A Horse for Mandy (Chapter 4)
The next few weeks passed quickly. July came. Mandy's days were filled from dawn till dark with Solana and life at the Callahan Stables. She saw David almost every time she was there. Her reaction to him surprised her.
Her heart would pound and she would often blush when he so much as smiled at her. She found herself looking forward to seeing his lanky build, his blonde hair, and his casual half-smile. Most of all she liked talking with him.
She and Laura rode the trails together, but Mandy could sense a kind of wall building up between them. What was happening to them and their friendship? Mandy wondered.
If it hadn't been for Solana and David, Mandy might have stopped going to Callahan's altogether. Her father had been right. The Paso was affectionate and smart. Now, whenever Mandy came, Solana greeted her with snorts and whinnies. She was so attached to Mandy that she followed her everywhere. In fact, if Mandy didn't lock the gate firmly, Solana would follow follow her dad's car home. Even when the horse was grazing, just one sharp whistle from Mandy would bring her rushing over.
Mandy couldn't help but notice that Diablo wasn't like that with Laura. No, the big stallion was fine in the show ring and great on the trail. But he wasn't affectionate and gentle like Solana. Maybe this was what was coming between them, Mandy thought.
She was watering Solana one afternoon when her father paused next to her. "Penny for your thoughts?" he asked.
"Oh, Dad. I don't know. It's just that... that Laura and I don't seem to be really good friends anymore," Mandy told him.
Dr. Wilson stopped and leaned against the stable wall. "Really? You seem to be everywhere together, always riding, talking. What do you mean?"
"I don't know. It's just that Laura seems... kinda mean about Solana. I mean, I thought she'd be thrilled because I had my own horse. But she's not. And then there's David..." Her voice trailed off, and Mandy felt herself begin to blush.
If her dad noticed, he didn't say anything. "Well, honey," he began, "you and Laura are growing up. You're both turning into young women. It's natural that your interests would change."
"But I'm still the same!" Mandy cried defensively. "She's the one who's jealous!"
"Mandy," her father said, "how would you feel if Solana suddenly took off with someone else? Started spending all her time with a new friend? How do you think you'd feel?"
Mandy thought hard about it for a moment. "I guess I'd be hurt," she said.
"That's right. And Laura will get over it. It's just too bad she never made more friends than you. Did you ever encourage her to do that? Or did you kind of keep her all to yourself and let her feel that she was the most important person in the world to you?"
Mandy felt a lump rise in her throat. Whay, that's exactly what she'd done! In all the years, she'd never thought to invite any other girl into her and Laura's summers. It had always been just the two of them. No wonder Laura was feeling left out and lonely.
"Thanks, dad," she said. "I guess I never looked at it that way before.
"I know. It's tough to be thirteen, honey." Then he leaned over to her, his eyes twinkling. "That's why I'm glad I'm creaking along in my forties."
"Oh, Dad . . ." Mandy laughed and watched him walk away. "Come on, Solana," Mandy said to her horse, and Solana obediently tagged along behind her. "Let's find Laura and go for ride."
She checked Diablo's stall. The stallion was there alone, contentedly chewing on some hay. Mandy tied her birthday scarf around her neck, crossed the wide green lawn and headed for the house, Laura wasn't in her room, nor was she on the back patio. Then Mandy remembered the lake far back of the house. Surely, she'd be down there. "go on, Solana," she said, stamping her foot. "Go eat some grass and stop following me."
Solana pricked her ears forward and then lowered her head and began to graze. Mandy walked toward the lake.
She was just about to call Laura's name when she heard the sound of laughter. She strained to see around a tree and then stopped dead in her tracks. There, facing the lake, with her back to Mandy, sat Laura. She was holding hands with David.
Mandy had never felt so many emotions in such a short time as she felt right now -- surprise, hurt, betrayal, anger, sadness, then the urge to get out of there. But her foot cracked a branch. David and Laura tuned around once with the sound.
"Sorry!" Mandy stammered. "I was looking for you, Laura."
David stood up and pulled Laura up with him. "That's okay," he said casually. "I've got to be getting back to work. Thanks for the company, Laura." Then strode off toward the stables.
Mandy and Laura stood facing each other. "I thought you were alone," Mandy said weakly.
"Well, I wasn't," Laura snapped, walking briskly past her.
"Wait up," Mandy called and fell into step beside her. "I'm sorry, Laura. I thought that you didn't even know David was alive. I mean you've always treated him like he didn't even exist."
"Look, Mandy, just because you're jealous . . ."
"Jealous!" Mandy exploded. "Me? Why, you're the one who's moped around here all summer long, treating me like I've committed some crime because I got my own horse. And you're the one who made me feel dumb just talking to David . . .
"You just stop it, Mandy Wilson!" Laura yelled back. "I could care less about your stupid little horse. I own a real show horse, not some sqautty little saddle pony. And as for as David . . ." well, it's obvious that he prefers me to you."
Mandy stopped dead, the tears springing to her eyes. "You're so mean, Laura. I hope that I never talk to you again!"
"Well, that goes double for me!" Laura shouted back. Then she ran toward her house. Mandy stood shaking for a long time after she had left.
Suddenly, the day was a disaster. As she headed back toward the stables, Mandy couldn't help but feel she's lost something special.
She found herself back at the stable and then felt a warm muzzle in the middle of her back. With a start she turned around and realized that Solana had been following behind her all along. She buried her face in her horse's mane and began to cry.
"You're so lucky, Solana," Mandy said between sobs. "You don't know what it's like to be a person." Solana snorted.
Mandy remembered Laura's angry words again. She thought of her mixed up feelings at seeing Laura and David together. Why should that bother her so much? She and David had talked lots of times, and Laura didn't seem to notice. This is silly. Could she have a crush on him?
No, she was just mad at Laura, she thought. Absentmindedly, Mandy led Solana into her stall. She turned to fasten the rope door. But her mind was far away. Her fingers fumbled at a job she should have been able to do in her sleep. She turned and walked away, not realizing the knot was only half tied.
Chapter 5
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