Tianna the Terrible (Anika Scott Series) (6 page)

He trotted off. I stood up and reached for Babe's reins. She snorted softly and rubbed her head up and down my front. I laughed rather shakily. My muddy, wet pants stuck to my legs, and I shivered. Dean was nowhere in sight. I hugged Babe's neck and wondered if I could get up on her back again. At least my seat would be warmer there.

There was a big rock about a hundred yards away. I led Babe over. She stood still, and I managed to scramble on all by myself. "You're the best horse ever," I said, rubbing her neck. "You couldn't help it if I told you to stop too fast."

I was rubbing her neck and trying not to shiver when Dean came tearing back over a rise.

"There's a cow calving, and I can see four hooves. She needs help. I've got to stay with her so she doesn't wander off," he called. "Go get Dad, OK?" He took off without waiting for an answer.

I managed to get Babe to turn around and start back. She didn't act like she understood the way I was using the reins. I kicked with my heels and she started to trot. My sore seat bounced all over her back.
Running is better than this,
I thought as I just about bounced off and clutched crazily at her mane. I kicked harder and yelled like Dean had, and Babe started galloping. This time I hung on to the reins. Babe seemed to know where to go.

Luckily Dean had left the gate open. Babe's head went down and she ran faster. Gravel flew in all directions as we tore down the driveway. I saw a bunch of people standing outside the house. I pulled back slowly on the reins, and Babe actually started to slow down.

Mr. Parker took two big steps and stood in the driveway with his hands up. "Whoa, girl. Easy, girl," he said, loud but kind of gentle. Babe stopped right in front of him. "Dean says for you to come to help a cow with four hooves," I said, breathing hard.

"What?" he asked.

"Well, that's what he said! Four hooves showing," I answered.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Parker laughed. "That means he could see four hooves of a calf showing, sticking out a little way, on a cow who is calving," explained Mrs. Parker. "Either she's having twins or one calf is all twisted up. Either way, she'll need help."

Mr. Parker was already on his way across the yard at a trot. I wasn't sure how to get off of Babe. I'd never gotten off of a horse without stirrups before—except in the pasture, and that hadn't been exactly normal. I put both legs on one side and sort of slid off. My feet hit the ground with a thud and I nearly fell down.

Mom caught me. "Anika, what on earth?" she said. "You're soaked and freezing. How do you get yourself into these crazy situations?"

Already Mr. Parker was back with a saddle. He put it on Babe, cinched it up, and swung onto Babe's back in no time. He hung a coiled rope over the saddle horn and reached down for a bag of stuff his wife handed him. He and Babe left at an easy lope.

As soon as he was gone, Mom and Mrs. Parker hustled me into the house to get cleaned up. I was so muddy I had to have a bath while Mrs. Parker put my clothes in the wash. I didn't care. I'd ridden a quarter horse bareback and had actually done something helpful. I couldn't stop grinning. By the time I got out of the tub, supper was on the table.

Tianna glared at me as I came into the kitchen. "You think you're so cool, going riding with Dean Parker," she hissed. She turned her back on me and went and sat down.

I sighed. Couldn't she figure out that I only cared about the horses?

Dean and Mr. Parker came in a bit late and had to go wash up. I had to tell my part of the story all over again for Mr. Parker. When I got done, he said, "I always did say that Babe had a lot of sense. Not that I can say the same for my son, putting a green rider up bareback."

"Is the cow OK?" I asked.

"Yeah, nice twin heifer calves. Dean and I did all right with that cow, so maybe we'll keep Dean after all," Mr. Parker said with a grin.

Halfway through supper Tianna and Sandy went out to look at the kittens one last time without asking me if I'd come. I was too warm and sleepy anyway. Besides, my seat was hurting where I'd fallen off of Babe. When we went out to the truck, Tianna and Sandy were already sitting in the back.

On the way home they were quiet and kind of giggly. My eyes kept wanting to shut, but my sore behind—and Uncle Kurt's loud country and western music—kept me from going all the way to sleep. I didn't pay any attention to how weird Sandy and Tianna were acting. Until I heard a soft mew, that is.

My eyes flew open.

Tianna's jacket was mewing! I sat up and stared at her. Both she and Sandy made frantic hushing noises at me.

The jacket mewed again.

Chapter Five

Luckily, Uncle Kurt's music was too loud for him and Mom to hear anything. I sure wasn't going to tell. If there's one thing you learn at boarding school, it's to not be a tattletale.

"Can I see it?" I whispered.

Tianna shook her head no.

"Come on, I don't care about Dean. I just wanted to go riding. Please?" I begged.

Tianna opened her jacket, and a little tabby kitten with blue eyes and white on its little nose and chin looked up at me. Its pink mouth opened in a loud, scared mew. Tianna covered the kitten up in a hurry, but Mom looked back at us.

"Mew!" Sandy said. "Mew, mew!"

It was a pretty good imitation.

"What on earth?" Mom asked.

"She's pretending to be a kitten," I explained.

Mom gave Sandy a puzzled look, but turned back around.

"Thanks!" Tianna whispered. "You guys are brilliant."

We were just pulling into Tianna's driveway, and Daddy was coming to the door to meet us. I opened the door to get out—and groaned. I couldn't believe how stiff I was!

Sandy got out and kind of blocked Daddy's view of Tianna as she rushed past him, her jacket in her arms. Sandy went after her, but I couldn't get away without telling Daddy about riding. I didn't mind, really.

"Tianna!" Aunt Doreen almost screamed. She was standing in the door to Tianna's room. "Kurt! Kurt, come here!" Boy, did she ever sound mad. "Look what your daughter's brought back from that ranch! A
cat!
I will not have a cat in my house."

"Your
house?" Uncle Kurt roared. "I'll have you know I'm the master of this house. Right, Kevin? The husband is the master."

"Kur—" Daddy started to say, shaking his head warningly.

Uncle Kurt didn't listen. He just broke in angrily, yelling at Aunt Doreen. "If my daughter wants to have a kitten, it's up to me to say if she can or not. I say it might do some good to have something gentle and pretty in this house. We sure don't get much gentleness from you."

"Your hyperreligious sister and her husband are making you even worse, if that's possible," snapped Aunt Doreen. "I don't think you realize that women are people. We're individual human beings who have every right you have, Kurt Malcome! If this isn't my house, then where do I live?" Now her face was all red, and I could tell she was trying not to cry. She whirled to go.

"My daughter can have a kitten if I say so, woman," he bellowed at her retreating back. She just kept going.

There was a long silence.

Uncle Kurt shuffled his feet, like a little kid who is embarrassed. "Um, sorry about that, folks," he said. "I just don't get the kind of respect around here that a man deserves in his own house."

"Kurt," Daddy said softly. "It's true that a man is to be head of his household, but the Bible teaches that a leader is to act and live for the benefit of those in his care. He's to give respect to others as well."

Uncle Kurt gave Daddy a puzzled look. I didn't stay to hear more. When I opened the door to Tianna's room, she and Sandy were huddled over the kitten staring at the door wide-eyed.

Tianna looked like she might cry.

"He said you could keep the kitten," I reminded her.

She just barely nodded.

"What are you going to call him?" I asked.

Tianna didn't answer.

"Jake," Sandy said. "We decided at the Parkers'." She had the kitten in her lap.

"Here," I said. Reluctantly Sandy handed it to me. Its little body felt warm in my hands.

"How do you know it's a boy?" I asked.

"The kids said so," Sandy answered.

Jake struggled and mewed really loud. I put him down, and he scratched at the rug and then squatted.

"Oh no!" said Tianna. "He peed on the floor!" She rushed to get a Kleenex. "Mom will kill him," she said, crouching to wipe up the wet spot. The kitten leaned against her foot, yawned, tried to lick a white paw, and lay down with a flop.

"He's so cute," Tianna said in a completely different tone of voice, stroking the little round striped head with one finger. "I just have to keep him."

"Then you better get cat litter and stuff," Sandy said, reaching down to pat Jake, who shut his eyes with a tiny sigh.

Tianna carefully scooped Jake up with both hands, laid him on her bed, and said, "I guess I'll have to ask Dad."

She left the door open, and a second later Uncle Kurt's voice sounded, loud and angry. I went to see what was happening.

"I said you could have a cat," Uncle Kurt snapped, still sounding angry, "but I won't pay for it.
You
wanted a cat,
you
pay for the junk it needs."

"I can pay, Dad, I can really," Tianna pleaded, "but the only place open now is Super Store. I can't walk there."

"So take the bus," he said and crossed his arms.

Aunt Doreen came storming back into the room, and I backed into the kitchen. "You really are a jerk, Kurt," she yelled, and then she swore at him. "Get in the car, Tianna. I'll take you."

"What's so bad about wanting Tianna to learn some responsibility?" Uncle Kurt yelled. "Why do you always cross me?"

Aunt Doreen wouldn't even look at him as she walked out the door after Tianna.

Uncle Kurt glared at Mom and Daddy and came striding into the kitchen. I pressed myself back against the wall, but he went straight out the door without even looking at me.

"I don't think he heard a word you said," Mom said to Daddy sadly.

The next morning Tianna came into our room, carrying Jake, who was squirming and mewing. "You aren't coming to school here, are you?" she asked.

"Why?" I demanded. "Don't you want us to?"

She shrugged and said, "I guess," in a flat voice. It was obvious that she didn't. I frowned.

"Mom!" Sandy yelled.

When Mom answered from the kitchen, Sandy yelled, "Do we have to go to school?"

Mom walked into the room and said, "Daddy and I decided we wouldn't send you until we get the results from his medical tests. There's no reason for you to have to adjust to a new school only to find out that we're going back right away. You'll both have to work to keep up with your class in Kenya, though. Tianna, don't hold the kitten so tightly. You'll hurt—"

"All right! No school!" Sandy yelled, interrupting.

"Ow!" Tianna said and dropped Jake. "He scratched me!"

Sandy rushed to pick up the kitten.

"Sandy," Mom said, "let him walk. Animals aren't toys. Jake is God's creature, too. Has anybody fed him this morning?"

"You can feed him," Tianna said to Sandy. "I've got to go."

I was still mad about Tianna not wanting me in her class. I plopped onto the bed, frowning furiously. I didn't want to go to school, but I didn't want her to think I was a geek, either.

Sandy and I stayed in the house by ourselves that day because Daddy and Mom went to the hospital for some of Daddy's tests. I spent most of the day staring at the TV and was feeling crabby when Mom and Daddy came home in the middle of the afternoon.

"Did they come out all right?" Sandy asked as soon as they got into the house. "Did your tests come out all right?"

"They don't know right away, silly," I said.

"Anika's right," Daddy said. "We'll just have to wait."

He sat in a chair in the living room, and Mom made me help her get supper. Sandy was tearing up and down the hall dragging a string for Jake and screaming and giggling when he chased it.

How come I always have to work?
I thought. Next time Sandy tore into the kitchen, I yelled, "Hush! You'll bother Daddy!"

Sandy stopped and looked worried, but Daddy had heard. "No," he said, "I'm fine. Anika, will you come here a minute?"

I looked at Mom, and she nodded. "I can finish this. Thanks for helping, Anika. I appreciate it." She smiled at me and I felt a little better.

Daddy was holding a book when I walked into the living room. "I want you to do a social studies report on the Rocky Mountains for me," he said. "This is a great book."

I groaned. Even in Canada, I couldn't get away from schoolwork.

I really missed Kenya that week. There was nowhere to go outside, just streets and houses. I spent a lot of time reading the book Dad had found on the Rocky Mountains. It was about trout fishing, rock climbing, hunting on horseback, skiing, glaciers, and grizzly bears. I could see the mountains out the living room window, and I would stare at them and wish I was somewhere else. Kenya would be best, but those mountains stirred me up inside, too. I wondered if I'd ever see them close-up.