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Authors: Dandi Daley Mackall
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He spits out the words.
“Wes!” Popeye says. “What’s gotten into you?”
Wes shoots me a look to injure. “I would have placed Taco with Mrs. O’Malley if it hadn’t been for her .”
I start to defend myself, but Annie takes over. “Wes, calm down. Dakota’s part of this family too, and—”
Wes gets up so fast his chair tips over backwards. Rex explodes in a fit of barking. “Family? She’s not my family! And you’re not my mother! I’m writing my mom and telling her to come get me. I’m not staying here, and you can’t make me!”
He storms away from the table with Rex barking at his heels. Popeye starts to go after him, but Annie puts her hand on his arm, and he sits down again.
I feel like it’s my fault. “I didn’t mean to wreck anything.”
“Dakota, it’s not your fault,” Hank says.
“Of course not.” Annie’s voice is soft, soothing. “I don’t think even Wes believes that, really. He’ll come around.”
I doubt it. “Do you think his mother will come and get him?”
Annie and Popeye exchange a look and seem to agree without words. Then Popeye explains, almost in a whisper. “Wes’s mother has some serious problems. Wes came to live with us because she went to prison for dealing drugs. She’s in rehab now, and we pray for her every night.”
Annie’s eyes are tearing up. “But even if she gets out of rehab and on her feet again, the courts won’t let her have Wes back.”
“Why?” I’ve always been jealous of kids who had even one parent in the picture. But I’ve never imagined having a parent some judge said you couldn’t be with. Maybe that’s worse. You’d have to be a pretty lousy mother for the courts to say you couldn’t keep your own kid.
“I think that’s Wes’s story to tell if he ever decides he wants to tell it,” Annie says. She takes a deep breath and shifts gears. “So, Dakota, back to driving lessons. When do you want to start?”
“Tonight? Tomorrow?” I’m more anxious than ever to get the plan rolling.
Annie gazes at her husband. “Looks like a job for Popeye. I’ll have my car at the hospital.” She smiles at me. “I’ve always said a gal needs to know how to drive a stick shift. Think you can learn on the truck?”
I don’t have much choice. “Sure.”
“Tomorrow then.” Popeye gets up from the table and clears his and his wife’s dishes.
“Guess I better watch where I’m riding tomorrow,” Hank comments. He picks up his and Wes’s plates and carries them to the kitchen.
I take the cue and clear for Kat and me.
After dinner, I read in my room until I’m sure everybody else is asleep. Then I slip downstairs and sneak outside to the barn. A moon-slice shines through the branches of the big oak and reflects off the barn roof, making the barn look like a purple shadow. I’ve never seen so many stars in my whole life. I think I know where they got the name “Starlight” for Hank’s horse and the Rescue.
Inside the barn, I make my way to Blackfire’s stall and tell him good night. “Tomorrow I’m going to watch you,” I whisper. I stay for a few minutes, then sneak back to my room.
As I lie in bed, I listen to the creaking of the farmhouse. Inside my mind, there’s a ticking, like a clock running down. I have a week and a half to learn to drive.
I am running out of time.
And so is Blackfire.
Ten
I think I’m the first one up and out the door the next morning. I can’t wait to start watching the horses. But when I jog to the barn, Hank’s already there.
“Man, you’re up early,” he says.
I’m disappointed that I’ve missed how the horses start their day. “Did you feed them already?”
“Yeah. Starlight gets feisty if she has to wait too long. Then the others join in.” He walks into Starlight’s stall and unlatches the rear door that opens to the pasture.
If the others join in, then maybe Starlight’s the lead, or dominant, mare. But I want to observe the horses together so I can
“Wes!” Popeye says. “What’s gotten into you?”
Wes shoots me a look to injure. “I would have placed Taco with Mrs. O’Malley if it hadn’t been for her .”
I start to defend myself, but Annie takes over. “Wes, calm down. Dakota’s part of this family too, and—”
Wes gets up so fast his chair tips over backwards. Rex explodes in a fit of barking. “Family? She’s not my family! And you’re not my mother! I’m writing my mom and telling her to come get me. I’m not staying here, and you can’t make me!”
He storms away from the table with Rex barking at his heels. Popeye starts to go after him, but Annie puts her hand on his arm, and he sits down again.
I feel like it’s my fault. “I didn’t mean to wreck anything.”
“Dakota, it’s not your fault,” Hank says.
“Of course not.” Annie’s voice is soft, soothing. “I don’t think even Wes believes that, really. He’ll come around.”
I doubt it. “Do you think his mother will come and get him?”
Annie and Popeye exchange a look and seem to agree without words. Then Popeye explains, almost in a whisper. “Wes’s mother has some serious problems. Wes came to live with us because she went to prison for dealing drugs. She’s in rehab now, and we pray for her every night.”
Annie’s eyes are tearing up. “But even if she gets out of rehab and on her feet again, the courts won’t let her have Wes back.”
“Why?” I’ve always been jealous of kids who had even one parent in the picture. But I’ve never imagined having a parent some judge said you couldn’t be with. Maybe that’s worse. You’d have to be a pretty lousy mother for the courts to say you couldn’t keep your own kid.
“I think that’s Wes’s story to tell if he ever decides he wants to tell it,” Annie says. She takes a deep breath and shifts gears. “So, Dakota, back to driving lessons. When do you want to start?”
“Tonight? Tomorrow?” I’m more anxious than ever to get the plan rolling.
Annie gazes at her husband. “Looks like a job for Popeye. I’ll have my car at the hospital.” She smiles at me. “I’ve always said a gal needs to know how to drive a stick shift. Think you can learn on the truck?”
I don’t have much choice. “Sure.”
“Tomorrow then.” Popeye gets up from the table and clears his and his wife’s dishes.
“Guess I better watch where I’m riding tomorrow,” Hank comments. He picks up his and Wes’s plates and carries them to the kitchen.
I take the cue and clear for Kat and me.
After dinner, I read in my room until I’m sure everybody else is asleep. Then I slip downstairs and sneak outside to the barn. A moon-slice shines through the branches of the big oak and reflects off the barn roof, making the barn look like a purple shadow. I’ve never seen so many stars in my whole life. I think I know where they got the name “Starlight” for Hank’s horse and the Rescue.
Inside the barn, I make my way to Blackfire’s stall and tell him good night. “Tomorrow I’m going to watch you,” I whisper. I stay for a few minutes, then sneak back to my room.
As I lie in bed, I listen to the creaking of the farmhouse. Inside my mind, there’s a ticking, like a clock running down. I have a week and a half to learn to drive.
I am running out of time.
And so is Blackfire.
Ten
I think I’m the first one up and out the door the next morning. I can’t wait to start watching the horses. But when I jog to the barn, Hank’s already there.
“Man, you’re up early,” he says.
I’m disappointed that I’ve missed how the horses start their day. “Did you feed them already?”
“Yeah. Starlight gets feisty if she has to wait too long. Then the others join in.” He walks into Starlight’s stall and unlatches the rear door that opens to the pasture.
If the others join in, then maybe Starlight’s the lead, or dominant, mare. But I want to observe the horses together so I can
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