A Horse for Mandy (2 page)

“I
—I’M Mandy,” she stuttered, feeling her face turn red. Suddenly she stooped to retrieve the brush. But David had the same idea. Their hands touched, and their heads bumped. Mandy dropped the brush again. “Oh, my goodness...”

David began to laugh, his blue eyes dancing. “We haven’t gotten off to a very good start, have we?”

Mandy was still too flustered to say anything. She backed up into the safety of Solana. But the sound of David’s laughter got to her. She started to giggle. “No, I guess not.”

“Then let’s start over again,” he said. “I’m David. And you’re Mandy. This, I take it, is your horse?”

“Why, yes,” Mandy said, still not daring to look him straight in the eye. “This is Solana. She’s my birthday present.”

“Well, happy birthday. Are you stabling her here?” he asked.

“Yes. My father is Doc Wilson. He looks after the Callahan ranch. Are you keeping a horse here?”

He reached over and patted Solana. “No, I’m working here this summer . . . you know, helping out. I’m new here. We just moved in on York Street. Thought I’d better get a job so I can buy school clothes . . . you know, stuff. Get to know some of the kids, too. You go to school in town?”

Mandy finally began to regain her composure. “Yes. I mean, I’ll be at the middle school this fall.”

“Great!” David said. “Then I already know somebody. I’m starting eighth grade there. Know anything about the track team?”

Before she could answer, Laura walked up. “I’ve been waiting forever at the house. What’s keeping . . .” Her voice trailed off when she saw David.

“Hi,” he said. “I’m David Mannington.”

“I’m Laura Callahan.” Mandy could tell that he was having the same effect on Laura that he was having on her. “Are you the new hand Daddy hired?” Laura asked in an icy voice.

“Sure am.”

“Then don’t you have anything better to do?”

He stood up straight and looked down on both girls. “You’re right. See you later, Mandy.” He nodded, then walked off.

“Really, Laura, that wasn’t a very nice way to treat him. He’s new in town and just wanted to get to know about school and all,” Mandy said after David was gone.

“Oh, don’t be so touchy. It’s better I tell him to get to work than Daddy. We can talk to him later. You finished cooling Solana?”

Mandy shrugged. “Sure.”

“Then, come on in the house and have some lunch with me.”

Mandy trudged behind her to the house, but she was still a little angry. Why did Laura always treat people like they were inferior to her? The Callahans had plenty of money, and she’d heard it said that they “owned the town.” But that was no reason to treat people like lower life forms.

When they walked into the kitchen, all of Mandy’s anger evaporated. In the center of the table sat a beautiful birthday cake, blazing with candles.

“Happy birthday!” shouted Laura, clapping her hands with glee. “Are you surprised? Did you think I’d forgotten?”

Tears sprang to Mandy’s eyes. “Oh, Laura, it’s gorgeous. Thanks so much.” She hugged her friend and hated herself for all her mean thoughts about Laura. Mandy made a wish and blew out the candles.

“Look!” Laura said. “Here’s your present.” She handed Mandy a carefully wrapped gift, topped with a bright red bow. “I picked this out for both of us really. Come on. Open it.”

Mandy tore open the box excitedly. Inside lay two bright-colored scarves. “Oh, Laura! How beautiful!”

“Do you like them? Really? The red one’s yours. The blue one’s mine. They’re a symbol of our friendship. Will you always wear yours?”

“You bet!” Mandy tied the scarf around her neck, Western fashion. “Hey, I have an idea,” Mandy said eagerly. “Why don’t we fix a picnic lunch and take it out on the trail? We could ride our horses and eat down by the creek.”

“Sure. That sounds like fun,” Laura agreed.

So the rest of Mandy’s thirteenth birthday was spent with her best friend, her own horse, and the ants that showed up for the picnic. Looking back, Mandy thought it was one of the best times she had ever had. And it was just as well that she didn’t know what was coming next.

T
HE next few weeks passed quickly. July came. Mandy’s days were filled from dawn to dark with Solana and life at the Callahan Stables. She saw David almost every time she was there. Her reaction to him surprised her.

Her heart would pound and she would often blush when he so much as smiled at her. She found herself looking forward to seeing his lanky build, his blond hair, and his casual half-smile. Most of all she liked talking with him.

She and Laura rode the trails together, but Mandy could sense a kind of wall building up between them. What was happening to them and their friendship? Mandy wondered.

If it hadn’t been for Solana and David, Mandy might have stopped going to Callahans’ altogether. Her father had been right. The Paso was affectionate and smart. Now, whenever Mandy came, Solana greeted her with snorts and whinnies. The horse was so attached to Mandy that she followed her owner everywhere. In fact, if Mandy didn’t lock the gate firmly, Solana would follow her dad’s car home. Even when the horse was grazing, just one sharp whistle from Mandy would bring her rushing over.

Mandy couldn’t help but notice that Diablo wasn’t like that with Laura. No, the big stallion was fine in the show ring and great on the trail, but he wasn’t affectionate and gentle like Solana. Maybe this was what was coming between them, Mandy thought.

She was watering Solana one afternoon when her father paused next to her. “Penny for your thoughts?” he asked.

“Oh, Dad. I don’t know. It’s just that . . . that Laura and I don’t seem to be really good friends anymore,” Mandy told him.

Dr. Wilson stopped and leaned against the stable wall. “Really? You seem to be everywhere together, always riding, talking. What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. It’s just that Laura seems ... kinda mean about Solana. I mean, I thought she’d be thrilled because I had my own horse. But she’s not. And then there’s David. ..” Her voice trailed off, and Mandy felt herself begin to blush.

If her dad noticed, he didn’t say anything. “Well, honey,” he began, “you and Laura are growing up. You’re both turning into young women. It’s only natural that your interests would change.”

“But I’m still the same!” Mandy cried defensively. “She’s the one who’s jealous!”

“Mandy,” her father said, “how would you feel if Solana suddenly took off with someone else? Started spending all her time with a new friend? How do you think you’d feel?”

Mandy thought hard about it for a moment. “I guess I’d be hurt,” she said.

“That’s right. And Laura will get over it. It’s just too bad she never made more friends than you. Did you ever encourage her to do that? Or did you kind of keep her all to yourself and let her feel that she was the most important person in the world to you?”

Mandy felt a lump rise in her throat. Why, that’s exactly what she’d done! In all the years, she’d never thought to invite any other girl into her and Laura’s summers. It had always been just the two of them. No wonder Laura was feeling left out and lonely.

“Thanks, Dad,” she said. “I guess I never looked at it that way before.”

“I know. It’s tough to be thirteen, honey.” Then he leaned over to her, his eyes twinkling. “That’s why I’m glad I’m creaking along in my forties.”

“Oh, Dad . . .” Mandy laughed and watched him walk away. “Come on, Solana,” Mandy said to her horse, and Solana obediently tagged along behind her. “Let’s find Laura and go for a ride.”

She checked Diablo’s stall. The stallion was there alone, contentedly chewing on some hay. Mandy tied her birthday scarf around her neck, crossed the wide green lawn, and headed for the house. Laura wasn’t in her room, nor was she on the back patio. Then Mandy remembered the lake far off behind the house. Surely, she’d be down there.

“Go on, Solana,” Mandy said, stamping her foot. “Go eat some grass and stop following me.”

Solana pricked her ears forward and then lowered her head and began to graze. Mandy walked toward the lake.

She was just about to call Laura’s name when she heard the sound of laughter. She strained to see around a tree and then stopped dead in her tracks. There, facing the lake, with her back to Mandy, sat Laura. She was holding hands with David.

Mandy had never felt so many emotions in such a short time as she felt right then— surprise, hurt, betrayal, anger, sadness, then the urge to get out of there. But her foot cracked a branch. David and Laura turned at once with the sound.

“S-s-sorry!” Mandy stammered. “I was looking for you, Laura.”

David stood up and pulled Laura up with him. “That’s okay,” he said casually. “I’ve got to get back to work. Thanks for the company, Laura.” Then he strode off toward the stables.

Mandy and Laura stood facing each other. “I thought you were alone,” said Mandy weakly.

“Well, I wasn’t,” Laura snapped, walking briskly past her.

“Wait up!” Mandy called and fell into step beside her. “I’m sorry, Laura. I thought that you didn’t even know David was alive. I mean you’ve always treated him like he didn’t even exist.”

“Look, Mandy, just because you’re jealous—”

“Jealous!” Mandy exploded. “Me? Why,
you’re
the one who’s moped around here all summer long, treating me like I’ve committed some crime because I got my own horse. And
you’re
the one who made me feel dumb just talking to David. ..”

“You just stop it, Mandy Wilson!” Laura yelled back. “I could care less about your stupid little horse. I own a real show horse, not some squatty little saddle pony. And as for David ... well, it’s obvious that he prefers me to you.”

Mandy stopped dead, the tears springing to her eyes. “You’re so mean, Laura. I hope that I never have to talk to you again!”

“Well, that goes double for me!” Laura shouted back. Then she ran toward her house. Mandy stood shaking for a long time after she had left.

Suddenly, the day was a disaster. As she headed back toward the stables, Mandy couldn’t help but feel she’d lost something special.

She found herself back at the stable and then felt a warm muzzle in the middle of her back. With a start she turned around and realized that Solana had been following behind her all along. She buried her face in her horse’s mane and began to cry.

“You’re so lucky, Solana,” Mandy said between sobs. “You don’t know what it’s like to be a person.” Solana snorted.

Mandy remembered Laura’s angry words again. She thought of her mixed-up feelings at seeing Laura and David together. Why should that bother her so much? She and David had talked lots of times, and Laura didn’t seem to notice. This was silly. Could she have a crush on him?

No, she was just mad at Laura, she thought. Absentmindedly, Mandy led Solana into her stall. She turned to fasten the rope door. But her mind was far away. Her fingers fumbled at a job she should have been able to do in her sleep. She turned and walked away, not realizing the knot was only half tied.

“H
EY, Solana! Come on, you lazy nag. . . let’s go for a ride.” Mandy began calling to her horse as she walked toward the stall door. There was no familiar answering snort. In fact, the closer she got to the stall, the stranger things seemed.

Solana’s stall was empty. Mandy couldn’t imagine where she was. She remembered roping up the door the day before. But the ropes were untied and Solana was not in her stall.

“Who could . . . ?” Mandy wondered out loud, looking at the dangling ropes. Then she ran out into the yard and began to whistle. From behind the stable Mandy heard a feeble whinny.

“Solana! What are you doing there?” she asked, running around the stable. Mandy stopped suddenly. There was Solana all right, but her head was drooping and she seemed shaky on her legs. “What’s the matter?” Mandy anxiously ran to her horse. Solana could hardly walk. She was limping terribly. It took them almost ten minutes to cover the short distance back to her stall.

Inside, Mandy picked up Solana’s left foreleg and searched the hoof for damage. She could see nothing. No cuts, no thorns. ..but it was swollen. “Stay, Solana!” Mandy cried in alarm. “I’ll go find Dad.”

Dr. Wilson rushed back with his daughter in a matter of minutes. “Oh, Dad, what’s wrong? Can’t you help her?” Mandy began to cry softly.

He examined the horse carefully. “Honey, I’m afraid it’s Laminitis—Founder.” He shook his head grimly at his own diagnosis.

Mandy had been a vet’s daughter too long not to understand what that meant. “Founder! Oh, no.. .” Mandy choked back her sobs. “But that could mean...” Her voice trailed off. She couldn’t say the words.

“That could mean permanent crippling. Maybe even putting her down,” he finished grimly.

“No! Can’t you do something?” But she already knew the answer to that, too.

“Honey,” Dr. Wilson explained, holding her by the shoulders. “You know that this is something that has to run its course. There’s a lot of congestion in her foot right now. The blood flow is very heavy. It’s jammed up and she’s hurting. But at least it’s not infected. We can do something to prevent that. We’ll start antibiotics. I’ll give her a shot of adrenaline, too, in this leg. Maybe that will slow the flow of the blood and help the pain.”

“Isn’t there anything I can do to help?” Mandy begged.

“Yes, there is. You can start applying ice to both these front feet. And plan to spend day and night here, too.”

The rest of the day seemed like a nightmare.

Her father did all he could. Then Mandy began the long nursing process. She brought an ice chest to Solana’s stall and packed ice around her feet every hour. Mandy petted her and encouraged her to eat. Still her horse stood painfully and stared at the floor of her stall.

“Need some help?” She looked up into David’s worried face.

“No, but thank you,” Mandy said. He stood for a while making small talk. His being there lifted her spirits a lot.

It was almost suppertime before Mandy realized that Laura had not come by once to check on her. The thought upset her. Bitterly she changed Solana’s ice. Of course, Laura knew. Everybody on the whole ranch seemed to know. Even Mr. Callahan had stopped by to check on her and comfort her. But not Laura.

When her father arrived with a take-out hamburger dinner, Mandy was still fuming. She didn’t say anything to him, but ate in silence.

“Founder is a funny thing,” he began, thinking her silence was worry. “A horse can recover from it as quickly as that.” He snapped his fingers. “It goes as fast as it comes. Yesterday, Solana was fine—today Founder—tomorrow, perfectly well. What troubles me is how she got it. I know how careful you are with her, honey.”

“What are some of the causes?” Mandy asked.

“Excessive work. Can’t be that though. We all know how you spoil that filly. Idleness and lack of exercise, too. Couldn’t be that either. Improper shoeing... but Solana doesn’t even have shoes. Digestive disturbance is a big cause. You know, too much protein-rich feed.”

Mandy’s heart fell.

“What’s wrong, honey?”

“Dad, when I came this morning, Solana wasn’t in her stall.”

“Where was she?”

“Wandering out back.”

“Did you check the feed bin?”

“No. ..I never thought. ..”

“Mandy!” Her father was angry. “She got out of her stall and got into the sweet feed. I’ll bet you anything. Mandy, how could you have been so careless? What could you have been thinking of when you put her in her stall last night?”

Mandy hung her head and began to cry. It was all her fault! If she’d had her mind on Solana yesterday instead of Laura and David, this never would have happened.
Oh, poor Solana
, Mandy thought.
Suffering so much and all because of me
.

“I’m sorry, Mandy,” her father said gravely. “But this is very serious. I gave you a horse because I thought you’d be old enough to handle the responsibility.”

The more she cried, the worse she felt. Her father reached over and put his arms around her. “Mandy, I’m sorry. I know you love Solana. I shouldn’t have come down so hard on you. Look, you’ve been a real nurse today. You keep wrapping her feet tonight and I’ll bet she’ll be fine by morning.”

Mandy wiped her eyes. “Sure,” she said. “Did you bring my sleeping bag?”

“Right here,” he told her, gesturing to the corner of the stall. “Listen, the Callahans are letting me sleep up at the house tonight. If you have any problems, you come get me.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Mandy smiled weakly. Then she kissed him and watched him head up toward the house. She sighed and turned back to Solana. Mandy rolled out her sleeping bag. But she was certain that she wouldn’t sleep tonight.