It was still dark out when her father shook her awake. "What's wrong daddy?" The drowsy little girl asked as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Nothing is wrong. Get up and get dressed into your ridding clothes. Then meet me in the barn. Be quiet okay. We don't want to wake your mother." Her father said as his dark blue eyes shone with excitement in the lamplight.
"Okay." The blonde girl answered as she got up. Her father left the room and she dressed quickly. She quietly made her way out of the house. Once she closed the door behind her she raced to the barn. He met her at the barn door.
"I want you to close your eyes and promise not to open them until I say so." He instructed her as he took her hand and led her into the barn. She closed her eyes as tight as she could. "Okay you can open them now."
She opened her eyes to find a little black pony standing in front of her. "Is she mine?" The surprised girl squealed with delight.
"You bet she is. I bought her for your thirteenth birthday at the last horse sale I went to. " Her father answered.
"But my birthday is still a week away. Why are you giving her to me today?" The confused girl asked.
"I just couldn't wait until your birthday, sweetheart. Now why don't we saddle her and my horse and go for a long ride along the North Ridge. I packed us some lunch. We can spend the whole day together. Just you and me." He suggested.
"But I have school. I don't think mom would be happy if I miss it." She replied.
"I know that is why I did not want you to wake her." He said as sly half smile formed on his lips. "Come let's do it. We will both play hooky. You from school and me from work. I get to spend lots of time with the boys when we are working, hunting or fishing, but I don't get to spend much time with you." He pleaded.
"I bet I can saddle my horse faster than you." The excited girl challenged as she went to get her saddle and bridle from the tack room. They both saddle their horse led them from the barn and mounted. The sun was just beginning to rise when they rode though the big iron gates and headed toward the north ridge.
"Bet my horse can beat yours?" The girl threw a challenge over her shoulder to her father as she urged the little black mare into a gallop.
The proud father watched as his daughter raced across the field with her blonde hair whipping in the wind behind her. He admired how good of a rider she was. When she as a fair distant ahead of him he urged his tall bay into gallop.
The happy girl reined in the little mare and patted its sleek black neck as she turned to watch her father ride toward her. He looked like the knight from her favorite fairy tale as he raced to meet her and to her he was her knight in shinning armor. She knew he would always be there to protect her and love her. "I told you she could beat you." She said when he finally pulled up beside her side.
"That you did." He laughed not letting on that he had let her win. The father listened with delight, as his daughter talked non-stop as they rode.
"Oh dear." The girl said.
"What wrong." The concerned father asked.
"Nothing is wrong. I just mean there is a dear." The girl answered as she pointed to the creek where a big buck stood. "It is so beautiful."
"Well this is as good as any place to stop for lunch." The father said as he dismounted and led his horse to the water. He knelt down by the creek and dipped his blond head into the refreshing cool water. Then he got up walked over to his daughter and shook his head like a puppy does when it is wet.
"Hey stop that you are getting my outfit all wet." She complained.
"There was a time you didn't care if you got your clothes wet or dirty." He said.
"I was just a kid then. Now I am a woman and I must care what I look like." She replied as she tossed her blonde locks over her shoulder and stuck her nose in the air.
"Well no matter how old you get you will always be my little girl." The amused father laughed. "Come on lets eat.
After they ate the girl lay with her head on her father's lap as she stared up at the sky. "That looks like a horse." She said as she pointed out a formation of clouds.
"A horse? I swear you are horse crazy. Everything you see reminds you of a horse. It looks more like a sheep than a horse to me." He scoffed. They had been playing find the picture in the clouds for over an hour now and every cloud formation the girl saw she would say it was a horse.
" I say it’s a horse." She pouted.
"Fine it’s a horse. Well we better head back home now." He said as looked at the position of the sun in the sky and realized how late it was getting.
"Do we have to. I don't want this day to end. Can't we stay just a little longer?" She pleaded.
"No, we don't want to be late for supper. Your mother is going to be mad enough at you for making me let you skip school." He said as he stood up and started to pack away their stuff.
"Hey it was you idea. Not mine. I just tell her you forced me to do it." She shot back.
"Okay, okay. We will both take the blame, but it was worth her wrath don't you think?" He asked. His little girl's blue eyes shone with enjoyment as she smiled and nodded her head in agreement. They placed the stuff in the saddlebags, mounted their horses and headed for home.
bvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbvbv