New Hoofprints in the Snow, page 10
She put on her work boots inside the mudroom. Glancing at the clock, she saw it read 4:00. Fifteen minutes, she thought. God, I can’t wait to see her. With a smile on her lips, she headed out to the barn.
SHE RAN her hands over Georgia’s bony hips and flank, searching for some sign there was a baby in there. At the center, babies weren’t completely rare. But a horse in this poor a condition and this malnourished would need a lot of care in order to have a healthy foal.
Georgia had been putting on weight little by little while she’d been at the center. That was something Emma was happy to see—a healthy appetite. She also wasn’t people-shy—something else Emma was pleased about. Some horses, like Carl, had had such traumatic events when it came to dealing with people that it could take months before they would be able to relax around a human.
Emma’s thoughts drifted to Billy and what he had done to her the other day. Heat flushed her face again, a combination of embarrassment and anger. How dare he treat me like that? It wasn’t just that he pushed her down but he spit on her too. Anger welled up inside her, and she turned and walked away from Georgia so the mare wouldn’t think she was angry at her. Georgia blew out her nose and stamped the ground, impatient to do something.
It didn’t matter there were rumors flying about CHS that she was gay. A lot of the girls there knew it, and it didn’t really matter much. That was part of why she had asked her mother to homeschool her through high school. She and Diane had always drifted away from the main crowd anyway. But to have Billy throw Maia’s problems in her face like that…. Emma grew so angry she couldn’t see through the tears in her eyes. Were they really dating? Emma sighed and kicked the ground, dust clouding up around her feet. It never sounded like they were dating when Emma and Maia texted. Of course, they never really talked about much other than Selena, Georgia, and maybe schoolwork a few times. The kisses she and Maia had shared didn’t have to mean Emma’s feelings were reciprocated. Maia could easily be experimenting… but it didn’t seem like that to Emma. Those kisses were electric, and they had to have some emotion behind them, didn’t they? It felt like it to Emma. That and when Maia had said that she did like Emma more in the bathroom at the theater….
But she had promised not to push Maia into anything. Everyone took their time to explore their sexuality. Didn’t they? Emma had had the benefit of a more experienced partner for her first real girlfriend, someone who knew what she wanted and knew how to get it. She only wished she could make things as easy for Maia.
The real question was—what was she going to do about Billy? Since Billy had knocked her down, she had seen him around the ranch, but they hadn’t said anything. Maia hadn’t been over—even though they texted every night—and today would be the first time they’d see each other since everyone had gone to the movie. As much as she wanted to see Maia, she was nervous about it too. Billy would know Maia was there. It would be the first time they’d seen each other since Billy’s threats, and she was afraid he might make good on them if she did something he thought was wrong.
“Hey, Emma,” Billy shouted into the barn. “Vet’s here.”
“Yeah, be right there,” Emma responded, her heart still heavy and her mind confused with what she should do. She wiped the tears from her eyes and sighed. She hadn’t heard Maia come in yet—she was sure Billy would try to head her off and reach Maia first. She took another deep breath and sighed again.
Georgia blew out her nose and stamped the ground impatiently.
“Yeah, Georgia, I know the feeling. Let’s get this over with.”
EMMA AND her mother stood back and watched Maia as she asked the vet about Georgia’s pregnancy. Billy stood in the doorway of the barn, leaning against the side of the door, an unreadable look on his face, hands in his jean pockets.
“Well, I can tell you she’s very far along. The gestation cycle of a horse is about three hundred and twenty days, more or less. Because of her health, I’d keep a close eye on her. Mares tend to separate from their herds to have their foals, but you have a nice large pasture here, so I don’t see that she’d go too far. Keep an eye on her teats. As she gets closer to foaling, they’ll become waxy and a yellowy liquid, colostrum, will begin to drip from them. That’s when I’d suggest putting her into the birthing stall.”
“Any idea of how much longer?” Maia asked.
The veterinarian took off her hat and scratched her head. “Maybe a month or so? But don’t hold me to that. Right now, the best thing you can do is give her feed with a high vitamin intake. Probably something a bit better than what you’re currently using.” She took a pen out of her pocket and wrote down a name. “Here’s what I’d recommend.”
Emma’s mom took the paper and looked at Emma. “Emma, can you run to the feed store and pick up some of this? We can start her on it tonight.”
“Sure, no problem,” Emma said and turned. She felt a hand on her arm.
“Do you mind if I go with you?” Maia squeezed Emma’s arm slightly and smiled.
Emma glanced at Billy in the doorway, and he shook his head slightly. “It’s just to the feed store and back. No big deal,” Emma said, backing up and moving her arm to break the contact reluctantly.
Maia looked puzzled. “But—”
“Are you two going or not?” Emma’s mom called to them.
“I’ll be right back,” Emma said, looking into Maia’s big brown questioning eyes, and wished she could tell Maia why she had said no. She wished she could tell Maia what Billy had done and said, but she didn’t want to cause any problems with Maia and her family. Maia deserved better than that. She looked away from Maia, turned around, and walked out to the truck alone.
When Emma arrived at the feed store, she was crying.
17
MAIA STARED at the rooster tail Emma’s truck left as she drove away. Everything had shifted again, and she had no idea what had just happened. More importantly, she didn’t know why it had just happened. There wasn’t any good reason why Emma would’ve refused to let her go to the feed store with her that Maia could think of. It would’ve been a perfect time for them to get some alone time, something that had been scarce the past couple of weeks.
“So, she’s gone?” There was a snide tone in Billy’s voice that Maia instantly didn’t like.
“Yeah. I told you the other day—she’s been acting kinda weird lately.” Maia turned back toward the barn. The vet and Cassie had turned Georgia back out and were walking to the vet’s truck, deep in conversation.
“Well, I don’t see it. She’s the same normal weirdo to me.” Billy fell into step with Maia. “Now what are you going to do?”
She frowned at him. She’d showed up just in time for the vet to go over Georgia and hadn’t had a chance to say hello to any of the other horses. “While we wait for Emma, I’m probably going to go out and see Selena. Maybe even bring her in and groom her.”
Billy shook his head and rolled his eyes as he leaned on one of the stall doors. “I swear the horses around here get more attention than the people.”
Maia stopped in her tracks and stared at him. “What? What in the world are you talking about?”
“Nothing.” For a moment, he hung his head like he was afraid to look in her eyes.
“No, this isn’t nothing.” Maia put her hands on her hips. “Something’s up and I want to know what it is. You’re acting like nobody cares about you. You’re shooting Emma strange looks.”
He shook his head and shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Maia stomped off through the barn. “Yes, you do. There’s something going on. What is it?”
“I don’t like the way she looks at you.” A slight snarl appeared on Billy’s lips as he spoke. “You know she wants to fuck you, right?”
For a second, Maia struggled for words. She wasn’t ready to tell Billy that she wanted Emma too. “But we’re both girls. Isn’t that odd?” She suddenly hated that those words came out of her mouth, and she wished she could change the subject. More than ever, she wanted to be in the truck with Emma on the way to the feed store and away from this awkward conversation.
“Goddamn right, it’s odd. She’s one of those queers. That’s why she’s not at Calhan High anymore. They didn’t like her being homo, so they sent her home.” Billy stopped her just inside the door that went to the pasture. “Girls aren’t supposed to be with girls, just like boys aren’t supposed to be with boys. God, you can’t see me kissing Ramon, can you?”
Maia couldn’t help herself. She giggled at the mental image of the two boys kissing.
Billy’s face flushed and he spat on the floor. “That’s disgusting. You’re sick.”
“Why?” Maia stopped giggling and glared at him. “Because I’m more open-minded? Because I want to think for myself and not just do what people think is proper?”
Billy hit the doorframe. “My God, you are fucking her, aren’t you? You’ll barely kiss me, and you’re fucking her!”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Maia wished in the moment she and Emma had done more than kiss—she always hated being accused of doing something she hadn’t done.
He hit the wood again. “I’m not. You’re my girlfriend and I told her to stay away from you. I don’t want a—”
Fury rose in Maia. “You did what?”
“You’re my girl. I told her to stay away from you. To take her pussy-eating thoughts somewhere else.”
Maia shoved Billy down and he fell onto his ass, out the door, into the dust. Rage boiled over in her. “Billy Anderson, I’m not your girl! We’ve gone out a couple of times. You have no right to tell Emma to stay away from me. She’s my friend! You—” She sputtered in anger. “—you’re nothing to me.”
“So you’re a lezzy too.” He started to get up, but she stomped toward him, coming to a stop with her cowboy boots inches from his crotch.
“Don’t you call me that. Don’t you call Emma that either. Get out of here, you asshole! I don’t ever want to see you again.” For a moment, she thought about driving the toe of her boot hard into his sensitive parts. She had a brother. She knew how to hurt boys.
“I’ll tell Ramon about this.” Billy scrambled back awkwardly on his hands and feet, trying to get beyond the reach of her foot. “I’ll tell your mother. If you dump me, I’ll let everyone know.”
She advanced after him, keeping her feet close enough they were a threat as he crab-walked into the barn wall. “I don’t care. Maybe if you do, I’ll tell everyone how you liked holding on to Ramon’s legs to keep him on the horse. That you even felt him up as he was riding.” She was grabbing at straws as she spoke, but she felt sick to her stomach about what she had said. She didn’t know if his friends would believe her or not, but she did know he’d catch slack for even having a rumor like that being spread about him. “How will your friends on the team feel about that?”
“You don’t even go to Falcon anymore. Nobody’ll believe your lies.” A line of sweat appeared on his brow.
“Tess does. She’s even dating the new quarterback.” Maia rubbed her chin. “I bet she’d love to spread a few rumors about you.” She made a mental note to catch Tess and talk to her about this before Billy was able to. What Tess would say was up in the air—Maia didn’t know, but she was okay with whatever it was. As long as it meant she got to stay with Emma.
“What’s going on out here?” Cassie appeared in the doorway, one hand on her hip.
“Maia attacked me.” Billy paled and began to shake, collapsing on the floor from his crab-like stance.
“Maia?” Cassie looked from Billy on the ground to Maia’s feet close to Billy’s crotch.
“Billy’s been threatening Emma to stay away from me.” Maia hoped she remembered right and that Cassie knew about Emma.
Cassie frowned. “What kind of threats?” She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. “The police can be here in a few minutes.”
“What? You’re going to believe her over me?” Billy shouted. “I work here!”
“She’s a family friend.” Cassie glared. “And a good friend of my daughter.”
“They’re fucking each other!” Billy yelled, his face beet red. He jerked to his feet and took a couple of steps away from Maia.
Cassie looked at Maia and lowered her voice. “I wasn’t aware it had gone so far.”
Maia shook her head. “It hasn’t.”
“Okay.” Cassie’s look softened. “I figured that Emma would have probably said something about it, if it had. She’s worried—”
Billy interrupted her. “You know your daughter is homosexual?”
Cassie nodded slowly. “Of course I know. Emma’s my daughter. We talk about everything. If you don’t have that kind of relationship with your parents, then you all need to go into counseling. Now, I think if you’re going to be out here threatening my daughter and her girlfriend, you need to leave.”
“But…,” Billy stammered as he walked toward Cassie. He looked lost, as if he didn’t know where to go.
“I’ll mail you your check. Don’t bother coming out to get it.” Cassie pointed to the open door that led toward the parking area in front.
“You’re all a bunch of lesbos!” Billy ran through the door.
Maia stayed tense until his truck roared down the drive, then her shoulders sagged, and she leaned against a stall door for support. “He’s going to screw everything up, isn’t he?”
Cassie cocked her head and studied Maia. “Not if he’s off the ranch. You girls will be fine.”
“Not really.” Fear and guilt washed over Maia. “He’s threatening to tell Ramon and my parents.”
“Ah.” Cassie’s eyes widened and she moved closer to put her arm around Maia’s shoulders. “Your family doesn’t know.”
Maia shook her head violently. “Not beyond that Emma and I are friends. I’m still trying to figure it all out.”
Cassie gave her a warm hug, and Maia smelled hints of apple cider on her. “It’ll be okay. If you need me to, I can talk to your mom. She really loves you and Ramon both. I don’t think she’d do anything extreme.”
With the comforting warmth enshrouding her, Maia broke. “But what if she does?” Tears began to fall down her cheeks. “What if Mom or Dad say I have to stop coming out here? I won’t be able to see Emma, or Selena, or Georgia. I can’t go without that.”
“It won’t come to that.” Cassie stroked her hair as she held Maia close. “You know, it’s good that you put Emma before the horses. If you’re still trying to figure things out, that says a lot.”
Maia swallowed hard. “It does?”
Cassie nodded. “It shows me that you’re starting to put Emma first. That’s a big step for any girl when people are more important. You’re growing up.”
Tears gave way to nervous energy. Maia stepped out of Cassie’s arms and started pacing. “So, what do I do now?”
“You have to beat Billy to the punch.” Cassie crossed her arms and leaned against the barn. “You need to go home and tell your mother—unless you’re closer to your father, then start with him. I haven’t met your dad, but your mom seems to be a strong, loving woman. I’ll be very surprised if everything doesn’t work out the way you want it to.”
“And if it doesn’t?” Maia sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “What do I do then?”
“If they don’t, then we’ll figure something out. I think you’ll find things aren’t as bad as you think they are. Billy’s a bit of an ass, but I also think he’s more than a little bit of a coward. He’ll probably take a little time to work up the courage to tell Ramon. I’m not sure he’d go to your mother. He and she don’t seem to have the same relationship as he and I do.”
“Why did you hire him as a hand out here?” Maia asked the question that had been nagging her for several days since she’d heard of the change.
“He’s good at following orders. Has a strong back and the other clients like him.” Cassie shrugged. “It might be that he’s young and handsome. I didn’t know he was causing problems with you and Emma.”
Maia stopped pacing. “He said he told Emma to leave me alone. I wonder if he threatened her if she said anything to me.”
“Or me.” A thoughtful look crossed Cassie’s face. “That might explain her being a little more moody than normal.”
“So you saw it too. I thought it was just me.”
“No. But I thought you two were having problems.”
For a second, a suspicion grew in Maia. “What has she told you about us?”
“That you were trying to sort out how you felt about her and that you’d kissed a couple of times. And that she really likes you.”
Maia relaxed. It was the truth. “I really like her too. I need to let her know that.”
“Yes, you do. She needs to hear you say that.”
Several horses came trotting up to the pasture fence. Selena was in the lead. Seeing her horse, Maia smiled. “I think I want to spend a few minutes with Selena, but then I need to go home and talk to Mom. Tonight is her night off. You’re right. I should talk to her before Billy gets the balls to do it.”
Cassie stepped away from the barn and hugged her again. “That’s the smart thing to do. I’ll let Emma know Billy won’t be around anymore and why. After you talk to your mother, call Emma and let her know what happens.” A soft smile crossed her lips. It was almost identical to one of Emma’s smiles. “Make sure to tell her to tell me so I don’t sit up all night wondering.”
Maia hugged Cassie tight. “Thanks. I’ll do that.”
