelby wanted to follow her and grab the phone out of her hand, but it was too late.

  'Hello?' said Erin quietly.

  Shelby could hear Erin's voice both through the doorway and through the phone in Mrs Edel's hand.

  'Yes, errr, I'm looking for a Ms Gwen Stefani?'

  Erin paused. Shelby could feel her face reddening. She wished they hadn't left a phone number at all. After a long silence Erin said in a very bad American accent, 'Oh, yar! How are ya?'

  Mrs Edel frowned. She moved the phone away from her ear and stared at it, then she held it against her ear again. 'Erin? Is that you?'

  'Like, who's Erin?' came the dual voices.

  Shelby closed her eyes.

  Mrs Edel walked to the doorway. 'Erin,' she said again.

  Erin turned around slowly, a guilty grin on her face. She pointed to the mobile and mouthed, I'm on the phone.

  'Erin, put the phone down.'

  Erin closed her phone with a snap and tucked it in her pocket.

  'OK, girls,' said Mrs Edel. 'What's going on here?'

  18 Saved and Indebted

  'I remember now,' Lindsey blurted. 'I entered that Gwen woman's details in the day after I came back from hospital. I was still pretty groggy. I must have put in Erin's mobile by mistake.'

  Good save, thought Shelby.

  Mrs Edel narrowed her eyes. 'I double-checked all your entries. I don't remember this.'

  'I made so many mistakes, remember? You almost gave up on me.' Lindsey pulled a silly face.

  Lindsey's mother turned her attention to Erin. 'What was that business on the phone all about?'

  'A joke?' she offered meekly.

  'Excuse me, Mrs Edel,' Hayley interrupted. 'I'm here to give you a cheque, and Mum was wondering if the annual barbecue was still this weekend. You haven't put it on the noticeboard.'

  Mrs Edel glared at the girls as she flipped open her receipt book. 'I haven't got to the bottom of this yet, but I will!'

  She took the cheque from Hayley and scribbled out a receipt. 'The annual barbecue. I haven't even thought about it! Too busy.'

  Every year, just before it became too cold, Mrs Edel held a barbecue at the stables. There was also a Christmas party at the end of the year, but the barbecue was more like an annual general meeting for all the people who kept horses at the stables. It was an opportunity for the agisters to mingle, but also to put forward ideas and vote on future plans for the stables – what types of new equipment, upgrades or construction they would like to see.

  'OK, let's look in the diary here,' Mrs Edel mumbled to herself as she flicked through the pages and ran her fingers down the rows of dates.

  Hayley smiled slyly. Shelby couldn't tell if Hayley's mum had really asked about the barbecue, or whether Hayley had made it up to distract Mrs Edel and save the girls from getting in trouble.

  'You're absolutely right. Goodness! We'd better get organised, girls!' She looked up at Lindsey, her crankiness forgotten. 'Go and put this on the noticeboard will you, my love? I'll do a broadcast email.'

  Mrs Edel sat, scooted her chair under the desk, and placed her hands on the keyboard, dictating as she typed. 'Annual barbecue this Sunday in the jumping arena. All welcome. Bring a plate.'

  Lindsey nodded.

  'Oh, and no dogs,' she added.

  All the girls left the office together. The afternoon sun shone fiercely and Shelby shaded her eyes with her hand. At the bottom of the stairs she thanked Hayley.

  'No problem,' she said. 'So what's the story?'

  'Umm,' Erin began.

  'It's kind of an in-joke,' Lindsey interrupted.

  'Yeah?' Hayley's eyes twinkled with anticipation.

  'Yeah. Anyway, we've got to get to work now. See ya!' Lindsey dragged Erin away.

  Shelby hung back for a moment. 'It would be really great if you didn't mention this to anyone just for now.'

  'Why? What is it? You have to tell me now. I saved you guys, remember? You owe me!'

  Shelby looked over to where Erin and Lindsey were waiting. They had to get to Clint before Lindsey's mother did. 'I can't now, but I will another day, OK? I promise. Especially don't tell your mum.'

  Hayley nodded slowly, but Shelby could tell she was disappointed. Disappointed and annoyed.

  The girls found Clint in the yard at the end of the row. Ajax was loosely tied to a strand of baling twine looped over the fence. The big horse had his ears back and his eyes half closed. Shelby noticed the way Clint behaved with him – always keeping a hand firmly on his shoulder or rump, talking to him in a low voice and watching closely for any change in expression. Clint didn't trust him either.

  Clint was wearing his leather apron. He selected a knife from his tub of tools and, tucking Ajax's fetlock between his knees, whittled at the underside of his hoof.

  It occurred to Shelby for the first time why Tammy might have left fifty dollars just inside her tack room doorway. It wouldn't be there when Clint looked for it, and there was no way to do anything about it now. She couldn't even confide in her friends. What would they think if she told them she'd stolen to pay her share?

  'Shelly Shoes, Lindsey Lu and Erin Banana – the three amigas.' A grin split across Clint's face. He tossed the knife into the tub and drew out a long rasp. 'How's that crazy little filly going?'

  'That's what we're here about,' Erin said, crossing her arms.

  'Yeah, we don't want you to tell Mum about her just yet,' Lindsey added.

  Clint slid his hand down Ajax's hind leg and lifted his hoof. 'Oh? Why's that then?'

  Erin and Lindsey darted a look at each other.

  'It's her birthday present!' Shelby blurted.

  Lindsey's eyes widened. 'Yeah!' Erin and Lindsey chorused.

  'Birthday present, eh?' Clint ran his rasp around Ajax's hoof. 'That is a good reason for me not to mention it.' He looked up at Shelby and winked – a definite wink, not a tick or blink, or something in his eye.

  Does he know? she wondered. Would he guess about the money too?

  Shelby turned away, blushing furiously – just in time to see Hayley ducking into the doorway of the stable opposite. Is she spying on us? Shelby wondered. Great. Now she knows too.

  'The annual barbecue is on this weekend,' said Erin, changing the subject. 'Are you coming?'

  'Wouldn't miss it,' Clint replied.

  Oh no! thought Shelby. Tammy and Clint would be at the same place at the same time. She had to return that fifty-dollar note as soon as possible.

  19 The Chiropractor

  It was early Friday morning. Shelby was out of breath. She had just led Hotty from the back paddock, running all the way. She took her to a yard on the far side of the feed shed that couldn't be seen from the office window. Lindsey was waiting there with the equine chiropractor. She had been looking at other horses and agreed to examine the pony before the two girls went to school.

  The chiropractor's name was Julie. She had short blonde hair like Shelby, except Julie's was funkier. She'd put some sort of product in it to make it messy in a very styled way. Julie wore little rectangle spectacles with a tortoiseshell frame. Shelby thought she looked smart and efficient.

  'Do you have a horse?' Shelby asked.

  Julie nodded
.

  'Do you compete?'

  'Eventing when I have time.'

  Shelby nodded slowly. Julie was funky in every way.

  'I'd like to do that one day.'

  'Oh yeah? Is this your horse?' Julie indicated that she was asking about Hotty.

  Shelby shook her head.

  'You can see Shelby's horse from here, Jules,' Lindsey said, pointing to where Blue stood with Hiccup in the paddock.

  Shelby wanted to yell out, 'No, don't look!' She was sure Julie would think she was silly for having dreams of eventing with a strange-looking old nag like Blue.

  'That little paint horse? He looks like a pony I had once. My very bravest jumping horse. He was such a great little guy. He'd jump anything.'

  Shelby smiled, relieved. 'Yeah, Blue's like that too.'

  Julie had a plastic crate full of the strangest things – wooden sticks in various lengths, a few tennis balls, an assortment of spray bottles and other weird tools that Shelby hadn't seen before. It looked more like a toy box than the toolbox of a serious medical professional.

  First Julie ran her hands all along the pony's body from nose to tail, tapping and pressing. Next she tested Hotty's flexibility – moving her head from side to side, twisting her neck so that her nose was touching her back, then stretching all of her legs, and bending her fetlock joints.

  'Hmm,' Julie mumbled.

  'What do you think?' asked Lindsey.

  'She's a wee bit stiff in the shoulders,' she replied, running her hand over the offending area. Hotty's flesh twitched under her palm. 'But my guess would be that it was the result of this bucking you were talking about rather than the cause. I'll give her a bit of a massage, but she doesn't need any adjusting. She's been pulling your leg, I think. You know how ponies are.' Julie smiled at the girls.

  Shelby saw the glower cross Lindsey's face. She had been willing to give Hotty the benefit of the doubt, but there would be no more compassion now that Lindsey knew that she was just plain naughty.

  Julie took out one of the tennis balls and used it to massage Hotty all around her shoulders. After that she sprayed on some liniment and rubbed it in.

  It crossed Shelby's mind that she might want to be an equine chiropractor when she grew up. She could save money if she adjusted her own horses – especially when she had four or five in full competition condition all the time.

  'Did you have to do a long course to do this job?' she asked.

  'I did vet science at uni,' Julie replied. 'And a threeyear masters degree.'

  That sounded like a lot of work! Shelby was pretty sure you had to be good at Maths if you wanted to do veterinary science. She would have to start paying attention in class. She wasn't sure if it was worth it. 'Is it good money?' she asked.

  Julie shrugged. 'Ask me again after I've paid off my university degree. Anyway, there's nothing wrong with this mare that a bit of hard work wouldn't fix. That's my advice.'

  Shelby nodded. That's what she'd hoped. Hotty was just green. In time, with regular work, she would be amazing.

  'Who do I bill this to?' Julie asked.

  'Gwen Stefani,' Shelby answered.

  'Really? Like the singer?' She laughed. 'That's a coincidence.'

  'Yeah, funny hey?' Shelby said.

  20 Another Try

  In the afternoon the girls decided to try Shelby's old all-purpose saddle on Hotty in the round yard. Mrs Edel was working Diablo in the dressage arena, so the girls knew they had at least forty-five minutes.

  Shelby cinched up the girth another notch. She flinched when the mare shifted her weight from one leg to another. Shelby was nervous. She hadn't realised how much until now. 'I think that's as far as it will go. Who wants to hop on first?'

  'It's your saddle,' said Erin.

  'You're the one who has lessons,' Shelby responded.

  'I only ever ride Bandit. You two ride different horses all the time. Why don't you ride her, Shelby?'

  'But I've already fallen off! It's somebody else's turn.'

  Erin turned to Lindsey. 'What about you?'

  Lindsey shook her head. 'I've broken enough bones. You should do it, Erin. You haven't come off in ages.'

  'She mightn't even go nuts,' Shelby offered, smiling hopefully.

  'Fine,' growled Erin, gripping the cantle. 'But when I break my legs you two have to carry me back.'

  'You won't break your legs!' Shelby told her. 'Not both at once, anyway.'

  Shelby stood on one side of the pony, holding a rein. Lindsey stood on the other while Erin put her foot in the stirrup, ready to swing into the saddle. Hotty swished her tail. She had her ears back and Shelby could see the whites of her eyes.

  'I told you she's not a nice person,' Lindsey said.

  Shelby hoped Hotty would be good and prove Lindsey wrong. She smiled up at Erin. 'Are you ready?'

  Erin's knees were squeezed tight against the saddle and her knuckles were white where she held the reins.

  'Remember, we're just trying to teach her that it's OK to have a saddle on, and not to be scared,' Lindsey said. 'The best thing would be if she just stands still. Then you can reward her by getting off.'

  'Wouldn't the best reward be not getting on in the first place?' Erin muttered. Her face looked drawn and her shoulders were hunched. She was scared. 'How do the rodeo riders do it?' she asked.

  Lindsey shrugged. 'I've never done it. They just hang on, I guess. Try to stay loose when you fall. I've heard that you break less bones if your muscles are relaxed.'

  Shelby thought they were being prematurely pessimistic, but she didn't mention it. She was sure that Erin would jump at the chance to switch places.

  Shelby and Lindsey let go of the reins and moved slowly away from the horse. Erin sat still, clinging to the saddle. 'Be a good girl now, CC,' she said.

  The pony snorted and shook her head. She stood still with her eyes half closed, as though she was sleepy. For a moment Shelby thought it was going to be all right.

  'She's not doing anything!' said Erin. 'Can I get off now?'

  Then Hotty's eyes flashed open and she reared straight up. Erin leaned forward and wrapped her hands around the horse's neck. Next the pony kicked out with her back legs – leaping forward at the same time.

  'Did you see that?' Lindsey shouted. 'Airs above the ground!'

  'Hold on, Erin!' Shelby called out.

  Hotty surged forward, tucking her head between her front legs, pigrooting and bucking as she bounded around the yard.

  'That's so hard to do!' Lindsey said.

  'Yeah! She's hanging on way longer than I would have!' Shelby said, backing towards the fence.