High Hurdles (52 page)

“Can we go to your house first?” she asked Joe on the road out of the Academy.

“Of course. I’ll drop Amy off, and we’ll be on our way. Your mother know this is the plan?”

“I left her a message.” Now that the fun of riding was over, the questions came hurtling back.

Once at their house, she told Gran and Joe about eavesdropping on Lindy’s conversation, then slumped back into her chair. “I don’t know what to do.”

“You can’t do anything at this point, except talk with your mother. The two of you need to come to some kind of agreement.” Gran drew a casserole dish from the oven and set it on the ceramic trivet on the table. “Would you please get the salad out of the fridge?” she asked Joe.

DJ sniffed appreciatively. “You baked bread, too.”

“DJ, darlin’, how many times have I told you not to eavesdrop?” Gran rested her hands on DJ’s shoulders. “You wouldn’t have so much to stew about if you hadn’t overheard that conversation.”

“I know, but I couldn’t help it.” DJ flinched under Gran’s steady grip. She knew the look of disappointment that must be in Gran’s eyes. “Don’t tell, please? I won’t do it again.” She drew lines on the tablecloth with her fork tines. “But how else am I supposed to know what’s happening? No one tells me—they just go ahead and do stuff. It’s my life they’re messing with.”

“I know it must seem that way.” Gran sat down, took Joe’s hand, and reached for DJ’s. “Let’s say grace.”

“Dear heavenly Father,” Joe prayed, “bless this food so lovingly prepared for us. Thank you for the blessings you have given us, one of them sitting right across the table. You know what needs to be done for DJ and Lindy, and we thank you that you are working it all out in your good time. We thank you and praise you. Amen.”

“Doesn’t seem like He’s working it all out. Just seems to be getting worse.”

“Might look that way, but it’s always darkest before the dawn.” Gran held out her hand for DJ’s plate. “That’s where faith gets a chance to grow, in that dark before dawn. So let’s just thank Him in advance for the answers and go on about our business.” She looked up to catch DJ’s eye and passed her plate back.

“I guess.”

“God sees the whole picture, kid, not like us who get only glimpses.” Joe took his filled plate back. “Oh, Mel, this smells like something right from heaven.”

“We’re lucky it doesn’t smell like turpentine or oil paint.” She glanced down at the multi-dotted painting smock she still wore. “I had wanted that painting done in time to dry for Christmas, but it doesn’t look like I made it.”

“What are you working on?” DJ forked chicken and noodles into her mouth.

“A surprise for Robert. Thought he might like it for his new house.”

“So it’s for mom, too?”

“Will be, after they are married. I don’t like to give a mutual present when they aren’t exactly mutual yet. A lot can happen between now and February.”

DJ stopped chewing on the bread heel she’d just buttered. “You think they won’t get married?”

“No, it’s just a kind of a superstition I have.” Gran gave Joe a quick glance. “I know, I know—Christians aren’t supposed to be superstitious, but old training is hard to break. My mother threw more salt over her shoulder than went in her soup. So I’ll give Robert this painting, and Lindy something else. Then they can enjoy both gifts together.”

“Gran, you blow me away.”

“Oh, darlin’, you and I both know our heavenly Father is first and foremost in my heart. And we’ll all keep praying that He becomes so for Lindy, too.”

They ate in silence until DJ said, “So . . . what do you think I should do about going to visit the Atwoods over Christmas break?”

“The Atwoods?” Gran arched one eyebrow.

“I don’t know what to call him—them.” DJ shook her head. “I hate making decisions.”

Gran looked at DJ over the rim of her violet-banded coffee cup. “I think you need to go see him—if not right away, then soon. You have a right and a need to know your biological father if it’s possible, and in this case, it certainly is. Between Brad and Robert, you are one mighty blessed girl to have two such fine men in your life.”

“Three.”

“Three?” The eyebrow went up again.

“GJ. I’ve got him, too.”

“Funny you should say that.” Gran patted Joe’s hand. “And he even does dishes.” The twinkle in her eyes brought an answering one from the man beside her.

“Flattery will get you everywhere. I suppose that was a hint so you could go back to painting?”

“Right.”

“Good. You do that and DJ will help me with the dishes so we can make time to work on her frames. Right, kiddo?”

DJ groaned and made a face. “Think I like dishes?” But she began gathering the plates to take to the sink. “Maybe tomorrow you can help me with the Double Bs’ book, huh, Gran?” She elbowed Joe away from the sink. “And if it’s nice, Joe and I can ride up in Briones.”

“More rain predicted.”

“You sure know how to make me happy.” Their banter continued as they rinsed dishes and stacked them in the dishwasher.

When her mother hadn’t come by for her by ten, DJ climbed into bed in her bedroom at Gran’s. At least this way she and Joe could get going early in the morning. As she closed her eyes, she thought a moment of the big box waiting at home. Whatever could be in it?

Chapter
•
14

“I’ll never get this thing right!”

“Just ask that cute guy over there for help. That’s why he works here.” Amy looked up from the photocopy machine at the Copy House to grin at DJ. “You just have no patience.”

“With horses, yes. Machines, no.” DJ made her way past the busy machines, most manned by people using red or green paper to make Christmas letters, up to the desk.

“Hi, can I help you?”

Amy was right, he
was
cute, but right now DJ needed brains. “I can’t get that machine to print on both sides. I think we’re following the directions.” DJ pointed to the machine that she was sure was sticking its tongue out at her.

“I’ll be there in a minute, okay?”

“Sure, thanks.” She felt like stomping back to the machine. Why did everything seem to go wrong when she was in a hurry? At this rate, the cards would never be printed, and DJ was anxious to get going as soon as Joe got back. Today they were finally heading for a ride in Briones.

Amy finished printing the backs of her cards and moved on to the paper cutter. The photos had turned out beautifully clear: one of a rose from her mother’s garden, another of her little sister eating an ice-cream cone, a view of fog over San Francisco Bay, and one of a goose swimming in a pond. Each packet would hold two of each card, for a total of eight.

DJ’s horses probably wouldn’t appeal to as many people, but she knew her family would be pleased. Bridget had said she’d carry them in the tack shop, too, so DJ was running off twenty sets.

The young man flipped a couple of buttons, checked on the card stock paper, slammed the machine closed again, and pushed the green button. Her page came out as clear as could be.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.” He held up the sheet of card stock. “Hey, that’s really cool. Did you draw that?” At her nod, he studied the drawing of the foal again. “My sister would love something like this. She’s nuts about horses. You making note cards?”

“Yeah, for Christmas presents.” DJ stopped, caught the nod from Amy, and continued. “And we’ll be selling them, too.”

“Could you get me a set or two? How much are they?”

DJ stumbled over her tongue. On the second try, she answered, “There are eight to a pack, and the packs cost four dollars. My friend Amy has reproductions of her photos on hers.” She pointed to the paper cutter table.

“Cool. Are the two of you in business or something?”

“Sorta.”

He stopped for a minute, studying the growing stack of four-by-five ready-to-fold cards. “Could I buy two sets from each of you? Makes my shopping easy.”

Amy looked up. “Sure, we’ll package them and bring them back here tomorrow. If you’ve got any friends here who might like them, let them know we’ll bring extras.”

DJ rolled her lips together to contain a grin.
Leave it to Amy not to miss a trick
.

When the Copy House employee walked off to help someone else, the girls swapped high fives. “That’ll at least help pay for the envelopes.” DJ removed her sheets from the machine and took over Amy’s place at the cutting board. “If we sell enough, we’ll have free Christmas presents to give. Why didn’t we think of this a long time ago?”

Amy folded her cut cards. “You know, maybe we should charge five dollars instead. I checked at a stationery store, and note cards were priced all the way up to $7.95 for a package of ten.”

“You know what my mom says, you’ve got to price stuff according to what the market will bear.”

“Woowee, listen to the big business woman over here!”

As soon as they finished cutting the cards, they paid their bills and headed out to the truck where Joe waited.

“You can see if you promise not to tell anyone.” DJ couldn’t wait to show him.

“Promise.”

Each girl handed Joe samples of her cards. A hush fell as they waited for his opinion.

“These are really good.” He shuffled through them again. “I’m impressed. Are these Christmas gifts, or your latest money maker?”

“Both. We sold two packs each to a guy who works at the Copy House.” DJ bounced on the seat in her excitement. “Now we can go riding. Hurry up, GJ, the horses are waiting.” She and Amy took their cards back and carefully put them into their bags. No bent corners or smudge marks would do.

Amy gently tucked the package into the glove compartment. “Hey, I forgot to tell you. My mom said I could go to your father’s farm with you, if you still want to go.”

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” DJ slid her fingers up and down the seat belt crossed over her chest. She nodded. “Yeah, we’ll go. I’ll call him and make the final plans.”

Joe patted her knee. “I’m proud of you, DJ. You’ll make it.”

DJ flashed him a grin. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

While clouds crept over the hills as they saddled, DJ refused to give in. The three of them were going riding, and that was that. If they got sprinkled on, so be it. The wind picked up, and they could feel the temperature dropping as they rode up the hill and out of the Academy. Through one more gate, and they were on park land, hills now covered with the green of winter thanks to all the rain they’d had. One hillside had been so rain soaked it had given way and slid downward, leaving a bowl of exposed dirt and rumpled ridges of grass-covered dirt below. The cattle that had free range in the park ran before them as if they were being chased when they made their way down the path to the staging area, a parking lot for park visitors. During the busy park season, a ranger took fees in a small building at the entrance to the parking lot.

Since mountain-bike riders and hikers loved the trails as much as horse riders did, the park was always well used. Today, however, the parking lot was empty.

DJ nudged Major into a canter as they took the main trail under the trees and followed a creek that now held plenty of frothing water. In the summer it was only a trickle.

“Come on, GJ, doesn’t that young pony of yours know how to enjoy a real ride?”

“Just watch and you’ll see.” Joe kept a careful hand on the reins.

Ranger whinnied as the other two horses disappeared around a curve.

“I love riding right before a storm,” DJ shouted.

“Me too.” Amy kept Josh at the same even gait as they climbed the well-kept fire road trail.

DJ glanced over her shoulder. “Hey, look who’s catching up!” What fun it would be to really run, to race up the hill and across the meadow, to let Major have his head and just go.

Major snorted and tugged at the bit. He wanted the same thing.

DJ was tempted, but she kept the easy rocking-chair canter that ate up the miles. Not only was it easier on her horse, but it was safer should the trail be slippery. They rounded another corner, and she signaled a halt, this time with seat and legs instead of just pulling on the reins. Major obeyed instantly.

A washout had dug a three-foot wide and half as deep ditch across the trail. If they’d been galloping, they’d have had to jump over or stumble through it. Sloppy mud all around made footing treacherous.

DJ looked at Amy and shook her head. “Sure glad we weren’t racing.”

“Me too. That could have been a bad one.”

Ranger stopped beside them, front feet dancing while he pulled at the bit and tossed his head. Joe leaned forward and, keeping one hand snug on the reins, stroked his mount’s neck.

“Easy, fella.” He looked around. “These hills must be soaked for the runoff to be this bad. You’d think that was a regular creek. Well, guy, guess you are going to get a lesson in crossing water. Lead on, DJ. Major will be cautious, but he’ll go.”

DJ squeezed her legs, and Major, placing his feet with utmost caution, negotiated the two-foot drop, splashed in the ankle-deep water, and headed up the other side. Josh followed suit, snorting all the way.

Ranger, however, would have none of it. He snorted and backed up fast. When Joe brought him up to the water again, he let the horse put his head down and sniff.

Major nickered, as if encouraging the younger animal.

Ranger put one foot forward, then the other. Joe talked to him gently, but when the gelding put his foot into the water, he sat back on his haunches and whirled around. Had Joe not kept a firm hand on the reins, Ranger would have headed for home.

“Easy, fella,” Joe kept up the murmur as he dismounted. “Guess we’ll do it this way. You’ll have to learn someday. We should have made you go through water before—a good trail horse does all this stuff.” Joe led him down and stopped at the edge of the running stream. “Now, you
could
just jump over this thing if you had a mind to, but we’re going to walk it.” He pulled on the reins.

Ranger snorted and he rolled his eyes. He moved to back up, but the steady hands on his reins and Joe’s gentle voice kept him coming forward.

DJ watched the process, swapped concerned glances with Amy, and found herself praying,
God, please get that fool horse through this safely
.

Ranger splashed water with one foot and leaped forward. If Joe hadn’t been prepared, he’d have been run right over. The gelding now stood trembling on the other side.

Joe patted him and told him how great he was.

DJ breathed a sigh of relief. “You know, you really should make him go back and forth a couple of times to get him comfortable with it.”

“I know.” Joe grinned up at her. “Want to trade horses?”

“Not me. Just think what this would be like with Patches. I know Mrs. Johnson wants to ride up here. Soon it’ll be time for me to get him used to things like this.”

Joe led Ranger back and forth across the stream, then mounted to cross a last time and head up the trail. Ranger snorted but stepped down and through the water as though he’d never thought of charging or refusing.

“Good boy,” Joe said, stroking the horse’s neck and grinning at DJ and Amy. “Well, we had our excitement for the day, wouldn’t you say?”

“He’s going to be a good horse,” DJ said, a smile now chasing the worry away. “I thought maybe that was the end of our ride.”

“Nah, I knew he’d do it.”

“Just not when, right?” Amy patted Josh’s neck. “I remember the first creek he crossed. He wasn’t a happy camper.”

When they crested the trail and reached the meadow, low clouds cottoned the hilltops and sent tendrils exploring the valleys. Off to the right, the river flowing through the Carquinez Straits lay molten gray. The smokestacks of the refineries in Martinez puffed steam clouds that plumed due east, and the trees above them whipped in the wind, small limbs and dead leaves scurrying before the onslaught.

The air hung heavy with the promise of rain.

DJ sucked in a deep breath and turned to grin at Amy. “Don’t ya love it?”

“It’s going to get wet out here pretty soon. Think we better turn back?” Joe stopped beside them.

“We should, but let’s ride up to the saddle where the bluebird houses are. I hate to turn back.”

When the others agreed, DJ nudged Major back into a canter and they followed the road around the curve and up the hill. Cattle grazed the slopes and watered at the pond that now looked like a small lake. She wanted to keep going, down into the valley and around the other hills. Even with all the riding she’d done in the park, she’d never followed all the trails. There was never enough time.

Reluctantly, DJ turned back. Soon, she promised herself. Soon she’d follow that trail around the north side of the hills, the one that didn’t look as well used as the others.

They were drenched by the time they made their way back into the stable yard.

Back at Gran and Joe’s after DJ had taken a shower to warm up, she and Joe finished the last of the framing and Gran helped her assemble the book for the twins.

“That’s it, then,” DJ sighed when she tied the last bow on the packages. “My Christmas presents are finished.”

“And none too soon, with Christmas Eve tomorrow night.” Gran set a plate of cookies on the table. “Try these and see if we should make more of them. I made up a plate of goodies for you to take to the Yamamotos. You want to drop it off on your way home?”

“Sure.” DJ grinned around a mouthful of cookie. “You better start mixing, Robert’s gonna clean these out.” She plucked a chocolate kiss off the top of the round peanut butter cookie. “How come we never made these before?”