No Time for Horses (11 page)

“Because he got mad at Rick and my mom last
August. We were going to a Monty Roberts training clinic. Jack
bought tickets so we had front row seats and could see absolutely
everything Monty did. And Rick no-showed that day, and my mom was
called in to work at the last minute.”

“Maybe your parents forgot about the
concert.”

“A concert.” I gaped at her. “Who cares about
a stupid concert? This was Monty Roberts, the best horse trainer
I’ve ever seen. He’s not abusive, but he doesn’t take crap from the
horses. He’s funny and sweet with them. He never uses whips. I
could learn so much from him. Those tickets were like a hundred
bucks each. And Jack works hard for his money. He mows lawns and
bucks hay bales and works as a lifeguard. He knew how much I wanted
to go, and he made arrangements to borrow his mom’s car for us to
go to Tacoma.”

“So, what happened?” Ingrid asked.

“What do you think? Mom went to work. Rick
never came. Before she left, Jack told my mother that she was
driving me away, and as soon as I turned eighteen, I’d hightail it
out of Washington State and she’d never see me again. She’d have to
buy a new slave. Then, he called Rick on the phone and told my
stepdad what a no-good creep he was.”

“But, what about your date?” Ingrid asked.
“How did you deal with that? Did you arrange to go another time?
Exchange the tickets?”

“It was a tour. Monty’s school is in
California, and he tours all over the world. No, this was a
one-shot deal. We would have had to wait until the next time he
came here, and it could be another year or two.”

“And what could you do about it?” Ingrid
picked up her pen. “No one has to let people who do so little for
you control so much of your mind, thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
Did you and Jack allow your parents to victimize you?”

“That’s an interesting way to look at it.” I
drew up my knees and pillowed my chin on them. Ingrid didn’t say a
word about my flip-flops being on the chair. “I cried. I was so mad
and hurt, and I hated everybody.”

“Even Jack?”

“Well, a little bit. He’s so smart. He should
have known they’d wreck it. They always do.” I sighed, shaking my
head. “No, that wasn’t fair. Jack just wanted to do something
special for me.”

“What did you do when you finished grieving?”
Ingrid asked again. “You’re a smart girl too, Vicky. You can’t tell
me you sat home, can you?”

“I could, but I’m pretty sure Rick and Mom
already told you,” I said. “It was sort of Jack’s idea too, but,
mostly it was mine. And I got grounded for two weeks, but it was
worth it. I walked the kids to daycare and arranged for them to
stay there until Mom or Rick picked them up.”

“It could have been a bad deal, but you
changed it,” Ingrid said. “That’s what I want you to learn. You
can’t control your mother or stepdad. You can take charge of your
life.”

“How? What do I do when Rick returns Chrissy
with a diaper bag full of crappy and wet cloth diapers on Sunday
night? Leave them for my mom to deal with after she works a bunch
of sixteen-hour shifts over the weekend? That doesn’t seem fair
either.”

“Hmmm.” Ingrid tapped her pen on the table.
“What about disposable diapers or underpants for the visits?”

“Rick doesn’t like those. He says they’re bad
for the environment. I know he’s right,” I said, “but it was dirty
diaper city again on Sunday night. Mom and I spent most of
yesterday doing the kids’ laundry. I do pick up some disposable
diapers when I buy groceries, but they’re only for
emergencies.”

“Not anymore,” Ingrid repeated. “I’ll go over
it with him on Thursday afternoon. If he wants to use cloth ones,
he can buy them and deal with washing them.”

I giggled. “You go, Doc. Once you get that
settled, can you talk to Mom about me getting an actual job? If I
pay rent, she might let me have some space of my own.”

“I definitely want to hear about that.”
Ingrid looked at her watch. “We have ten minutes before group. Will
you talk fast and bring me up to speed?”

“Sure. I’m a teenage girl. Here goes.”

While I rattled off facts and figures, she
listened and made notes. I’d thought this would be a complete waste
of time and energy, but it was so nice having someone who didn’t
treat me like a hysterical teenager. It felt as if Ingrid O’Hara
was on my side. She made me think. Yes, I had choices and I would
make better ones. I’d look out for myself. That was my first job.
Like Ingrid said, I had to look out for me first, or I couldn’t
take care of anyone else.

* * * *

Wednesday, November 20th, 7:15 a.m.

“How was your therapy session?” Robin handed
over my latte as soon as I arrived at her table in the Commons.
“Did you get your head screwed on straight?”

“It was good,” I said, removing the cap and
taking a swallow. “You may not have to listen to me whine and
snivel quite so much. She told me that Jack and I did the right
thing last summer when we dropped the kids and went to see Monty
Roberts anyway.”

“What do you know?” Robin grinned at me,
brown eyes amused. “I’ve been telling you for ages not to
guilt-trip yourself about that. So, she’s going to help you get a
spine?”

“No. She’s going to teach me strategies for
dealing with the people who want to take advantage of me and keep
me downtrodden.” I drank more of my coffee. “And I’m going to be
nicer to your brother.”

“Hold on.” Robin straightened in her chair,
suddenly serious. “Where’s that coming from? Vick, you already
treat him way better than most girls. I know. I’ve heard them when
they try calling him.”

“Yeah, but he’s my boyfriend, not a
superhero. He shouldn’t have to rescue me all the time from my
family. I’m going to teach the kids to put away their stuff and
help clean the house. It will be good for them and for Jack and me
too.” The bell rang as I finished my coffee. “Let’s go. I have
canned stuff for Weaver, so she’ll be able to harass other students
today.”

“What did you bring?” Robin stood and pushed
in her chair. “I have two boxes of noodles.”

“Two cans of beets and two jars of that
creamy peanut butter Rick likes. He’s been gone since May, and I
figure I’ll put the food he left behind to good use. Nobody at home
is going to eat that junk anyway.”

Robin laughed and followed me toward Homeroom
English. “Wow. Maybe I ought to go to your counselor. She’s going
to make you into a superhero.”

“Yeah, but she wouldn’t have a chance if you
weren’t my best friend. I don’t know what I’d have done without you
during these last few months.”

Chapter Eleven

Wednesday, November 20th, 3:30 p.m.

Cheer practice ended early and I hurried to
change then rushed to the parking lot to meet Jack and Robin so we
could head for Shamrock Stable. My cell phone buzzed, and I
answered. “Hello.”

“Vicky, this is Miguel Diaz. I’m sorry to
bother you, but the kids are in my room and I have a staff meeting.
When will you be here?”

“Oh my Gawd!” I hastily remembered I was
talking to a teacher. “I’m sorry. Their dad is supposed to get them
on Wednesdays because this is when I do my internship hours for
school. Obviously, he’s not picking them up today.”

“He didn’t answer his cell phone or the
emails I sent. I left messages for him and your mom at their jobs.
What do you want me to do with the kids?”

“I’m on my way,” I said. “Can they wait for
me in the office so they don’t mess up your meeting?”

“I’ll call the principal and tell her I’m on
my way. We’ll meet you out in front of the school.”

“Great. Thanks so much.” I hit ‘end’ on my
cell and then called Robin. “Okay, who is next on the list for
babysitting? Rick bailed once again. He’s been trying the ‘running
late’ routine for the past few weeks, but this time he just didn’t
show. The kids’ teacher called.”

“Gwen’s up,” Robin said. “I’ll have her meet
us, and you can tell her what to do when she gets to your
house.”

“You guys are awesome.” I saw Jack waiting
and rushed to hug him. “We’ve got to stop and do the kid thing
before I can go to the barn.”

“Whatever you need.” He ran a hand through
his black hair. “Wait a sec. How are we doing the kids and
Shamrock? The same way you did it on Monday?”

“See, you are the smart one.” I reached up to
kiss him.

Before we got too carried away, Robin and
Gwen jogged over to join us. They put their sport bags in the back
seat. “I owe you, Gwen.”

“Hey, if I ever get stuck with five little
kids, you can pay me back.” Gwen waved for me to climb into the
cab. “So, what am I doing with them?”

Once we were all in the pickup and Jack
started driving toward the elementary school, I explained about how
to walk the kids home. When they arrived, they would change to play
clothes, have their snacks and then settle down with homework. I’d
already prepped a chicken-broccoli casserole. It needed to bake for
an hour so she could put it in the oven. Salad makings were in the
fridge. Laundry needed to be started. “You just take whatever’s in
the washer and put it in the dryer. Then, throw a load of Chrissy’s
diapers in. You have to use the hot water cycle.”

Gwen nodded and kept making notes. “If we
pass an espresso stand, can I buy them hot chocolates or
something?”

“They would love it.” I dug into my purse and
handed her a twenty. “Here. Stop at that little grocery on the
corner, and you can treat them. Get a little cup of sherbet or an
apple juice for Chrissy. No chocolate. It gives her diarrhea.”

“And when Mrs. Miller arrives, you leave,”
Robin said. “Tell her the stats on dinner, laundry, the kids, and
book it out of there. Wave bye-bye to the kids. But, hit the road
immediately.
Wait outside for your folks and your ride home.
Otherwise, Mrs. Miller will start moaning and groaning about her
ex-husband and Vicky abandoning her responsibilities. You don’t
want to listen to her griping and whining. Don’t do what I do,
which is tell her that she gave birth to those kids, not Vick.”

“Which is why she wants us to stop being
friends,” I said. “She hates everyone who stands up to her.”

“And if we get there first, which is more
likely,” Jack told Gwen, “I’ll run you home.”

I pulled my keys out and passed the ring to
Gwen. “Give them to Kevin once you’re inside. He’ll get them back
to me.”

“You got it.”

Jack pulled up in front of the school. Robin,
Gwen, and I climbed out. I headed toward the kids. Linda ran to hug
me. “Daddy didn’t come today.”

“Vicky always does,” Lance said, dragging his
backpack toward me. “She loves us.”

“Got that right.” I pointed to his coat. “Put
it on before you catch cold.”

“Told you she’d say that.” Kevin grinned up
at the stocky, dark-haired man who stood next to him. “It’s why the
kids call her ‘Mama Vicky’. She always fusses.”

“Wait till they start calling you ‘Daddy
Kev’,” I said to him. “I’ll laugh the entire time you whine and
whinge about it.”

Mr. Diaz didn’t smile. He eyed me and my
friends. “I didn’t realize that you attended Lincoln High, Vicky.
They have extraordinarily high standards.”

“You should see the homework,” Robin told
him. “We have tons of it, and there’s no getting out of it.”

“What about the internship hours?” Mr. Diaz
asked. “Can you make those up?”

“No, but we look out for each other. It’ll be
okay,” I said. “And now, we have to go.” I got the kids walking
toward the street. Gwen and Robin joined us. When I glanced over my
shoulder, I saw the teacher heading inside. I hoped he didn’t get
in trouble for being late to his meeting.

Cathy gave all three of us a long look. “So,
who is staying with us today?”

“Me,” Gwen said. “And your sister gave me
money for hot chocolate.”

That raised some cheers, and the twins
immediately grabbed her hands. They started telling her the best
place to visit. While she and Robin walked with the kids toward the
daycare, I climbed back in the truck. Jack waved at the group as we
passed them.

“If I haven’t said I really appreciate
everything you do, I’m saying it now,” I told him. “You’re
amazing.”

“I hope I still am after I tell you to start
documenting this entire crap-fest,” Jack said. “Didn’t the
head-shrinker tell you that your parents were supposed to step up?
How many times have you been the adult in charge since last
Thursday?”

“I don’t know.” I began to count off the
occasions on my fingers. “Let’s see, Rick tried to dump the kids on
me Friday. He brought them back early Sunday. Mom didn’t get them
at school on Monday. I had to take them Tuesday morning.”

“Saturday night, we went grocery shopping
again.”

“Good point.” We were at the daycare, so I
opened my door. “I’ll definitely start a list on the way to
Shamrock.”

Inside, Penny waved to me. I paused by her
desk. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to check with you about Black
Friday. Did you plan to go shopping? Do you want me to reserve
space for your brothers and sisters to stay here? I’ll open up at
three a.m.”

“My stepdad is supposed to pick them up on
Thursday night and have them all weekend.” The two of us shared a
look that said everything each of us thought. We were on the same
page. Penny clicked the mouse for her computer, pulling up next
week’s calendar. “Well, let’s iron out the details.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” I agreed. “Considering
he bailed today and has been trying to dump them on me every chance
he gets, we better have a back-up plan. I’ll call you if he
actually comes and gets them on Thanksgiving.”

“Sounds good.”

Stopping to deal with the kids and getting
them lined up to stay with Gwen meant we were a half-hour late to
the barn. Robin had called Rocky, so she knew what was going on and
that we were on our way. When we arrived, Sierra had just finished
tacking up Summertime. She waved at me, and he nickered.