Taffy Saves the Day

 by Mae R. (ages 10-13)

 

CHAPTER ONE

 

It was a warm summer morning. Andrea Carter, nicknamed Andi, stood on her balcony that looked out on the ranch. She had just gotten up and she planned to go for a ride on her Palomino mare, Taffy, right after breakfast. "Taffy!" she shouted when she saw her horse out in the pasture.

Taffy responded with a high-pitched whinny. Andi was just moving farther out onto her balcony when she jumped as there was a knock on her door.

"Andi? Are you up yet?" Her sister Melinda always came and woke her up if she was late for breakfast.

"Yes. I'm up. I was just coming down to breakfast." Andi gave a deep sigh and walked slowly toward the door.

    Melinda had opened the door and held it open while Andi walked through. "Thank you," she said glumly. She had hoped to be able to spend some of her morning watching the horses from her balcony.

As she walked behind Melinda down the stairs, she heard voices in the kitchen. She couldn't hear the voices very well, but she could make out a few words. "Dear" "so" "Melinda would" "Andi." 'Dear, so, Melinda would, and Andi? And I think I hear Aunt Rebecca’s voice!'

"Ugh!" She hadn't meant to say anything, but a groan slipped through her lips.

"What was that?" Melinda's voice was a mix of annoyance and amusement.

"Is Aunt Rebecca here?" Andi tried to keep her voice level, but she failed, because Melinda gave her a glare before answering her question.

"Yes. She arrived last night after you were in bed. It was supposed to be a surprise, but that's why you went to bed early last night."

"Well, at least I've figured that out, but why is Aunt Rebecca here?" Could it be another surprise party? 'Oh, please, no!' The last time Aunt Rebecca had thrown a surprise party the whole thing had been a disaster.

 "You'll find out soon enough." Melinda's voice sounded mysterious, making Andi even more sure that Aunt Rebecca had a surprise party planned. 

 

Halfway through breakfast, Aunt Rebecca reached across the table and placed her hand on Andi's. "I have an announcement to make. Andi is now 15, and I think it's high time she meets some honorable, kind young men. I have planned to take Andi back to San Francisco with me when I return tomorrow. It will give her a chance to meet the people and make friends."

Andi felt horror seize her. Had Mother agreed to this? Certainly Chad and Mitch and Justin would not let her go. Chad had promised that she could help with the ranch this summer. Justin, of all people, would insist that she stay.

But Mother? She may have agreed to this. She had agreed last time, at Mrs. Whitakers. 'Oh, please not Mrs. Whitakers again!' Andi simply couldn't bare it if she had to return to the school for young ladies that she had attended last time she had visited San Francisco.

"Mother? Did you agree to this?" Andi heard her own shaky voice, and hoped it sounded more confident than she felt.

"Well... yes, I'm afraid I have, dear. You won't be attending Mrs. Whitakers School, as we all know what a failure that was, but you will go on important business meetings and such outings with Aunt Rebecca. You will also listen to and respect your aunt." Mother's firm voice was enough warning to tell Andi there was no way out of this one, though Andi was determined to find one. 

Once breakfast was over, Andi headed out to the barn. Maybe a good ride with Taffy would take away her anger. Why would Mother agree to this? "Taffy, girl!" Andi called out her mare's name and walked toward her stall. 'Taffy usually greets me. Why isn't she now?'

Andi had reached the stall by now, but there was no noise at all coming from the stall. "Taffy?" Andi asked. Still nothing. Andi opened the stall door and gasped. Taffy wasn’t in her stall. "Maybe one of the hands let her out in the pasture."

Andi had a habit of talking to herself, and it always calmed her. She ran out to the pasture and looked around for Taffy. Taffy wasn't in the pasture, and she wasn't in her stall. Maybe her brothers would know where to look. 

Five minutes later, Andi was in the house searching for Chad and Mitch. She found them with Aunt Rebecca having what seemed to be a heated conversation. Andi burst into the room yelling, "Chad! Mitch! Cha-" she broke off when she ran into both Chad and Mitch talking to Aunt Rebecca. "Chad, Mitch, do you know where Taffy is? She isn't in her stall or in the pasture. I just went out there hoping to go for a ride."

Aunt Rebecca suddenly stood up. "Certainly not, young lady. You will not be going for a wild ride on that filthy horse of yours. Not while I'm here."

"But, Aunt Rebecca, why? She's my horse, not yours. Plus, I'm not in San Francisco yet. Chad, do you know where she is?"

Chad looked at Andi. "I don't know where Taffy is."

Andi pushed away the dread that was creeping up her spine and turned to Mitch.

Before she could say anything, he said, "I have no idea as to Taffy's whereabouts. She couldn't be anywhere but in her stall or the pasture."

 

 

CHAPTER TWO

 

The next morning, Andi woke with a start. She hadn't found Taffy, and she was supposed to be leaving for San Francisco today with Aunt Rebecca. 'Maybe Taffy missing will be enough of a reason to stay.' She knew it was useless trying to change Aunt Rebecca’s mind, but maybe, just maybe Taffy would be her escape.

Andi hopped out of bed and threw on her riding cloths.

"One last ride before you go to San Francisco?"

Andi jumped at the unexpected voice. She turned around and saw Chad leaning in her doorway, arms crossed. 'How did I not hear him come in?' Andi thought. Out loud she said, "Chad, what are you doing in here? And yes, I thought I'd ride Chase, since Taffy's not here." The last three words wavered, for she missed Taffy a lot.

"I don't think Mitch will want you to do that. In fact, you don't have to. Taffy came back just after breakfast."

Andi was surprised at two things. "I missed breakfast? And, wait. Taffy's home?" Andi couldn't believe it.

Chad grinned and said, "Yes to both. And she brought someone with her."

 'someone with her?' Andi didn't know what Chad meant, but she finished getting dressed faster than before.

Taffy had been gone before, but those times had made Andi careful with her mare. If Taffy was gone for more than a day, Andi worried. Once she was dressed, she bolted through the door, but skidded to a stop just before the staircase. "What about me and Aunt Rebecca?" Dread worked its way up her spine but she pushed it away. Taffy was home, and it was all that mattered. But it might be ruined by Andi leaving for San Francisco.

"Aunt Rebecca woke up late, like you, so you and her will be leaving tomorrow morning instead of today." Chad grinned. "Gives you a little time with Taffy and the foal." 

"The foal?"

Before she could say anything more, Chad ran through the kitchen and outside, laughing all the way.

Andi decided to follow this new Chad. He wasn't exactly 'new', but he sure was acting different. What foal? Where had Taffy been? Did it even matter?

It did to her, Andi decided. Andi reached the barn and walked inside, wondering if this new foal could be attached to where Taffy had been. Taffy was in her stall, and as Andi peered in, she saw a tiny filly standing next to her. "This is the foal Taffy brought home with her?"

She didn't realize she'd spoken out loud until Chad appeared beside her and said, "Yep. And isn't she a beauty." He let out a low whistle as if he had never seen her before.

"What breed is she?" Andi's question was dumb, as anyone could see she was a quarter horse. Her shining brown eyes and deep brown coat glistened in the dim barn light.

"Taffy came home with this little scrap and acted mighty protective over it. I think she found her somewhere and thought she needed help, but I don't rightly know why she brought her back with her." Chad had a questioning tone in his voice and glanced sideways at Andi.

Andi caught his gaze and grinned. "Maybe Mother will be sorry enough for me and this little critter to let me stay home and not have to go to San Francisco so I can nurse her. I don't think she'll be taking milk from Taffy anytime soon."

"Maybe," but Chad didn't sound convinced. 

Then, as if to make her feel worse, he left muttering, "I'm just glad I don't have to do those types of silly girl things."

"I wish we could switch places!" Andi shouted at his retreating back, then looked back in the stall and gazed at the filly. The only name Andi could think of to name the filly was Liberty. The name went well with the filly's coat and eyes. 

*********

Andi had just talked to Mother about staying home and nursing Liberty. Mother, as expected, had simply said, "we will see." Andi didn't want to wait to find out. She wanted to know now. 

Later that evening, Elizabeth called a meeting. With everyone gathered around a small sofa in the parlor, Elizabeth explained how Andi wanted to stay and nurse Liberty, and how she agreed if Rebecca would not argue.

Rebecca did argue. "Andi will come with me to San Francisco. I will not let her spend another minute with these filthy horses."

"I want to raise my daughter my own way for once, Rebecca. And though I am sorry she cannot go and meet sophisticated people with you, I will respond to her wants this time. Nothing will change my mind," Mother said sternly.

"You may be my brother's wife, but I will not let you rule my life!" Aunt Rebecca cried.

Mother responded with a firm, final sounding response. "And I won't let you rule mine."

That was too much. Aunt Rebecca stomped out of the parlor. Mother followed. Then Chad went out. Mitch and Justin followed. Andi stayed seated in the parlor, hardly daring to believe what she just heard. She could stay!

***********

It was midnight. Andi woke with a start. What had wakend her? What was it that she had heard in her sleep? She didn't know, but she hurried to the window. Looking out, she saw the moon, a couple of stars, and--- she gasped--- there was a flickering light coming from the barn. It was growing bigger and bigger, until it filled up the whole barn.

Then there were screams. Not from humans, but from horses. Andi knew right then that it was a fire. She ran down the stairs and out to the barn yelling, "Fire! Fire!"

The ranch hands came tumbling out of the bunkhouse. Everything was a panic for a few seconds before everyone grabbed a bucket and began soaking the barn.

Andi, without thinking, ran into the barn and began her search for Taffy and Liberty. Taffy whinnied frantically from the far back of the barn. Liberty neighed alongside Taffy. Together, Andi thought, they made a perfect fire alarm.

She made her way to the back of the barn, twisting and zigzagging to avoid fallen roof boards and ash covered metal door hinges. Everything was ablaze. Andi knew in her heart that she may lose one. or even both, of her horses. She also knew that the ranch hands were doing their best to put out the flames.

She reached Taffy's stall. She found the bolt laying on the ground, half melted. She choked for breath as she swung the gate open and slapped Taffy and Liberty on the rump. They neighed in fright and bolted toward the entrance. Just in time, Andi realized the front entrance was blocked by flames and stopped the horses, scaring them into going out the back door. 

    Andi jumped onto Taffy's back as she jumped over the small wall of flames that had crept to the back door. Taffy ran straight for the fence and jumped it, too. Liberty was right behind her. Andi galloped Taffy around to the front and jumped off, then led Taffy and Liberty to the remaining water trough.

Sid walked up behind her, and tapped her shoulder, accidentally splashing water all over her. "Sorry," he said. "You did a good job but you won't be riding for a while, I'm guessing. You shouldn't have gone inside the barn. At least you saved both of them." He walked away.

Andi stared after him. That was the best compliment she had ever received from Sid. He was the ranch foreman, but Chad was the boss. Sid had always been blunt. He was never afraid to say what he thought, though. 

 

 

CHAPTER THREE

 

Andi woke up the next morning with a sore throat and she knew it was from the idea of going into the burning barn the night before. 

She got out of bed and threw on her Sunday best. She didn't know if she'd be going to church, though, because of her sore throat.     

She couldn't sing because of it and she could hardly talk. When Melissa called her downstairs for breakfast, Andi didn't even answer. She figured her feet stomping downstairs would be enough.

"You should never have gone into the barn! What were you thinking?" Chad burst almost as soon as she had sat down in her chair.

Mitch nodded his agreement, and Melissa and Mother quietly said yes.

"I'm sorry," Andi rasped. "I wanted to save Taffy and Liberty. They were crying like mad." That didn't quell the tension  in the air all through dinner, though.

Sid had been right. Andi couldn't ride for a week. She went out to the barn to at least pet Taffy. She also patted and fed Liberty.

All of a sudden, Andi heard Cory talking to Chad outside. "Andi is in the barn. Have fun trying to get her away from those two! She can't ride, so she is spoiling them," Chad said, chuckling.

"OK. I will!" Cory walked in.

Andi, fully intending to prove her brother wrong, immediately peeled herself away from the stall door. "Howdy, Cory."

"Howdy, Andi." They walked outside together. "You can't ride," Cory said.

"Yeah. I went into the fire last night to save the horses," Andi said.

Inside, Andi was just glad that the horses were safe.