They’d had a crush on each other for the last few years.
But now, things had changed. His father and her Aunt Hannah were engaged, and Bird wondered if their relationship might be too awkward. She wasn’t sure how it would work at family get-togethers, like Christmas, which were always difficult, anyway. Alec refused to think there was a problem, but Bird had told him that they should talk about it, and until it was resolved one way or the other, at least they could remain friends.
Friends can’t kiss each other, she thought. That might be difficult for her. Wow. Talk about confused emotions. Anyway, he wasn’t coming for Christmas dinner so it wouldn’t come up, but she was disappointed. Very.
She willed herself to focus on happy things. She loved being here at Saddle Creek with Aunt Hannah, Paul Daniels, and their funny brown dog, Lucky. She loved her cheerful little room in the farmhouse, with red, blue, green, and white tartan curtains and matching bedspread, and lively red sheets. She loved her interactions with Cody, the enigmatic coyote who appeared on a whim, or whenever he was needed, and disappeared again just as mysteriously. He’d been around for as long as she could remember.
More than anything else, she loved being with Sundancer, an undisputed jumping champion and her best friend. He was an athletic chestnut gelding who jumped anything that Bird faced him with and in stellar style. They’d had many adventures together, and they usually came home from competitions with trophies and ribbons galore.
There was never enough time to be around horses, she thought. Sunny gobbled up all her attention and still wanted more. Since arriving, Bird had done nothing much other than ride him, clean tack, and help muck out stalls, which was just how she liked it. If she could choose any place on Earth to be at any given moment, it would be right where she was now.
At Saddle Creek, Aunt Hannah unfailingly made her feel welcome and appreciated. She was kind and cheerful, and she made sure that Bird was looked after in every way. Like a mother might, thought Bird wistfully.
Aunt Hannah was nothing like her sister, Eva, and nothing like their father — Bird’s grandfather — Kenneth Bradley, either. He was in jail for a variety of crimes, including insurance fraud, obstruction of justice, and collusion. He was plain bad. Bird briefly wondered what Christmas was like in jail. It wouldn’t be great, but somehow she couldn’t summon up sympathy for her grandfather. She’d been the recipient of his callous schemes on more than one occasion, including the time he’d sold Sundancer behind her back, with forged papers and false identity. He’d proven too many times how heartless he was, even setting up his mentally ill son, Tanbark Wedger, to take the blame for assault causing death. Bird didn’t trust him one inch.
One day, Bird mused, she’d figure out the family dynamic. Why was Grandma Jean, his ex-wife, so ruined? She’d been a beautiful, accomplished woman when he married her, at least judging from the old pictures. Now she was a prim, sarcastic, aloof alcoholic. And why were Kenneth’s daughters both so strange around him? Aunt Hannah exhibited a forced cheerfulness and an agitated busyness whenever they were in the same house. And Bird’s mother, Eva, became sickeningly girlish. Bird couldn’t stand how she almost seemed to flirt with him.
Kenneth Bradley certainly casts a nasty spell on the people around him, she thought.
Suddenly, there was an ear-splintering crash right outside the window. Bird leapt back and landed on her bed.
A huge branch off the ancient maple that stood in front of the house broke from the tree and fell to the ground. It screeched as it scraped across the window and crash-landed on to the icy surface below. The noise was deafening.
Well, that’s that, thought Bird. Mystery solved. I must’ve been awakened when the branch first began to crack.
By now, she was thoroughly chilled and needed to get some sleep. Tomorrow was Christmas, for better or for worse. She curled back up under her covers, bunched up the pillow until it was just right, and closed her eyes.
Bird took some deep, relaxing breaths. It really was good to be back at Saddle Creek Farm. Not good to be dumped here by her mother, but good to be here.
Her mind drifted as she sought out a comfortable sleeping pose. She wondered where her father, Fred Sweetree, would spend Christmas. Together, they’d solved the mystery of the lost, stolen, and murdered horses. They’d made a great team. Both shared the highly unusual ability of direct animal communication, and they could speak to each other telepathically, as well. Needless to say, as they figured out the case and caught the perpetrators, this talent had come in handy.
But as soon as the case was wrapped up, he was gone. Bird had just begun to know him a little and was feeling hopeful that she finally had a father. And not just any father. This father understood her, and he spoke to animals, just like her. He was caring and smart and honourable, plus a superb rider. He was a father she would love to spend time with. Bird felt a catch in her throat. It was not to be.
She’d last spoken to him at Pete Pierson’s funeral. He’d told her he was proud of her and that he loved her, but he couldn’t stay and be the kind of father that she wanted. Bird had no choice but to accept that, but still, it didn’t totally sit right with her.
Her mother, Eva, never spoke of him. She’d always told Bird that he was dead. In fairness, everybody thought he’d died in a plane crash, so she couldn’t blame Eva entirely. There was enough she could blame Eva for without adding that.
Bird pushed these troublesome thoughts away. She was tired and needed sleep. She stretched her entire body from the tips of her fingers to the ends of her toes, then loosened her muscles.
Bird let gravity pull her body into the mattress, and she asked her mind to float to a happy place. She imagined taking Sundancer out for a ride the next morning, after breakfast. The storm would have passed by then, the ice on the branches would be glistening in the sun, creating a fairy-tale world where everything was beautiful and full of goodness and light….
Bird girl.
Bird opened an eye.
Bird girl. You need to come. It was Cody.
What’s wrong?
Just come. I’ll show you the way.
Can it wait?
I think not.
The urgency in the coyote’s telepathic transmission moved Bird to get back out from under the warmth of the quilts. Cody would not summon her unless it were serious.
Quickly she pulled on the jeans and sweater draped on the chair in the corner of the room. She began to tiptoe down the stairs, but stopped. Her phone. She might need it. She went back, grabbed her cell, and sped as quietly as she could to the kitchen. Bird threw on her coat and hat, stuffed her feet into her winter boots, and grabbed her sheepskin gloves.
Lucky appeared beside her, with his tail wagging madly. He sniffed her jeans. Going out? Going out?
Good dog, Lucky. Bird took a second to scratch his furry brown ears. I need to go out for a while. You stay here.
Lucky’s tail stopped wagging.
You must guard the house, Lucky.
Lucky was confused. I will come! Will come!
Bird didn’t know what Cody had in mind, and she didn’t want to worry about Lucky in the storm. Stay, Lucky. Hannah and Paul need you tonight. Guard them very well.
Yes, Bird! Yes, Bird! His tail began to wag again.
Good dog, Lucky. I’ll be back.
Bird watched him lie back down contentedly in his bed. He was a good dog, she thought. He always wanted to help. She opened the kitchen door to a blast of chilled air.
Oops,