too.”
“Katie doesn’t hate them,” Skye informed the man. “She loves them, especially Boomer.”
The riders reined their horses out of the pines and onto a dirt road.
Besides a pocketful of candy, Katie focused on convincing her dad that all was not lost. “Dad, remember how I said I hated everything?”
“How could I forget?” Mr. Thomas said. “Four years of nothing but ‘I hate this; I hate that; I hate you.’”
“She didn’t mean it,” Skye said.
“Well, maybe I did hate some things, but it was because of my blindness, Dad. That’s why I want you to see that I’ve changed. I don’t hate everything. Skye and Mr. and Mrs. C. have shown me that I need goals. And now I have some.”
“Hmm,” Mr. Thomas said. “Well, I have to hand it to you. You did surprise me by riding that horse.”
“Dad,” Katie rushed her words, “do you remember what next month is?”
“August!” he said without hesitation.
“What’s in August?” Katie asked.
Mr. Thomas scratched the back of his neck. “Well, I know school usually starts. Am I missing something here?”
“It’s my birthday!” Katie informed him.
“Oh, that’s right,” Mr. Thomas said. “You know I’m terrible with dates.”
“And there’s a horse show!” Skye couldn’t resist putting her two cents’ worth in.
Katie placed her index finger to her lips. “Sh-h,” she said.
“What’s the matter with you?” Skye whispered and shrugged her shoulders.
“Just sh-h,” Katie repeated.
“We always make a big deal of birthdays at Keystone.” Mr. Chambers chuckled. “Whether you’re fourteen or forty, we do it up right!”
“Yeah,” Skye said. “We’ll probably have a big party with balloons and cake and everything!”
“I hope the cake is chocolate. Dad, can you come for my birthday?” Katie pressed her father.
Without missing a beat, Mr. Thomas asked, “Will your mother be here?”
“Probably not,” Katie answered coolly.
Now how does she know that? Skye reasoned. She didn ’ t even ask her yet.
“And what about the horse show?” Mr. Thomas asked.
“Katie’s been—,” Mr. Chambers started.
“It’s a secret,” Katie interrupted, “but I might have a big surprise.”
“You mean you might be riding in the horse show?” Mr. Thomas asked.
“She and Boomer . . .” Skye almost gave it away. “Oops, sorry!”
“It’s a secret!” Katie interrupted again with a more pointed tone. “Will you come? My birthday is just two days before the show. You could stay for both.”
“Well, I can’t make any promises,” Mr. Thomas said, “but I’ll check my schedule.”
“I think you’d really enjoy the show,” Mr. Chambers said. “It’s the big event of the year in Snyder County. I hope you can make it.”
“Is it on a weekend?” Mr. Thomas asked.
“Yes,” Mr. Chambers answered. “It’s always held the last Saturday in August.”
“Well, we’ll see,” Mr. Thomas said.
“Dad, please!” Katie pleaded.
“Katie, that’s the best I can do. We’ll see.” Mr. Thomas’ response was stern this time.
The group followed the dirt road that led to a fenced pasture.
“Everyone, stop here.” Mr. Chambers dismounted. “I’ll swing the gate open. We’ll ride to the barn by encircling the pond. It’s a little shorter than taking the road.”
The group waited while Mr. Chambers unlatched the gate. He swung it open, and Mr. Thomas rode through, followed by Katie. Skye brought up the rear, leading Mr. Chambers’ horse.
In seconds, every horse had succumbed to the lure of the succulent grass. Like nails to a magnet, their heads were drawn to the ground. In greedy snatches, they grabbed and nibbled, trying to catch a quick meal while Mr. Chambers secured the gate.
“Skye,” Katie whispered, “where’s the barn?”
“It’s about a hundred yards straight ahead,” Skye said. “But the pond is—”
“I’m gonna show Dad how much I’ve learned.” Katie pulled up Boomer’s
“Katie doesn’t hate them,” Skye informed the man. “She loves them, especially Boomer.”
The riders reined their horses out of the pines and onto a dirt road.
Besides a pocketful of candy, Katie focused on convincing her dad that all was not lost. “Dad, remember how I said I hated everything?”
“How could I forget?” Mr. Thomas said. “Four years of nothing but ‘I hate this; I hate that; I hate you.’”
“She didn’t mean it,” Skye said.
“Well, maybe I did hate some things, but it was because of my blindness, Dad. That’s why I want you to see that I’ve changed. I don’t hate everything. Skye and Mr. and Mrs. C. have shown me that I need goals. And now I have some.”
“Hmm,” Mr. Thomas said. “Well, I have to hand it to you. You did surprise me by riding that horse.”
“Dad,” Katie rushed her words, “do you remember what next month is?”
“August!” he said without hesitation.
“What’s in August?” Katie asked.
Mr. Thomas scratched the back of his neck. “Well, I know school usually starts. Am I missing something here?”
“It’s my birthday!” Katie informed him.
“Oh, that’s right,” Mr. Thomas said. “You know I’m terrible with dates.”
“And there’s a horse show!” Skye couldn’t resist putting her two cents’ worth in.
Katie placed her index finger to her lips. “Sh-h,” she said.
“What’s the matter with you?” Skye whispered and shrugged her shoulders.
“Just sh-h,” Katie repeated.
“We always make a big deal of birthdays at Keystone.” Mr. Chambers chuckled. “Whether you’re fourteen or forty, we do it up right!”
“Yeah,” Skye said. “We’ll probably have a big party with balloons and cake and everything!”
“I hope the cake is chocolate. Dad, can you come for my birthday?” Katie pressed her father.
Without missing a beat, Mr. Thomas asked, “Will your mother be here?”
“Probably not,” Katie answered coolly.
Now how does she know that? Skye reasoned. She didn ’ t even ask her yet.
“And what about the horse show?” Mr. Thomas asked.
“Katie’s been—,” Mr. Chambers started.
“It’s a secret,” Katie interrupted, “but I might have a big surprise.”
“You mean you might be riding in the horse show?” Mr. Thomas asked.
“She and Boomer . . .” Skye almost gave it away. “Oops, sorry!”
“It’s a secret!” Katie interrupted again with a more pointed tone. “Will you come? My birthday is just two days before the show. You could stay for both.”
“Well, I can’t make any promises,” Mr. Thomas said, “but I’ll check my schedule.”
“I think you’d really enjoy the show,” Mr. Chambers said. “It’s the big event of the year in Snyder County. I hope you can make it.”
“Is it on a weekend?” Mr. Thomas asked.
“Yes,” Mr. Chambers answered. “It’s always held the last Saturday in August.”
“Well, we’ll see,” Mr. Thomas said.
“Dad, please!” Katie pleaded.
“Katie, that’s the best I can do. We’ll see.” Mr. Thomas’ response was stern this time.
The group followed the dirt road that led to a fenced pasture.
“Everyone, stop here.” Mr. Chambers dismounted. “I’ll swing the gate open. We’ll ride to the barn by encircling the pond. It’s a little shorter than taking the road.”
The group waited while Mr. Chambers unlatched the gate. He swung it open, and Mr. Thomas rode through, followed by Katie. Skye brought up the rear, leading Mr. Chambers’ horse.
In seconds, every horse had succumbed to the lure of the succulent grass. Like nails to a magnet, their heads were drawn to the ground. In greedy snatches, they grabbed and nibbled, trying to catch a quick meal while Mr. Chambers secured the gate.
“Skye,” Katie whispered, “where’s the barn?”
“It’s about a hundred yards straight ahead,” Skye said. “But the pond is—”
“I’m gonna show Dad how much I’ve learned.” Katie pulled up Boomer’s
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