Dark Days at Saddle Creek. Shelley Peterson

at the same time.

      Harold spoke first. “I’m sorry you had to hear all that. And I’m sorry to have put you in this position. Thank you for stepping up.”

      “I had nothing to do with it. It was Bird and Sally who brought him here.”

      “But you didn’t send him back.”

      Hannah considered this. “I might have, if not for the sore on his back. It made me wonder.”

      “That’s what made my mind up — when Dexter tried to put the blame on you. Even a novice like me can see that the sore didn’t happen last night.”

      Hannah nodded. “May we treat it? Paul, Dr. Daniels, has already looked at it, and he tells me the horse needs antibiotics and regular cleansing.”

      “Absolutely. You have a new boarder. If you’ll take us.”

      Hannah smiled. “Of course.”

      “I’ll start paying board today. Lessons, too. Sally likes it here.”

      “I really, really do!” Sally had finished bathing Charlie and came running to join them. “I’m so happy!”

      “We really like Sally,” enthused Bird. “And Tall Sox, too.”

      “I’m glad, Bird.” Harold Johns smiled at her as the three of them walked out of the barn.

      “See you tomorrow?” called Sally.

      “See you tomorrow,” answered Bird. “Oh, Sally? Can I show you where to put your tack?”

      “Sure!”

      Bird showed Sally into the tack room and closed the door behind them.

      “I actually wanted to ask you something in private,” she said.

      Sally looked wary. “What?”

      “Why did you tell me that your father was going to put Tall Sox to sleep?”

      “He was!”

      “The truth?”

      Sally looked at the floor and mumbled, “Okay, I didn’t know exactly. But I knew he was going somewhere. I don’t trust Dexter, and nobody was telling me anything.”

      Bird decided to accept that. “Fair enough. But from now on be honest with me, okay?”

      Sally smiled sheepishly, and nodded agreement. The girls walked out to join the adults.

      Sally waved goodbye as she and her father drove away. Bird watched from the barn door and waved back, hoping that Sally could keep her promise.

      Can I stay here? asked Tall Sox. Did I make a good first impression?

      Looks like it, answered Bird. But I have to keep your sore cleaned out. You’re not going to like it, and it has to be done.

       If you’re gentle.

       And you have to eat all your food, even with the medicine stirred in.

       I will.

       Good. When it heals enough, I’ll get on you and find out how much you’ve been taught.

       I can run fast, and I know how to jump, but I’m not ready to go into competition.

       Would you like to?

       Yes!

       And will you be nice to Sally?

       Yes, if I can stay here.

       Deal.

      Bird laughed in surprise as Sox leapt joyfully in his stall, playfully shook his ears, and bumped Bird gently with his soft nose. Whatever happened next, Bird knew she’d made this horse very happy.

      4

       HANNAH TELLS BIRD ABOUT HER FATHER

       The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.

      — Black Elk, Oglala Sioux holy man

      Bird put Tall Sox outside with a barrel of fresh water and headed to the farmhouse for a late lunch. The others were already eating sandwiches outside under the big maple.

      On the way down the lane, she walked past Sundancer’s field.

      Sunny threw his head up. You’re paying a little too much attention to the new guy.

       Jealous, Sunny? Don’t be! You’re my best friend.

       All the horses want you to ride them.

      Bird climbed the fence and sat on the top rail. Sunny came over to get his ears scratched.

      It was fun at the show yesterday, wasn’t it? Bird messaged.

       Yes. That jump in the first corner was tricky.

       The vertical? Yeah. We might’ve come in too fast.

       No, we didn’t. It wasn’t measured out right.

       In a class like that, the distances would be accurate.

       It wasn’t right.

      You know these things, Sunny. Bird grinned at her stubborn horse.

       Sox is going to be a good horse, Bird.

       Why do you say that?

       He might even be a friend.

      Really? This surprised Bird. Sunny liked Charlie, but was bossy with most of the others. Even Moonlight Sonata, whom he liked, was in danger of the occasional shot from his rear hoof.

       Yes, really. He’s smart.

      High praise from Sundancer. We’ll see.

      Bird jumped down from the fence and continued to the house. Hannah was on the phone when she came through the kitchen door. As Bird made a peanut butter sandwich, she couldn’t help but overhear.

      “I hope he feels better soon, Laura. Do you need me to drive him? … How about groceries?” Hannah wore a slight frown on her face. “What do you think it is? … Hmm … Well, let me know what I can do … Okay, keep in touch … Bye.”

      “What’s wrong with Mr. Pierson?” asked Bird, as Hannah replaced the phone on the wall.

      “Oh, he’ll likely be fine. He woke up feeling nauseous. It’s probably the flu, but Mrs. Pierson worries about his heart, now that he’s getting older.”

      “Getting older? He’s close to ninety!”

      “Bird! You’ll be that age one day, if you’re lucky, and sooner than you think.”

      “I’m just saying that Mr. Pierson is old, not getting old. I love Mr. and Mrs. Pierson!”

      Hannah nodded. “I hear you. But understand that to say a person is old is to say they’re getting close to death. It’s a hard concept to accept.”

      “I never thought about it like that.”

      “That’s because you’re still young. Anyway, I’m sure Mr. Pierson will be fine. He’s quite healthy.”

      Bird bit into a crunchy apple. She liked apples with her peanut butter sandwiches. “Can I stay here tonight? Or do I have to go, you know, back home.” She tried to sound casual.

      Hannah raised an eyebrow. “This sounds like a loaded question.”

      “No!