mount.
“Mine is Molly and Mark’s is Scout.”
"How old is she?" Tam was dwarfed by the beast.
"How fast can he go?" It was always about speed with Tim.
The boys were distracted, now was my chance. I unbuckled and slid my door open. Just as I stepped out the wind gusted past me and swept over the hapless riders. As in slow motion, their eyes widened and their heads popped up searching for something, not knowing what. Their eyes locked on me.
Dad must’ve seen their reaction because he called to me. I didn’t waste any time, scurrying over and positioning myself between Dad and Sue.
Mark dismounted tipping his hat back from his still slightly boyish face and led his horse over to where I stood protected, I hoped. Mark was smiling as though it was Christmas and the tree was stuffed full.
Randy watched his brother’s move and quickly followed. If I remembered correctly, he always did whatever Mark did, he hadn't changed.
Dad kept an arm around me and an eye on the older brother, who inched closer with his huge bay behind him. The horse was unsure of the close group of humans. The closer the boys got the more fidgety their animals and I became. The horses stayed much calmer than I did.
Dad is here and he will protect me , I kept repeating to myself.
"My golly, how your kids have grown!" Barbara reached over and patted my arm. "And they're all so beautiful."
I liked Barbara.
"Yes, it seems like only yesterday they were runny nosed rug rats." My dad laughed. "Of course we haven't aged a day, right Jim?"
Mark moved closer.
Jim snorted. "Tell that to my mirror, would you?"
The adults laughed. I didn't see anything funny about getting old. Dad was always complaining about his aches and pains. My grandparents used to say how it sucked getting old and they died because they were old. I missed them.
Mark edged in beside Sue and his horse nosed up between them. Sue had been leery of the behemoth, a slight tremor to her hand, and was quick to move when Molly shifted her weight. If Sue had been any slower she wouldn't have avoided the large hoof that thudded the grass a few times.
"That's it, Mark, take Molly to the corral. You, too, Randy. Scout shouldn't be here, either." Jim frowned a warning at his sons.
Barbara moved to Sue's side. "Are you alright?"
Sue blushed. "Oh I'm fine. I moved before it could get me." It was a credit that she smiled despite her obvious fear. It seemed to me that if it walked on four, six or eight legs my stepmother was afraid of it.
Mark frowned as he turned Molly around and led her away. Tim was right beside him like a noisy shadow. "Can I hold the reins?" Mark handed Tim the reins and he took a hold of the halter. "How much does she eat?"
Mark took one more look at me before he led horse and boy around the house. I didn’t hear Mark's reply.
Randy let Tam hold Scout's reins and she happily chattered on about her horse dolls and how she’d never been this close to a real horse before. To their credit, the boys were patient with all the questions and treated the twins very well. I was relieved they went away so I could get inside and find a place to hide.
After helping the adults unload the suitcases, I followed them to the house. Barbara put Tam and me in Kevin’s old room where there was a double bed. Sue slipped in after us and put the food basket on the other side of the bed so I could eat without being seen. She was gone before I could tell her thank you.
My stomach whimpered so I grabbed two power bars and devoured them … ugh … I was still hungry. Under the circumstances it was best to stay near the food basket and out of sight. At any rate my stomach thought so. This time it was right. I could hide out until dinner time in hopes that Mark and Randy wouldn’t find me. I eyed the closet just in case I needed a place to stash myself.
The room was a nice boy’s room. The red, white and blue bedspread set off the patriotic theme. I didn’t appreciate the signed
“Mine is Molly and Mark’s is Scout.”
"How old is she?" Tam was dwarfed by the beast.
"How fast can he go?" It was always about speed with Tim.
The boys were distracted, now was my chance. I unbuckled and slid my door open. Just as I stepped out the wind gusted past me and swept over the hapless riders. As in slow motion, their eyes widened and their heads popped up searching for something, not knowing what. Their eyes locked on me.
Dad must’ve seen their reaction because he called to me. I didn’t waste any time, scurrying over and positioning myself between Dad and Sue.
Mark dismounted tipping his hat back from his still slightly boyish face and led his horse over to where I stood protected, I hoped. Mark was smiling as though it was Christmas and the tree was stuffed full.
Randy watched his brother’s move and quickly followed. If I remembered correctly, he always did whatever Mark did, he hadn't changed.
Dad kept an arm around me and an eye on the older brother, who inched closer with his huge bay behind him. The horse was unsure of the close group of humans. The closer the boys got the more fidgety their animals and I became. The horses stayed much calmer than I did.
Dad is here and he will protect me , I kept repeating to myself.
"My golly, how your kids have grown!" Barbara reached over and patted my arm. "And they're all so beautiful."
I liked Barbara.
"Yes, it seems like only yesterday they were runny nosed rug rats." My dad laughed. "Of course we haven't aged a day, right Jim?"
Mark moved closer.
Jim snorted. "Tell that to my mirror, would you?"
The adults laughed. I didn't see anything funny about getting old. Dad was always complaining about his aches and pains. My grandparents used to say how it sucked getting old and they died because they were old. I missed them.
Mark edged in beside Sue and his horse nosed up between them. Sue had been leery of the behemoth, a slight tremor to her hand, and was quick to move when Molly shifted her weight. If Sue had been any slower she wouldn't have avoided the large hoof that thudded the grass a few times.
"That's it, Mark, take Molly to the corral. You, too, Randy. Scout shouldn't be here, either." Jim frowned a warning at his sons.
Barbara moved to Sue's side. "Are you alright?"
Sue blushed. "Oh I'm fine. I moved before it could get me." It was a credit that she smiled despite her obvious fear. It seemed to me that if it walked on four, six or eight legs my stepmother was afraid of it.
Mark frowned as he turned Molly around and led her away. Tim was right beside him like a noisy shadow. "Can I hold the reins?" Mark handed Tim the reins and he took a hold of the halter. "How much does she eat?"
Mark took one more look at me before he led horse and boy around the house. I didn’t hear Mark's reply.
Randy let Tam hold Scout's reins and she happily chattered on about her horse dolls and how she’d never been this close to a real horse before. To their credit, the boys were patient with all the questions and treated the twins very well. I was relieved they went away so I could get inside and find a place to hide.
After helping the adults unload the suitcases, I followed them to the house. Barbara put Tam and me in Kevin’s old room where there was a double bed. Sue slipped in after us and put the food basket on the other side of the bed so I could eat without being seen. She was gone before I could tell her thank you.
My stomach whimpered so I grabbed two power bars and devoured them … ugh … I was still hungry. Under the circumstances it was best to stay near the food basket and out of sight. At any rate my stomach thought so. This time it was right. I could hide out until dinner time in hopes that Mark and Randy wouldn’t find me. I eyed the closet just in case I needed a place to stash myself.
The room was a nice boy’s room. The red, white and blue bedspread set off the patriotic theme. I didn’t appreciate the signed
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