whispered. “I wanna hear what they’re talking about.” She pointed forward. “And, Skye, I can feel that we’re in the woods. It’s much cooler in the shade.”
“So, Keith, how long since you’ve been on a horse?” Mr. Chambers asked.
“It’s been years.” Mr. Thomas’ chubby hand rubbed through a head of straight blond hair. “I had forgotten how great riding is. I grew up in the country. I always had a pet pony or some grade horse my dad had picked up at auction. But after Katie’s mother and I were married, we moved to the city where there were more job opportunities.”
“You’re in sales?” Mr. Chambers asked.
“Yes. Books. Wholesale. Right now, I’m trying to get a distribution business started online. If I can make it work from a home office, I’d like to move back to the country.”
Mr. Chambers squared his Stetson. “Going into my own computer business was the best career decision I ever made. I had no idea that the Lord had this kids’ ministry in mind for Eileen and me. Buying Keystone opened up a whole new world for both of us.”
“I’d really like to be out in the wide-open spaces again.” Mr. Thomas shot a quick glance back at his daughter. “And the way Katie has taken to riding, maybe we could look into getting a horse for her.”
“We, Dad?” Katie was all ears. “You mean you and Mom?”
“No, I should have said ‘I,’ not ‘we.’ Nice try, Katie, but your mother and I have too many differences to get back together right now.” Mr. Thomas punched his thumb over his shoulder. “You’d think there’s nothing else to talk about but her mother and me. Katie sounds like her replay button is stuck.”
“I don’t know many kids who are glad about their parents’ divorce,” Mr. Chambers said. “It’s important to try to understand their viewpoint.”
“I thought she’d be glad we split up.” Mr. Thomas spoke as if Katie were miles away. “All we did was fight. Katie even told her mother and me that she hated us. Now, that’s hard to swallow from your own kid. I just couldn’t cope anymore.”
“Dad, I don’t hate you,” Katie interjected. “I didn’t mean that at all.”
“Well, you could’ve fooled me. It sure sounded like it,”
Mr. Thomas said. “A few times I thought the three of us were headed for a knock-down drag-out fight. Wrestle-mania at the Thomas house!”
“Mr. Thomas?” Skye could keep quiet no longer.
“Hello!” he answered.
“Could I say something?”
“You’re on,” he said.
“I think I know a little bit how Katie feels,” Skye said. “Life can really be screwed up and all, but a kid still loves her parents—deep down.”
“Some kids sure have a funny way of showing it.” Mr. Thomas glanced back and scowled at his daughter.
Mr. Chambers pointed to his right and deliberately changed the subject. “Let’s take this trail that follows the stream. It leads through a huge cluster of pines to the back line of our property. Then we can swing around to another dirt road. That’ll bring us to the pasture and pond right behind the barn.”
The group headed off the road. Single file, each horse and rider took the narrow path into deeper woods that melded into a forest of towering pines. After a short distance on the new trail, the riders dismounted, allowing the horses to sip from the gurgling brook. Trying to ignore the tension between Katie and her dad, Skye basked in the beauty of the woods, the feel of the ride, the awesome smells of the horses and pine trees.
“It doesn’t get any better than this, does it, Katie?” Skye said as they all mounted and started through the woods again.
“It would be if Mom were here!” Katie said loud enough for her father to hear.
“Duh,” Skye whispered. “Just cool it! You do sound like your replay button is stuck!”
“Katie, need I remind you that your mother hates horses?” Mr. Thomas’ tone sounded mocking. “By the way, I thought you did
“So, Keith, how long since you’ve been on a horse?” Mr. Chambers asked.
“It’s been years.” Mr. Thomas’ chubby hand rubbed through a head of straight blond hair. “I had forgotten how great riding is. I grew up in the country. I always had a pet pony or some grade horse my dad had picked up at auction. But after Katie’s mother and I were married, we moved to the city where there were more job opportunities.”
“You’re in sales?” Mr. Chambers asked.
“Yes. Books. Wholesale. Right now, I’m trying to get a distribution business started online. If I can make it work from a home office, I’d like to move back to the country.”
Mr. Chambers squared his Stetson. “Going into my own computer business was the best career decision I ever made. I had no idea that the Lord had this kids’ ministry in mind for Eileen and me. Buying Keystone opened up a whole new world for both of us.”
“I’d really like to be out in the wide-open spaces again.” Mr. Thomas shot a quick glance back at his daughter. “And the way Katie has taken to riding, maybe we could look into getting a horse for her.”
“We, Dad?” Katie was all ears. “You mean you and Mom?”
“No, I should have said ‘I,’ not ‘we.’ Nice try, Katie, but your mother and I have too many differences to get back together right now.” Mr. Thomas punched his thumb over his shoulder. “You’d think there’s nothing else to talk about but her mother and me. Katie sounds like her replay button is stuck.”
“I don’t know many kids who are glad about their parents’ divorce,” Mr. Chambers said. “It’s important to try to understand their viewpoint.”
“I thought she’d be glad we split up.” Mr. Thomas spoke as if Katie were miles away. “All we did was fight. Katie even told her mother and me that she hated us. Now, that’s hard to swallow from your own kid. I just couldn’t cope anymore.”
“Dad, I don’t hate you,” Katie interjected. “I didn’t mean that at all.”
“Well, you could’ve fooled me. It sure sounded like it,”
Mr. Thomas said. “A few times I thought the three of us were headed for a knock-down drag-out fight. Wrestle-mania at the Thomas house!”
“Mr. Thomas?” Skye could keep quiet no longer.
“Hello!” he answered.
“Could I say something?”
“You’re on,” he said.
“I think I know a little bit how Katie feels,” Skye said. “Life can really be screwed up and all, but a kid still loves her parents—deep down.”
“Some kids sure have a funny way of showing it.” Mr. Thomas glanced back and scowled at his daughter.
Mr. Chambers pointed to his right and deliberately changed the subject. “Let’s take this trail that follows the stream. It leads through a huge cluster of pines to the back line of our property. Then we can swing around to another dirt road. That’ll bring us to the pasture and pond right behind the barn.”
The group headed off the road. Single file, each horse and rider took the narrow path into deeper woods that melded into a forest of towering pines. After a short distance on the new trail, the riders dismounted, allowing the horses to sip from the gurgling brook. Trying to ignore the tension between Katie and her dad, Skye basked in the beauty of the woods, the feel of the ride, the awesome smells of the horses and pine trees.
“It doesn’t get any better than this, does it, Katie?” Skye said as they all mounted and started through the woods again.
“It would be if Mom were here!” Katie said loud enough for her father to hear.
“Duh,” Skye whispered. “Just cool it! You do sound like your replay button is stuck!”
“Katie, need I remind you that your mother hates horses?” Mr. Thomas’ tone sounded mocking. “By the way, I thought you did
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