by Chris Platt
“How is she?” Meloney leaned forward and ran her hand along Astra’s neck. “I can’t believe she went downhill so fast. Charlie feels really bad about the whole thing.”
Lily sat with Astra’s head in her lap, frowning at the mention of Charlie’s name. She couldn’t help blaming him.
Meloney shifted to a more comfortable position. “I’m not sticking up for the guy, but it could have happened to any of us. I let Jasper stop to eat and drink not far from where Charlie and Astra were. It could be Jasper lying here now instead of Astra.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Lily said. “Astra’s going to get better. She deserves a little more time to see if we can figure out a way to save her. Maybe there’s a medicine Dr. Tison hasn’t tried yet.”
“Is it true that Mr. Henley gave you Astra, and you stopped them from putting her down?” Meloney asked, a note of awe in her voice.
Smiling, Lily pulled Astra’s papers from her coat pocket and showed them to her friend. “My mom would be really happy. She wouldn’t have let them put Astra down either. Mr. Henley thinks I’m doing the wrong thing, but I know Astra can make it. She’s fighting for her life.”
“So what are you going to do?” Meloney asked. “What’s your dad going to say when he finds out?”
Lily bit her lip. She hadn’t thought about her father’s reaction in a while—she’d been too concerned about Astra. He wouldn’t be happy when he found out that the mare was now hers.
A knock sounded on the stall door and Dr. Tison peered in. “How’s the patient doing?”
“She moved a little bit,” Lily said hopefully.
Meloney stood and dusted off her pants, but Lily stayed where she was. The vet let himself into the stall, his brow creased in concern. He turned to Meloney.
“Do you mind if I have a few minutes with Lily?” he asked.
Meloney gave Lily an encouraging smile and left the stall.
Dr. Tison knelt down next to Lily. She swallowed hard at the grim look on his face.
“Lily, I want you to know that I’m doing my best,” Dr. Tison said. “But sometimes, our best isn’t good enough. There’s not much left I can do. I thought we’d try another IV drip on her. She could use the fluids and another dose of medicine, but I think we’re chasing rainbows.”
Lily turned away, ordering herself not to cry. She felt the warmth of Astra’s head in her lap and saw the shallow rise and fall of the mare’s rib cage. Astra was still here and she wasn’t in pain. That meant there was hope, didn’t it?
“She was a good mare,” the vet said. “And she meant a lot to you and your mother, so it’s worth a try. But if we don’t see an improvement in a couple more hours, you need to think seriously about letting her go. At that point, it would be cruel to keep her going.” He leaned over and gave her an encouraging hug. “I know your mother wouldn’t want that, and neither do you.”
Dr. Tison stood and reached for the medical supplies he’d brought into the stall with him. Lily gently lifted Astra’s head, and moved to the corner so the vet could work unhindered.
Lily watched him run the IV and thought about all the medical care Astra would need if she pulled through this. What had she gotten herself into? Where would she get the money to pay the vet? Her father certainly didn’t have it. Neither did her grandmother. And her dad definitely wouldn’t pay for anything having to do with Astra.
“Dr. Tison, I don’t know how I’m going to pay for this,” she said in a small voice. “I’ve only saved up eighty dollars from my allowance, but you can have it.” She scuffed at the stall floor with the toe of her boot. “I’ll get a job doing something. I’ll find a way to pay you. I promise. You’ve got to help her.”
Dr. Tison put a stethoscope to Astra’s rib cage, listening to her heart. “Let’s work at making her well first. Then we’ll worry about who’s paying and how much, okay?” He hung the IV bag on a nail in the wall. “It’s going to take about an hour for all of this to run through. Why don’t you go home and rest up?”
Lily thought about the ugly scene that was sure to take place when she told her dad she now owned Astra. It would be easier to stay here at the barn and not deal with her father, but she knew she’d have to do it sooner or later. Better he heard it from her. She nodded to the vet and let herself out of the stall. “Please take good care of her.”
“I’ll do my best, Lily, but I can’t promise you she won’t pass while you’re gone,” Dr. Tison said. “I can only promise you that I won’t euthanize her. She’s hung on this long. I don’t think another hour will make a difference.”
Meloney, who was still waiting outside, followed Lily down the barn aisle. “Jasper is ready to go home. We can walk you home if you want.”
Lily nodded. “Okay, but there’s something I’ve got to do first.” She went in search of Mr. Henley and found him in Contina’s stall. “Mr. Henley, sir?” She shoved her hands into her jeans pockets. “I know you don’t approve of what I’m doing, but this is something I have to do…for my mom and Astra and me.”
Mr. Henley looked at her over the top of Contina’s back and nodded. “I don’t agree with your outlook on Astra’s chances for survival, Lily, but I do understand.”
The ranch owner went back to brushing Contina. “And I know it took a lot of courage to come and tell me that,” he said. “Thank you.”
Lily took that as her cue to leave. She nodded and hurried out of the barn to find Meloney and Jasper. Her friend pulled on the bay gelding’s reins and they walked together toward Lily’s house.
“What are you going to tell your dad?” Meloney asked.
Lily sighed. “I guess there’s nothing I can do but tell him the truth.”
“He won’t let you keep her,” Meloney predicted. “Especially since it’s Astra.” She shook her head. “You’re in major trouble.”
“Thanks a lot, Ms. Obvious,” Lily said. She saw Meloney’s shoulders slump and instantly felt bad for snipping at her friend. Meloney had her best interests at heart. “I’m sorry, Mel. I’m just tired and worried.”
Meloney gave her a smile over her shoulder. “No, I’m sorry. I know how rotten you must be feeling. I need to learn to keep my mouth shut sometimes.” She turned Jasper down Lily’s driveway and stopped at the front door. “Do you want me to come in with you?” she offered. “Maybe your dad won’t yell much if you have company.”
“Thanks,” Lily said. “But I think I better handle this one alone. Besides,” she added with a grin, “I don’t want any witnesses when I get chewed out times ten.”
“Well, I sure hope you don’t get grounded for life,” Meloney said, picking up the reins.
Lily made a shooing motion with her hands. “If I do, you’ll have to take care of Astra for me and ride her in the Tevis Cup.” She ran up the porch stairs and paused on the top step. “I’ll call you if I can and let you know what happens,” she said.
“Good luck, Lil. I’ll keep my cell phone on.” Meloney turned Jasper and they trotted down the driveway.
Mustering her courage, Lily pushed open the door and stepped inside. The house smelled like bacon and eggs.
“Is that you, Lily?” her grandmother’s voice called.
“Yeah, Grams, it’s me.” She took her boots off in the hallway and hung her coat on the hook. She glanced at the clock. Nine fifteen. So much had happened since sunrise.
“Your father and I are eating breakfast. Come in and have a bite with us and tell us what the big to-do is at the Henley place,” Grams said.
From the hallway, Lily could hear her grandmother taking out another plate. She was probably loading it with crisp bacon and fluffy eggs, not knowing that Lily wouldn’t be able to stomach a bite of it. Lily stood there for a few moments longer, not sure what she would tell her dad. What could she say that wouldn’t throw him into a fit? Hi, Dad. I know you don’t like horses and really don’t want me anywhere near them, but we’re now the proud owners of an Arabian endurance mare. So get used to the idea, okay?
“Hurry up, Flower, your breakfast is getting cold,” her father called to her.
Lily walked into the kitchen and took her place at the table. Just as she suspected, her grandma had loaded her plate with scrambled eggs. She pushed them around with her fork for a while, listening to her dad make small talk. She took a big bite of bacon, hoping they wouldn’t see how nervous she was.
“So, Lily,” Grams said. “What was the big excitement at the Henley place this morning? Anything to do with your favorite horse?”
The bacon suddenly lodged in Lily’s throat, refusing to go down. She grabbed her glass of milk and took several big swallows. “Astra’s sick and she’s in big trouble,” Lily blurted out, as soon as she could speak. “Dr. Tison’s not even sure what happened, but she may…die.” Lily nearly choked again.
Her dad paused mid-chew. “I’m really sorry to hear that, Lily. I know how much you care about that horse.”
Lily’s head jerked up in surprise at her father’s compassionate tone. Now was the time to deliver the news, she decided. If she were lucky, she wouldn’t be grounded for the rest of her life. Maybe just half of it.
Six
Lily winced as her father’s fork clattered to the table. “What do you mean, he gave you Astra?” Her father’s eyes bulged with disbelief. “You can’t just give somebody a horse. Especially that one! It’s not like giving away a puppy or a kitten.”
“Now, Daniel,” Grams said. “Calm down for a minute, please. I’m sure we can figure this out.”
Lily stared at the table. She should have just kept quiet and figured out another way to tell her dad.
“What part of no more horses didn’t you understand, Lily?” Her father ran a hand over his face. “We discussed this. You know the rules.”
Lily folded her hands in her lap, willing the tears to stay behind her eyes. “I didn’t ask for her.” Lily thought her voice sounded small and unsure, but she pressed on. “Mr. Henley gave her to me because he thinks she’s dying, and he thought it would make me happy to own her for a little while.” Lily looked her father in the eye while she reached into her pocket for Astra’s papers and laid them on the table. “Mom would have been happy for me.”
She pushed her chair back from the table and ran to her room, barely making it to the bed before sobs tore from her throat. Burying her head under her pillow, she let the tears soak the sheets. It was so unfair! All of it…her mother, her dad’s unreasonable demands, losing Astra.
Lily felt a weight lower onto the bed beside her. It was so like her grandma to come comfort her when she felt sad. But the weight next to her was too heavy to be her grandmother. She was startled when she realized it was her father.
“I’m sorry, Lily.” He patted her shoulder. “My first reaction to that news wasn’t very good. I just spoke to Mr. Henley on the phone and he told me all about it. I’m still not happy about this, but this isn’t a good time to argue about it. I think you’d better get back over there.”
Lily sat up and rubbed her sleeve across her eyes, sniffing back the excess tears. “Is Astra okay?”
Her father shrugged. “In her case, I’m not really sure what you’d call okay. But Dr. Tison said she’s still hanging in there.” He stood and stretched. “Come on, I’ll get my keys and take you back to the barn.”
Surprised by her dad’s understanding, Lily swung her feet over the side of the bed and stood on wobbly legs. “Everyone thinks she’s going to die,” she said. Now that she’d uttered the words out loud, her legs felt even more unsteady.
Her father put an arm around her shoulder and directed her to the doorway. “Let’s just wait and see what happens. If Astra makes it through this, we’ll sit down and discuss how we’re going to deal with it.”
Lily felt herself brighten. Discussing it was a start.
“Don’t get your hopes up too much, kiddo,” her father warned. “I haven’t changed my mind on this matter. I don’t want you riding. If Astra makes it, we’ll have to talk to Mr. Henley and see if he’ll take her back. Even if I were okay with having another horse, you know we couldn’t afford it right now. Things have been really tough since your mom died.”
Lily felt her new hopes plummet to the ground, collecting around her feet like dead leaves from a winter tree. She needed to forget about the what-ifs. For now she needed to concentrate on Astra making it through the day.
Lily stepped from the warm truck, her breath frosting the air. She waved good-bye to her father and headed toward the barn. Dr. Tison’s pickup was still parked out front. Anxious to hear what he had to say, she hurried to the door.
Lily’s dad rolled down his window. “Lily? Can you come back here for a moment?”
She stopped and walked back to the truck.
“Despite how I feel about this horse, and this whole situation, I do understand how important Astra is to you.” He paused and looked at her for several moments. “Are you going to be okay if the mare doesn’t make it?”
Her father’s words warmed her heart, but Lily frowned anyway. Would she be okay? Losing Astra wouldn’t be anything like it had been when she lost her mother. A horse wasn’t the same as a parent. But it would be a lot more pain than she wanted to deal with. “We won’t have to worry about that,” Lily told her father firmly. “She’s going to make it.” She turned back to the barn, waving over her shoulder as her dad put the truck in reverse and backed away.
Once inside the barn, she went straight to Astra’s stall. The vet stood outside the door. “How’s she doing?” Lily asked, poking her head over the door. She scanned the mare for signs of stress in her breathing.
Dr. Tison let himself out of the stall and leaned on the door with Lily. “Well, with your extra-special care, she’s still hanging in there. I’m going to keep trying.”
Lily stood quietly for several moments and then turned to the vet. “They say people in a coma can still hear you. Do you think Astra can hear me when I talk to her?”
“I think she probably can,” the vet said, sounding tired. It was only three o’clock, but he’d been here since five in the morning. “Maybe you should go brush her up and talk to her again. I’ll check on some of the other horses. Might as well while I’m here.”
Grabbing the brush bucket, Lily let herself into the stall. “Hey, girl.” She knelt in the bedding beside the mare and ran her hand lovingly down the long, gray neck. It might have been her imagination, but Lily could have sworn that Astra seemed to relax and breathe easier.
She picked up a soft brush, running it over the mare’s coat, flicking away the dirt and bedding. What would she do tomorrow when she was expected to be in school? No way would her dad let her skip classes to be with Astra. She placed her hand on the mare’s neck. It seemed cooler to her touch. A flicker of hope zipped through Lily’s insides. “Dr. Tison?” she called down the shed row.
The vet was by her side in a moment. “What is it, Lily?”
She ran her hands over the rest of Astra’s body. Yes, she definitely felt cooler. Did that mean she was getting better? “I think her fever is breaking.”
Dr. Tison took the thermometer from his pocket and took Astra’s temperature. He held it to the light to read it. “Yep. Looks like she’s come down almost two degrees.”
“What does that mean?” Lily asked anxiously.
Dr. Tison grabbed his stethoscope and listened to Astra’s breathing. “Well, without new blood work I can’t be sure,” he said. “She might be getting better—or it’s possible that some of her organs are starting to shut down.”
Lily felt like someone had just punched her in the stomach. “Shutting down?”
“We can do more blood work, but I don’t think it’ll do any good,” Dr. Tison answered. “Mr. Henley won’t put any more money into her, and I don’t think your dad would be willing to pay for it, either. Besides, it would take a while for the results to come back. We’ll just have to wait and see. In a few more hours, she’ll either be better, or she’ll be go
ne.”
Lily knew the vet was right. There was no sense in doing more tests.
“I’ve done everything I can, Lily.” Dr. Tison began putting his equipment back in the medical bag. “The rest is up to Astra. I’m going to go see some other patients. I’ll be back to check on Astra in two hours.”
The veterinarian closed his bag and looked Lily straight in the eye. She felt the weight of his words all the way down to her toes.
“When I return, if Astra isn’t better, you need to be prepared to do the right thing.” He turned and walked down the shed row toward the exit.
The right thing? Lily raised her brows and pondered the vet’s words for a moment. Wasn’t she doing the right thing now by keeping Astra alive? But deep in her heart she knew what Dr. Tison meant. She tried to prepare herself mentally for the two-hour wait.
She situated herself again so Astra’s head lay in her lap. She spoke soft, encouraging words to the horse while running her hands over the mare’s perfectly dished face and neck. “Spring is coming, and I know how you love to run through the fields and graze on all that new grass. Just hang in there and get stronger and you’ll get your chance to do it again. I know you’re getting better, girl. Just, please…” Lily’s voice cracked. “Please give me some sort of sign that you’re improving so we’ve got something to show Dr. Tison when he comes back.”
The door rattled and Lily looked up to see Charlie entering the stall. Her cheeks turned pink when she realized that he’d probably heard her private words to Astra. She lifted her chin and waited for some smart-aleck comment. Instead, he grabbed the feed bucket from the corner and turned it upside down to sit on, looking very sad.
Charlie stayed there for several moments, not saying a word. He just stared at the prone mare, unwilling to meet Lily’s eyes. Lily shifted uncomfortably. She wasn’t sure what to say to him, either, so she let the silence stretch out between them.
“I’m really sorry, Lily.” Charlie’s voice was so quiet, she could barely hear it. “Astra is going to die, and it’s all my fault. I know she’s your favorite.” He grabbed a stem of hay out of the feeder and picked at it, still refusing to look at Lily.
