Last Ride from Riley's POV

 by ThatOneAndiFan

(in 1st person) I left out some parts, so that I could keep it short, if you want the whole story, read The Last Ride}

I stood in the field, thinking about my friend Andi as I watched the two year olds. “Will she remember me?” I whispered to my collie like dog, Tucker.

I heard uncle Sid whistle. I whipped around. I saw a beautiful young lady on a bareback striking chocolate palomino. Surely that’s not, no, that beautiful girl is not Andi, right? I had to say something, so I did. “Yes, sir?”

“When did you start calling me ‘sir,’ boy?”

“Since I started earning wages in this ranch, you are my boss, right?”

“Not this time around. Chad is.” Sid jabbed a finger at the colt. “Meet his royal highness, soon to be one of your charges.”

I whistled, “he’s a beauty.”

“Chad can do what he wants with the other colts, but Shasta is mine!” She said.

“Yes ma’am!” I knew that was the respectful thing to say.

Uncle Sid laughed “sorry i didn’t make proper introductions, boy, Riley’s grown up a bit, ain’t he Miss Andi?” I kept my jaw from dropping. “Howdy, Miss Carter!” Should I call her that? Maybe she prefers Miss Andi? I don’t know! Should I ask ?

“You’ve grown up too, I see.” I said. Andi stared at me I could get used to this! “Have I got a wart on my nose?” I asked. She flushed. “I’m sorry, I, I didn’t mean to be rude,” there was a silence, since Uncle Sid had left them alone. Tucker barked, clearly wanting attention. A treat for timing, Tucker! “This here’s Tucker. Smart as a whip. Pa gave him to me.” Thank you God, for polite conversation. Andi looked uncomfortable, so I grabbed some sugar for the palomino. I think his name was Shasta.

— later. —

I was watching the colts—including Shasta— when I heard Andi scream. I looked at Chad, and he nodded. That meant ‘go get the Doctor, Riley!’ “Take chase, he’s the fastest.” I was in the saddle faster than you can say scat. I got the Doctor. Like Mrs. Elizabeth says, alls well that ends well.

—later—

I saw Andi’s cousin Daniel, in a too tight shirt, stiff chaps, and—wait— are those spurs? Ohhhh dear. Andi was on the outside of the gate I was in. “Who’s the mail order cowboy?” I asked teasingly. Maybe she doesn’t like my old teasing. Maybe—

“You know good and well who Daniel is!” Andi said. I did. Bunkhouse chatter spread faster than wildfire. “Why doesn’t Chad tell him to put on something sensible?” I asked.

“He did.” Andi shrugged. She scowled which clearly meant drop it, Riley. “I apologize, Miss Carter. I meant no disrespect whatsoever.” Andi didn’t respond, but I could tell who she was looking at. Daniel waved the lasso terribly. Daniel walked by. “Howdy!” I said, cheerfully. He didn’t return it with kindness. No, he said “keep clear of me cowboy, or else”

I remembered Andi’s father’s funeral. “Brings to mind another ill tempered boy from long ago.” Andi asked a little later what I said. I repeated “that the same one?”

Andi nodded. “One and the same. Thankfully, Father’s funeral is a blur to me.”

I frowned “not to me. Mean as all get out that boy. I heard you sobbing in a corner one afternoon, he was pestering you. We ended up in a fight.” I smiled, to help Andi believe me. “ I won!” I saw Andi’s eyes widen then lose their sparkle. Is she mad? “Don’t you have work to do?” She asked.

Yup, mad.

I couldn’t leave that visit at that, so i said “until next time, Miss Carter.”

Andi screeched, but Riley felt held back. Okay, God, I won’t go.

—later—

I was on break, and I admit, I was thinking about Andi, when Chad came in with Daniel. Was that boy drinking? “Meet your new bunk mate, boys.” Chad said, ohhh dear. No.

—later—

I was working with some weanlings. “Chad! Chad! Mitch! Justin! Anybody!” Daniel said. I rushed up to hear what he was saying. “Andrea fell into the gully! She looks dead!” That was weird. Was Daniel lying? I don’t know, but I’m not going to waste any time. I ran to get Justin or Chad or Mitch, cause they weren’t there. They were all eating lunch, so I knocked rapidly on their front door. When Chad opened the door, I started talking so fast, I could barely understand myself. “Andi fell into a gully and I didn’t know what to do so—“ I was cut off by an unsure Chad, “slow down, Riley. What happened?”

“Andi fell into a gully,” I said,

“Stay here.” Mitch said, as him, Justin and Chad said. I couldn’t see Mrs. Elizabeth. Andi will want her. Since nobody was around, I cried, I cried for Andi, and I didn’t even think about Taffy. It will break Andi’s heart if she loses that horse.

I sniffed up my tears because I knew what would happen if Taffy was too badly hurt. The occurrences of what happened to Midnight played in my head. Lord, i prayed Help Andi feel well. Let her be alright, Andi deserves to live, and so does Taffy, amen.

I wiped up my tears and walked back to the weanlings.

—a few weeks later. (ThatOneAndiFan here, I don’t know the actual timeline of this book, because if I read it fully, I wouldn’t be writing! I love Susan k Marlow books. I would be too distracted)—

I saw Andi reading. I walked up to her. She didn’t notice me. “Howdy, Miss Carter!” I caught her gaze and bowed. “Nice day, don’t you think?” I politely conversed. She rolled her eyes. She told me to go away, but I wasn’t having that. No sir! She closed her eyes. I called Tucker on her, making him lick her face. She looked at the dog. “Tucker won’t leave until you return his Howdy. “

“Howdy tucker.” She said. I pulled tucker off, and he laid down

“Is that a good book?” I saw irritation flickering in her eyes. I was trying to tease her, so I took her book. “Journey to the center of the earth. It’s a good book, but I know you like the Indian captive more” I laughed. She had thought she was being captured after I read it to her a long while ago.(Andi’s Indian summer.) “I bet you’re bored in a wheelchair, you’re probably counting down the days til you can get back on a horse.” At the word ‘horse’ Andis sparkly eyes dimmed.

“Listen, Riley, I’d rather not—“ Andi was interrupted by me, so that I could ask her a question. “When can I call you ‘Miss Andi?’ Nobody else calls you Miss Carter.”

Realization flickered in Andi’s eyes. “Sure call me Andi.”

I ducked down to pet Tucker and I looked at him, but my words were meant for Andi. “You’ve had a rough go at it, haven’t you?”

“How would you know how bad of a go at it I’ve had?” Andi asked.

“Your brothers talk about it all the time. They say their sisters are the prettiest, blue eyed charmers this side of the sierras.”

“Melinda, maybe and Kate, but not me.” I could see Andi going into another round of self pity. So I laughed, finally allowed to share my feelings. Not fully. Not yet. “Yes you! They said their baby sister is the prettiest, and a gal to be reckoned with,” I bent down to whisper to her. “I agree.” I saw her crack a little smile, and she tried to hide it. “Aww, you’re making that up, Chad didn’t say anything of the kind.”

“On my honor, Miss Andi.” I said,

I saw her eyes darken. “You can tell Chad and Mitch it won’t work. This little scheme you have going, it won’t work. Just because we were friends when I was little doesn’t mean you can waltz—”

“Andi!” I said. That hurt my feelings. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, and I’d rather not guess. I think I’ve just been insulted.”

“I’m sorry, Riley. It’s just—“

“Apology accepted.”

“Thanks for coming. Come again.”

“Thanks for the invite. I just got a Jim-dandy idea!” I looked at her. “Don’t look at me like that, Andi. You’ll enjoy it.” She agreed and I took her to the pen of the colts I was working on. Wow! It feels great to drop the Miss. “I know it’s a bumpy ride, but not as bumpy as that tumble you took in the gully. That took part of your family down, didn’t it?” I asked. Andi stiffened. That meant drop it, Riley. I took the hint. I locked her breaks up a safe distance from the round pin. “I’ll be back with my favorite charge.” I walked in the barn, and as I slipped the halter on Shasta, I told him, “you’d better listen, because Andi will want to see you.” I took him out. Keep your promise, Shasta. He didn’t. He nipped my ear. “Ow! Hey, none of that! Mind your manners!” I said. He immediately listened. “Shasta, I want you to say howdy to that pretty lady on the side of the fence.” Shasta bowed to Andi. Good boy Shasta!!!!

“Won’t be long til we throw a saddle on him. Boy I wish I could afford him.”

“If Chad sells Shasta, I will never speak to him again!” She yelled.

“Ain’t no difference, I hear you ain’t talking to him these days anyway.”

—a few days later.—

I saw Andi putting eggs in the spring house. She might like my old tricks of sneaking up on her? “Mornin’ Andi!” I said. She whirled and crashed into me.

“What do you mean by sneaking up on me?” She asked angrily. Nope she doesn’t.

“Come on, Andi! I’ve got something to show you!” I took her inside the pin that Shasta and Dakota stood, saddled up. “I can’t ride him! What if I” she paused “what if I fall off?”

I laughed, but inside I wasn’t sure myself. “You’re talking plumb crazy, Andi! Neither I nor this colt will let you fall off.” She was thinking, so I had to boost her up before she had second thoughts and ran away, ‘cause boy, that girl could run! I found that out when I first got here the first time and decided to race her. I lost. “Come on. Up you go.” She sat in the saddle.

“Where are we going?”

Should I tell her about the glade? “You’ll see”

We rode past the bunkhouses. The men were cheering. I thought it would be the perfect time to tease her,

“Why are they cheering?” She asked. Perfect opportunity

“Guess they’re happy to have you off their backs at last. They think you’re telling the boss who’s loafing around.”

“That’s not true!” Andi yelled, I was too busy laughing. “Oooh! You, you…” She rode Shasta at a breakneck speed. “Stop! Andi! Stop!!” I galloped Dakota and caught up with Andi. She slowed down and slumped in her saddle. I snatched her reins. “Are you loco? Or do you like scaring the daylights out of people who care about you?”

“I’m sorry.” She stammered.

“I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have teased you about the hands. They’re happy to see you in the saddle again. I had no idea you would gallop away. Not after all the talk of falling off.” I smiled at her. “I take it it’s no longer a worry.”

We chattered.

“We should go home.”

“No! What about those eye catching stunts you told me you would teach Shasta once he could carry a rider? Just an easy one? Like the one you did on that big black horse, what was his name?”

“Midnight.” I said in a small voice. “I dunno, Andi.”

“Please? Chad never let me do any. Said if I even look at Taffy with a riding stunt in mind, he’d tan my hide.” She caught her breath. “One day a year after you left, I rode Taffy to my special spot. I was determined to do that trick you did on Midnight. It was bad. It took me 2 seconds to realize you don’t just stand up, and say go. A broken arm.” She shuddered.

“Okay, let’s go home now.”

“What about that hidey hole you said I hadn’t seen before? You just don’t want to admit I was right.”

“You went the wrong way a little bit ago. Now we’re going elsewhere” I don’t know where to go, so I think I’ll let God choose.

We rode on. God brought us to the least expected place—even for me.

“Oh, Riley! Why did you bring me here?” We sat on our horses. We looked down into the gully. My eyes grazed the spot where the earth gave and my friend’s prized horse died.

I helped her down. She was silent other than the question that she asked again. “I asked you why you brought me here.”

Yeah, God, why did you bring us here? I heard a still small voice. ‘Both you and Andi need to be here. Tell her. Tell her about Midnight. Then she will understand.’

“You’re through, Riley Prescott. When Chad hears what you’ve done, you will be told to pick up your pay!”

“Naw, he’ll probably give me a raise.”

“Just like he’s paid you to dog my steps?” She fumed angrily. “I’m going home.” She tried to get on her palominos back.

“Good bye.” I told her. I’ve got this. The voice said. As if by magic, Andi whirled on Riley. “Will you help me?” She asked.

“No, Ma’am.” I said. Andi crumpled to the ground. She was crying. When no more tears came to her, I walked her over to the pine tree and handed her a bandana. I sat next to her. “Aren’t you going to ask what happened to Midnight?” She looked up. “I thought you sold him, or gave him a retirement.”

“Nothing nice like that.” I was holding back tears. “When we went to Fort Apache, one Indian ran him to death.” (ThatOneAndiFan back, Read the whole story in The Last Ride)

“ Let God take that bitterness away” I finished.

“Oh, my God, what have I done.” Andi cried. “I’ve been wretched to them”

Andi stood. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“You can be so darn stubborn sometimes, Andi! I didn’t know if it was the right time. Is it the right time now?” I asked Andi. She nodded. “Yes! I’m so happy I could k—“ I cut off. Really? Dumb move Riley. “Kick up my heels!” I grabbed a branch and did so.

“Haha! You can kiss me on the forehead, like a good brother.” She laughed.

“Nah, I’m not your brother.”

I looked at the sun as me and Andi got back up from the gully. She wanted to say goodbye to Taffy.

We mounted our horses. Halfway home, Andi joked “I could eat half a steer.” I urged the horses from a fast trot to a lope. “Why are you in a hurry? I won’t keel over from hunger if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I kept you longer than I should’ve,” I clamped my jaw shut as we rode into the yard.

Chad yelled at me, but Andi interrupted. To forgive Chad.

Thank you, God!

‘I told you so.’ The voice said.

(You can read the filler of this gap In the last ride, but I really don’t wanna write that. I wouldn’t know what to write.)

I stood in front of Andi, frame in hand. I gave it to her.

It was the picture Aunt Rebecca’s photographer had taken

Andi and Riley

Taffy and Midnight.

“I’m glad she is not my sister.”I whispered as I laid in bed in the bunkhouse,

“Ooh, Riley has a girlfriend!” One of the hands said.

“Shh, don’t tell Andi.” I said, red faced.