Southern Belle's Special Gift

by Marsha Hubler

  Morgan parked at the side of the bed, and Skye flopped across the fluffy new bedspread trimmed with fancy lilac-colored lace. Bears flew everywhere!

  “P-l-e-a-s-e!” Tanya spun around and griped like a grumpy librarian. “I spent hours fixing this dinky room! Go flop in your own rooms! In here, you sit softly, if you don’t mind. This pathetic hole might only be a pittance of my own bedroom, but it will be neat. Now pick those bears up off the floor. “ She hurried to the bed and painstakingly rearranged every bear.

  “Duh—excuse me!” Skye yawned, taking her time picking up a few bears from the floor. Tossing them on the bed, she slid cautiously onto the edge. “Hey, we barely know you, and you can hardly bear us!” she said with a chuckle.

  “Skye, you are too funny!” Morgan giggled so hard she held her sides.

  Skye felt her face flush. She placed her hands over her mouth to suppress the string of giggles locked inside. Finally, her snicker exploded.

  “V-e-r-y funny.” A stingy smile escaped from Tanya’s lips. “I should think that one of the ridiculous rules of this place would be to respect other people’s property. I’m sure I heard that somewhere in that list Mr. Chambers read last night. Boring!” Like a queen at her throne, Tanya sat on a padded chair next to the desk, watching every move the visitors made.

  “Hey, it was your idea to come here,” Skye said. Without thinking, she picked up a fuzzy blue bear, and Tanya glared holes through her. Back down on the bed the bear went. “Besides, everybody has rules. We probably have a few zillion more because Keystone is licensed by the state and has regulations—and horses.”

  “Yeah,” Morgan agreed. “Our safety is important to Mr. and Mrs. C. They’re also into our homework and test scores in school—big time.”

  Tanya’s eyes focused on Morgan’s wheelchair. “Hey, I’ve been wanting to know how come you’re in that thing.”

  “Cerebral palsy,” Morgan answered, “and it’s not a thing. It’s a Jazzy, and I do just fine in this thing, thank you. Hey Tanya, how do you feel about starting at Madison next Monday? I mean, that’s a little red schoolhouse compared to your fancy academy in Philly. And what are you doing with all these books?” Her glance swept the room.

  “Hello! I read them,” Tanya sassed. “What do you do with your books? Make paper airplanes? Use them as firewood? As soon as the man puts my shelves together, these books will be lined up in alphabetical order and ready for business. I brought only my favorites with me. I still have hundreds at home.”

  Skye surveyed the room and decided there were hundreds in this room as well. “So that’s what you’ve been doin’ the last two days. And, duh, of course we read books, but not by the dozens. You must really, really like to read. And just in case you’re interested, I think there are about 120 kids in your eighth grade at Madison. Oh, and one of them is Robin Ward. You just gotta meet her. She’s too cool.”

  Tanya busied herself rearranging the books on the desk. “At Ridgecrest Academy I had only a few choice friends. It depends on what your hang-ups are, and the things you like and all that get you together with other kids. I’ll clue you in right now. Winning the Miss Friendship Award is not one of my goals at Madison. I have other things to occupy my mind. Nine times out of ten, I choose to spend time with me. I have my books and mp3 player—well—just my books here. How do you cope with not listening to rock and rap? I’ll go out of my mind!”

  “Like, that’s it? Reading?” asked Skye. “Don’t you have any hobbies? Like sports or playing an instrument or—yeah, like riding horses? You’re living with some now, just in case you haven’t noticed.”

  “I hate horses! They stink! I hope I never have to go near them again,” Tanya complained.

  “Oh, this oughta be real good,” Skye said. “You’re living at Keystone Stables, and you don’t wanna be near horses? Tanya, something tells me your brain was in smarts withdrawal. Everybody who lives here learns to ride—and helps with barn chores.”

  “Not me! They can’t make me,” Tanya smarted off. “Trust me! My mother will stop it. All I have to do is cry in front of her.”

  “Well, we’ll just see,” Skye informed her.

  “‘Why don’t you like horses?” Morgan asked.

  “Man, you guys are nosy. What is this, the third degree?” Tanya stood, shoved the chair sharply against the desk, hurried to the door, and then flung it open. “Just leave me alone!”

  Chapter three

  Saturday afternoon, between Tanya’s griping about the food and the size of her “pathetic” room, Skye managed to show her the rest of Keystone Stables. Although a touch of fresh snow was swirling and dancing with the wind, the sun in the deep blue sky helped thaw things out enough for the girls to go on a short tour on the four-wheeler.

  The girls wrapped up in clothes that easily would have taken them to the top of Mount Everest. Moving like starched dolls, they put helmets and goggles on. Skye promised, promised, promised to drive slowly and safely. Tanya griped her way onto the back of the four-wheeler, and they took off down the road along the fenced pasture. Skye showed her the picnic grove, trails through the woods, Piney Hollow, and the magnificent view of Shade Valley from the hill behind the barn. In about a half hour, they pulled up in front of the barn, their faces fiery red from the cutting wind.

  Tanya slid off the four-wheeler and yanked off her helmet. “No swimming pool! What do you do all summer? Play in traffic?”

  “Tanya, just take it easy, okay?” Skye snapped. She took off her helmet, hanging it and Tanya’s on the handlebars. A wisp of wind played with Skye’s hair, forcing her to control the long strands with her hands, then she leaned back against the four-wheeler seat. “You’re not even here a week, and you’ve griped about anything and everything. It’s gonna be a long, lousy year if you don’t find something that you can crack a smile about. There’s lots to do around here, especially in the summer. We have picnics and the horses—oh, yeah, you aren’t into them. And we can swim in the pond. Then there’s the Snyder County Fair with its cool horse show. You already know about that from living with your aunt.”

  “Swimming in that dirty old hole?” Tanya pointed to the bottom of the field. “You’ll see me ride a horse first! Picnics? This city girl can hardly wait.”

  “Exactly what did you expect to find here? The Taj Mahal? This is country, girl. We get out lots during the week. There’s church, the mall, and—hey, we do have a library in town.”

  Tanya snickered, took off her goggles, and hung them with her helmet. “Library, yeah, right. It’s about as big as my bedroom.”

  “How about the Barnes and Noble behind the mall?”

  “Yeah, I remember that.” Tanya cracked a weak smile. “Now we’re talking. At least I can get my hands on some decent books. And one more thing. Tell me I didn’t hear you say church.”

  “Yep. We go every Sunday, and it’s so cool. Our teen group is called ‘Youth for Truth,’ and we do all kinds of neat things. We have pizza parties, go bowling, and once a month everybody comes here to our game room. We go on trips and have retreats a few times a year. Now there’s a bunch of really cool kids. Robin’s in the group, and Melissa Richards, and Chad Dressler!” Skye’s face flared hot despite the frigid wind.

  Tanya shivered, pulled her hood up, and buttoned it around her head. “Aw, stuff like that doesn’t interest me in the least. And church? I can take it or leave it. My real gram used to take me when I was a kid, but I haven’t been there since Mother and Father adopted me. They’re too busy with work and all. Just give me a couple good books and a room like a tomb, and I’m happy. Of course, now and then, I do like a good party. You know what I mean, Skye?” Tanya bounced her eyebrows.

  Skye took her goggles off and hung them on the handlebars. “This wind’s turning me into an ice cube. Let’s go into the barn. It’s chore time anyway. And remember, no bubble popping or shouting in there. It spooks the horses. As far as partying goes, your kind of parties won’t fly around here.”


  “But I’m not dumb enough to get caught.”

  Skye started toward the barn. “Tanya, don’t be stupid. You can’t pull anything like that around here. Mom and Dad have eyes in the back of their heads. And Mom’s called The Bloodhound at Maranatha. She can sniff out trouble like Deputy Dawg on a bunny trail. By the way, don’t forget about Maranatha. You’ll have counseling there after school every day. Mom and the other counselors know how to get inside your head, so you might as well spill the beans as soon as you show your face. It’s a lot less painful. They probably know exactly why you’ve been lifting all that stuff, even if you don’t.”

  “There’s no reason,” Tanya said, following Skye into the barn. “I just do it.”

  “There’s got to be a reason. There’s a reason for everything we do—good or bad. Which brings me to the reason why we have chores to do in the barn.”

  “Skye, I told you I’m not doing any chores around these stinking horses, so you can forget it.”

  “Then you’re gonna get g-r-o-u-n-d-e-d, big time!”

  “That will fit into my life like the last piece of an awesome puzzle,” Tanya said, sneering. “Grounded from what? Watching the grass grow? I can’t think of anything better than hiding in my bedroom with all my favorite books. Let them ground me!”

  Skye grabbed a pitchfork off the barn wall and shoved the handle into Tanya’s arms. “Here! Hold that!” she said sharply. “I need to get the wheelbarrow! Tell me one thing, Tanya. Why did you come here anyway?”

  “I needed time to think,” she said smugly.

  “Looks like you’re gonna think yourself into stone,” Skye said as she grabbed a wheelbarrow from one corner. She took the pitchfork from Tanya and laid it across the wheelbarrow. “Anyway, let me show you the horses, one by one. Maybe one of them will wink at you the right way. And let me tell you loud and clear, you will learn to ride one. It probably won’t be until spring when all the snow is gone, but as sure as you can read, you will learn to ride.”

  “We’ll just see,” Tanya spewed out.

  “Yeah, we’ll just see all right,” Skye said. She gave Tanya the horse tour of her life, starting with Skye’s pride and joy, Champ. Visiting five other stalls, Skye pulled Tanya by her coat sleeve to the half-open Dutch doors and introduced each horse. Tanya refused to touch the animals or even step close. She tsked until Skye thought Tanya’s tongue would tsk out of her mouth. At the sixth stall, a dark reddish-brown horse with a white strip on its face popped its head out and whinnied. Tanya jumped back like she had been struck by lightning. “I’m outta here!” she said, backing away. “That noise grosses me out.”

  “C’mere, silly,” Skye said. “She’s only saying hi. There’s something really special about this horse. Did you ever see a pregnant one?”

  “Pregnant?” Tanya squeaked out and took one step forward. “I never thought of horses being pregnant. Hmm, I guess they’re not hatched from eggs, are they?”

  Skye giggled and pulled Tanya closer. “Not hardly. This is Southern Belle, our chestnut Morgan mare. Dad got her at auction a couple months ago for a good price. Look at her tummy.”

  “Her name is Bell, like mine? Cool,” Tanya took another cautious step forward. She peered into the stall, focusing on the mare’s huge barrel. “Wow! She looks like she’s ready to explode! I never knew horses got so big! And what does chestnut Morgan mean?”

  The Bambi eyes of the horse studied Tanya intently. The horse pitched her ears forward, listening to the strange, new voice.

  Skye stroked the soft, velvety nose. “Chestnut means she’s a dark reddish brown with no black on her anywhere. And Morgan means the kind of breed she is. A Morgan has a short stocky build and real thick neck. And right now, Belle has a real stocky build.”

  “Is she going to have twins or triplets? She’s so big!”

  “Nah, there’s only one in there. Horses usually have only one at a time. She’s gonna foal in May, the vet said. He’s a little worried, though. He told Dad the other day that he didn’t think Belle had good care before we got her. She was super underweight. She’s starting to look half decent now, but the vet’s still worried.”

  “Worried about what?” Tanya’s voice expressed a budding concern.

  “Well, that she or the foal might not make it. We’ve been giving her the best hay and oats, and all kinds of vitamins. Horses are the same as humans when it comes to needing the right food to have a healthy baby.”

  Skye’s glance shifted to Tanya who stood entrenched in her thoughts. “Go on. Pet her,” Skye said. “She won’t bite.”

  Slowly, Tanya inched her hand toward Belle, who responded with an accepting nicker.

  Tanya jumped back. Finally, her face covered in determination, she stretched two fingers forward and stroked the soft velvety nose as though it were made of glass. “She—she’s beautiful,” Tanya whispered. Then she pressed her entire hand on Belle’s nose. “I’ll take care of her,” she suddenly announced. “She’s got to make it. She’s just got to.”

  Chapter four

  Mrs. Chambers, the three girls, and Tip and Ty had joined Mr. Chambers in the living room for evening devotions, which was an important part of the daily routine at Keystone Stables.

  “Tanya, tell us a little about yourself,” Mr. Chambers said, placing his open Bible on his lap. His brown mustache twitched as he smiled from ear to ear.

  “There’s nothing to tell,” Tanya said with her head down. Sitting next to Skye on the sofa, Tanya super slumped and started another fingernail study. “I was born, Mom died, I lived with Gram and Aunt Barb, and now I live with the Bells. That’s all. No big deal.” She never looked up.

  Mrs. Chambers opened her Bible and ruffled some pages. “Oh, but your life is a big deal, Tanya, especially to God. Listen to this wonderful verse from the book of John. ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ Do you know who said that?”

  “Nope,” Tanya muttered.

  “Did Jesus say that?” Skye asked.

  “Yes, he did. And, girls, the Bible tells us that God promises all of us eternal life with him if we trust Christ as our Savior. He wants to give us a life filled with peace and joy here on earth, even through tough times.”

  Tanya never looked away from her nails.

  “I’m so glad I did that a few years ago,” Morgan said. “I had zillions of hang-ups until I gave my life to God. Now he steers me down the right paths, no matter how rocky they are—even in this wheelchair!”

  “Hey, I’m not into this religion stuff,” Tanya informed everyone promptly. “Church? I can take it or leave it. I’d rather leave it.”

  Skye poked Tanya gently with her elbow. “I thought that too until I was in a truck accident. I woke up in the hospital and realized I could’ve been killed. Then I also realized I needed someone else in charge of my life. On my own, I had messed it up really bad.”

  Tanya went on staring at her nails.

  “I accepted Christ right in the hospital that same night,” Skye continued. “How sweet was that? I wasn’t near a church. There wasn’t even a preacher in the room!”

  Mr. Chambers picked up his Bible. “Tanya, we’re not talking about religion. Many verses in here tell us that being a Christian is having a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s not just going to church. Of course, once you accept Christ, church takes on a whole new meaning. Becoming a Christian begins with recognizing that God offers you the gift of salvation. You can’t earn it. But you can receive it.”

  Tanya glanced at Mr. Chambers and then looked back at her nails. “Yeah, I kinda remember that stuff from Gram’s church when I was little. But it’s just not important to me anymore. I don’t think God cares at all about me. If he did, he wouldn’t have let my mom die.”

  Mrs. Chambers closed her Bible and looked up. Her blue eyes glistened. “Tanya, we’re praying that while you live with us, you’ll realize that God does love you. Sure, what happened to you was awful, and I know you’ve had a rough
time. God’s heart breaks along with yours and it doesn’t end there. He hasn’t given up. He has great plans for you and your life.”

  “Yeah,” Skye said. “I never even knew my parents. I don’t even have a clue where they are. But look at the neat parents God has given me.”

  Tanya said nothing.

  “Next time we have devotions, we’ll talk about God and what we should do when nasty things come our way,” Mr. Chambers said. He closed his Bible and placed it on the stand next to a lamp. “Let’s have a word of prayer, and then I want to discuss this week’s major events.”

  They all bowed their heads. Skye noticed Tanya’s eyes were wide open.

  Mr. Chambers finished praying, smoothed his mustache, leaned back in his chair, and folded his arms. “Okay, girls,” he said, “what’s on the agenda this week?”

  “Can I go to my room?” Tanya blurted out.

  “We’d like you to stay just a few more minutes while we discuss the upcoming activities,” Mrs. Chambers said. “You’ll be a part of many of them. We like you girls to know exactly what’s going on around here.”

  “Oh, all right!” Tanya snapped and crossed her arms.

  “I, for one, am going to be very busy.” Mr. Chambers sighed, his glance drifting upward. “I have three new orders for computer systems, and there are five crabby hard drives sitting in my office to repair. I also have three house calls to make—in addition to the barn chores. And, oh yes. This is very, very important. Wednesday night Doc Gonzales is coming to check on Southern Belle.”

  Tanya finally stared at Mr. Chambers, hanging on every word.

  “And, hon,” Mr. Chambers said, smiling at his wife, “didn’t you say there’s a parent-teacher fellowship at Madison this week?”

  “Yeah, it’s for my seventh grade,” Skye said, her voice pitched with excitement. “It’s Tuesday night. I have 4-H after school Wednesday, and Thursday our Youth for Truth group practices, doesn’t it?”