Southern Belle's Special Gift (2 page)

S
aturday 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.”

M
rs. 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?”

“Right,” Morgan said. “And I can't wait. My three years of flute lessons are finally paying off.”

“Youth for Truth?” Tanya expressed slight interest.

Skye giggled and ran her hands through her hair. “This is nuts, but there are a few kids from our church youth group who come here every Thursday night to jam—some classical but mostly praise music. But it's all been rewritten with a faster tempo. Morgan and Robin play flutes, Bobby Noll plays the trumpet, Melissa Richards plays a clarinet, and Mrs. Chambers does her cool thing on that.” Skye pointed to a digital piano in the corner. “Chad plays guitar.”
Wonderful Chad,
Skye thought. “And—hold on now—I play the violin.”

“Her lessons and long hours of practice are paying off,” Mrs. Chambers added. “She doesn't do a half-bad job.”

Tanya hung a smirk on her face that could have won first place in a National Smirk Contest. “Skye? The violin? Here at Keystone Stables, in the middle of nowhere?”

“Yes, me and the violin!” Skye announced loudly. “I've been taking lessons about a year, and it's awesome. My music teacher writes my parts over so they're not too hard for me to play. I love playing in the group. We're not that good, but it's a blast.”
And Chad being here makes it all worthwhile!

Mr. Chambers stood and yawned. “Don't laugh, Tanya. Violins are in right now. Something I'd think you would know if you're up on the latest ‘cool' music. Isn't that right, dear?” he said passing his wife on his way to the kitchen. “Coffee time!”

“Definitely,” Mrs. Chambers said. “And if you'd like, Tanya, you can join the group, although if I remember
correctly, you've never taken music lessons of any kind, have you?”

“Nah, I'm not into that kind of stuff,” Tanya answered.

Mrs. Chambers stood and headed toward the kitchen. “Do you girls want some iced tea or cocoa? We'll play some games in a few minutes—that is, if your homework's done.”

“It is,” Skye said. “Cocoa for me, please.”

“Me, too,” Morgan added.

“Now can I go?” Tanya said rudely as she jumped up from the sofa and hurried out of the room.

The new school year started at Madison with Skye and Morgan escorting their foster sister the first day. For the next week, Tanya fought everything the other two girls tried to do to make her transition easier. She sat alone on the bus and walked through the halls with her nose in the air, all the other kids avoiding her like the plague. Even Robin's first attempt at making friends with Tanya ended in failure. “She acts like some queen bee,” Robin complained to Skye, “and I'm not gonna waste my time on her!”

“School is school!” That's all that came out of Tanya's mouth when anyone in the house asked her about starting at Madison. In addition to her refusing to discuss school, she made a beeline to the barn as soon as she got home from Maranatha. Her newfound interest in Belle had the rest of the family stumped. She asked Skye to show her how to pet the mare, brush her, and just plain love her. During chore time, Tanya was always the first one to the barn, without a single complaint.

Tanya willingly learned how to muck the stall and did it like she was cleaning her own bedroom. The floor
almost sparkled before she spread fresh straw all around! Skye showed her how to feed and water properly, the exact amount of food and supplements recorded in a journal that Tanya carried with her. And when it came to grooming, there wasn't a shinier chestnut mare in Snyder County. Everyone agreed that Tanya's attachment to Belle was a God thing, a miracle. While Tanya lived at Keystone Stables, Belle would be Tanya's horse.

On Wednesday evening after supper, the whole family went to the barn to muck out stalls and feed and groom the horses. When the work was finished, Skye showed Tanya how to lead Belle to an open stall and cross tie her between two brackets on opposite walls. Skye watched while Tanya took her first clumsy turn cleaning each hoof with a hoof pick. Then the girls brushed Belle while they waited for Dr. Gonzales to arrive.

“Hello, Tom!” a deep voice yelled in the barn doorway.

“In here, Doc!” Mr. Chambers yelled, hurrying from one of the end stalls. “We've got her all ready for you.”

A tall, thin Hispanic man wearing a bright red baseball cap and a dark green jump suit walked in from the darkness. Dirty rubber boots covered his legs up to his knees. Both arms were filled with bulging black bags. “I'm so glad the January thaw is here,” he said, walking toward Belle. “December's weather wasn't fit for man or beast. I'm finally getting caught up on my house calls—or should I say barn calls.” He gently set the two bags down, placed his hands on his hips, and stared at Belle from head to tail. “Well, she's looking a lot better than she did when I saw her last, Tom. Somebody must be giving her the Queen for the Day treatment. Every day!”

“Hi, Doc.” Skye pointed to Tanya, still brushing her heart out. “Here's part of the reason. This is Tanya Bell from Philly. She's been taking care of Belle for the last few days.”

Never turning around, Tanya continued to groom the horse. “Is she going to be all right?” she blurted out.

Mr. Chambers joined the group. “Whoa, Tanya, the doc will tell us soon enough,” he said. “Let him do his exam first. Then we'll know a lot more.”

Slowly Dr. Gonzales took several steps toward the horse. “Easy, now,” he whispered and put his hand under Belle's muzzle. “Take a good whiff, girl. You've met me before. Now let's see how you and your baby are doing.”

Mr. Chambers went to the front of the horse and clutched her halter. “Girls, I'd like you to step back now. Belle tends to get a little panicky when she realizes who's working on her. Some horses are just like kids. Give them a shot once, and they never forget it—or the one who gave it to them.”

While Mr. Chambers held the horse's halter, Dr. Gonzales slowly smoothed his hand down over Belle's neck, across her back, and under her belly. Belle let out a soft nicker, nodded her head, and relaxed her back leg. “Good girl,” the doctor said. “Getting used to me, I see.”

Skye and Tanya stood behind Mr. Chambers, watching every move the doctor made.

Dr. Gonzales eased away from the mare, reached into one of his bags, and pulled out a stethoscope. He plugged it into his ears and eased himself close to Belle again. “Easy, girl. Now this won't hurt.” Gently he placed the round end on the horse's distended barrel. He listened, slid the instrument around, and listened again, then he slipped to the other side and carefully repeated the procedure.

“What's he doing?” Tanya whispered.

“Listening for the baby's heartbeat,” Skye answered. “Sh-h.”

Dr. Gonzales inched his way to the front of the mare, placing the stethoscope on a half dozen places on her neck
and chest. “Belle sounds a little better today, Tom. Her heartbeat is much stronger than it was during her last exam. I'm still concerned about the foal, though. That sonogram I took last month indicated an underdeveloped baby. The heartbeat is still pretty weak. I sure hope Belle can carry it at least eleven months. I don't want to see this foal any sooner than early May.”

“Why? What's wrong?” Tanya blurted out.

Mr. Chambers stroked Belle's face with his gloved hand. “Tanya's kind of claimed Belle as her own, Doc. She's like an old mother hen with this horse.”

“That's quite all right,” the doctor said softly. He lifted Belle's upper lip and looked at her teeth. “This mare needs a lot of TLC right now. Young lady, you just might help both of them pull through.”

“Pull through?” Tanya asked. “Is it that bad?”

Skye touched Tanya's arm. “Now don't get yourself all wound up in knots. She'll be okay.”

“You have been pumpin' her full of all kinds of vitamins, haven't you, Tom?” the veterinarian asked. He stepped to his bag and pulled out a thermometer that looked like a fat pencil. He stepped to the mare's side, gently slid his hand over Belle's back, then lifted her tail and slid the thermometer inside her.

“Yes,” Tom answered, still holding the halter tightly. “She's getting the best of everything we can afford. And now since Tanya's here, Belle has her own private nurse.” His mustache twitched with his friendly smile.

“Now what's—” Tanya started to say.

“He's taking Belle's temperature,” Skye interrupted. “I figured you'd wanna know that too. Horses don't get their temperature taken in their mouths like we do. They'd chomp the thermometer into a zillion pieces.”

The doctor slowly pulled the thermometer out and read it. “A hundred flat! Well, that's as normal as normal can be. A good sign!” He stepped away from the mare and
once more looked her over. A broad smile beamed from his face. “Well, despite the poor start both of them got, things seem to be shaping up. I look for a healthy foal in about four months. I had planned to do an internal today, but I think I'll wait another month. That'll give the baby a few more weeks to mature. By the end of February, we should know a lot more.”