Horseflies (13 page)

It was dark by the time they finished. Though Max only found one or two lice on Calypso and Romeo, Carole gave them and their stalls the whole treatment. By the time she had finished, her arms and legs ached as they never had before. Wearily she hauled all the newspaper out to the small fire pit that was a hundred yards away from the stable.

“Is that all of it?” Max asked, pulling a water hose close to the pit.

“Yes,” said Carole, out of breath as she dumped the last of the newspapers. “That’s everything—horse hair, dander, dead and living lice.”

“Good,” Max said. “This shouldn’t take long.”

He lit a match and tossed it under the pile of newspaper. For a moment nothing happened; then orange flames began to lick around the edges of the paper. In an instant the whole pile was a small ball of flame. Then, as quickly as it had ignited, it went out. The only thing left was black, sooty ashes. Nonetheless, Max turned the hose on and drenched the pit with water. “You can never be too careful with fire around a barn,” he said, reaching down and feeling the ashes to make sure they were totally cold and thoroughly soaked.

“And you can’t be too careful with parasites, either,” Carole said. “I’m so glad none of the other horses was suffering as much as Starlight was.” She shook her head. “But I’m so sorry he had to suffer at all. He never will again.” She looked at Max and took a vow. “If I have anything to do with it, none of the horses here will ever suffer from lice or ticks or horseflies again.”

Max smiled and began to coil up the hose. “I think it’s great that you feel that way, Carole. But you’ve also got to be realistic.”

“What do you mean?” Carole frowned.

“I mean that we can’t kill every bug or fly that lands on a
horse. It would be impossible. Botflies and lice and ticks are just part of the total package. For all the good, wonderful things that come with horses, a few bad things come along, too. It’s part of owning a horse.”

He stashed the hose underneath a tree. “The trick is to be aware of what exactly is going on with your horse. Realize that parasites might be bothering him when he gets cranky, and take care of them before they get out of hand. Horses can’t ask for a dose of insecticide. And they certainly can’t suit themselves up with an ear net before they go out for a run in the paddock.”

Carole giggled at the thought of Starlight tucking his ears up in one of those lamp shade-looking hats, but she knew Max was making a serious point. Suddenly she wanted to see Starlight and apologize all over again.

“I’m going to put Starlight back in his stall,” she said, leaving Max and hurrying back to the barn. As soon as she closed the stall door, Starlight began munching his hay. Though he smelled like insecticide, his eyes were bright, and he greeted her with his old soft nicker as he looked up from his food.

“Hey, Starlight,” Carole said, rubbing him behind his ears. She looked into his big brown eyes and smiled. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to what you were trying to tell me. From now on, even though I may not be able to figure it out right off the bat, I’m going to listen to you first and try out my own crazy theories later!”

Starlight blinked unconcernedly, then went back to munching his hay.

“I think he’s forgiven you, Carole,” Max said, coming up behind her. “Now I think you’d better forgive yourself.”

Carole smiled. As usual, Max had guessed her feelings.

“Say, how about we call it a night and I’ll give you a lift home? Does your dad know where you are?”

“Yes, I called him this afternoon to tell him I’d probably be here till late.”

“Well, I’m sure he wouldn’t want you taking the bus this time of night.”

“Thanks, Max,” Carole said, feeling almost limp with fatigue. “That would be great.”

They shut the stable door and walked to the parking lot. Carole buckled her seat belt as they pulled out of the driveway; then she leaned back against the headrest. She was asleep before Max’s car was out of the driveway.

“W
HEN IS
L
ISA
supposed to get here with Jamie?” Stevie asked impatiently, rearranging herself on the bale of hay.

Carole didn’t look up from her book. “When her mother finishes meeting with the decorator, she’s going to give Lisa and Jamie a ride over here.”

“It seems like it’s taken him forever to get well.” Stevie drew her knees up under her chin and stared out into the parking lot.

“We visited him just over a week ago, Stevie,” Carole reminded her. “That’s the normal recovery time for chicken pox.”

Stevie sighed and frowned. “I thought you’d given up reading at the stable. You said it distracted you from Starlight.”

Carole held up her book. On the cover was a picture of a
kind-looking man with a beautiful Thoroughbred peeking out from behind his shoulder. Just over that were the title and author:
The Man Who Listens to Horses
by Monty Roberts. Carole smiled. “This won’t distract me from Starlight. This will help me figure out what he’s trying to tell me.”

“I know what Starlight’s trying to tell you,” Stevie announced.

“What?”

“ ‘Ride me, Carole, ride me.’ ” Stevie bugged out her eyes and spoke in a hypnotic voice. “ ‘It’s summer vacation … no time for reading.… Put the book down and ride me!’ ”

Suddenly a car horn tooted.

“Look!” Stevie leaped to her feet. “There’s Lisa now.”

The green sedan pulled to a stop. Both doors on the passenger side opened. “Hi, everybody!” Jamie cried, getting out of the backseat.

“Hi, Jamie!” Stevie and Carole called as Jamie ran toward them. Lisa followed, but more slowly.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Carole asked as the little boy ran up and threw his arms around her waist.

“I’m feeling great!”

“Are all your chicken pox gone?” Stevie asked as she also received a hug.

“All but one,” Jamie reported proudly. He lifted up his shirt to reveal the last remaining spot on his stomach. “It’s almost gone,” he said. “And it doesn’t itch at all.”

“Hi, guys.” Lisa greeted them with a smile. “As you can see, Jamie’s feeling much better.”

“He looks terrific,” Carole said. “Rosy cheeks, bright eyes, lots of energy.”

“I’ll give you three guesses what the first thing he wanted to do when he got better was.”

“Let’s see …,” Stevie said, shooting Carole a teasing glance. “Did you want to read a book?”

“No,” Jamie said.

“Did you want to eat candy and junk food until you felt like you might throw up?” Stevie guessed again.

“No.” Jamie laughed and shook his head.

“Hmmm.” Stevie frowned and chewed her fingernail, pretending to be stumped. “Could it be … Did you want to visit your Saddle Club pals and ride Nickel?”

“Yes!” Jamie cried.

“All right!” said Carole. “I knew we’d made a believer out of him!”

“Do you think Max would mind?” Lisa asked. “Mrs. Bacon says it’s all he’s talked about for the past two weeks.”

“Why don’t you three go visit Nickel in his stall, and I’ll go ask Max for permission,” Stevie volunteered. “I’m sure he’ll say yes, though. Anybody who recovers from chicken pox is a hero in his book.”

Carole and Lisa took Jamie into the stable to visit Nickel, while Stevie went to look for Max. In a few minutes she returned, smiling. “He said it’s fine with him, as long as we use a helmet and spot him.”

“Then let’s go,” said Lisa. They led Nickel out of his stall and clipped him to the cross-ties. Carole taught Jamie how to
use a currycomb, and Stevie demonstrated the fundamentals of hoof picking. Lisa brought Nickel’s saddle and bridle from the tack room, and in a few minutes he was ready to go.

“Wow,” Jamie said as he buckled on the black helmet. “Learning all this real stuff is a lot better than riding a merry-go-round!”

“That’s exactly the way we feel, Jamie,” Carole said.

Jamie touched the Pine Hollow horseshoe for luck, and together they led Nickel out to the riding ring.

“Remember how to mount up?” Carole asked.

“Of course he does,” Stevie snorted. “He did it just fine two weeks ago.”

Lisa gave him a boost, and Jamie mounted Nickel perfectly. With Stevie and Carole spotting on either side, Lisa began to lead Nickel around the ring.

“Is it as fun as you remembered?” she asked over her shoulder.

Jamie nodded vigorously. “It’s great! Can we go faster now?”

“Carole? Stevie?” Lisa asked. “Ready to trot?”

“I suppose,” Stevie replied. “But not too long. It’s really hot out here.”

They trotted around the ring three times, then stopped back at the gate. “Thanks,” said Jamie, his face pink with excitement. “That was great.”

“You’ll have to come back and do it again,” Lisa said. “Someday when Stevie is in better shape.”

“Ha, ha,” grumbled Stevie.

Jamie dismounted, and they led Nickel back to the barn. “Hey, Carole,” he said. “Wait. I’ve got something to give you.”

They stopped while Jamie ran to the backpack he’d left beside the stable door. He dug down deep inside it and pulled out a bundle wrapped up in a small plastic bag. He smiled as he handed it to Carole.

She knew what it was the moment she touched it. She looked at Jamie. “This is Pegasus, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “He helped me get better. When I lay in bed all itchy, I would look at him and remember Nickel and think of how much fun it was going to be when I could come back here and ride.” Jamie smiled. “Now he can help you with your project.”

As Carole held the bag in her hands, she could feel the outline of Pegasus’ legs and outstretched wings. Suddenly she knew she’d done the right thing by loaning him to Jamie. It wasn’t really a bribe. Pegasus had just reminded Jamie that his chicken pox wouldn’t last forever and that happier, healthier days would soon come.

“Thanks for remembering to give him back, Jamie. I really appreciate it,” Carole said. “And you’re right. He can help me with my project. Maybe when I look at him, my words will soar!”

“Oh, brother.” Stevie rolled her eyes.

Suddenly, Lisa realized it was time for her to take Jamie home. Mrs. Bacon hadn’t wanted him to get overly tired.

“Gosh, Jamie.” Lisa looked at her watch. “We’re going to be late.”

“Go ahead and walk him home, Lisa,” Carole suggested. “Stevie and I will take care of Nickel. Why don’t you just plan on meeting us at TD’s in half an hour?”

“Okay. Thanks. You guys are lifesavers.”

Jamie said good-bye to everybody. Lisa took him by the hand, and they hurried on toward his house. Carole and Stevie walked Nickel back to his stall.

“Do you want to do the tack or Nickel?” Carole asked as she unbuckled the pony’s bridle and slipped a halter on him.

“I don’t know.” Stevie shrugged. “I don’t care.”

“Well, why don’t you put his tack back and I’ll brush him down?” Carole suggested pleasantly.

“Whatever,” snapped Stevie, loosening Nickel’s girth.

Carole looked at her friend. “Stevie, why are you so grouchy today?”

“Have I been grouchy?” Stevie’s eyes widened in surprise.

“A little bit,” Carole replied as she began currying Nickel’s soft coat.

“I’m sorry,” Stevie said earnestly. “I didn’t realize that I had been.”

“It’s okay,” said Carole. “Just as long as nothing is wrong.”

Fifteen minutes later Nickel was brushed and happily munching hay in his stall. His tack had been cleaned and put in its proper place, and Stevie and Carole stood in front of their horses’ stalls.

“Hey, boy.” Carole gave Starlight his usual rub behind the ears, but today she added a scratch under his jaw and along his mane. He seemed to enjoy it, and it was a good way for her to make absolutely sure he was free of lice. He still smelled of insecticide, but he was no longer trying to scratch his neck against the stall walls, and he was his old regular self under the saddle again.

“I’m going to TD’s with Stevie and Lisa, then I’m coming back and we’re going for a ride,” Carole told him. He pricked his ears, listening. “Then after that, I’ll give you a good grooming and get all the tangles out of your tail.”

“Are you ready to go?” Stevie suddenly appeared behind Carole, again looking at her watch.

“Yes, I was just talking to Starlight—”

“Well, we need to hurry. It’s already almost one.”

“Are you that hungry?” Carole asked.

“No,” Stevie said. “I just don’t want to be late.”

“Okay, okay,” said Carole. She gave Starlight a final pat. “Bye, fella. I’ll see you a little later.”

The two girls walked out of the cool darkness of the stable into the summer brightness. “It’s really hot today,” Stevie complained as they walked across the parking lot. “Why don’t we go to my house and take a swim after TD’s?”

“I thought we were coming back to the stable for a ride,” Carole said.

“Oh, yeah,” Stevie replied. She shrugged. “Guess I forgot.”

They walked the short distance to TD’s, arriving there only five minutes late. Lisa was waiting for them in their
regular booth. “Hi, guys!” she called when they walked in the door.

“Hi!” Carole said, scooting into the booth beside her. “Did you get Jamie home okay?”

Lisa nodded. “He told his mother he had a great time and asked her if he could start taking some real riding lessons.”