pick out Zoey. At least, Carolina was fairly certain the girl with the brightpink cowboy boots and saucy ponytail poking through the hole in the back of her ball cap was Zoey.
A young woman who didn’t look much older than Briana wore the same ball cap as the children, identifying her as part of the after-school program. If she was supposed to be in charge, Carolina had her doubts. The woman was clearly terrified of large animals, even one as gentle as Big Ben. She visibly trembled as she brought the students up in pairs to pet the mule. Luckily, Briana’s experience extended beyond horses to children. She was a babysitter extraordinaire and a wrangler on trail rides.
Zoey was in absolute awe of Big Ben, and he seemed equally enamored of her, lowering his head and nuzzling the hand she extended.
“Very good,” Briana said. “Did you all see how she kept her hand flat so Big Ben wouldn’t nip her?”
Beaming at the praise, the little girl returned to the group.
Carolina continued to watch the children from her place at the corral fence, debating whether she should stay or go. If she remained much longer, she’d risk running into Neil when he came to pick up Zoey. Unless he sent his daughter’s babysitter, in which case, Carolina would miss him. She wasn’t certain which scenario she preferred.
If KPKD and her family came to an agreement, she’d be given the illegal mining story, and have no choice but to solicit Neil’s cooperation. Given that they hadn’t exactly parted under the best of circumstances the last time they were together, the prospect of seeing him again triggered a bout of nerves. Better to wait another day to conduct what could be a delicate conversation with him.
Having made up her mind, Carolina started to leave.
“Who wants to sit on Big Ben?” Briana asked.
“Me, me!” Small hands flew like crazy into the air.
Except for one.
“Teacher, teacher, I have to go to the baf-room.”
“Can you wait?” the young woman asked. “We’re almost done.”
“I gotta go now.” The little girl jumped up and down to emphasize her need.
“Me, too.” This time it was Zoey.
“Sorry. You’re going to have to wait. I can’t leave the other kids alone. It’s against the rules.”
“But this is a ’mergency,” the first little girl pleaded, her face contorted.
The young woman glanced around, visibly flustered. “I guess we can break for a little while so all of us can go.”
A chorus of voices rose in protest.
“Hey, Aunt Carolina,” Briana called out. “Have you got a minute?”
Carolina halted. “Uh…sure.”
“Can you take these kids to the restroom?”
“I don’t know,” the teacher said uncertainly, tugging on the strings of her hoodie.
“Don’t worry. She’s my aunt and one of the owners.”
Carolina changed direction and walked toward the gate. “Taking riding students to the restroom just happens to be on my list of duties.”
“Okay,” the young woman relented.
Good thing. She’d probably have a riot on her hands otherwise. The remaining students were arguing over which one would be the first to sit on Big Ben. Briana handled them with the kind of patience that kept her phone ringing off the hook with babysitting requests.
The two pint-size cowgirls met Carolina at the gate.
“Come on, follow me,” she said, directing them to the barn where the public restrooms were located.
They beat the crowd by a few minutes. A group of guestswere just returning from a trail ride. Their horses, all of them old pros, trotted into the open area in front of the barn, eager to be home. Carolina listened to the guests’ excited banter as she held open the restroom door so the first girl could go in.
Which left her standing outside the door and alone with Neil’s daughter.
She was sure the girl was Zoey. Besides the pink boots, she had Neil’s serious expression and the same dimple in her chin.
“Hi, I’m Carolina. What’s your name?”
“Zoey.”
All
A young woman who didn’t look much older than Briana wore the same ball cap as the children, identifying her as part of the after-school program. If she was supposed to be in charge, Carolina had her doubts. The woman was clearly terrified of large animals, even one as gentle as Big Ben. She visibly trembled as she brought the students up in pairs to pet the mule. Luckily, Briana’s experience extended beyond horses to children. She was a babysitter extraordinaire and a wrangler on trail rides.
Zoey was in absolute awe of Big Ben, and he seemed equally enamored of her, lowering his head and nuzzling the hand she extended.
“Very good,” Briana said. “Did you all see how she kept her hand flat so Big Ben wouldn’t nip her?”
Beaming at the praise, the little girl returned to the group.
Carolina continued to watch the children from her place at the corral fence, debating whether she should stay or go. If she remained much longer, she’d risk running into Neil when he came to pick up Zoey. Unless he sent his daughter’s babysitter, in which case, Carolina would miss him. She wasn’t certain which scenario she preferred.
If KPKD and her family came to an agreement, she’d be given the illegal mining story, and have no choice but to solicit Neil’s cooperation. Given that they hadn’t exactly parted under the best of circumstances the last time they were together, the prospect of seeing him again triggered a bout of nerves. Better to wait another day to conduct what could be a delicate conversation with him.
Having made up her mind, Carolina started to leave.
“Who wants to sit on Big Ben?” Briana asked.
“Me, me!” Small hands flew like crazy into the air.
Except for one.
“Teacher, teacher, I have to go to the baf-room.”
“Can you wait?” the young woman asked. “We’re almost done.”
“I gotta go now.” The little girl jumped up and down to emphasize her need.
“Me, too.” This time it was Zoey.
“Sorry. You’re going to have to wait. I can’t leave the other kids alone. It’s against the rules.”
“But this is a ’mergency,” the first little girl pleaded, her face contorted.
The young woman glanced around, visibly flustered. “I guess we can break for a little while so all of us can go.”
A chorus of voices rose in protest.
“Hey, Aunt Carolina,” Briana called out. “Have you got a minute?”
Carolina halted. “Uh…sure.”
“Can you take these kids to the restroom?”
“I don’t know,” the teacher said uncertainly, tugging on the strings of her hoodie.
“Don’t worry. She’s my aunt and one of the owners.”
Carolina changed direction and walked toward the gate. “Taking riding students to the restroom just happens to be on my list of duties.”
“Okay,” the young woman relented.
Good thing. She’d probably have a riot on her hands otherwise. The remaining students were arguing over which one would be the first to sit on Big Ben. Briana handled them with the kind of patience that kept her phone ringing off the hook with babysitting requests.
The two pint-size cowgirls met Carolina at the gate.
“Come on, follow me,” she said, directing them to the barn where the public restrooms were located.
They beat the crowd by a few minutes. A group of guestswere just returning from a trail ride. Their horses, all of them old pros, trotted into the open area in front of the barn, eager to be home. Carolina listened to the guests’ excited banter as she held open the restroom door so the first girl could go in.
Which left her standing outside the door and alone with Neil’s daughter.
She was sure the girl was Zoey. Besides the pink boots, she had Neil’s serious expression and the same dimple in her chin.
“Hi, I’m Carolina. What’s your name?”
“Zoey.”
All
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