Chasing Gold (13 page)

Her uncle took a deep breath. “Let me call your aunt and get her input,” he said.

He stepped out into the waiting room with his cell phone, leaving Haley alone with Bandit. She leaned over the dog, willing him to hang on just a little longer.

“I'm so sorry, buddy,” she whispered, burying her fingers in his fur. “It's all my fault you're hurt. But I'm going to make it better—promise.”

She stared at him, picturing him jumping those cross-country obstacles right alongside Wings the other
day. Thinking about that ride, about how much fun she'd had doing what she loved, sent a pang through Haley's heart. For a second the Zina Charles clinic filled her mind, along with all her hopes and dreams for the future.

But that didn't matter. All that mattered was saving Bandit.

Uncle Mike came back in. “Your aunt thinks you're old enough to make this decision,” he said. “After all, you worked hard for that money, and you should be able to spend it as you wish. So if you really want to do this, we'll sign off on the surgery.”

“Thanks,” Haley whispered, relief flooding through her even as she felt her big-time eventing dreams slipping away.

Haley was in a daze for the rest of the morning. Once the paperwork was signed and Dr. Hagen's vet tech had arrived to help prep Bandit for surgery, Uncle Mike had insisted on driving Haley to school.

She didn't have a chance to talk to Tracey and Emma until lunch. When she saw them glaring at her from their
usual table, she almost turned and walked the other way. Instead she steeled herself—and marched right over and told them what had happened.

Emma gasped. “Oh no!” she exclaimed, her hands flying to her mouth in horror. “Not Bandit! He's so sweet!”

“Is he going to be all right?” Tracey asked. “I mean, the surgery will fix him, right?”

“Yeah, the vet thinks so.” Haley unwrapped her sandwich, though she wasn't hungry.

Just then her phone rang. When Uncle Mike had come in to explain why Haley was late, the school principal had agreed that she could keep the phone on until she'd heard the results of the surgery. Haley's hands shook as she punched the button to answer.

“Good news,” Aunt Veronica said, not wasting any time with pleasantries. “Bandit did fine in surgery, and he's resting comfortably at the clinic. Dr. Hagen wants to keep him overnight just as a precaution, but he says we'll be able to bring him home tomorrow.”

“Oh, thank goodness!” Haley clutched the phone tightly. “Thanks, Aunt Veronica.”

When she hung up, her friends were smiling. “That sounded like good news,” Emma said.

“It was. He's going to be okay.” Haley smiled too, though it was shaky. Now that Bandit was out of danger, she couldn't seem to stop herself from thinking about what she'd given up to save him. It had been worth it, of course. She'd do it again in a heartbeat—the decision had been easy. But that didn't mean it was easy to accept that she'd just given up her chance to ride with Zina Charles.

“Hey!” Tracey leaned closer, bumping Haley's shoulder with her own. “So why do you still look so bummed out?”

Emma reached across the table and gave Haley's hand a squeeze. “Leave her alone. She's probably still worried about Bandit, right?”

“A little,” Haley said. “But the thing is, my aunt and uncle couldn't afford the surgery. So I—I'm the one paying for it. I had to use all the money I saved for the clinic.”

“Oh!” Emma's eyes widened, and she glanced over at Tracey as if wondering how to respond.

“Wow,” Tracey said. “I can't believe you did that.”

Haley shrugged, picking at her sandwich. “What else could I do? I don't regret it.” She sighed. “I just wish I didn't have to miss that clinic.”

“Yeah.” Tracey took a sip of her chocolate milk. “Well, what's done is done, right? I know! We should do something fun this weekend. You know—to take your mind off everything.”

“That's a great idea!” Emma exclaimed. “We've barely seen you lately, Haley. It'll be fun!”

Tracey nodded. “Maybe we should hit the mall. Or I know! I can ask my mom to drive us down to Chicago for the day. Won't that be awesome?”

“I guess,” Haley murmured. Her friends were being supportive, right? So why did she feel as if they had no idea what she was going through?

That day after school Haley went out to the barn. The beagle mix wandered over to sniff at her shoe, and a couple of cats woke up from their naps and watched her. But the place felt empty without Bandit. And it was all her fault.

She thought about bringing Wings in and going for
a ride, even though it was supposed to be his day off. But what was the point? They didn't need to do trot sets now, or work on their dressage, or even practice their jumping. Not anymore.

The house was just as quiet as the barn. Aunt Veronica had gone grocery shopping, Uncle Mike was at the pharmacy, and both boys had after-school activities that day. Haley glanced at the phone on the kitchen counter, tempted to call Tracey or Emma just to have someone to talk to. But what was the point? Haley's friends obviously didn't understand why she was so upset about giving up the clinic.

Then Haley remembered that there was someone who definitely
would
understand. Three someones, actually.

A moment later she was logging on to the Pony Post. Brooke had posted a picture of her pony eating breakfast, and Nina had written a note about her plans to ride after school. But nobody had checked in yet that afternoon.

Haley was kind of glad that none of the others was on the site just then. She wanted to tell all three of them her news at once.

[HALEY]
Hi, guys. Well, I knew there was a reason I don't like Mondays. Here's what happened today. . . .

She went on from there, typing out everything that had happened. Bandit. The car. The surgery. And of course, watching her big-time eventing dreams vanish before her eyes.

When she was finished, she sat back and read over what she'd just posted. For the first time all day, the sour feeling in the pit of her stomach faded away. She didn't even need to wait and see what her friends would say. She knew they would understand, and that was all that mattered.

Heading out the back door, she hurried down the path to the main pasture. Wings was grazing with the others, but at Haley's whistle he lifted his head from the grass, stared at her for a moment, and then trotted over. Haley fed the pony a treat, smiling for the first time in hours.

“Hey, buddy,” she said, rubbing the pony's fuzzy jaw. Even though the temperatures were still mild, all the
horses were already growing their winter coats. “I know it's supposed to be your day off, but I had to see you. How about a ride? No trot sets today—I promise.”

Her smile wavered, and tears blurred her vision. Wings was so amazing, and Haley had blown his chance to get even better. But she swallowed back her sadness. It had happened, and she had to accept it. What was the point in worrying about what might have been?

She led Wings to the barn, but tacking up seemed like far too much effort. Instead she just grabbed her helmet and an old schooling bridle and slipped on bareback. This was the good part about not having anything to prepare for. She could just ride her pony and enjoy him, without worrying about accomplishing anything.

That would have to be enough, at least for today.

CHAPTER

“OUCH.” TRACEY PEERED OVER HALEY'S
shoulder as Mr. Washington dropped her math test on her desk. “I can't believe I actually beat you at math for once.”

“Don't get used to it,” Haley joked weakly, staring at the big, red C-minus at the top of the test paper. True, she wasn't thrilled with the grade. Math might not be her best subject, but she usually managed at least a B average.

But all things considered, she knew she was lucky she'd done that well. She made a mental note to thank Maddie again the next time she logged on to the Pony Post. She hadn't had a chance to check in on the site that morning, since her aunt had sneaked in and turned off
her alarm while Haley was still asleep. She'd awakened her just in time to have breakfast and get dressed, telling Haley that the boys had volunteered to take care of all the morning barn chores.

“I thought you could use a little extra sleep today,” Aunt Veronica had said, smoothing back the strands of strawberry-blond hair that had plastered themselves to Haley's forehead while she slept.

Haley was touched by her family's kindness. Even though they hadn't said much about either Bandit or the clinic, she could tell they all felt terrible for her. Her friends were being nice about Bandit too, asking about him first thing. But neither of them had even mentioned the clinic. Haley couldn't help wondering if they'd already forgotten all about it.

After school, Haley went with her uncle to pick up Bandit. The dog looked tired, but he sat up and barked when they walked in.

“Easy, Bandit.” Uncle Mike smiled and stroked the dog's head. “None of that. You need to rest.”

“That's right, Bandit.” Haley dropped to her knees and
gave Bandit a hug, being careful not to jostle the cast and splint on his hind leg. “I'm so glad you're going to be okay,” she whispered into his fuzzy ear.

The vet tech, a strapping young man who lived just down the road from the Duncans' farm, helped them carry Bandit out to the car. Dr. Hagen walked along, fussing at the tech to be careful.

“You'll need to keep him quiet for a while,” the vet told Haley and Uncle Mike. “Give the incision and the bone time to heal.”

“Won't be easy,” Uncle Mike said with a chuckle. “This one likes to keep moving—sort of like my wife.”

That made the vet chuckle too. “Give Veronica my best, will you?” he said. “Anyway, I know you'll do what you can.”

As soon as the car pulled up in front of the farmhouse, Jake and Danny dashed out. “Mom borrowed a crate from the Abbots,” Danny called. “We just finished setting it up.”