by Suzanne Weyn
“Why not? Was it that bad?” Mr. Segarra asked, brows furrowed.
“My instructor was so mean! She yelled at me for picking up the wrong lead. I don’t even know what that means!” Roberta cried, taking off her helmet.
Mr. Segarra sighed and said, “All right. I guess we can look for someplace else, then.”
“Or maybe that other girl can teach me,” Roberta said, pointing to Taylor. “They looked like they were having fun over there.”
Taylor’s brows shot up in surprise. Me? But that girl is only a few years younger than me. Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she could see Mercedes come storming toward them, heading to the office. She had clearly heard what Roberta said, as had everyone else in front of the barn.
Her dark brown eyes fixed on the office door, Mercedes breezed past Taylor. Taylor opened her mouth to say something comforting as Mercedes walked by but couldn’t get anything out before Mercedes had wheeled on her heel, spinning to face Taylor. Pointing a finger in Taylor’s face, she said, “Just don’t say anything, okay? I don’t even have time to be teaching. I should be out practicing for the show. And so should you, not that it will matter. You’re still going to get your butt handed to you by Plum. At least she can afford lessons with Keith Hobbes, even if she doesn’t win.”
Taylor’s mouth hung open as Mercedes stormed into the office. It felt as though someone had thrust a knife into her chest and twisted it. Tears of pain, betrayal, and embarrassment sprang to Taylor’s eyes. Swallowing the growing lump in her throat, Taylor took a wavering breath to calm her nerves.
A small tug on her sweatshirt made Taylor jump. She looked down to see Adam, his big blue eyes gazing up at her.
“You okay?” he asked quietly, staring into Taylor’s water-filled eyes.
Taylor took another steadying breath and managed a smile, patting Adam on the head. “Yeah, I’m great, buddy. Thanks for asking. Let’s go put away your horse, okay?”
Taylor let Sarah take Prince Albert’s lead to walk him to his stall. She stayed close to the twins as Adam took Shafir and Katlyn led Pixie in.
“Did you guys have fun?” Taylor asked them.
“Yeah!” the three children responded together.
“Good! That’s what counts,” Taylor told them. It’s what she had always believed. It was too bad Mercedes couldn’t see it that way.
When Eric and Plum pulled up in Plum’s mother’s black SUV, Taylor was even happier than usual to see Eric. His presence meant she wouldn’t have to be alone with Mercedes in the barn.
Eric got out of the car and went to the backseat, where he took out a plastic grocery bag. “Hey, how did your first lesson go?” he asked Taylor as he shut the car door behind him.
“You’re giving lessons?” Plum questioned disdainfully. “You?”
Taylor ignored Plum’s shocked and derisive tone. “Uh-huh,” was all she said. Why was everyone so upset about her being an instructor? Turning her attention back to Eric, she smiled. “The lesson went really well, I think. The kids seemed happy, anyway, and I know they learned a lot.”
Plum rolled her eyes. “I give up. Taylor Henry giving horseback riding lessons. What’s next?” Shaking her head in exaggerated bewilderment, Plum headed into the main building.
“Don’t mind her,” Eric apologized for his cousin. “I think it’s great that you’re teaching. Are you getting paid?”
Taylor nodded happily. “Mrs. LeFleur takes half the price of the lesson, and she gives me half. It’s the same thing she did with Daphne. I’m so glad I’ll be making some money. There are so many things I want to get for Pixie and Prince Albert.”
“I know you want to get blankets for them.”
“That will be the first thing. Horse blankets are so expensive, though. I hope I can save enough money before it gets too cold.”
An icy wind shook the branches of the bare trees, as if to underline Taylor’s concern with an example of how bad the weather could get. Folding her arms, Taylor shivered. “And it hasn’t even snowed yet,” she added. “Are you going to take Jojo out for a ride?”
“Later, I hope.” Eric reached into his plastic bag and took out a white block about the size of a brick. “It’s a salt lick,” he explained. “I want to put it up in the pasture. You’re really not supposed to feed deer in the winter. It causes all sorts of problems. It encourages lots of deer to hang out in one area, which isn’t good, for one thing.”
“Then why do you want to do it?” Taylor asked.
Eric studied the label wrapped around the white block. “This block isn’t too bad. It’s fortified with minerals and apple juice. I’m not going to leave it out there all winter. I just want to see if I can lure Spots back with it. I read an article online that said baby deer bond with whoever raised them.”
“That was mostly you,” Taylor said.
“I know,” Eric agreed. “That’s why I’m hoping that he’ll come to me if he’s hungry enough.” He tossed the salt block from hand to hand. “It probably won’t work.”
“It’s worth a try,” Taylor encouraged him.
“Come on,” Eric said. “We’ll go now.”
Prince Albert was still saddled from the lesson. Eric quickly tacked up Jojo, and together they walked the horses toward the upper pasture. “How are you doing with your jumping?” Eric asked as they traveled side by side.
“Keith has taught me a lot. I have one more lesson with him. He says we’ll only jump. I’m still knocking over rails left and right. I don’t know if I’ll be ready for the competition.”
“I can work with you this afternoon, if you’d like,” Eric offered.
“That would be so great!” Taylor cried. “Are you sure you have the time?”
“Sure.”
“But what about Plum? I’m competing against her, and she doesn’t care who wins, as long as it’s not me.”
Eric wrinkled his forehead in a skeptical expression. “Do you think she’s really that set against you?”
“Yes,” Taylor insisted. “Why else was she competing at the beginner level when I was a beginner? Now that I’m moving up, she’s moving up. Don’t you find that odd?”
“I think it’s a coincidence,” Eric said evenly.
Taylor didn’t want to argue this point anymore. Plum was Eric’s cousin, after all. “Maybe it is a coincidence,” she conceded, though, in her heart, she didn’t believe that for a second.
When they got to the pasture, they dismounted. Eric had brought some wire in his plastic bag, and he used it to fasten the block to one of the fence posts. “I’ll sit here for a while every day as quietly as I can and hope Spots shows up,” Eric explained. “If I can get a rope around his neck, maybe I can lead him back to the stable.”
Once the block was set up, they remounted and sat in their saddles for a while in silence, waiting and hoping, while Jojo and Prince Albert nibbled the grass. Prince Albert sputtered occasionally and looked around, seeming not quite sure what all the waiting was for.
The sky slowly took on a purple tint as the sun dropped lower in the sky. Taylor shivered, gazing at the woods where the trees swayed in the wind. She had serious doubts about the chances of this plan working, but as long as Eric wanted to try it, she’d stick with him.
“If a deer comes out, how will we know it’s Spots?” she asked him.
“I’ll know,” Eric assured her. “I’ll just know.”
They waited for almost a half hour before Eric suggested they return to the stable.
“We can try again tomorrow,” Taylor suggested.
When they were almost in front of the main building, Taylor saw that her mother’s car was parked in front. As Taylor led Prince Albert into the main building, past Mrs. LeFleur’s office, she looked through the door window into the room. Her mother was inside showing Mrs. LeFleur pictures of the various parties and events she had catered.
“She wants Mrs. LeFleur to hire her for the winter carnival,” Taylor explained to Eric, who came alongside her. He was
leading Jojo and stopped to peer into the office with Taylor.
“That’s going to be fun,” Eric commented.
Plum’s voice reached them from Shafir’s stall. “I know. I know. You’re right. She’s so odd.” Plum seemed to be on her cell phone with a friend. “Get this … they’re letting her teach lessons here. Can you believe it? She barely rides herself!”
Taylor tapped Eric’s shoulder and pointed toward Shafir’s stall — just in case he hadn’t realized that Plum was talking about her.
“I know she beat me,” Plum continued, “but that was just because this crazy horse I lease is so out of control. The trainers here are so terrible. They let the horse do whatever it wants.”
At this, Taylor’s jaw dropped, and her eyes went wide with indignation. Daphne and Mercedes had trained Shafir. They’d brought her from being a gorgeous wild creature to an agreeable and responsive tame horse without breaking her spirit — and they’d taken over Shafir’s training just so Plum wouldn’t ruin her by pressing her too hard and being too harsh.
“Don’t worry,” Plum told her friend. “I’ll beat her this time. I’ve been working with Shafir day and night. I’ve got this horse doing exactly what I want this time. I just can’t stand a scruffy little nobody like Taylor Henry winning horse events. Horseback riding is for people like us.”
Taylor thumped Eric’s arm. “See? What did I tell you?”
“Wow,” Eric said softly. “I had no idea. Wow.”
* * *
That night Taylor sat at her kitchen table, still fuming over Plum’s words. She stabbed the piece of pot roast on her plate with her fork, flipped it over, and stabbed it again.
Her mother watched her from across the table. “You have to try to forget about it, Taylor. You know how she is.”
“A scruffy little nobody,” Taylor grumbled. “A scruffy little nobody.”
“Are you?” Jennifer asked.
“Am I what?”
“A scruffy little nobody.”
What was her mother talking about? “Of course not!”
“Well, then.”
“Well, what?” Taylor exploded. Did her mother think it was even possible that Plum was right? What was she trying to get at?
“You know it’s not true, so don’t let it bother you,” Jennifer advised.
Taylor considered this for a moment. “Easy for you to say,” she grumbled. “Nobody called you that.”
“How do you think I felt when I got laid off?” Jennifer challenged.
“You were the last hired — so the first fired. Except I know you weren’t fired, you were laid off. So that’s not like being called a nobody.”
“It still made me feel like a nobody,” Jennifer said. “Don’t you think that part of me feels that if they really valued all the hard work I did over there, they never would have let me go?”
“I guess,” Taylor replied. She hadn’t given it much thought.
“It hurt my feelings,” her mother added. “So I know how you feel. But I know I did my best, so I can’t let it bother me.”
“But it still does bother you,” Taylor pointed out. She could tell it did from the look on her mother’s face.
Jennifer’s face broke into a gentle smile. “It does. I have to admit it.”
“See?” Taylor said.
“I know,” her mother allowed. “But I’m trying not to let it bother me because I know better. And you should know better, too. If ever there was anybody who is not a nobody — it’s you.”
Taylor and her mother stretched across the table and hugged. “Don’t let Plum get you down,” Jennifer said.
“I won’t,” Taylor said. “Plum is the pits. Get it? Plum pits?”
Jennifer shoved her playfully. “How about an ice cream soda?” she suggested.
“Great idea!” Taylor cheered. “A root beer float with chocolate ice cream?”
“You got it,” Jennifer said, standing.
“So, are you going to cater the winter carnival?” Taylor had been so angry and insulted by Plum that she hadn’t even asked.
“No. Mrs. LeFleur said she can’t afford a caterer for this event,” Jennifer said as she took the ice cream from the freezer. “But she’s going to allow me to sell some of my pies and cookies at the carnival and to distribute flyers advertising my business.”
“That’s almost as good,” Taylor commented.
“I think it is,” Jennifer agreed.
There was a knock on the side kitchen door, and Claire let herself in. Bunny’s toenails clicked across the floor as she scampered in ahead of Claire.
“You’re just in time for ice cream floats,” Taylor greeted her.
“I’ve always had excellent timing,” Claire joked, sitting at the table. “How did your talk with Mrs. LeFleur go?” she asked Taylor’s mom.
“I’ll have a booth selling some of my food and advertising.”
“Once they taste your cooking, you’ll have more business than you can handle,” Claire assured her.
“I didn’t forget you, either,” Jennifer added. “I asked if you could have a spot to try to adopt out some of your stray cats and dogs. Mrs. LeFleur said sure.”
“Awesome!” Claire cried happily. “You are the best friend ever. Can you help me with that, Taylor?”
“I’ll help you both,” Taylor offered. “Though I might have to also do pony rides.”
“No problem,” Jennifer and Claire said at the same time, which made the three of them laugh. Taylor was feeling much better — and the ice cream soda her mother set in front of her was definitely going to help put her right on track again, too.
Maybe this was the time to ask for the fee money for the Ross River Ranch event.
“You know how I have this job now, giving riding instructions at Wildwood?” Taylor began. “I started today. I get half of whatever Mrs. LeFleur earns on the lesson.”
“That’s so great!” Claire said enthusiastically.
“I’m proud of you, honey, but how is this going to affect your schoolwork?” Jennifer added cautiously.
“It won’t. I promise it won’t,” Taylor pledged. “The thing is, I’m earning money now, so I’d pay you back.” She pulled fifteen dollars from her back pocket. “I earned this today, but …”
“You need more than that to enter the Ross River Ranch event,” her mom finished her sentence for her. “How much?”
“I need thirty-five more dollars,” Taylor revealed sheepishly.
Her mother sat for a moment, her face blank. It was almost as if she hadn’t heard Taylor.
Taylor looked to Claire. Was her mother all right?
Claire just held up a finger, indicating that Taylor should wait.
“Yes,” Jennifer said at last. “Yes, okay.” She got up and went to the kitchen cabinet beside the sink and reached up to the highest shelf. Standing on her toes, she strained to pull out a jar. Unscrewing the lid, she pulled out a twenty, a ten, and a five, and set down the empty jar. “Here you go,” she said, handing Taylor the money.
“Thanks, Mom. I’ll pay you back. I promise,” Taylor said.
Jennifer waved her away. “This one is on me. Save your money, though. After this, you’re responsible for your own entry fees.”
Taylor got up and gave her mother a quick hug. “I’m going to do my homework right now, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Good girl,” her mom said. “And don’t get on the phone with Travis.”
“I won’t, really.”
As Taylor hurried from the kitchen she heard her mother and Claire discussing what different foods Jennifer might sell at the winter carnival. Hurrying to her room, she scooped her backpack off the floor and took out her books. She decided to tackle her math homework first, just to get it out of the way before she got too tired.
Two hours later, Taylor yawned widely and shut her earth science textbook. Stretching, she decided to grab a quick snack to eat before going to sleep.
Taylor knew her
mother had gone to bed because she’d stopped in to say good night about an hour earlier. The lights were off in the living room, and only the stove light illuminated the kitchen in its soft glow.
Taylor poured Sugar Pops and milk into a bowl. She was sitting down to eat it when she noticed that her mother had left the empty money jar on the counter. She noticed it had a label and got up to see what it said. The words NEW WINTER JACKET SAVINGS were written on a white label.
Quickly picturing the jacket her mother had been wearing since the weather had gotten colder, Taylor realized she’d seen her in that old navy blue pea jacket for as long as she could remember. Had she had the same jacket for all of Taylor’s life?
Her mother had given her all the money she’d saved toward buying herself a new winter jacket. Her generosity caused a lump to form in Taylor’s throat.
Well, it was only a loan, Taylor decided. She would give lessons and pay every bit of it back. She’d be the best horseback instructor anyone had ever seen.
Great work!” Keith Hobbes praised Taylor from the center of the ring. “You can walk and relax now.”
Taylor wiped the sweat from her brow and gave Gracie, the roan horse she was riding, a pat on the neck. English riding was a lot of fun, but also a lot of work! Her thighs burned from posting, both with and without stirrups, and from riding around the ring in two-point.
It was so nice to be able to ride weekly in a heated, indoor ring. Wildwood Stables couldn’t afford to heat an indoor ring, let alone construct one.
“So, Taylor,” Keith said as she rode by, “this is your last lesson. Will you be coming back after this?”
Taylor chewed on her lip and admitted, “I don’t know. The only way I can afford to keep riding here is if I win the next competition. And that’s a bit of a stretch.”
“So win it,” Keith stated matter-of-factly. “Are you saying you’re not confident in your riding?”
“Well, not in the higher levels. The jumps are bigger, and the other people in the competition have been doing this way longer than I have.”
“What we’ve been practicing in lessons is what the judges will ask you to do in the ring. There is nothing there that you haven’t done here. I think you stand a very good chance of winning, or at the very least placing.”
