Horseshoe Read online

  Obediently Jessica bent to pat Penny’s neck. In doing so, she automatically loosened the reins, and Penny stretched her neck out, relieved. “Good girl, Penny,” Jessica said softly. Bending forward also made some of Jessica’s tense muscles relax. Penny felt the change and relaxed even further.

  “See?” said Stevie. “You just needed to tell her she’s okay. Now I’ll teach you my Stevie-Lake-riding-nervous-horses trick. Do you want to know it? It’s a very special trick—I almost never share it with anyone.”

  “And you want to tell me?” Jessica’s eyes were big.

  “I’ll share it with you, Jessica, because I can tell you’re going to be a really good rider someday, and I want to be able to say that I helped you.” Stevie bent toward Jessica. “The secret is: breathe.”

  “Breathe?” Jessica looked confused. “That’s it?”

  “That’s it. Sounds amazing, but it works. Breathe great big deep breaths, the bigger and deeper the better. Your horse will calm right down. Guaranteed.”

  “It really works? Why?”

  Stevie bent down again, looking mysterious. “I have no idea,” she said solemnly. Jessica giggled. The parade was starting to be fun.

  Stevie rode close to Jessica for the rest of the parade. As they passed the judges’ grandstand, they formed up into even rows and columns and went by at a stately show walk. Stevie glanced to her side. Jessica was riding solemnly, her hands low and her chin held high. When she saw Stevie looking at her, she winked. Stevie grinned. Jessica would be okay.

  AT THE END of the parade route, Horse Wise rode to a temporary corral on the fairgrounds that Max had set up for them. The drill wasn’t until late afternoon, so this gave the horses a comfortable, shady place to stay while they waited.

  “I can’t stand Veronica,” Stevie said as she began to untack Belle. “Every day she annoys me more and more. She had Jessica so upset, she could hardly ride.” Stevie pulled some carrots out of the pocket of her show coat and fed one to her mare. She handed the rest to her friends to give to their horses too.

  “We saw how you took care of her,” said Carole. “Typical Stevie—in five minutes Veronica was gone and Jessica was laughing! It was great!”

  “Yeah—and I even managed to put in a good word about our Goodluck Horseshoe booth.” She repeated what Veronica had asked about “matters of the heart.” Lisa and Carole covered their mouths and shrieked.

  “Well,” said Lisa, the first to recover, “I really wish we could do something permanent to help Jessica. I wish she had a friend near her home.”

  “Or a pet,” said Carole.

  “A big, friendly pet,” agreed Lisa. “Hey!” Her face lit up. “Like maybe a big friendly dog that needs a lot of attention?”

  Carole and Stevie stared at her.

  “Yeah,” said Stevie.

  “Yeah,” said Carole.

  Stevie held up her hand. “Wait,” she said. “I’m beginning to get an idea.…”

  After a few minutes of planning, The Saddle Club returned to the task of making their horses comfortable. To their surprise, their three Pony Club “little sisters,” Jessica, Jasmine, and May, came over to help.

  “We know you’re doing a fortune-telling booth,” May announced. “You’re probably in a hurry to go, so we thought we’d help you for a change.” She went matter-of-factly to Lisa’s side. “Want me to get Delilah some water?”

  “Thanks,” Lisa said. May grabbed a bucket and headed for the spigot.

  Jessica took Starlight’s lead rope from Carole. “I can tie him for you,” she offered. “Remember, you showed me how.”

  With their help, The Saddle Club was soon ready to go. They headed for the parking lot on the other side of the grounds. They had packed Stevie’s brother’s tent and the rest of their gear into the back of Colonel Hanson’s station wagon. Lisa pulled out the box of scarves and decorations. “Wow. This is heavier than it looks. Where should we set up?”

  Stevie pointed. “How about there—right across from the CARL booth?” Lisa and Carole exchanged grins.

  “Perfect.”

  THEY PICKED OUT a great spot underneath a maple tree, not far from the van that had come from CARL. “Before we get set up, let’s go see what the CARL booth is about,” Stevie suggested. They piled the tent on top of their boxes and walked across the dirt road that separated their spot from CARL’s van.

  “Judy!” Carole was the first to recognize Judy Barker, the Pine Hollow vet, sitting in a chair near the van. Carole had been on rounds with Judy many times.

  “Carole—and the rest of The Saddle Club!” Judy stood up, obviously glad to see them. “Did you enjoy riding in the parade?”

  “Sure,” said Stevie. “I think we’ll enjoy this afternoon’s drill even more. In the meantime, we’re going to tell people’s fortunes—we’re donating the money to CARL.”

  Judy beamed. “That’s a great idea,” she said. “I’ll be sure to steer customers your way.”

  “And we’ll steer them yours,” Lisa promised. “What’s CARL doing here today?”

  “Well, since your Pony Club is having the drill for us, we thought we should be on hand to distribute literature about CARL and about animal care. I’ve brought along a few of our dogs and cats that are ready for adoption, too, in case we get some interested families.”

  “Trump?” Lisa asked excitedly.

  “Yes, Trump, among others. Come say hello.” She led The Saddle Club to the other side of the van, where a few traveling cages sat on the grass in the shade. Trump couldn’t jump up and down inside his smaller cage, but he wagged his tail hard and wiggled his body. The Saddle Club petted him enthusiastically.

  “He’s wonderful,” said Stevie. “How much would it cost to adopt him?”

  Judy thought for a moment. “Our adoptive families don’t have to pay for the animals,” she said, “but we do require them to cover the cost of immunizing and neutering them. Trump’s already been neutered. You could adopt him for twenty-five dollars. Are you looking for a dog, Stevie?”

  “Just curious,” Stevie said.

  “Good luck with your fortunes,” Judy called as they returned to their spot under the tree.

  * * *

  THE TENT TOOK only a few minutes to set up. “It’s idiot-proof,” Stevie said. “The only kind of tent my brother Chad could handle.”

  They covered their large cardboard box with a bright gauzy scarf to use as a table, and covered a smaller wooden box with a pink table-runner to use as a chair. Lisa hung a heavy patterned tablecloth behind the chair to make a screen, and Carole hung another similar cloth over the tent’s door.

  “This makes a better entrance,” she explained. “It’s much more mystical.”

  Meanwhile Stevie was hanging glittering cardboard stars and moons on the outside of the tent. Lisa and Carole unpacked the crystal ball, tea leaves, astrological charts, and playing cards. Finally, all three of them hung a large cardboard horseshoe above the entrance, and put up a sign reading GOODLUCK HORSESHOE FORTUNE-TELLING BOOTH. YOUR FUTURE REVEALED TO YOU. $1.00. Underneath that Lisa hung a smaller sign reading PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT CARL.

  Lisa, Carole, and Stevie stepped back to admire their booth. It was perfect. Lisa smiled at her friends. “We’re in business!” she said.

  INSIDE THE TENT, Stevie dressed in the fortune-teller’s flowing robe—actually Lisa’s mother’s second-best bathrobe—earrings, and purple scarf. “Do you really think this is going to work?” Lisa asked her.

  “Of course it is,” Stevie assured her. “We’re the ones who know the future!”

  “I know what you mean,” Lisa said. “But this is a little weird.”

  “Lisa. You’ve got to have faith. By the end of the day”—Stevie waved her hand mysteriously—“everyone’s problems will be solved!”

  Since Stevie was taking the first stint as fortune-teller, Carole and Lisa began walking through the fairgrounds, drumming up business for the booth. “Fortunes read!” they cried. “Get
your fortunes read! Learn the secrets of your future! Visit the Goodluck Horseshoe fortune-telling booth! Only one dollar!”

  Stevie didn’t have long to wait before the first visitor ducked his head to enter the tent. It was Colonel Hanson.

  “Hello, stranger,” Stevie said in her most mysterious tones.

  “Hello, Madame. Here’s your dollar.” Colonel Hanson sat down on the box on the other side of the table. “Let me have your best shot.”

  Stevie spread her deck of playing cards out in front of her. “Hmmm, a black seven and a queen of diamonds,” she murmured. “And here’s the three of spades.” She looked up. “The cards tell me you love old movies,” she said.

  “Amazing,” said Colonel Hanson. “You can tell that from those cards?”

  “Particularly old movies about the Marines.”

  Colonel Hanson slapped his forehead. “You don’t say!”

  “Certainly!”

  “Amazing—your prowess is incredible.”

  “Wait,” said Stevie, “there’s more—I’m getting something—very strong signals—” She cupped both hands around her father’s paperweight. “Yes. I can see that you have a finely developed sense of humor. And excellent taste in old jokes.”

  “Finely developed or not, Madame Fortune-Teller, you’re going to have to do better than this for the buck I just paid you. Tell me something about my future.”

  Stevie stared at the paperweight for a long time. She couldn’t very well make up a future for Carole’s father. Finally she knew what to say. “You’re going to be very proud of your daughter,” she predicted.

  Colonel Hanson laughed, but seemed to appreciate his fortune. “I’d say that will certainly be true,” he said. “I’m already proud of her. Okay, Madame Fortune, you’ve earned your dollar.” He rose to go, but paused at the tent’s door. “And, Stevie—good luck!”

  Stevie sighed with relief as she put his dollar into her pocket. Fortune-telling was hard. I’m going to have to do better than that, she thought, if I’m going to fool anyone.

  Her next customer was Max. Stevie swirled some soggy tea leaves in a cup. “You love horses,” she said.

  “That’s right—but did you know that from the tea leaves or because I’m wearing breeches?” Max grinned, and Stevie grinned back. He had just given her a valuable hint. She asked Max his birthday, and consulted her astrological chart. “I’m a Pisces,” Max added. “If that helps.”

  “Ahh—the sign of the fish,” said Stevie. “Definitely there are fish in your future—fish dinner? Goldfish? Have you eaten fish recently, stranger?”

  Max shook his head.

  “No, I have it!” cried Stevie. “You’ll be taking a sea voyage sometime soon!” She remembered the cruise brochures she had seen on Max’s desk—she was pretty sure he’d been planning his honeymoon. “A long, happy voyage,” she added.

  “And your heartline crosses your byline,” she continued, examining his palm. “There are words in your future—words and romance.” Max was engaged to marry a reporter named Deborah Hale.

  “Very nice,” Max said, taking his hand back. “An excellent future.” On his way out the door, he told the next customer, “She seemed to know everything about me!”

  After that Stevie told fortunes to several strangers. She found that not knowing the person made telling their fortunes much easier, and she began to enjoy herself.

  First a small boy came in who looked like he’d recently been in a fight—maybe even that morning. His jeans were ripped and his shirt was stained, and he had a swollen lip that had recently been bleeding.

  “You’re stronger than you look,” Stevie said, examining his grubby hand.

  “Yeah?” The boy looked interested.

  “Definitely. And you’re not a coward—you’ll never be a coward.” She consulted her crystal ball. “Hmmm. But I see a better way to resolve problems. You must learn a better way.”

  “I should?”

  “Hmmm. Yes. Try to talk things out instead of fighting. If you do, your rewards will be great.”

  “Will I get money?” asked the boy.

  “Great rewards,” Stevie repeated. “Like, maybe you won’t get grounded so often.”

  “Wow!” said the boy.

  THE NEXT CUSTOMER was a shy little girl who looked like she was hiding behind the hair that hung in front of her face.

  “Come closer,” Stevie beckoned in a trancelike voice, “do not be afraid.”

  The girl crept closer. Stevie turned over a few of the playing cards. “You will be beautiful when you grow up,” she said.

  The little girl stared at her. “Beautiful and strong,” Stevie said. “You will be able to do anything you try to do. Don’t be afraid to try.”

  “YOU’LL LEARN TO ride horses,” she predicted to a tiny girl wearing an oversize I’D RATHER BE RIDING T-shirt. “You’ll love horses your whole life.”

  “Just like my mommy?” asked the little girl.

  “Just like her,” Stevie said.

  “YOU’LL TRAVEL TO exotic places,” she told a teenage girl who definitely looked bored with Willow Creek.

  “THE COMING YEAR will bring you much joy,” she said to a young pregnant woman, who left smiling.

  “WHAT DO YOU want to know about your future?” she asked the next customers, a pair of boys her brother Michael’s age.

  “Will our Little League team win the championship?” one asked.

  Stevie considered the question over her charts and tea leaves. “If you finish with the best record, you’ll certainly win the championship,” she said. “But if you don’t, there’s always next year.”

  I hope they don’t think too hard about that one, she told herself as they left.

  AND THEN CAME the moment Stevie had been waiting for. Veronica entered the tent. “Come, come!” Stevie said, gesturing grandly. “Sit and have your fortune told!”

  “I’m not sure I believe in this stuff.” Veronica sat and handed Stevie a crisp dollar bill from her leather purse.

  “Let me see your palm,” Stevie murmured, taking Veronica’s right hand and turning it over. “Such a nice palm too. Smooth skin, no calluses, a beautiful and expensive manicure. I can see you lead a life of leisure. It will be a pleasure to read the future from a palm like this. What do you particularly want to know?”

  “Oh, come on,” said Veronica. “You can’t fool me, Stevie.” But she didn’t pull her hand away.

  “Strong lifelines and heartlines,” Stevie said as if she hadn’t heard Veronica. “Definitely a lot of money has come through this hand. I can see you’re a person of taste and experience, a person who enjoys the finer things in life. But you must tell me, what do you want to know?”

  Veronica twisted in her seat, but Stevie’s flattery had begun to sway her. Finally she said, “I want to know about matters of the heart.”

  “Matters of the heart. Of course you do.” Stevie dropped Veronica’s hand and leaned backward, half closing her eyes and assuming a trancelike state. “Mmmm-ummm-oommm. I see it—I see him. The man of your dreams is before me. I see him, the perfect match for you. Tall, but not too tall. Good teeth. Wavy brown hair, nice brown eyes, a straight nose, and thin yet sensuous lips. I see him riding a horse. I see him here at Founders’ Day today. He’s new to this area. I see him—no, he’s fading … fading—” Stevie shook her head and appeared to wake up from her trance. “Whew! That was strong! It fades in and out, you know—like a bad radio station. Did I say anything that made sense to you?”

  Veronica was staring at her open-mouthed. “You described Michael Grant,” she said. “It sounded exactly like him.”

  “Really? Imagine that!”

  “Go on,” said Veronica. “Tell me more.”

  Stevie shook her head. “That’s all you get for one dollar,” she said. “You’re welcome to come back later if you want to hear some more.” She closed her eyes firmly until she heard Veronica leave the tent.

  “All clear,” she whispered. C
arole and Lisa burst out from behind the back curtain. They’d come in through the back tent flap after walking twice around the fairgrounds.

  “You were great!” Lisa said.

  “Did you hear everything I said to Veronica?”

  “Every word,” Carole confirmed. “It couldn’t have gone better! Operation Fix Everything is on its way!”

  Now it was Lisa’s turn to be the fortune-teller. She donned the robe, scarf, and earrings, and rearranged the props on the top of the table.

  “What were you doing with the cards?” she asked Stevie.

  “Shuffling them, really. Like you’re dealing out a poker hand.”

  “I never dealt a poker hand.”

  “Don’t worry about the cards. Want some fresh tea leaves?”

  Lisa laughed. “After walking twice around the grounds, what I’d like is a soda! Shh—someone’s coming!”

  Stevie and Carole ducked behind the curtain. Lisa adjusted the shoulders of her robe and thought about the way a fortune-teller should speak. She loved acting, and she knew quite a lot about it. She’d even played the lead role in a community theater production of Annie. The customers paused nervously outside the door. Lisa could hear them shuffling.

  “Come in!” she commanded imperiously. “The Horseshoe calls you!”

  Behind the curtain Stevie and Carole stifled their giggles. The Saddle Club was off to a fantastic start!

  THE SHUFFLING AT the tent flap stopped, and two little girls peered inside. May and Jasmine.

  “Come in!” Lisa said in sweeping tones, motioning them forward with her arm. “Don’t be afraid,” she added because both of them looked a little scared.

  “We want to know something,” said May. “We have a question for you.”

  “You can ask the crystal ball whatever you like,” Lisa said, pointing to the paperweight.

  “We’d rather ask you,” May replied.

  “That works too,” Lisa said.

  “Does Joey Dutton really have to leave?” Jasmine asked. “Because he says he isn’t going unless he has to, and we don’t want him to go, and we want to know if he really does have to.”