Sundancer (13 page)

BY THE TIME DINNER was over, the sun had almost set, casting a rosy glow over the farm. Out on the driveway, Bird, Julia, Alec, and Kimberly solemnly built a little tent of wood over Hector's coat. Bird didn't want to see the coat ever again. It made her unbearably sad about Hector and reminded her of all the trouble she'd caused. She snuck in the back door and got some matches out of the mud room without disturbing the adults. Now, the pyre prepared, she struck a match and bent down to light it.

“Wait!” commanded Julia. Bird blew out the match. “I have something else to burn.” She ran into the house and up the stairs. Two minutes later Julia reappeared with her arms overflowing with pink fabric.

“What are you doing?” gasped Kimberly. “Those are all your clothes!”

“I know. I'm going to burn them.”

“Are you crazy? Your mom'll kill you!”

“I don't care. I hate them. I'll never wear them again. Ever!”

“She's doing the right thing,” said Alec. “Those are horrible.”

Bird grabbed bundles of frilly pink clothes and helped Julia stuff them under the wood while Alec ran to get more kindling. Bird winked at her sister and gave her the thumbs-up.

When everyone was ready, Bird struck another match and handed it carefully to Julia. She let her little sister light the pink pile.

In seconds the fire was roaring. They all took turns throwing more pink clothes onto the fire. Pink socks, pink skirts, pink tops, pink sweaters, pink dresses, pink tights. With each additional piece of clothing, they whooped louder. By the time all the clothes were burning, the three girls were dancing and jumping with joy around the leaping flames while Alec stamped and clapped.

From the kitchen window where she was washing dishes, Hannah noticed the flames. “Paul! There's a fire! Outside on the driveway.” Without a word, Paul grabbed the fire extinguisher from the mud room wall and headed outside. Hannah was close behind.

They stopped in mid-step at the sight of the three girls leaping around the fire holding hands.

“What's going on!” yelled a woman's voice from the dark. Kimberly and Alec jumped back and froze in terror, but Eva's daughters kept on dancing.

“We're burning my clothes, Mommy!” answered Julia. “I hate pink! I hate pink! I hate pink!”

“Julia! Bird! Go to your room. Now!” Eva appeared in the light, her face furious, made more horrible by the glow of the flames.

Stuart appeared beside her in the fiery light. “Eva, relax. They're only clothes.”

“Only clothes! Expensive clothes!”

“Eva, clothes can be replaced. You should look at the motive here.”

Right you are! thought Bird, as she continued her crazy dance. “What do you mean, motive?”

“The reason she's burning them.”

“Those were beautiful clothes! They were exactly like mine!”

“Those clothes were inappropriate. A child needs to look like a child.”

Bird regarded Stuart with new respect. Finally, someone was making some sense.

Not surprisingly, Eva didn't agree. Her eyes slitted. “How dare you, Stuart! Who are you to tell me how to dress my child?”

Stuart didn't back down. “I'm a school principal.”

No longer dancing, Julia and Bird watched while Eva made her decision. It could go either way.

“All right. But we'll need to go shopping tomorrow for ‘appropriate' ones.”

Stuart smiled at Eva. “Good idea.”

Eva put her arm through Stuart's and smiled back at him. “And Bird can come, too, if she wants.” Eva looked searchingly at Bird. “Bird, will you come with us to buy school clothes tomorrow?”

Bird was startled. Her mother had just spoken to her. She looked at Hannah with questioning eyes.

“I think it's a good idea,” Hannah agreed. “I'll come, too.”

Bird grinned and nodded. Tears sprang up unbidden, and she wiped them away. She felt extremely grateful, but uncertain, too. This was new.

“Good, then,” asserted Stuart. “I'll pick you ladies up tomorrow morning at ten.” He shook Paul's hand and turned to Hannah. “I'll be on my way now. Thank you for a delicious dinner.” Stuart leaned down and regarded Bird. “Bird, I'm very sorry about your dog.” He gently ruffled her pink hair. “Good night Kimberly, good night Julia, Alec, Eva.” Stuart fished his keys from his pocket and got into his car.

“We'd best be going, too,” said Paul with a quick glance at his son. “It's been a long evening and I'm sure we could all use a little quiet.”

Bird and Alec smiled their goodbyes. As the vet's truck rumbled down the driveway, Bird's eyes rested on the remains of the fire. A little quiet would be good.

Kimberly had brought a movie with her, and the girls settled in front of the television to watch. Hannah and Eva stayed a few minutes, then headed for the kitchen. Bird watched them go. This was going to be interesting, Bird thought. The two sisters had a lot to talk about, and Bird wasn't about to miss it. She silently relocated herself to the coat closet by the kitchen door. Perfect.

She heard a pleasant gurgle as liquid hit glass. “Pour one for me, Eva?” asked Hannah.

“Going to join me? I'm so glad.” More gurgles. “You look awful, Hannah. I'm the one who lost a fiancé tonight.”

It was the wrong thing to say, and Bird could tell by sound of chair legs scraping on the floor that Hannah was preparing to leave.

“Where are you going? I thought you were going to join me?”

“Eva. I had a tough night, too. Aside from the disastrous dinner and the drama with Randy, I lost the most terrific, wonderful dog I can imagine. If I look awful, there are reasons.”

“Hannah, you're right. Please, can we talk?” Eva sounded sincere.

“Okay,” said Hannah with a sigh. “You first.”

“I want to get to know Bird. How do I do that?”

In the closet, Bird leaned forward, pressing her ear to the crack in the door.

“She's worth getting to know, that's for sure,” answered Hannah. “But it's not going to be easy. She has a lot of defenses. That you're taking an interest is the first thing.”

“And what's the second?”

“She needs to know you love her.”

“Of course I love her!”

“You left her with me two years ago, remember? Then you told Randy that I'm her mother. Do you think she's getting some kind of message?”

Loud and clear, thought Bird.

“I see how it looks. But I call. And I send her birthday cards and clothes.”

“You don't honestly think that's enough? Spend time with her. Take her places. Get to know her. Think about her. Be her mother.”

“But how, Hannah? She doesn't talk.”

“She communicates in other ways, Eva. And there must be a reason why she doesn't talk.”

“Are you blaming me? Because if you are, then ...” Eva stopped herself, and for a moment the kitchen was quiet. When she spoke again, her voice was different. Calm, thought Bird. Focused.

“Number one: I want to be Bird's mother and I need your help. She relates to you. Number two: I want to be a good mother to Julia, as well. I can tell she's losing respect for me, like Bird did. Number three: I want this thing with Stuart to work out. He's the one, I just know it.” A little self-conscious laugh erupted from Eva's throat. “I realize how it looks — Randy is gone for one minute, and I latch onto Stuart — but Hannah, he's the best man I've ever met. Ever.” She paused again, catching her breath. “I know how to catch a man, but I don't know how to keep one. And I know if this works out, my whole life will be better, and my girls' lives will be better, and I can make Stuart's life better. But I don't know how! I need your help.”

Bird was intrigued. Did this mean that Eva was thinking of staying? Was she serious enough about her wishes to change her life? A flicker of hope burned in Bird's chest as she allowed herself to imagine a life that included her mother and her sister. I'll believe it when I see it.

Hannah was saying, “I can try to help you with your kids, Eva, but if you think I know anything about men and relationships, then you're sadly mistaken.”

“Men respect you, Hannah. They want to be around you. You're a friend and a real person to them. I don't know how you do that.”

“Eva, you're the one with all the boyfriends.”

“I can flirt. That's all I know how to do. I need your help, Hannah. Can you give it to me?”

Bird crawled out of the closet and peered around the kitchen door.

Hannah was leaning across the table to hug her sister. “Of course. If I can. But you have to help me, too.”

“What help can I give you? I only know how to screw up my life.”

Hannah smiled conspiratorially. “You can teach me how to flirt.”

Bird sat back on her heels. Hannah wanted to flirt?

“Why, Hannah! It's Paul, isn't it?”

“Yes. And I have no idea what to do.”

Bird remembered the uncomfortable scene at the door a few days earlier. So Hannah did like Dr. Daniels after all!

“I can teach you,” Eva was saying. “But Julia and I have to be here to do it.”

Hannah smiled and took her hand. “Deal.”

10
THE SHOPPING TRIP

The next morning was sunny and warm. The birds chirped and sang and flitted from tree to tree. It was perfect weather for the last part of summer, thought Bird as she walked outside and breathed in the morning air.

Kimberly and Julia were still asleep on futons in Bird's room where they'd crashed the night before. It'd been fun having a sleepover. Kimby was becoming a real friend, and having a little sister around was great. Bird chuckled as she remembered the way they'd all danced around the fire on the driveway. Later, in her room, they'd recreated the scene and invented a new dance about burning clothes and feeling free. Only the three of them knew the dance and its meaning. Bird felt like she belonged. It was a new feeling. And very nice.

There was only one thing missing on this perfect day. Hector. She could imagine him clearly, with his wagging tail, flopping ears, and sweet eyes. Bird stood still, and put her hand over her heart. He should be here with her now, she thought. He would've enjoyed this morning.

Sundancer pranced impatiently along the fence line and gave a happy buck, his sleek coppery coat glistening in the morning sun. Bird got the message and walked toward the field I'm coming, I'm coming. The horse watched as Bird started dragging poles and standards from the pile in the middle of the front paddock.

Bird girl, let me give you some advice here.

Sure, Sunny.

I can do fancier stuff than this. Put up a triple combination. I'll tell you how. And a water jump. I need practice. Use that blue tarp as the water. And use up all the poles today. I want to have something to look at.

You're feeling good today, Sunny.

Today, I can do anything.

Bird completed setting up the course of jumps. Carefully, she paced out the in-and-out, the triple, the oxer, and the water jump. There were ten jumps in all — red, white, blue, and green — and they ranged between three feet six inches and three feet nine inches. The widest was four feet. The water jump looked real enough, she figured. It was ten feet wide and held down with poles all around.

Does this look ready to you, Sunny?

I can't wait to get at it.

I'll get Hannah.

Hurry, Bird girl. I'll do my stretches.

Hannah was reading the paper with a mug of hot coffee in her hand. She looked up to see the lively face of her niece.

“Good morning, Bird. You're up nice and early.”

Bird made her jumping signal, curving her right hand over her left in an imitation of a horse going over a jump.

“Now?”

Bird nodded.

Hannah looked at the clock. “It's seven thirty. Mr. Gilmore is picking us up at ten to go shopping. I hope you didn't forget?”

Bird shook her head. She made the jumping sign again.

“Sure.”

Bird dashed out the door.

“I'll be there as soon as I'm dressed, Bird!” she hollered after the girl. “Don't start without me!”

Five minutes later, with a fresh mug of coffee, Hannah leaned on the fence and watched Bird warm up. Hannah smiled with pleasure at the harmony between horse and rider. Sunny seemed to float along the ground. His legs punched out a dynamic trot, but his hooves barely touched the ground. Bird sat lightly on his back, legs firm and heels down. Her hands were sensitive and responsive, asking only what little was required and trusting Sunny to understand. They moved into a canter and did figure eights. Sundancer swapped his leads with ease and confidence.

This is a team, thought Hannah. There is exquisite symmetry between them.

Suddenly, the chestnut leaped, startled, and Bird scrambled to stay on.

A dark shape slunk behind a tree.

Sundancer's head rose high, his ears forward, nostrils wide open. He snorted loudly, then again.

Bird cooed at him and patted his neck.

“I'm sorry!” called a voice.

Sundancer swung around to face the voice. There was Abby Malone, running toward the ring. “Cody spooked him. I'm sorry, Bird. Are you okay?”

Bird smiled and nodded.

“Is it all right if I watch for a while?” asked Abby. “I saw you out here setting up jumps when I drove past earlier, and I got curious.”

Bird nodded again, this time with an eagerness that made

Hannah laugh. She continued her warm-up.

“Abby,” said Hannah. “You're welcome any time.”

“Thanks.” Then she remembered. “I heard about what happened to Hector last night. I'm so sorry. Are you okay?”

Hannah sighed. “Thank you, Abby. It's tough. He was a great dog.”

They stood at the fence watching Bird.

Abby was appraising Sundancer. “He's sure looking good.” Hannah answered, nodding, “It's all due to Bird, the rascal. She was training him secretly so I couldn't tell her not to.”

Abby chuckled. “She sounds like my kind of kid.”

Hannah nodded. “You can say that again. But from my point of view, it's not so funny.”

“You're right, of course. Everything's great until someone gets hurt. And horses are not toys.”

“They most certainly are not. Especially this one. There's an old adage I believe in: With horses, what can go wrong, will go wrong.”

Bird and Sundancer were ready to begin. Abby and Hannah directed their full attention to the ring.

Remember to look over the jumps, Bird girl. Not at them.

Thanks, Sunny. I always forget.

It changes your balance when you look down, and it's harder for me to jump.

You got it.

Bird asked Sunny for a canter, and he picked up his correct lead. They circled the ring before approaching the first vertical. Over they went without effort, landing lightly and cantering five strides to the next.

You're putting more weight on your right foot, Bird girl. It steers me wrong.

Sorry, Sunny. I didn't know. Is this better?

Perfect. And keep your hands more together and down. I know where we're going better.

Right.

Keeping time like a metronome, Sunny jumped and flew, landed and turned, now heading straight for the in-and-out. Over, land, one, jump. Perfect and simple. Toward the water jump now; stride, stride, stride, stride, jump; landing a foot to spare and without anxiety. On to the triple.

Abby had been holding her breath. “They're good, Hannah.”

“I know. Bird's in her own world. With Sundancer.”

“Nothing else exists right now, I can see that.”

Now keep your toes up, Bird girl. When we land, let your weight go into the stirrups, not on my back or neck.

I'm listening.

The triple was big and bright, three sets of verticals with three strides between each jump. Bird and Sundancer executed it with such ease that it looked simple, and they floated toward the hedge jump.

“The art of concealing art,” said Abby.

Hannah nodded. “Well said.”

Over the hedge they sailed, then turned toward the big oxer.

Lavinia's car had stopped in the driveway beside the ring, but Hannah and Abby were so engrossed that they didn't notice.

“Is this the horse that you won't let Kimberly ride, Hannah?” Hannah and Abby turned at the same instant.

“Yes, Lavinia.” Hannah's eyes went back to watch Bird and Sundancer land then head for the next jump, a picket fence.

“I can see why. You're saving the best for yourself.”

Hannah saw Sundancer's eyes assess the picket. There was a flicker of hesitation. Bird encouraged him steadily with her legs and he listened. He cleared it with no problem, then headed to the two winged arches.

“Hannah, did you hear me? Are you listening?”

“Lavinia, I'm watching Bird. Give me a minute.”

Lavinia huffed but waited.

See how I'm doing this, Bird girl? Pretty good, right?

You're having fun, Sunny. And so am I.

Give me a little more rein when we land. Let me stretch my neck.

Okay.

Yeah. That's it. It helps me with my balance.

The gelding leaped over the first arch carefully; it was new to him. He cantered five strides, turned to the right, and cleared the last arch easily.

Bird patted his neck, grinning joyfully.

Fab-u-lous, Sunny!

You didn't do too badly yourself. Except you get eager before the jumps and creep forward. I can feel it.

Really?

It makes me want to speed up when you do that.

Hannah and Abby clapped and hooted. “Super, Bird!” praised Abby.

“Bird, that was great!” called Hannah as she climbed over the fence and headed toward her niece.

“Hannah!” yelled Lavinia. “You said you'd talk to me.”

“I will, Lavinia. I'll be just a second.” Hannah approached Bird and Sunny. The horse was barely sweating. He was calm and cool as he waited for Hannah to get to him. Bird slid down from the saddle and met Hannah half way with a big hug.

“Beautiful, Bird. Beautiful.”

Hannah's eyes misted. She hugged her more tightly. “I love you, Bird. I don't tell you enough.”

Bird said nothing, but hugged her aunt back.

Sunny nudged Bird in the back as if to ask what was going on and why was he being ignored. Bird and Hannah laughed and praised Sunny, and walked together toward the barn.

Abby and Lavinia joined them.

Lavinia was impatient. “You didn't answer me, Hannah. Are you saving this horse for yourself?”

“If you're asking if he's for sale, the answer is no. At least not until we know he's safe.”

“You put my daughter on an inferior horse and ask her to compete against that Pegasus of yours?”

“Lavinia, Pastor is a very good horse. You bought him for Kimberly for very good reasons. They're having a lot of fun together.”

“Well, now I want her to win some better ribbons in some bigger shows. I think she can do that on this horse.”

Hannah stopped and faced Lavinia. “Sundancer is a very difficult horse. I haven't decided what will happen with him. He has good days and bad days. Today was a good day, but sometimes he's very dangerous.”

“I know that's his reputation, but Bird seems to have no problem.”

“Don't forget, she was in the hospital with a concussion not too long ago,” answered Hannah seriously. “I repeat. He has good days and bad days.”

“So do we all, Hannah. I want Kimberly to try him out. She loves him and doesn't like Pastor any more. What would be the harm?”

Hannah looked directly at Lavinia. “I have to say no. I don't want to take that responsibility. When we've worked with him more, and he's more consistently good, maybe I'll change my mind. Does that satisfy you?”

Lavinia's eyes slitted. “I know horse people. By then the price will have gone up.”

“I'm talking safety here, Lavinia, not commerce.” Hannah was angry. “I do not want Kimberly hurt. Do you understand?”

Lavinia didn't look happy. “I understand. But promise me this? I'll be the first to know if he's for sale?”

Hannah capitulated. “All right. You'll be the first to know.”