Nickel-Bred (6 page)

“I don’t know what to tell you, Piper,” Miss
Julie began. “I can talk to your father and mother and see if I can
help you out there. But it’s hard because I basically agree with
them.”

“Sam is eating at our house tonight. Maybe
you could explain to him and he could explain to Mom.”

“I can try, but I’m not sure he will see it
your way, either. Give it a little time and let’s see what
happens.”

Time. Grownups always wanted to give things
time. Didn’t they understand that time would run out and Nickel
would be gone?

My phone rang. I looked at the caller. It was
Addie.

“Piper, are you coming over here to see me?
I’m not supposed to use my ankle for a few days”

“Yeah, I was on my way there as soon as I’m
done with Dotty.”

“Will you do me a huge, big favor?”

“What do you need?”

“I really, really need a Dairy Dog, the foot
long one, and a cherry Slushy Slosh.”

“Okay,” I said. “I’m on my way. See you in
twenty minutes.”

I said goodbye to Miss Julie, who wanted to
sit outside on her porch for a while. As I walked into town to the
Dairy Dog, I ran through different scenes in my head. What I would
say if Dad said this, and so on. But it was getting too complicated
and I didn’t see any way out of the mess.

I got two foot long Dairy Dogs, smothered one
with mustard for Addie and left mine plain, and balanced two Slushy
Sloshes on a cardboard tray for the walk to Addie’s.

In a couple of minutes I was at her small
white house, surrounded by maple trees. I let myself in the front
door and yelled, “Jones’s Delivery Service!”

“Back here in my bedroom,” Addie called. I
found my way down the hall and stepped into Addie’s lavender cave.
Honestly, I liked purple too, but I think she overdid it. The wall,
bedspread, carpets- it was all in shades of lavender, lilac and
periwinkle. It looked like someone took a bucket of paint and threw
it over everything. The only thing that stood out was the enormous
lime green bear sitting on a chair. I set our lunch down on Addie’s
desk, threw Limey the Bear on the floor and sat down.

“Thanks, Piper. I was starving.” Addie sat
against the headboard with her right foot propped up on the bed.
She wore a white sock on her foot with a brace over that. Her other
foot was bare and tapped the floor.

“No problemo. I was hungry, too, and Mom went
to shop for something to wear when Sam comes to dinner
tonight.”

“It sounds serious. What if he moves in?”

“No!” I didn’t like the idea. “He has to stay
out at Miss Julie’s so she’s not alone all the time.”

“I thought you liked him. He’s really cute.”
Addie had a one-track mind about men, whatever age they were.

“I do like him. I just...I guess I’m not
ready for Mom to have anyone move in with us. It sounds creepy,
even if he’s not.”

“I wonder if they make out. They could.”

“Shut up! Stop!” I covered my ears. “Change
the subject now!”

Addie stared at me. “So, tell me how things
stand with Nickel.”

I filled her in on the problems I was having
convincing all grownups about the horse and then took off. Mom
would want help finishing up the house and getting dinner ready. I
had to talk to Dad one last time to see what he was thinking.

Chapter Twelve

~ Willie Nelson ~

As I walked
up to Serendipity Springs Veterinary Clinic, I noticed the old tan
beater car that we’d seen out at Chickie’s. It was the only car in
the front parking lot and was parked at an angle, which was odd.
Usually the noon hour was a busy time of day for my dad’s
business

Dad’s truck was parked in back, but Sue’s SUV
was gone. Therefore, Sue was at lunch and Dad was by himself,
handling whoever had driven up in the old car. Curious, I opened
the front door and went in. Cool air and the clinic smell of dogs,
cats, medicine and cleaners blew in my face.

“Dad?” I didn’t see him anywhere, but maybe
he was in an exam room. Maybe Chickie or Earl owned a dog. I
thought if they did, it would be a coonhound, or maybe a
Rottweiler. I like to guess what kind of dog people would have.

I went through into the back area where they
keep the drugs, equipment and microscopes, and heard arguing. As I
decided I shouldn’t interrupt, the door to Exam Room One came
flying open. Angel glared at me as she strapped an enormous red
purse over her shoulder.

“Outa the way, you brat!” she said. Muscling
her way past me, she grabbed the outer door and pulled. And
pulled.

“Blast it!” she yelled as she realized it
opened out. Angel stomped out the door, got in the old car and
threw gravel as she sped off.

“I guess she doesn’t want this kitten,” said
my dad. He was standing in the exam room door with a tiny, fluffy
grey kitten and a little smile on his face.

“Aww!” I took the kitten from him and cuddled
it. “What happened?”

“She came in claiming she found a lost kitten
and wanted me to examine it and see if it was healthy. Then she
wanted me to keep it here and give it away. When she realized no
one else was in the building, she also...um, wanted something
else.”

“What did she want?”

Dad hesitated. “It’s embarrassing to tell
this to my daughter.” His hand rubbed his face and he rolled his
eyes.

“Dad! Just tell me! I’m fifteen, I’m not a
child!”

“Oh, okay, she, ah, wanted her own exam.”

“You’re kidding, right?” The kitten purred in
my arms.

“Well, that’s not exactly what she said, but
she made it clear she wanted some...ah, attention from the
doctor.”

“Jeez, Dad. What did you say?”

He got the little smile back on his face
then. “I told her I was very flattered, but I was too old for her.
She argued with that, so I told her I wasn’t looking for a
relationship right now. She argued with that, so I said it wouldn’t
be professional to mess around in the clinic. She said I could come
out to the farm tonight because Chickie and his brother would be
gone.”

“Gone doing what?” I asked.

“That’s what I said. She got kinda huffy and
said that wasn’t my business and she would see me tonight ...or
else. Then we heard you come in.”

“Then she left.”

“Yeah,” said Dad. “I asked ‘Or else what?’
She said ‘You don’t want to know’ and then blew out the door.”

“Wow! Wow, Dad.”

“I know. Piper, this has never happened
before. I don’t quite know how to handle it. But I know I do not
want any more dealings with that crazy woman.”

“So what about the kitten?” I held it in
front of my face and stared into its big green eyes. It was my
favorite- a grey tabby with lots of fluffy fur. And it was making
the best sound in the world, a contented purr. “It needs a home.
Maybe I could take it out to Miss Julie and see if she wants a farm
cat.”

“Why don’t you do that, Piper? I can drop you
off. As soon as Sue gets back from lunch, I have to go past there
on a call. Be sure and tell Miss Julie that the kitten is a
boy.”

So that’s what we did. He took me to the farm
and I took the kitty in to Miss Julie. She fell in love right away
and said she missed having a cat. She named it Willie Nelson on the
spot because it had long, grey hair and when I left, Miss Julie and
Willie Nelson were rocking and napping on her front porch.

I don’t know how I got through dinner that
night with Mom and Sam. They kept telling each other funny little
things and giggling. It was disgusting. As much as I loved my mom,
and as much as I like Sam Applegate, I couldn’t stand to be around
them. I tried to get Sam to talk about Nickel, but he was so
distracted, he couldn’t think about horses. As soon as Mom would
let me, I left the table and hid in my room.

I called Addie to tell her about my horrible
experience, but she wasn’t sympathetic.

“Yeah, well at least you can walk,” she said.
“I can hardly hobble. I’m gimping between the TV, the kitchen, and
the bathroom.”

“At least your mom isn’t making goo-goo eyes
at some man.”

“At least your mom is at home to make dinner.
What did you have?”

“We had lasagna. It’s Mom’s best thing she
cooks. She also made a pecan pie, but I couldn’t stay in there long
enough to have any.”

“Sneak down and get some. And bring me a
piece tomorrow. I love your mom’s pecan pie.”

“I know, it’s good. Maybe I’ll go down and
get some. Mom doesn’t like me to eat in my room, but she probably
won’t notice. I’ll save you a piece. See you tomorrow.”

So that’s the reason I happened to be going
tiptoeing past our family room when I heard Sam say in a low voice,
“So when are you going to tell her?”

Chapter
Thirteen

~ Complications ~

As I stood
there in the hallway, pecan pie in hand, I had a big problem.
Should I say something now and let them know I’d been
eavesdropping, or keep my mouth shut and wonder what Mom was
supposed to tell me? I decided not to let them know I listened to
them. I might need to know something in the future and didn’t want
to have to promise not to listen.

I went on up to my bedroom and sat on the
bed, eating delicious, sweet, and nutty pecan pie, but all I could
do was worry. Were they planning on getting married? They had only
gone out a couple of times that I knew of. Surely that wasn’t
grounds for deciding to spend the rest of their lives together. But
what else would my mother have to tell me that she couldn’t say
right away?

I waited until I heard Sam leave, which was
pretty late. I went down to the kitchen, where I found my mom
putting dishes in the dishwasher. I tried to sneak my plate in, but
of course, she saw it.

“Were you eating in your room? Why didn’t you
stay at the table? You didn’t have to run up and hide.”

“The truth?”

“Of course, Piper. Always, the truth.”

“I was feeling funny about how lovey-dovey
you and Sam were getting. So I went upstairs, but then I wanted
pie.”

“Oh, hon, I’m sorry you felt that way. I
would never want you to feel bad or weird about being around us. I
like him so much and I thought you liked him, too.”

“I do like him. I felt weird about it right
then. I’m not used to you with a guy.”

“I don’t know what to say,” said Mom. “Do you
want me not to have him come over? I would hate to do that.”

“No, I don’t want that. And you’ve really
seemed happier lately.” I loaded glasses into the dishwasher and
put the liquid in to start it.

“Good! I have been happier. And guess what?
I’m going to go to work in Sam’s office. He needs a new
receptionist. It’s not what I’m used to doing, but he says it’s
just answering the phone and filing some things for him. I can
start next week.”

So that was what they had been talking about!
“That’s great, Mom, but what if you and Sam stop seeing each other?
What if you get mad at each other and have a bad breakup?”

“We talked about that. We figure we’ll cross
that bridge when we come to it. We’re both sensible adults and we
should be able to work something out.” Mom wiped down the counter,
then folded her rag over the stove handle.

“Has he ever seen you when you were mad?”

“Piper Jones! Are you saying I’ve got a
temper?”

“Well, Mom,..”

“Okay, sometimes I do. But I’m sure I won’t
get that angry with Sam. He’s so easy-going and cheerful.”

“Okay, Mom. Whatever.”

“Really, Piper, you should trust me a little.
But I have to get to bed. I’m going to shop for some office clothes
tomorrow. Do you want to come?”

“Me? Shop for clothes? Guess not. ‘Night,
Mom.”

“’
Night, Piper.”

I went to bed and thought about what it would
be like with Mom working for Sam. I hoped things would go smoothly
for them. Mostly, I didn’t want to live in the same house with Mom
if it didn’t.

The next morning I woke up early, feeling
great. I decided to get some quality time in with Dotty and maybe
work off her jumpiness. It wasn’t her fault, she had had a bad
owner for a while who mistreated her.

After grabbing a banana on my way out the
door, I walked quickly out to Miss Julie’s farm. It was a bright,
sunny morning, full of birdsong and flowers. I breathed deeply and
felt at peace with the whole world. Mom had a job, she was happier,
and our lives would calm down. I still had to figure out how to get
Nickel for Addie, but that was a matter of thinking it through.

I arrived at the farm and said hi to Miss
Julie, who was out watering and dead-heading her flowers. Willie
Nelson played with old blooms that she dropped.

“Hi, Miss Julie, how are you?”

“I’m good, Piper, just watering while it’s
still early and not so hot.”

“My mom is going to take that job at Sam’s
office. She’s pretty excited about it.”

“I know! Sam told me. I’m glad for them both.
He was worried that he wouldn’t be able to find anyone that wanted
it. I’m having them both over for dinner tonight to celebrate. You
should come, too, Piper. I told your mom to ask you if you wanted
to come.”

“Um, this is my night to eat at Dad’s house,
but I could talk to him and see if he minds that I eat here
instead.”

“Whatever works for you, Piper. I would love
to have you come over, but I’ll understand if you don’t. I have to
go get some groceries now. See you later, maybe.”

“Okay, ‘bye.” We went opposite directions,
her into the house and me to the horse pasture.

Dotty was happy to see me, especially since I
had remembered her carrots. She nibbled and drooled until they were
all gone and my hand was coated with carroty slime. When she had
swallowed the last mouthful, I went into the barn and got her tack.
I tied her up to a post, saddled and bridled her, then led her
outside. I mounted and we began walking down the dirt lane that led
back onto the farm. We went through a grove of oak trees and out
into an open field that was previously used to grow crops. Miss
Julie had decided to have it cut and baled every summer, so we
never had to buy hay. She told us it would be her contribution to
Dotty’s upkeep.