High Hurdles Collection Two (15 page)

She kept cleaning while he left the room, then hurried up the stairs to where her homework waited. She left the book report until last, and the clock had already clicked over ten by the time she opened the book.

At the same moment, she remembered the clinic. She still didn't have permission. She found Robert and Lindy dozing on the sofa, the late-evening newscaster talking about a shooting in Oakland. They both looked beat.

DJ paused. Maybe she'd ask in the morning. Just then Robert opened his eyes and, removing his arm from behind Lindy's shoulders, stretched and yawned.

Glancing at the TV, he said, “Is it that late already?”

DJ shifted from one foot to the other.

“What do you need, hon?”

“About the clinic.” She glanced at her mother. “Did you … ah, I mean …”

“Yeah, we talked it over. You can go.”

Lindy's eyelids fluttered open. “Go where?”

“DJ is asking for permission to attend the jumping clinic. I said yes. Any reason why not?”

Lindy looked up at DJ. “I think your attitude lately could stand some improvement.”

DJ nodded. “Sorry.” Now she sounded like the twins.

“I think all our attitudes could stand some adjusting,” Robert said.

“Mine especially. I think we're all feeling pushed. Having Maria back would make a big difference.”

“But that won't be for another week or two, so for now we have to make do.” Lindy swung her feet to the floor. “Thank God my mother and your dad will take the boys in the afternoons after school.”

“I hate to impose on them like that but …” Robert shrugged. “For now, I don't see any other way.”

DJ knew she should volunteer to help, but there was no way. “I can go, then?” This time she looked right at her mother. Lindy nodded. Before she could change her mind, DJ threw back a thanks and dashed up the stairs. She counted the money in her drawer. Not enough. She'd have to ask Joe to take her by the bank on her way home from school. Maybe she should just get a checking account like Hilary's. Sure would make things easier.

The next afternoon, she took out enough money to pay for both the clinic and the farrier. Between training and shoeing, she was almost broke. Good thing payday was coming up on Friday at the Academy. Now, if only she could get the note cards reprinted and boxed and those portraits finished. But when? And how? Printing took money, too.

“Why the frown?” Joe asked when she swung the door to the truck closed.

“Just money problems.”
And time problems and …
The little voice would have continued if she hadn't shut it off.

“Just, huh? You're kind of young to have money problems.”

“You know what I mean.”

“DJ, I don't know how many times Mel and I have said that we will pay for the clinics.”

“I know, but Mom has a fit if I don't pay for Major's stuff on my own.”

Joe nodded. He took in a breath and sighed it out.

She didn't quite catch what he muttered under his breath. Probably it was a good thing.

“How's the trainer doing with Ranger?” she asked to change the subject.

“Good. Of course, then he's got to train me. I think he's working with the smarter of the team right now.”

“J-o-e!”

“Well, have
you
ever tried swinging a rope? Let alone roping a steer?”

“I didn't think cutting demanded that.”

“It doesn't, but I want to learn the whole thing. Something about cutting and roping cattle that appeals to the cowboy in me.” Joe parked the Explorer by the barn. “See you later. I gotta go home and get the boys. Gran has more work to do on that last painting. I groomed Major earlier today, so that should help.”

“Thanks, GJ.” She scooted across the seat to plant a kiss on his cheek. “You're awesome.”

“We'll be by to get you later.”

Later came too fast as far as DJ was concerned. Her dressage lesson started a half hour late because Bridget was in a closed-door session with Bunny and her husband. By the time she'd put Major away, Joe hustled her out to the truck.

“I know, I'm late.”

“Gran has dinner ready. Robert got hung up at that new development he's started, and your mother is stuck in traffic on the Bay Bridge.”

“And I fell off the jungle gym,” one of the boys announced.

“Blood all over.”

DJ turned and looked over her seat to the back, where the two were belted in. A white gauze bandage gleamed in the dim light on one forehead, right in the middle.

“See?” He leaned forward. “I got two stitches.”

“Bobby?”

The boy shook his head. “Billy.” His look accused her of not paying attention.

“I think you should wear the bandage all the time. That way I can tell you apart.”

“I want a bandage, too.” Bobby crossed his arms, and his chin jutted out.

Joe shook his head. “You two are something else.” He backed up the truck and turned around to head out the drive. “Bobby, when we get home, I'll give you a dinosaur Band-Aid, how's that?”

“I want one, too.”

DJ leaned her head against the door window. This could get boring.

Joe had taken them all home and was reading a story to the boys in bed before Lindy slumped through the front door.

DJ could tell all was not okay by the sound of her mother's feet on the stairs. As if she took a nap between each step. She got up from her studying and opened her bedroom door.

“You all right, Mom?”

“I should be. I could have slept three hours on the bridge. Guess it was a four- or five-car pileup.” She set her briefcase down. “Robert isn't home yet, either?”

“Nope. He said it might be after midnight. They had some kind of major problem.”

Lindy rubbed her forehead. “DJ, I hate to ask this of you, but could you fix me a cup of soup or something? I've got to make another phone call, and I haven't eaten anything since noon.”

“Sure. Chicken noodle okay?”

“Yes, fine. Are the boys asleep yet?”

“GJ is still with them.” The two tiptoed to the boys' room. One of the twin beds held a sleeping ex-policeman beside a small boy, the other twin clutching a teddy bear as big as he was.

Lindy patted DJ's shoulder and entered the room quietly. DJ headed downstairs.

In a couple of minutes, Joe leaned against the kitchen doorframe. “I think I went to sleep before they did.” He scrubbed a hand over his chin. “Guess I'll head on home. Maybe Mel is done with her painting and would like some tea.”

“Thank you for taking care of the boys. I had so much to do.” DJ poured the soup mix into the steaming pan of water.

“Did you get it all done?”

DJ shook her head. “If you mean caught up, I haven't been done with everything for as long as I can remember.”

“That bad?”

Sighing out a huge breath, DJ shook her head again. “Worse.”

Brad called Thursday night. “Any chance you can come up for the weekend?”

“Sure hope so. Mom's busy right now, but how about I ask her and call you back?”

“We sure would love to see you. Stormy is growing faster than any weed I ever saw.”

“How about taking pictures?”

“It's a deal. For you, we'll document the growing of Stormy. Oh, and, Deej, Jackie said to ask if maybe we could try the horse show trip again. She has another competition, this time in Las Vegas. You'd need to miss only a day or two of school.”

If you only knew
. But she didn't say it. “I'll ask. It sounds like so much fun. Did you see the ads for the jumping clinic at Wild Horse?”

“No. You going?”

“I sent in my registration on Wednesday.”

“I thought we had an agreement that I would pay for your schooling.”

“I know, but Mom said—”

“Don't worry about it, kiddo. That's something your mother and I need to work out. Call me as soon as you know anything.”

But when DJ asked, Lindy put the answer off until the next day. “I need to talk with Robert about it first. He said something about wanting all of us to go somewhere.”

The last couple of evenings Robert had been working late and hadn't gotten home until sometime after DJ went to bed.

“But, Mom …”

Lindy shook her head. “I won't give you an answer, so don't get bent out of shape. Is your homework all done?”

DJ glared at her mother and returned to her bedroom.
As if she cares. “I've got to talk it over with Robert first. Robert wants to go somewhere.”
“What about what I want to do?” she asked the face in the mirror. But there was no answer. She could have gotten a better one from the two little bodies now snoozing in their beds down the hall.

The next afternoon continued the downward spiral. When DJ looked at the grades listed on her report card, she felt like ripping it up. Now she'd probably never get to go to Brad's again.

Chapter • 12

“Two Cs!”

“I got two As, too.”

“PE and art don't count as solid subjects.” Lindy looked over the top of the small folder of paper. “How could you get a C in language arts?”