Calico Horses and the Patchwork Trail (35 page)

“Morning, Sam. I love the new look of the place. I hardly recognize it.”

“Thanks. I’m really lucky to have Brenda here but it won’t be for much longer. She landed a great job and is looking for a place to rent. The job starts in two weeks and I’m hoping I can squeeze in a few more projects before she goes.”

“I heard she found a job. That’s great, but I just assumed she would live here. I didn’t realize it was only temporary.”

“Yeah, well, that’s life—everything’s temporary. Actually, she’s welcome to stay here but I think she wants a home where she and Carrie will feel like they have their own space.”

“Yeah, I get it. Everyone needs his or her own space. Well, I have something for you and I think you’re gonna love it,” Devon said as he handed her the brown-papered package.

“Oooh, is this what I think it is?” Sam asked as she quickly tore off the wrappings. “Oh, oh, I love it!” she squealed. “She is amazing. Oh, Devon, she is such a remarkable artist!

Devon and Sam admired the sign Milla had painted for the B&B. She had replaced the original two rearing black silhouettes with illustrations of Eclipse and Dusky. The lettering was now reworked to match the color in the awnings. Sam was overcome with joy and stood there blinking back tears as she looked up at Devon.

“She’s an amazing kid. I cannot tell you how much this means to me. Now this place really does feel like it’s all mine.”

“Aw, I’m glad you like it. She
is
a pretty amazing kid, but I can’t really take any credit. She gets all of her talent from my mom; I can’t even draw a stick figure. But I’ll tell you something, Sam—this is the first time she has
ever
been paid for her artwork and she took it very seriously. She darn near drove me nuts, constantly showing me sketches and color swatches and all kinds of notes. You’d think she was painting something that was gonna hang in a museum,” he laughed.

“Well, she needs to get a business card,” Sam said, “because I’m gonna tell everyone that this beautiful artwork was created by a fabulous artist that happens to be only ten!”

Carrie came around the corner with Flannel on a leash. Devon waved to her and she smiled back. She continued walking the dog out to their usual training spot as Max scampered behind.

“Is your cat still driving that dog nuts?” Devon asked.

“I actually think Max is growing fond of that collie. Look at him, he’s following them. I’m gonna miss them when they go and I think Max will, too,” she added.

“Well, they better not move too far or they will have to take Milla with them,” Devon replied. “Who would have thought they would end up to be two peas in a pod. Those girls are inseparable.”

Max watched as Carrie unclicked Flannel’s leash. Carrie glanced at Max as she walked slowly back to her spot twenty feet away from the collie. Max lay down, stretching in the sand. Flannel seemed to ignore the cat and watched Carrie for a command.

Devon waved goodbye and got into his truck. Sam picked up the signpost and carried it to the hole in the ground. She stooped to grab her work gloves and was startled when the gecko that had been hiding in her gloves suddenly popped its head out. In a flash Max was racing after the gecko as it ran toward the hole. Sam dropped the gloves and began yelling at the cat. Flannel sat calmly looking at Carrie, ignoring the entire scene. The sun was sparkling over the Calico Mountains as the freshly painted sign of the Musical Mustangs Bed & Breakfast was leaning in the shadows against the porch. The cat and gecko were running toward the hills as Sam walked back to begin mixing up concrete to secure the signpost. Yep, Sam thought, this sign is exactly what I’ve been wanting. This place isn’t my parents’ B&B anymore. I’ve worked hard and I’ve earned myself a new sign—a sign that tells everyone this is a new day, with new possibilities and new beginnings, and heck, thought Sam, maybe even a new me.

Chapter 55

“So, when will you ask her?”

“I’m not sure, Shannon. September is creeping up and her mind is on her new job and me going to school. All she talks about is how expensive it is to rent homes in Saddlecrest,” Carrie answered.

“Well, you have to get a horse, because my mom said I can come to visit over Christmas and I want you to take me riding,” Shannon laughed.

“You’re coming? Oh, wow. I can’t believe it! That will be so cool. Wait ’til I tell my mom!”

“I think my parents are trying to figure out plans now and when they do they’re gonna call your mom.”

“Oh, I can’t wait to see you, Shan! I can’t believe you’re coming in a few months. This is the best news yet! Are you feeling okay? How’s your head and all?”

“I’m okay but everyone fusses over me and I’m not allowed to ride my bike or skate or do anything. I can’t even climb my favorite tree—or any tree, for that matter. Sometimes I get headaches that last for hours but the doctors tell me that will all go away.”

“Hey, were you able to use any of the calico swatches that I sent you?”

“Oh, geez, Carrie. I have been doing nothing but sewing and those squares are the perfect size. You gave me enough to do about four little quilts and I’ve already finished two. My grandmom sent them off to the Quilts For Tots place last week.”

“Is that what they call it? My teacher at camp asked me to get some information about it.”

“Why, is she thinking of making one? Anyone can sew them and help. You should see the letters I get from the people who receive my quilts. Mom says I should put them in a scrapbook.”

“Wow, I didn’t realize you were so into this. I’m glad we’re able to help by sending you calico squares, even if they are a bit mysterious.”

“Speaking of mysteries,” Shannon giggled. “Anything new in the meditations? Are you seeing any more images of calico patchwork hills or any horses? I love that I’m sewing fabric squares that appear magically from thin air.”

“Oh, wow, wait until you hear about my latest one. I was doing my meditation and I think a horse spirit spoke to me.”

“No way!” gasped Shannon.

“Way,” said Carrie. She told Shannon about the message of all animals and people being connected, and how she had learned it didn’t matter whether they were wild animals or pets, all should be treated with respect.

Shannon’s mom, Jodi, popped her head into the room. Shannon covered the mouthpiece of the phone and looked up and whispered, “I’m talking to Carrie, Mom.”

“Lori’s here,” Jodi said.

Lori and Shannon had met each other while Shannon had been in the hospital. Shannon looked out the window as the girl maneuvered her crutches up the driveway, while Lori’s dad followed, carrying her backpack.

“Can you tell her I’ll be off in a minute?” Shannon whispered. She wanted to hear more about Carrie’s talking spirit horse.

“So that’s it for now,” Carrie concluded. “I meditate every day and sometimes I just get rolling colors that look like fog and sometimes I just get black stillness, but you should try it, Shannon. It somehow helps you to figure stuff out. It’s like smoothing out all the wrinkles in your brain.”

Shannon rolled her eyes, “Yeah, yeah, just what I need—more work on my brain. I swear they’ve done so many tests on my head, the last thing I want to think of is wrinkles in my brain,” she laughed. “Hey, can I call you later? I have to go now. My friend, Lori—the one I was telling you about—just got here and she’s waiting for me in the living room.”

“Sure thing, Shan. No problem. I can’t believe you met someone who owns a horse. You’ll have to practice riding so you’ll be ready when you get here. Hopefully I’ll have my own horse by then,” Carrie said, laughing. “Bye, I’ll talk to you soon. I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“Bye, Carrie,” Shannon said. “Let me know if you have any more visits from talking horses.” Shannon smiled as she put down the phone. Carrie’s phone calls always made her feel as if she was listening to an adventure. Wait until I tell my grandmom about her latest meditation, she thought. Talking horses…she’s gonna love this one.

Brian came into the room with his head down, looking sad. He still refused to take off his helmet, even after months of pleading from his family. Kelsie pushed past him, wagging his tail.

“Hey, Bri. What’s up?” Shannon asked.

To her surprise he unbuckled the chinstrap and removed the helmet. The hair had grown in around the patch he had cut and laid flat against his head. It had the appearance of grass that looks flattened after being squashed from the weight of a heavy rock. Brian handed the helmet to Shannon. She turned it over in her hands examining it. “What’s the matter, Bri? Did something happen to your helmet?”

“I want you to put it on so you won’t get hurt again. Mom said maybe if you wore my helmet that day you wouldn’t have gotten hurt,” he said through tears.

“Aw, Bri, come here.” She pulled her brother in for a hug. “Mommy was just saying that because she was upset. Besides, I’m fine now and your helmet’s too small for me, see?” Shannon put the small helmet on top of her head and Brian looked up grinning.

“It looks like a tiny clown hat on you,” he said, laughing.

Kelsie moved closer to Shannon and lifted a paw. “Wow! When did you teach him this trick?” Shannon asked as she reached out and shook the dog’s paw.

“Oh, that’s nothing. He knows how to sit and stay now, too,” Brian said proudly.

“Wow, I guess I missed a lot of stuff while I’ve been getting better. Thanks for giving me your helmet, but I think I’ll be fine without it. Besides, I like you in it,” said Shannon.

“You
do
?” asked Brian in surprise.

“Sure, but don’t tell Mom or Dad I said that,” Shannon whispered.

They heard the thump-thump of Lori’s crutches coming down the hall. Shannon got up from her bed and, patting Brian on the back, said, “We’ll talk later, okay?”

“I love you, Shannon. I’m glad you’re better now. I was worried.” He embraced her and then put his helmet back on. Kelsie trotted off to investigate the approaching thump with Brian following. Shannon smoothed her bedspread and quickly looked around her room. Whew, Mom must have picked up my underwear, Shannon thought, hoping everything else looked okay. This was Lori’s first visit and Shannon didn’t want any embarrassing moments like the time her cousins came and found her mouthguard, the one she wore at night to stop her from grinding her teeth. Ugh, she thought. They teased me for ages, saying I looked like a hockey player. Geez.

“Hello,” Lori said as she stood in Shannon’s doorway.

“Hey,” Shannon replied.

“I remembered to bring the photos like you asked,” Lori said, tossing her backpack to Shannon.

“Cool, I can’t wait to see your horse.” Shannon opened the pack and pulled out a large photo album. The girls spent the rest of the day getting to know each other better. They had formed a bond during their few days in the hospital and as they sat on the bed chatting they discovered they shared many things in common. Lori had a pesky sister named Abbie around the same age as Brian and her mom was also a nurse. Lori had broken her ankle while attempting to water ski and the doctors had told her she would probably be in a cast for another five weeks.

“My mom takes me out to the barn to see my horse but it’s muddy and soft and hard to get around on crutches,” Lori explained. “I’m not allowed to ride her until my ankle heals. Now I have to find someone to exercise her, and mom says it will probably cost too much money. I heard my parents talking about it last night and my dad even said they might have to sell her,” Lori said, fighting back tears.

“How could they do that?” asked Shannon in disbelief. “Don’t they realize that she’s
your
family? Can’t your horse just wait until you get better? Why does someone have to exercise her? I don’t get it.”

“Horses need exercise or they get sorta wacky,” explained Lori. “They need to run and jump and kick up their heels just like they do in the wild. If you leave them in a barn all day, they get agitated and can become mean.”

“Well, why can’t you just let it out in a pen to run around? Isn’t that exercise?”

“It’s hard to explain, but they need a wide-open space to feel as if they can run and the pen next to the stable is way too small. When I ride her, I take her out on trails and I sometimes take her to this large field and my friends and I are able to let our horses gallop and they love it. Poor Jasmine is stuck in her stall all day and if we don’t find someone to ride her soon, she might even get sick,” Lori said, shaking her head.

“I love her name. I wish my friend, Carrie, were here. She’s dying for a horse of her own and she would help you. I know she would. Did I tell you about the Horse Rescue Center she’s working with? Oh, and did I tell you about the Horse and Art Camp she goes to?”

Shannon told Lori about the rescuing of orphaned foals and all about the wild mustangs that were rounded up. She told her everything she had learned from Carrie. Lori listened intently. The plight of the wild horses that needed adoption and the care that Jasmine needed somehow seemed similar. Horses were all the same—they needed their freedom, agreed the two girls as they flipped through Lori’s photo album. Lori explained that the color of her reddish brown horse was called sorrel and that her white legs were called stockings. Shannon looked at the photos of Lori riding Jasmine and was amazed at how grownup her new friend looked on the back of such a large creature.