A Horse for Mandy
(Chapter 3)
"I-I'M Mandy," she stuttered, feeling her face turn red. Suddenly she stooped to retrieve the brush. But David had the same idea. Their hands touched, and their heads bumped. Mandy dropped the brush again. "Oh, my goodness..."
David began to laugh, his blue eyes dancing. "We haven't gotten off to a very good start, have we?"
Mandy was still too flustered to say anything. she backed up into the safety of Solana. But the sound of David's laughter got to her. She started to giggle. "No, I guess not."
"Then let's start over again," he said. "I'm David. And you're Mandy. This, I take it, is your horse?"
"Why, yes," Mandy said, still no daring to look him straight in the eye. "This is Solana. She's my birthday present."
"Well, happy birthday. Are you stabling her here?" he asked.
"Yes. My father is Doc Wilson. He looks after the Callahan ranch. Are you keeping a horse here"?
He reached over and patted Solana. "No, I'm working here this summer...you know, helping out. I'm new here. We just moved in on York Street. Thought I'd better get a job so I can buy school clothes...you know, stuff. Get to know some of the kids, too. You go to school in town?"
Mandy finally began to regain her composure. "Yes. I mean, I'll be at the middle school this fall."
"Great!" David said. "Then I already know somebody. I'm starting eighth grade there. Know anything about the track team?"
Before she could answer, Laura came walking up. "i've been waiting forever at the house. What's keeping..." Her voice trailed off when she saw david.
"Hi," he said. "I'm David Mannington."
"I'm Laura Callahan." Mandy could tell that he was having the same effect on Laura that he was having on her. "Are you the new hand Daddy hired?" Laura asked in an icy voice.
"Sure am."
"Then don't you have anything better to do?"
He stood up straight and looked down on both girls. "You're right. See you later, Mandy." He nodded, then walked off.
"Really, Laura, that wasn't a very nice way to treat him. He's new in town and just wanted to get to know about school and all," Mandy said after David was gone.
"Oh, don't be so touchy. It's better I tell him to get to work than Daddy. We can talk to him later. You finished cooling Solana?" Mandy shrugged. "Sure."
"Then, come on in the house and have some lunch with me." Mandy trudged behind her to the house, but she was still a little angry. Why did Laura always treat people like they were inferior to her? The Callahans had plenty of money and she'd heard it said that they "owned the town." But that was no reason to treat people like lower life forms.
When they walked into the kitchen, all of Mandy's anger evaporated. In the center of the table sat a beautiful cake, blazing with candles. Mandy made a wish and blew out the candles.
"Happy birthday!" shouted Laura, clapping her hands with glee. "Are you surprised? Did you think I'd for forgotten?"
Tears sprang to Mandy's eyes. "Oh, Laura, it's gorgeous. Thanks so much." She hugged her friend and hated herself for all her mean thoughts about Laura.
"Look!" Laura said. "Here's your present." She handed Mandy a carefully wrapped gift, topped with a bright red bow. "I picked this out for both of us really. come on. Open it."
Mandy tore open the box excitedly. Inside lay two bright-colored scarves. "Oh, Laura! How beautiful!"
"Do you like them? Really? The red one's yours. And the blue one's mine. They're a symbol of our friendship. Will you always wear yours?"
"You bet!" Mandy tied the scarf around her neck, Western fashion. "Hey, I have an idea," Mandy said eagerly. "Why don't we fix a picnic lunch and take it out on the trail? We could ride our horses and eat down by the creek."
"Sure. That sounds like fun," Laura agreed.
So the rest of Mandy's thirteenth birthday was spent with her best friend, her own horse, and the ants who showed up for the picnic. Looking back, she thought it was one of the best times she had ever had. And it was just as well that Mandy didn't what was coming next.
Chapter 4
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