No Time for Horses (7 page)

“I didn’t know that you separated on Vicky’s
birthday.” Ingrid O’Hara wrote something down. “Did she do
something wrong, Gretchen? Is that why you were trying to punish
her, Rick?”

“Hello!” I just about yelled it. “I’m in the
room. Will you ask
me?
I didn’t do anything. I never do
anything except clean and cook and babysit their kids. I finished
my freshman year with a 4.0 last June, and I will keep my GPA again
this semester because my teachers are freaking amazing. They bust
their butts to help me. It’s more than I get from these drama
divas.”

“Really? You mean Chrissy actually isn’t your
child?” Ingrid turned to eyeball my mother and stepdad again. “A
little clarity, please. Who are the baby’s parents?”

“Did you even hear me say that I’m not her
mother?” I planted my fists on my hips. “I’ve never had sex. If I
was Catholic, I’d undoubtedly become a nun. I’m
so
never
having kids, being a mom, or running a household. It totally sucks!
When I have my own training barn, I’m hiring a cleaning service for
the house, and I won’t even load the dishwasher.”

“Are you serious?” Another huge frown from
the counselor. “Or is this all teen angst? Denial? The child calls
you ‘Mama Vicky’ or ‘Momma’ most of the time.”

“I started that as a joke a couple years ago
with the older ones,” Rick intervened. “I’d get home from work and
Vicky would have everything under control. She’d have picked up the
kids from daycare on her way home from school, cooked dinner, and
be supervising homework. So, I’d walk in the door and say something
like, ‘Hey, Mama Vicky. How are things going? Need any help?’”

“And the baby isn’t yours, Vicky?” Dr. O’Hara
asked again.

“What are you, freaking senile? I’ve said it
and said it and said it.” I turned my anger on my mother, grateful
I wasn’t crying yet. “Why don’t you admit that she’s yours instead
of making me out to be some kind of slut?”

Mom heaved a huge sigh and shook her head.
“Could you just stop overreacting, Victoria? Save the drama for
somebody else. It’s a reasonable mistake. I understand why Dr.
O’Hara made it.”

“So do I.” Ingrid began making notes. “You
lied to me. Perhaps not by commission but by omission. You led me
to believe that your eldest daughter gave birth to your youngest.
Your parenting plan has serious flaws. You don’t have any idea of
who will be taking care of your children. Forcing the oldest one to
drop out of school to take care of the younger ones may have worked
a hundred years ago. Not today, not now, and not in my office.”

Tears started to slide down my cheeks. I
slumped back into my chair. I buried my face in my hands. I
couldn’t believe I’d actually yelled at my mother here, but I also
didn’t have a clue she’d really trashed me to this headshrinker.
Robin had been right about me going to the alternative school, and
I’d figured she was just messing with me.

“Okay, I admit we need to make some
adjustments.” Rick sounded like the voice of male reason, trying to
deal with hysterical females. “But, we need to move ahead on the
divorce. This holding pattern has lasted six months. It’s time to
progress.”

“I couldn’t agree more. From what you’ve
said, the pattern of dumping your responsibilities on a
sixteen-year-old didn’t start six months ago. It began years ago.”
The counselor pushed a box of tissues at me. “It ends now. Next
week, I want a written schedule from each of you, and I don’t mean
Vicky. I mean you, Rick. And Gretchen too.
You
are the
parents, and
you
will divide the responsibilities
fifty-fifty.”

The two of them immediately started blaming
each other for the confusion but stopped when Ingrid held up her
hand like a cop or kindergarten teacher. She turned to me. “I’m so
sorry, Vicky, for the part I inadvertently played in this. I
suggested a different school because I thought the baby was
actually yours. I hope you can forgive me.”

I nodded and blew my nose. “I honestly love
my little sisters and brothers. I know that I’m not supposed to
anymore because we’re not really related.”

“And I think I know who told you that.”
Ingrid leaned across the table toward me, shooting a glare at my
mother. “Honey, if they didn’t have you, the five of them would be
in a world of hurt. Please continue loving them and don’t blame
them for your parents’ immaturity.”

I nodded. “I don’t mind taking care of them
sometimes
, but I want a life too.”

“As long as it’s only babysitting sometimes.”
Ingrid stood and came around to pat my shoulder. “You have two
healthy parents, sweetheart. That’s more than many of my clients,
and yours will each step up to do their share.”

“It’s never happened before,” I said, wiping
my eyes. “They’ll join forces and get rid of you. Thanks for
believing me.”

“I’m not going anywhere, and if they try any
hijinks, my case file follows them.” Ingrid patted my back again.
“Obviously, this family needs more counseling than I realized. The
little ones are in good psychological shape, undoubtedly because of
the love and support their oldest sister provides. However, she
needs help, so I want her to see me privately once a week.”

“And we’ll see to it that things improve at
home.” Rick oozed sympathy. Was that real? Or was he playing a part
for the counselor?

“I know you will.” Ingrid returned to her
papers and began writing more notes. “I’m referring Vicky to a
support group for at-risk teens immediately after her appointments
with me on Tuesday afternoons.”

“At what time?” Mom asked. “She needs to pick
up the kids at the elementary school.”

“Did you hear a word I said?” Ingrid made
another note. “Gretchen, there are five days in a school week.
Vicky will bring the kids here on Thursdays so I can see them.”

I lifted my hand and when she looked at me, I
said, “Can we come a bit later? I really need to stay for the
entire cheer practice, not skip out a half-hour early. I can get
the kids at daycare and we’ll still be here by four-thirty.”

“Works for me,” Ingrid said, eyeing her
paperwork. “That leaves Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
I don’t care how you divide it up, Gretchen, but one of you will
pick up your kids on each of those days. I will be in touch to make
sure it happens.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Rick said.
“We can work this out ourselves.”

“No, because your way of working it out is to
download the responsibilities onto a child,” Ingrid told him. “I
will follow up on what I want done. Of course, I’ll be sending
copies of my reports and assessments to the judge handling your
divorce case.”

* * * *

Thursday, November 14th, 5:15 p.m.

“I can’t believe you embarrassed me like
that.” Mom glared over her shoulder at me as I buckled Chrissy into
her car seat. “What were you thinking?”

“That I wanted to stay at my school.” I
shrugged. “How was I supposed to know that Dr. O’Hara had issues
with me giving up my life for you and Rick? She’s never said that
to me. She kept saying we’re in a transitional stage and things
will improve.”

Another dirty look and Mom said, “I never
told you not to call him ‘Dad’. I was mortified when you kept
calling him by his first name.”

I tuned her out while I checked on Linda and
Lance. He looked worried. I ruffled his hair and winked at him.
Then, I leaned in and whispered, “Hey, if she’s on my case, she’s
leaving you alone, right?”

He nodded, a faint smile trembling across his
face. “Okay. What’s for dinner?”

“I have no idea. We’ll figure it out when we
get home.”

I got in the passenger seat and allowed Mom
the privilege of ranting for another two blocks. When she paused
for breath, I said, “I’m the one who should be pissed, not
you.”

“What are you going off about now,
Victoria?”

“Come on. You slammed me to Dr. O’Hara.” I
glanced at the kids and realized I had a captive audience. I
couldn’t let them know how badly it hurt to find out what Mom
thought of me, or that she rejected them big-time. “We both know
what you told her about me was a lie. How do you think that makes
me feel? My
own
mother trashed me to a perfect stranger and
now I’m stuck going to group therapy with a bunch of losers.
Thanks, Mom. Thanks a lot for wrecking my life one more time.”

“Wow, are you screwed or what?” Kevin chirped
from the back seat. “How can you go to therapy, Vicky? Who will
take care of us?”

“Mom or your dad,” I said. “Dr. O’Hara has a
plan.”

“Well, she better wake up quick,” Kevin
announced. “That’s never going to work. And during our session
today, she told me that I’m not old enough to babysit the other
kids yet.”

Chapter Seven

Friday,
November 15th, 4:00 p.m.

During lunch I had called Rocky and
rearranged my internship schedule a bit. With our first
recreational cheer competition tomorrow, I needed to go to the barn
on Sundays instead of Saturdays. This wasn’t a big secret. Rocky
and I had talked about it before. I asked if Robin and I could come
today so I could work with Aladdin. I needed a horsy attitude
adjustment before the football game. It was for me, not him. The
stable owner laughed and agreed. Then, it was just a case of
checking in with Jack for transportation.

I vented all the way to Shamrock Stable about
Mom, the appointment with Dr. O’Hara, and finding out the counselor
was on my side even if my parents weren’t. “And I probably owe you
a coffee card for figuring out the bit about the alternative
school,” I said, walking beside Robin toward the office. “I can’t
believe they let the counselor believe I was Chrissy’s mom.”

“Well, I can.” Robin told me. “Your mom is
all about the money. What does she do with it? If Rick pays his
child support and she works full time, where does it go?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “He pays for daycare
too. He told her that he couldn’t give her more since tuition was
due in January. Am I paranoid if I fill out the forms for that
grant Mr. B. told us about? I don’t trust Mom or Rick to actually
follow through.”

“I think that’s smart,” Robin said. “What if
things go screwy and the school doesn’t get the payment? You’ll be
out on your ear. I’d bet your mother enrolls you in the alternative
then because she doesn’t want you at Pioneer with all its
options.”

“Okay.” I heaved a sigh. “And you haven’t
even heard the rest of it. Mom showed one of the other dealers the
master suite last night, and the woman is moving in on the
weekend.”

“Is she nice?” Robin asked. “Or will she be
making more work for you?”

“She shouldn’t be.” I shrugged. “I guess I’ll
see how it goes. I’m not doing her laundry or cooking for her. If
my folks actually do what Dr. O’Hara said they have to do, Mom will
be taking over some of the housework.”

“Do you think it will happen?” Robin held
open the office door. “Sometimes, the more things change, the more
they stay the same.”

“We’ll have to wait and see.” My phone went
off and I opened my purse. I pulled out my cell and saw Rick’s
number on the screen. “Now what does he want?” I answered warily,
“Hi, Rick. What’s up?”

“I’m running late.” He was doing his nice
guy, totally put-upon impression. “Will you pick up the kids and
take them home? I’ll swing by and get them before six.”

I glanced down at the parking lot. Jack’s
pickup was nowhere in sight. “Were we at the same meeting
yesterday, Rick? I can’t. Not only because Dr. O’Hara wants you and
Mom to step up, but I’m doing internship hours today.”

“You did those on Wednesday, didn’t you?”

“Yes and rec cheering begins tomorrow. If you
remember, the competitions take up all my Saturdays. I need to do
internship hours on Friday afternoons and Sundays as much as
possible. I’ve got to go.”

“What about the kids?”

“You’re their father. Work it out with Mom.
One of you needs to get them. I’m not available.” I hit ‘end’ and,
to be on the safe side, powered off my cell. Now, the rest of their
calls would go to message. I could deal with those when we got back
to Robin’s house.

I glanced at my best friend. “If you say, ‘I
told you so,’ you’re teaching Twaziem to longe by yourself.”

Robin cracked up and backed a step away.
“Okay, Ms. Spunky. You’re the boss.”

“Good. Remember that!”

Ten minutes later, I adjusted the rope
training halter on Aladdin. I was attempting to teach him trust so
I didn’t take him out to the cross ties in the barn aisle way for
grooming. Instead, I put the lead line over his neck. I tried
really hard to treat him the same way I did Summertime. Some days,
it worked better than others. Today appeared to be one of those
days.

I gave him a tiny piece of carrot, grabbed
the hoof pick from the tote. “Let’s get started, handsome.”

Next door, Summertime snorted at me. I
slipped him a treat over the wall. “I know, buddy. I’m cheating on
you. Let me work with your friend, and we’ll see if there’s time
for a quick ride before the end of the day.”

I cleaned Aladdin’s hooves, giving him baby
carrots as I finished each one. Maybe he’d been replaced by a ‘pod’
horse from the movies. He was an absolute angel today. Last hoof,
so he got two tiny carrots this time. Onto the currycomb. While I
worked on his left side, I told him all about my day. He flicked
his ears and listened.

Suddenly, I realized I wasn’t upset about my
mom or Rick’s stunts. What was so different? Had it been yesterday
when they acted out in front of the counselor and her reaction? Or
was it when I stood up to Rick and let him take charge of his kids
this afternoon? I didn’t know. Somehow, things felt different
between me and this horse. It made me wonder if I’d been bringing
my emotions into the barn. Today, I wasn’t as crazy angry as other
times.