Leading the Way (5 page)

T
he next few weeks found Skye and Katie practicing barrel racing every chance they had. Katie progressed so well that Mrs. Chambers started working the routine with her. Together they rode Boomer in a slow canter.

By the end of July, Mrs. Chambers agreed that Katie was ready to run the course by herself. Despite Katie’s pudginess, her natural riding ability impressed everyone. She credited her skill to her younger years of cheerleading and sports. Most impressive, though, was her new attitude. Casting Skye’s caution to the wind, she believed that her family’s future depended on her winning a blue ribbon at the horse show. Katie had something to prove!

Skye and Katie were becoming the best of friends, sharing their hopes and dreams. Of all the things they loved to discuss, horses topped the list. But Skye had little success convincing Katie to trust more in God. She couldn’t even get her new friend to church or to youth activities.

Through the month of July, Katie’s parents visited only twice, at different times. Mrs. Thomas came on her
weekdays off from work. Mr. Thomas came on weekends. Skye wondered if he were intentionally avoiding his wife. Caught in the middle, Katie tried to be upbeat, showing the “new” her to everyone around.

Now, the last Saturday in July, Mr. Thomas was visiting again, and Mr. Chambers suggested a trail ride to take advantage of the beautiful warm day. On a dirt road winding through the backwoods of Keystone, Mr. Chambers and Mr. Thomas led the way on their horses. Skye and Katie followed close behind on Champ and Boomer. Katie fed her mouth a steady flow of candy from a stash in her shirt pocket.

Skye leaned forward and stroked Champ’s silky mane. “Katie, we’re going through some thick woods now. You should see how green everything is.”

“Sh-h,” Katie whispered. “I wanna hear what they’re talking about.” She pointed forward. “And, Skye, I can feel that we’re in the woods. It’s much cooler in the shade.”

“So, Keith, how long since you’ve been on a horse?” Mr. Chambers asked.

“It’s been years.” Mr. Thomas’ chubby hand rubbed through a head of straight blond hair. “I had forgotten how great riding is. I grew up in the country. I always had a pet pony or some grade horse my dad had picked up at auction. But after Katie’s mother and I were married, we moved to the city where there were more job opportunities.”

“You’re in sales?” Mr. Chambers asked.

“Yes. Books. Wholesale. Right now, I’m trying to get a distribution business started online. If I can make it work from a home office, I’d like to move back to the country.”

Mr. Chambers squared his Stetson. “Going into my own computer business was the best career decision I ever made. I had no idea that the Lord had this kids’ ministry
in mind for Eileen and me. Buying Keystone opened up a whole new world for both of us.”

“I’d really like to be out in the wide-open spaces again.” Mr. Thomas shot a quick glance back at his daughter. “And the way Katie has taken to riding, maybe we could look into getting a horse for her.”

“We, Dad?” Katie was all ears. “You mean you and Mom?”

“No, I should have said ‘I,’ not ‘we.’ Nice try, Katie, but your mother and I have too many differences to get back together right now.” Mr. Thomas punched his thumb over his shoulder. “You’d think there’s nothing else to talk about but her mother and me. Katie sounds like her replay button is stuck.”

“I don’t know many kids who are glad about their parents’ divorce,” Mr. Chambers said. “It’s important to try to understand their viewpoint.”

“I thought she’d be glad we split up.” Mr. Thomas spoke as if Katie were miles away. “All we did was fight. Katie even told her mother and me that she hated us. Now, that’s hard to swallow from your own kid. I just couldn’t cope anymore.”

“Dad, I don’t hate you,” Katie interjected. “I didn’t mean that at all.”

“Well, you could’ve fooled me. It sure sounded like it,” Mr. Thomas said. “A few times I thought the three of us were headed for a knock-down drag-out fight. Wrestlemania at the Thomas house!”

“Mr. Thomas?” Skye could keep quiet no longer.

“Hello!” he answered.

“Could I say something?”

“You’re on,” he said.

“I think I know a little bit how Katie feels,” Skye said. “Life can really be screwed up and all, but a kid still loves her parents—deep down.”

“Some kids sure have a funny way of showing it.” Mr. Thomas glanced back and scowled at his daughter.

Mr. Chambers pointed to his right and deliberately changed the subject. “Let’s take this trail that follows the stream. It leads through a huge cluster of pines to the back line of our property. Then we can swing around to another dirt road. That’ll bring us to the pasture and pond right behind the barn.”

The group headed off the road. Single file, each horse and rider took the narrow path into deeper woods that melded into a forest of towering pines. After a short distance on the new trail, the riders dismounted, allowing the horses to sip from the gurgling brook. Trying to ignore the tension between Katie and her dad, Skye basked in the beauty of the woods, the feel of the ride, the awesome smells of the horses and pine trees.

“It doesn’t get any better than this, does it, Katie?” Skye said as they all mounted and started through the woods again.

“It would be if Mom were here!” Katie said loud enough for her father to hear.

“Duh,” Skye whispered. “Just cool it! You do sound like your replay button is stuck!”

“Katie, need I remind you that your mother hates horses?” Mr. Thomas’ tone sounded mocking. “By the way, I thought you did 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 head and kicked him in the belly. “Watch!”

In an accelerating trot, Boomer started running through the field, straight toward the water.

“Hey, Dad,” Katie yelled. “Watch how good I can ride!”

“Katie, get back here!” her dad yelled. “You’re heading—”

“Boomer knows the way to the barn!” Katie yelled back.

“You’re heading right toward the pond!” Mr. Chambers shouted and took a running leap unto his horse.

“Katie! Cut him to the left! Katie!” Skye screamed.

W
hoa, Boomer!” Katie screamed. She yanked the reins to her left. In a hoofbeat, the champion barrel racer cut sharply in that direction.

Boomer went one way, and Katie went another. She flew off the horse’s back and plunged into the pond with the biggest belly flop Skye had ever seen.

Splash!
Water exploded like a mushroom cloud. Weeds and mud flew everywhere.

“Katie!” everyone yelled at once.

Mr. Chambers kicked his horse into high gear toward the pond. Close behind rode Skye and Mr. Thomas.

Katie’s chubby arms and legs flailed like mini paddle wheels. More water, weeds, and mud flew. Somehow, in seconds, she managed to turn herself around. She sputtered and gagged, trying desperately to regain her balance on a bed of slippery stones.

Splash!

Back she flopped, fighting the waist-high water that forced her into an unwanted sit.

“Don’t move!” Mr. Chambers yelled.

“C’mon, Champ.” Skye urged her horse into a full gallop.

“We’re coming!” Mr. Thomas’ voice had risen an octave.

“I’m okay.” With both hands, Katie fought clinging hair, weeds, and mud, wiping them away from her face. “I’m okay, I said.”

Paying no heed, three anxious riders and their horses galloped full speed ahead.

Again, Katie tried to stand.

Splash!

This time, only the girl’s head and shoulders remained above the water. “Oh, I give up!” she shrieked.

Suddenly, as though an invisible feather had teased her nose, Katie started to giggle. By the time the horses slid to a stop, she was laughing like a drenched hyena.

“Katie, I’m here!” Mr. Chambers jumped from his horse, ran into the water, and led the girl out.

Skye and Mr. Thomas made quick work of dismounting.

“Does anything hurt?” Mr. Thomas asked.

“N—No!” Doubled over in laughter, Katie forced her words out. “Just my sides—from laughing.”

“That was pretty dumb.” Skye’s fear suddenly dissolved. “And what’s so funny?”

“I—I’m okay…” Katie could barely speak. “That—I guess that was my bath for today!”

Skye, now giggling herself, pulled muddy clumps away from both sides of Katie’s headgear. “You look ridiculous! Pond grass is sticking out from under your helmet. You look like one of Mom’s potted plants.”

“You do look kind of funny.” Relieved, Mr. Thomas snickered. “I’m sure glad you were wearing that helmet.”

“But helmets only protect heads, not belly buttons!” Mr. Chambers’ comment delivered the final verdict.

Peals of laughter exploded. Even Champ joined in with a whinny.

Friday evening, while Mr. and Mrs. Chambers played table games with the boys in the dining room, Katie, Skye, and Morgan played Scrabble in Katie’s bedroom. With the Braille board on the bed, they had almost finished their second game.

“Find an open
A
on the board, and I can make QUAIL,” Katie said. She grabbed a handful of pretzel sticks from a bag and shoved them into her mouth.

“So that’s where that nasty Q’s been hiding,” Morgan said. “You had it all along.”

“Yep.” Katie’s full cheeks smiled as she felt her small wooden tiles. “And I just got a U,” she mumbled.

Skye studied the board and spotted an
A.
“Hey, there’s one. Down in the lower left corner. You can place your word across. Wow, that’s a triple word! You’re gonna get mega points for that one!”

Katie fingered each letter near the corner of the board until she found the
A.
She placed two letters on each side of it. “That should be forty-five points, right?”

Skye handed the letter bag to Katie. “Morgan, me thinks we is getting skunked. And bad.”

Morgan giggled. “We’re gettin’ beat up by a blind kid. We are in
big
trouble.”

“You should see me bowl!” Katie joined in the giggles. “Mom took me once last summer, and I scored almost a hundred!”

Skye and Morgan raised their eyebrows and smiled.

“Hey, speaking of bowling,” Morgan said, “our youth group is going sometime this month. You should go with us.”

Skye placed four letters on the board and added her score. “Ten points. And speaking of the Youth for Truth group, our picnic is tomorrow afternoon back at Piney Hollow. Katie, you’re coming, aren’t you?”

“I sure hope so.” Morgan took her turn and flipped her hair back. “You’ve never met all the neat kids at our church. Don’t you think it’s time?”

“How many are in the group?” Katie asked between more pretzel bites.

“Oh, about a dozen,” Skye said. “And they’re all cool.”

“Listen, guys.” Katie fingered her new letters. “I’m not really into things like that. After I went blind, the kids at my church didn’t bother with me. Mom even took me to youth groups at three other churches, but I guess I cramped their style too. Nothing ever came of it. I’m still waiting for just one of those kids to call.”

Skye pushed her long hair back off her face. “But our kids are different. Chad’s in the group—and you already know him. Then there’s Melissa, and Bobby, and—”

“I don’t think so.” Katie started in on another handful of pretzels.

“You’ve never really given them a chance.” Morgan played three letters and added her score. “Fifteen points. Could I have a pretzel?”

“Hey, nobody wants to bother with a blind kid, okay?” Katie handed Morgan the bag. “I’ll just stay here in my room with my stuff. I have lots to do. I wanna look up some things about horses on the Web. I’ll be fine.”

Skye noticed how fast the pretzels were going. “But Katie, we’re gonna have all kinds of food.”
That should get her attention.

“How about potatoes baked on hot coals?” Morgan said between pretzel bites. “Or toasted marshmallows? Yum-my!”

“Hmm.” Katie’s face had a faraway look. “Nah, I guess not. I’ll just grab something from the fridge here.”

“Well, don’t you want to be with Boomer?” Skye said, grabbing a pretzel and placing the bag out of Katie’s reach. “If you don’t ride him, someone else will. We’ll be taking all six horses out.”

“Yeah,” Morgan said, “why don’t you just go for his sake? He’s used to you, not some crazy kids who’ll kick him in the belly all afternoon.”

“Hmm.” Katie had that faraway look again. “How do all those kids ride only six horses?”

“They take turns going on short trail rides,” Skye said. “Champ and I usually lead each group. If you go, you can help me. You can ride Boomer all afternoon. Hey, you could show everybody how to ride a horse around the pond!”

The girls laughed.

“Hmm.” Katie drifted deep in thought. “I guess I could go, just for Boomer. Sounds like he needs me.”

Skye and Morgan smiled and gave each other a thumbs-up.

As Skye had promised, she and Katie spent the afternoon taking four kids at a time on short trail rides around Piney Hollow. At the campsite, Mr. and Mrs. Chambers and Morgan entertained with ATV rides, bug and leaf hunts, and lessons about campfire cooking. Dozens of hot dogs, baked potatoes, and marshmallows later, the youth group encircled the campfire and sang choruses, with Chad accompanying on his guitar.

From the onset, the Youth for Truth teens welcomed Katie and Keystone’s three other students. Immersed in the chitchat, Katie answered oodles of questions that expressed genuine interest in her, not only as a blind person but also as just another kid.

Giving Katie the space to make new friends, Skye and Morgan allowed themselves to be distracted, Skye mostly
with Chad. During a short break before the evening devotional, Skye joined Katie, who sat facing the embers of the dying fire.

“So, Katie, how’s it goin’?” Skye asked.

“That food was super!” Katie exclaimed. “When do we get to do this again? I had well—I won’t tell you all I scarfed down, but that was great.”

“Yeah, I just love campfire food,” Skye agreed. “And how are you doin’ with the kids?”

“I don’t believe this,” Katie answered. “Are they for real?”

“What do you mean?” Skye was hoping for a good report.

“I think they really like me.”

Skye let out a long sigh. “Sure they like you. I told you they’re a neat bunch of kids.”

“Melissa told me how she met you at the Maranatha Treatment Center where you both were clients. She seems really cool.”

“Yep, she is. We hang out together at school and church all the time.”

“And who’s this Bobby kid? He cracked me up.”

“That’s Bobby Noll.” Skye chuckled. “He can be a real pain, but he’s into music big-time. Did he tell you about his trumpet?”

Katie giggled. “That’s all he talked about. He acts like the trumpet’s his best friend. Speaking of music, Chad is awesome with that guitar.”

Chad looks so dreamy tonight!
Skye glanced toward a cluster of boys laughing near the chuck wagon. Chad stood in the middle.
He’s probably telling his latest string of jokes.
“He just does everything so-o-o well.” Skye sighed.

Katie giggled again. “Now how did I know you were gonna say that?”

Skye’s face flushed hot. “Oh, never mind,” she joked.

“Okay, kids!” Mr. Chambers’ powerful voice commanded attention as he stood near the fire. “Gather around one last time. We’re going to wrap up the day with devotions and testimonies, so think about what you’d like to say.”

The campers quickly gathered, sitting on crates and buckets around the fire. Morgan parked her Jazzy next to Katie.

Skye glanced to the left of the chuck wagon where Champ stood lined up at a hitching post with the other horses. At a table in front of the wagon, Mrs. Chambers bustled about, finishing her supper chores.

“I sure hope he doesn’t call on me.” Katie’s whisper drew Skye’s attention back to the circle.

“Don’t worry,” Skye said as she eyed Chad directly across from her. “Saying anything is strictly voluntary.”

“Phew-w-w.” Katie let out a long sigh. “I don’t exactly have anything to praise the Lord for anyway.”

Mr. Chambers opened in prayer. After giving a devotional from the book of Psalms, he delivered a short challenge. “Would any of you want to tell what the Lord has done in your lives? You could be a great encouragement to the others. Anyone?”

With a warm smile, the man glanced at each teen. Finally, his stare settled on Skye. It burned a hole right through her.

Uh-oh. I don’t like that look.
Panic shot through her body like ice water, and her heart started racing. She gnawed her lip, her fingers running swiftly through her hair.

The Lord has been good,
Skye told herself,
but I’ve never given a testimony in front of the whole world! And I don’t plan to!
Her darting eyes found Bobby.
And at our last youth meeting, I told him to get lost. He’ll think I’m a hypocrite!

Skye scanned every face in the circle, her breath short and choppy.
Somebody say something! But not me!

Seated next to Chad, Joey beamed a Cheshire grin from under his ten-gallon hat. An oversize tin sheriff’s badge shone proudly from his western shirt. The beaming boy jumped up, charged toward Mr. Chambers, and wrapped him tightly with both arms. “Jesus loves you, Mr. C., and I do too.”

Mr. Chambers folded his muscular arms around the boy. “And I love you, Joey.”

Joey, still smiling broadly, dashed back to his seat and squared his hat just as he had seen Mr. Chambers do many times before.

A nervous silence settled over the campfire. The teens sat in their tight circle…staring at the coals…waiting…as eager to say a word as the dying coals were willing to burn.

Mr. Chambers folded his arms and waited. “I’ll give you a moment to think about what you’d like to say.”

Finally, Chad raised his hand. “I’d like to say something.”

“Go right ahead.” Mr. Chambers grabbed at the chance to let someone else speak.

Chad stood, and his dimples highlighted a set of perfect teeth. “I just wanna say that the Lord has really been good to me. He allowed me to get two jobs this summer, one at the hardware store and one here at Keystone, helping kids learn to ride. All that money goes into my college fund. So I just wanna thank him.” He sat and sent a special smile in Skye’s direction.

Whoa!
Skye’s racing heart tore for the finish line, out of her chest and up her throat.
Chad, you are too cool.
Her face was anything but.

“Thanks,” Mr. Chambers said. “Anyone else?”

With the wave of her hand, Morgan got the man’s attention.

“You’re on, young lady,” he said.

Morgan took a deep breath and began. “Most of you know that I was born with cerebral palsy, and I’ve never been able to walk.”

Everyone nodded.

“Well, for a long time I was really mad at God for letting me be born like this. There was a time when I thought I was useless. I didn’t even want to live. No one in my family is a Christian, so we never went to church. But then I came here to Keystone Stables, and I learned that God has a special purpose for me. It was only after I accepted Christ that I could see that. I just wanna thank Mr. and Mrs. C.—and God—for showing me the right way.”

“Thank you, Morgan.” Mr. Chambers smiled again and ran his fingers down both sides of his mustache. “Sooner or later, we must all make the decision whether we want to turn it all over to God. Does anyone else have a testimony?”

Impulsive Bobby jumped up and poked his glasses back off the tip of his nose. “I wanna thank God for my trumpet!” He dropped back down abruptly, nearly overturning his bucket.

Peals of laughter erupted.

“And your father tells me he’s thankful for earplugs!” Mr. Chambers chuckled. “I’m with him!”

More ripples of laughter.

Skye sat like a statue, her heart playing havoc in her chest.

But this was nothing new. Staring at Chad or being near him set her heart off like a flurry of butterflies or, worse, like a beating drum on the warpath. She could count on it!

Thumpity thump. Thumpity thump.
Definitely not butterflies!

Skye had just about had enough.
Cut it out, heart!

But wait.

Skye’s thoughts had long since drifted away from Chad, back to the others and what they were saying. What was going on?