Broken Horse

by Bonnie Bryant

  Shaking her head as if to dislodge any thoughts of Christmas and moonlight, Lisa stepped back to check on her handiwork. The mare might not look any healthier, but she certainly looked cleaner. As she gazed at the gleaming sections of silver coat, Lisa absently picked some stray hair out of the plastic mane comb she was holding. Her thoughts drifting, against her will, back to the Starlight Ride, Lisa didn’t even notice when the mare’s ears perked forward again and her dull eyes brightened just a little as she stared at the comb in Lisa’s hand.

  CAROLE WAS JUST finishing her cereal on Wednesday morning when the phone rang. Her father picked it up.

  “Hello, Hanson residence,” he said in his best military voice. He was a colonel in the Marine Corps. After listening for a moment, he broke into a grin. “That’s easy,” he said into the phone. “The Grapes of Math.”

  Carole knew that the strange comment meant it was Stevie on the other end of the phone. Stevie and Colonel Hanson were always trading corny old jokes, and most of them seemed to have something to do with grapes or elephants. Carole didn’t even want to know what joke had elicited such a groaner of an answer.

  She stood up and took the phone from her father. “Hi, Stevie,” she said.

  “Hi. How’d you know it was me?” Stevie said from the other end of the line. Without waiting for Carole to answer, she rushed on. “You’ll never guess who’s coming to dinner at my house tonight.”

  “Who?” Carole asked.

  “Well, Lisa for one. And I hope you can come, too,” Stevie said. “Because the guest of honor is none other than the wonderful, marvelous Paige Dempsey.” She let out a mock groan. “You’ve got to come and shield me from the horror that is my brother’s love life.”

  Carole laughed. “Sounds good to me,” she said. “But if it’s really going to be so horrible, why don’t I ask my dad if you and Lisa can eat at my house tonight?”

  “I already thought of that. My parents said no way,” Stevie said glumly. “You’d think they’d be more understanding. After all, shouldn’t it be enough that Alex and Paige torture me all day long at school? But they have no sympathy.”

  Carole quickly checked with her father, who gave his permission for her to eat dinner at the Lakes’ house that night. “I’ll be there,” she promised Stevie.

  “Good,” Stevie replied. “My dad is making his world famous lasagna, so at least the food will be good. If looking at Alex making goo-goo eyes at Paige doesn’t make you lose your appetite, that is.”

  Carole laughed. “I don’t know,” she teased. “It takes a lot to make me lose my appetite.”

  LISA GLANCED AT the clock on the wall of her classroom, willing the hands to move forward more quickly. It was almost lunchtime, and she would finally be able to sit and think about the mare without having to pretend to pay attention. Usually science was one of her favorite classes because the teacher made it so interesting, but today Lisa could hardly concentrate as Ms. McCormick talked about the class projects the students would be handing in after the Christmas break. Since finding the mare on Saturday, Lisa had barely given a thought to her ecology project. Her father had brought home the developed pictures the evening before, but Lisa had hardly glanced at them before flipping to the ones she had taken of the mare. She knew she was going to have to get back to work on the project soon, but right now she could only concentrate on helping the mare get better.

  Finally the bell rang and Lisa headed to the cafeteria. Carole was one grade below Lisa and had lunch at a different time, and Lisa didn’t feel like talking to anybody else. No one else would understand about the mare. She found a seat by herself in the corner and did her best to eat her lunch, although she didn’t really feel hungry.

  As she chewed slowly, Lisa’s mind was working quickly. In her head, she went over every injury and problem the mare had and tried to work out the best ways to deal with each one. The trouble was, the more she thought about it, the more certain she was that she and her friends were already doing everything they could. And still the mare wasn’t getting better.

  Once again, Lisa thought of Sal. She knew that the staff at CARL had done everything possible for him, yet Sal had died. His injuries had proved to be too much for any sort of medical treatment to cure.

  At least Sal had seemed to take some comfort in spending his final days somewhere he felt safe and wanted. Lisa wasn’t sure the mare felt the same way. She still hardly seemed to notice her surroundings, and, despite the moment in the paddock the day before, Lisa wasn’t one hundred percent certain the mare even recognized her or her friends, or cared when they appeared or disappeared. In fact, she didn’t seem to care much about anything at all. Was there any cure for that?

  “IF ANYTHING WILL take your mind off the mare for a while, it’s Alex,” Stevie said as she, Lisa, and Carole entered the Lakes’ house that evening. “This is sure to be a very interesting dinner. Disgusting, but interesting.”

  The three girls had just come from Pine Hollow. The gray mare was still no better, though today Lisa had thought she’d caught the horse watching her when she brought her a few flakes of fresh hay. The possible good sign had made Lisa even more reluctant than usual to leave the stable for dinner. But Stevie had finally managed to convince her that a dinner with Alex and Paige was an event not to be missed.

  As the girls shut the front door behind them, they heard sounds of activity coming from the kitchen. When they entered the room a chaotic scene greeted them. Mr. Lake was standing with the oven door partially open, adding some spices to the contents, which smelled delicious. Mrs. Lake was at the counter mixing up a big bowl of salad. Stevie’s younger brother, Michael, was running back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room, setting the table. After every trip back from the dining room, he paused to kick the leg of the kitchen chair where Alex was sitting. Paige was perched on Alex’s knee. The couple was holding hands and gazing into one another’s eyes. Alex’s face as he looked at Paige held the adoring expression that had become familiar to everyone who knew him. Her expression as she gazed back was almost identical. Neither one of them seemed to notice Michael’s kicks.

  “Let me guess,” Carole whispered as the girls surveyed the scene from the doorway. “That must be the famous Paige. Or should I say infamous?”

  Just then Mrs. Lake turned around and saw them. “Oh, Stevie, there you are. Hello, girls. Could you three do me a favor and make some garlic bread? There’s a loaf of French bread in the bin.”

  “Sure, Mrs. Lake,” Lisa said. She couldn’t resist sneaking another glance at Alex and Paige as she walked over to the bread bin. Alex had reached up and was twirling a piece of Paige’s hair around one finger.

  Stevie walked over to the chair where Alex and Paige were sitting and smacked Alex on the shoulder. He looked up.

  “What?” he asked. That was unusual. Normally if Stevie hit any of her brothers, they would immediately either hit her back or yell for their parents.

  If Stevie was surprised at her brother’s lack of retaliation, she didn’t let it show. “Where are your manners? Aren’t you going to introduce my friends to your little guest?”

  “Oh,” Alex said, glancing over at Carole and Lisa. “Okay. Paige, these are my sister’s friends. Carole and, uh, Lisa. And this”—he put an arm proudly around his Paige’s shoulders—“is my girlfriend, Paige Dempsey.” He put a slight emphasis on the word girlfriend.

  Carole and Lisa politely said hello. Paige just smiled at them and squeezed Alex’s hand tighter. Then she and Alex returned their complete attention to each other.

  “Well, so much for that,” Stevie said, as the three girls left Alex and Paige to themselves and set to work making the garlic bread.

  Lisa shook her head. “I must say, Stevie, I really thought you were exaggerating about them. But you weren’t.”

  “Told you so. Where’s Chad?” Stevie asked her father as she reached around him to grab the garlic powder.

  “He’s still at soccer practice,” Mr
. Lake replied. He closed the oven door and glanced at his watch. “He should be home in about twenty minutes—just in time to eat. He’s bringing his friend David home to dinner.”

  Stevie didn’t pay much attention to most of her older brother’s soccer teammates, but she knew David. “You mean David Norfolk? He’s the one who sings in that rock band, right?” she asked. She turned to Carole and Lisa. “This band is really cool, despite the fact that it’s made up of a bunch of guys from Chad’s class. It’s called Rotting Meat.”

  Carole wrinkled her nose. “Ugh. What a name.” She finished slicing and buttering the bread as Lisa prepared a pan and started laying the slices on it.

  Stevie unscrewed the cap on the garlic powder. She sprinkled the contents liberally over the bread slices. Then, as Lisa carried the pan to the oven, Stevie glanced over her shoulder at Alex and Paige. With a sly smile, she carefully took a few steps toward them. When they didn’t look up, she quickly reached over and sprinkled garlic powder over them.

  “Stevie!” cried Mrs. Lake, turning away from the counter just in time to see what her daughter was doing.

  Stevie looked sheepish. “Sorry, Mom. I couldn’t resist.”

  To Carole’s amazement, Alex and Paige hadn’t even noticed what Stevie had done. Paige’s nose wriggled a little, and she let out a tiny, polite sneeze.

  “Gesundheit,” Alex said, leaning over to grab a tissue out of the box on the counter. He offered it to Paige gallantly, and she giggled and accepted, dabbing daintily at her nose.

  Alex looked up and sniffed at the air. “Mmm, something smells good,” he said. “I hope you put plenty of garlic on the garlic bread. I love garlic.”

  Stevie, Carole, and Lisa burst out laughing. Even Mrs. Lake couldn’t help smiling a little. “Alex, could you do me a favor and get two of the folding chairs from the basement? We’re going to be a big group tonight.”

  “Sure, Mom,” Alex said, standing up. He took Paige by the hand. “Want to come help me?”

  “Absolutely,” Paige replied coyly. “Lead the way.”

  Stevie let out a sigh of relief when her brother and his girlfriend had left the room. “Is it just me, or did the saccharine level in this room just drop?” she commented.

  “Let’s lock them in the basement while they’re down there getting the chairs,” Michael suggested.

  Stevie looked thoughtful for a moment. But before her parents could say anything, she shook her head. “No good, Michael,” she said. “They’d probably like that. It would give them one more excuse to be alone together.”

  A few minutes later, Mr. Lake announced that the lasagna was ready. “Smells like the garlic bread is done, too,” he added. “Let’s eat!”

  Mrs. Lake glanced out at the dining room table. “Would somebody please go tell Alex to hurry up with those chairs?”

  “I’ll go,” Michael offered eagerly. He raced toward the basement stairs. Standing at the top, he shouted at the top of his lungs, “Hey, Alex and Paige! Stop kissing and bring up those chairs!”

  Alex and Paige appeared shortly, each slightly red-faced and each carrying a folding chair. “Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Lake,” Paige said. “Alex was just showing me, um, the basement.”

  At that, Stevie let out a snort of disbelief that even Alex couldn’t help noticing. He shot her a dirty look, and Carole and Lisa giggled.

  “That’s quite all right, Paige,” Mr. Lake said dryly. He glanced around and saw that his wife had finished bringing the food to the table. “It looks like we’re ready to eat. Why don’t we sit down and start on the salad. I’m sure Chad and his friend will be here soon.”

  The Lakes and their guests took their seats. Alex pulled out the chair beside his for Paige. Stevie watched him, then very theatrically pulled out one chair for Carole and another for Lisa. Alex and Paige didn’t notice, but Michael did. He was already sitting, but he stood up and cleared his throat loudly. Stevie made a formal bow to him and then pulled out his chair, too.

  “All right, that’s enough, Stevie,” Mrs. Lake said. “Carole, would you please pass the salad dressing?”

  For the next few minutes most of the group ate their salads and chatted about the weather and the coming holidays, while two members of the group picked at their salads and gazed into one another’s eyes. The only time they showed any other sign of life was when Mr. Lake asked them about the school dance. Alex spent several minutes telling everyone about the romantic way he had asked Paige to go with him, and then Paige spent the next few minutes describing how romantic the dance itself was going to be.

  Then they all heard the sound of the back door slamming shut. A moment later Chad appeared in the doorway, mud on his face and a soccer ball under one arm. Behind him stood his friend David, a tall, athletic-looking boy with a shock of blond hair falling over one blue eye.

  “Hi, everyone. Sorry we’re late,” Chad said. “Wow, the lasagna smells great.”

  “Go wash up, boys,” Mrs. Lake said. “Don’t worry, you didn’t miss much. We just started eating.”

  A few minutes later the freshly scrubbed Chad and David were sitting at the table, helping themselves to generous portions of everything. Stevie introduced David to Carole and Lisa, then jerked a thumb at Alex and Paige.

  “You already know Alex,” she said. “That’s his girlfriend, Paige.”

  David said hello to all of them, then turned to Stevie’s parents. “Everything looks terrific, Mr. and Mrs. Lake,” he said politely, reaching for a piece of garlic bread. “Boy, am I hungry. Soccer practice really works up the old appetite.”

  “What position do you play?” asked Michael.

  “Forward,” David replied.

  “He’s practically the star of the team,” Chad added around a mouthful of salad. “The coach says he could have a future in soccer if he wants to.”

  “That’s very impressive, David,” Mr. Lake said.

  David shrugged. “I guess it’s cool. But I already know what I want to do when I grow up. I’m a musician.”

  “Tell them about Rotting Meat,” Stevie urged. She turned to her parents. “They played at the last school dance, and they’re really fantastic.”

  “Thanks, Stevie,” David said with a grin. “It’s nice to have fans.”

  Paige looked up. “Did you say you’re in Rotting Meat?”

  “It speaks,” Stevie said under her breath so that only Carole and Lisa could hear her.

  “That’s right,” David told Paige. “I’m the lead singer, and I play bass guitar.”

  “I thought I recognized you,” Paige said, although Stevie would have sworn she hadn’t even glanced at David until now.

  “Hey, Paige,” Alex broke in. He speared a piece of cucumber on the end of his fork and held it up. “I found another piece of cucumber for my little cucumber. Ready?”

  “Of course,” Paige replied. She opened her mouth, and Alex popped the fork into it.

  Stevie rolled her eyes and turned back to David. “How come you guys aren’t playing at the Christmas dance?” she asked. “I’m kind of glad you’re not, since I’m not going. I mean I’d hate to miss it. But I’m surprised they didn’t ask you back after the last dance.”

  “They did ask us,” David said. “But we’d already booked a gig at a bowling alley over in Hazelton for the same night, so we had to pass.”

  “You guys must be awfully popular if you have to turn down jobs,” Carole commented.

  “Well, it’s not like we’re getting dozens of offers every weekend or anything,” David said with a grin. “But I guess we’re doing all right.”

  “He’s just being modest,” Paige put in. “Rotting Meat is the most popular band in town.”

  “Hey, Alex, would you please pass the pepper?” Stevie said. “I mean, would my little pepper please pass the pepper?”

  Alex didn’t seem to have heard her, so Michael reached around him and shoved the pepper mill toward Stevie.

  Lisa helped herself to another piece of lasagna. �
�How long have you been in, uh, Rotting Meat?” she asked David.

  “We got together last summer,” he replied. “But it took a while for people to get to know us. Now we’re finally starting to get some regular gigs.”

  “Where else do you play besides bowling alleys, David?” Mr. Lake asked.

  “You played at the harvest festival over at the mall, didn’t you?” Paige put in suddenly.

  Stevie glanced at her, surprised that she was actually paying attention to the conversation.

  Alex seemed surprised, too. “Hey, what are you guys talking about?” he asked.

  “Your brother’s friend is the lead singer of Rotting Meat,” Paige explained.

  “Are you a fan? Paige, isn’t it?” David asked, smiling at her.

  She nodded, smiling back shyly. “Totally. You guys are the coolest.”

  “You go to Fenton Hall, too, don’t you?” David asked Paige. She nodded, still smiling.

  Alex glanced from his girlfriend to David and back again. “Yeah, she’s in my class,” he said. He grabbed Paige’s hand. “That dance where his band played was where we first got together, remember?”

  Paige shrugged. “Well, we danced together a few times. But we really didn’t get together until much later,” she corrected him. She pulled her hand away and reached for her water glass.

  Stevie kicked Lisa under the table. Then she kicked Carole. Something was going on here, and it was looking very interesting to Stevie. “So you’re a huge fan of David’s band, huh, Paige?” she asked innocently.