The Saddle Creek Series 5-Book Bundle. Shelley Peterson

door and looked inside. “Scrambled eggs on toast?” he asked.

      “Sounds good. I’m starved.” Abby cleared the table of the empty gin bottle and dirty glass with a disgusted groan.

      “Tell me about Cody.”

      Abby had flung herself into a chair and was slumped over the pine table. Without lifting her head, she answered, “I can bring him home in a week, if the bones are knitting properly. He’ll be so heavily sedated, he won’t move around. Dr. Millitch says that’s the best thing to do, but I feel sorry for him, locked in a small cage with only strangers around. He’ll freak out. Even drugged, his instinct will be to panic.”

      “She’s the best small animal vet around. She knows what’s good for him.”

      “I hope so. I’ll visit Cody every chance I get.” Abby sat up and looked at her father. “Now Dad, tell me what happened here. With Mom. Not that I really want to hear.”

      “I got home about an hour ago. My meeting ran a little later than I thought. Your mother was sitting at the table with a glass in her hand. She raised a toast to me when I came in, then fell on her face.”

      “Great.”

      “Abby, we have to accept that this is an illness. A disease.”

      “Right, Dad. Like chicken pox? Or is it more like cancer? I’ve heard that before and I’m not buying it. She’s weak, face it. You’re late getting home so she pays you back by getting smashed.”

      “You can be as mad as you like. I don’t blame you. I’m pretty mad myself.”

      “So, what are we going to do about it, Dad? Hold her hand and tell her we understand? It’s just a disease?”

      “In fairness, she’s been pretty good lately, but she needs help.”

      “Help? That’s an understatement, Dad. She needs brain surgery, a lobotomy. When you were in jail, she was drunk all the time. I’m sick of it! I don’t have any compassion left. It’s disgusting.” She dropped her head onto her folded arms in defeat, exhausted after her long, emotional day.

      “I’m taking her on a trip.”

      Abby’s head popped up from the table. “What?”

      “A trip. For at least a month. Maybe two. Only her and me. Sorry, but I think it should be just the two of us.”

      “Great! She gets pissed so she gets a big trip! What do I have to do to get some attention? Develop a drug habit?!” Abby was yelling, fists clenched and face red.

      Liam closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. “Abby, my girl. I wish it wasn’t like this. I really do.”

      “What’s taking her away on a trip going to accomplish anyway? She’ll just come back again and everything will be the same.”

      “We’re going to a clinic. A place where she’ll learn new ways to cope with her urges. At least that’s the hope.” He spoke quietly, and Abby heard the despair and disappointment in his voice.

      Abby stifled a sob. After a minute of thought she rose from her chair and walked over to her father where he stood tending the eggs. “I didn’t mean everything I said, Dad. I love Mom, and I love you,” she said as she hugged him. “I’m glad you’re home to look after her.”

      “And I love you. Everything’s going to be all right, Abby,” Liam said as he returned the hug. “It’ll turn out fine, you wait and see.” Now he had to figure out how to look after Abby.

      The phone rang, startling them both.

      “I’ll get it,” said Liam, reaching for the wall phone. “Hello? . . . Yes, Hilary, just a minute.” He covered the receiver and looked at Abby. “Do you want to take it?” he whispered. Abby nodded, wiping the tear from her cheek.

      “She’s right here.” Liam passed the phone to Abby, kissed her on the forehead, and returned to his cooking.

      “Hi, Hilary,” said Abby.

      “How’s Cody?”

      “Dr. Millitch says he’ll be okay, but he has to stay there for a bit. He has a broken leg and he lost a lot of blood.”

      “You were right about something being wrong, Abby. I thought he was probably just out hunting.”

      “He could’ve been. But, anyway, thanks for helping. I’m sorry we didn’t get a lesson today.”

      “No lesson would’ve given you what you got today.”

      “What’s that?”

      “Dancer’s devotion.”

      Abby carefully considered this for a minute. “I’ll never have the bond with him that you have. Not in a million years.”

      Hilary chortled. “I don’t know about that, Abby.” The older girl wondered if her conflicted emotions had been transparent. “I have to go back to Montreal for my exams. Can you keep riding Dancer?”

      “I’d be happy to. I mean, really happy. How often?”

      “Maybe three or four times a week? When you have the time. And ride Henry, too, if you can. Or bring along a friend when you hack. Keep records so I can pay you.”

      “Pay me?”

      “Of course. D’you think I’d ask you to exercise Dancer for free?”

      “Yes! I don’t want money, Hilary. I love riding him.”

      “Abby, I’m glad you do, but—”

      “Let’s figure it out later, okay? Right now I think I should be paying you for letting me ride him.” Abby paused as she listened. “What’s that noise, Hilary? Are you having a party?”

      Hilary laughed. “No. My grandmother just came in with Mr. Wick. They’re going to be partners in a new theatre operation, and they’re telling Mom and Rory all about it.”

      “Really?”

      “Really. And I just overheard that Samuel Owens is mad because he wanted to buy it.”

      “Samuel Owens?”

      “Yes. He wanted to burn down the barn because the ghost scared him.”

      “Hilary, are you kidding?”

      “No! I guess he shot out of the barn as white as a sheet!”

      Liam’s ears had pricked up at the mention of Samuel Owens. “What happened, Abby?”

      “Hold on, Hilary, I have to fill Dad in. Actually, why doesn’t he speak directly to your grandmother so we don’t have to be in the middle?”

      “Good idea. Good luck with Dancer, and I’ll call soon. Any problems, get my number in Montreal from Mom. Now, here’s Gran to talk to your dad. And thanks, Abby. You riding him is the best thing that could’ve happened to Dancer, and I really appreciate it.”

      Liam took the phone from Abby. “Joy? It’s Liam.”

      Abby popped the bread in the toaster and stirred the eggs while Liam and Joy laughed and chatted. Why did her mother drink? She didn’t want to think about it.

      She worried about Cody waking from the drugs and becoming frantic. She hoped nobody would be foolhardy enough to try to befriend him. Cody was wild. He would bite. That could be a problem. At least he’d gotten all his shots and had his teeth cleaned. Colleen had taken the opportunity while he was under sedation.

      Her mother worried her, but Abby didn’t want to think about it.

      She started planning her riding schedule. Moonie would be kept fit at three rides a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after school. Working Leggy twenty minutes each day before school would keep her training on target. And she would bike to Hogscroft directly from school Tuesdays and Thursdays