A Horse for Mandy Read Free

. . . that Laura and I don’t seem to be really good friends anymore,” Mandy told him.
    Dr. Wilson stopped and leaned against the stable wall. “Really? You seem to be everywhere together, always riding, talking. What do you mean?”
    “I don’t know. It’s just that Laura seems ... kinda mean about Solana. I mean, I thought she’d be thrilled because I had my own horse. But she’s not. And then there’s David. ..” Her voice trailed off, and Mandy felt herself begin to blush.
    If her dad noticed, he didn’t say anything. “Well, honey,” he began, “you and Laura are growing up. You’re both turning into young women. It’s only natural that your interests would change.”
    “But I’m still the same!” Mandy cried defensively. “She’s the one who’s jealous!”
    “Mandy,” her father said, “how would you feel if Solana suddenly took off with someone else? Started spending all her time with a new friend? How do you think you’d feel?”
    Mandy thought hard about it for a moment. “I guess I’d be hurt,” she said.
    “That’s right. And Laura will get over it. It’s just too bad she never made more friends than you. Did you ever encourage her to do that? Or did you kind of keep her all to yourself and let her feel that she was the most important person in the world to you?”
    Mandy felt a lump rise in her throat. Why, that’s exactly what she’d done! In all the years, she’d never thought to invite any other girl into her and Laura’s summers. It had always been just the two of them. No wonder Laura was feeling left out and lonely.
    “Thanks, Dad,” she said. “I guess I never looked at it that way before.”
    “I know. It’s tough to be thirteen, honey.” Then he leaned over to her, his eyes twinkling. “That’s why I’m glad I’m creaking along in my forties.”
    “Oh, Dad . . .” Mandy laughed and watched him walk away. “Come on, Solana,” Mandy said to her horse, and Solana obediently tagged along behind her. “Let’s find Laura and go for a ride.”
    She checked Diablo’s stall. The stallion was there alone, contentedly chewing on some hay. Mandy tied her birthday scarf around her neck, crossed the wide green lawn, and headed for the house. Laura wasn’t in her room, nor was she on the back patio. Then Mandy remembered the lake far off behind the house. Surely, she’d be down there.
    “Go on, Solana,” Mandy said, stamping her foot. “Go eat some grass and stop following me.”
    Solana pricked her ears forward and then lowered her head and began to graze. Mandy walked toward the lake.
    She was just about to call Laura’s name when she heard the sound of laughter. She strained to see around a tree and then stopped dead in her tracks. There, facing the lake, with her back to Mandy, sat Laura. She was holding hands with David.
    Mandy had never felt so many emotions in such a short time as she felt right then— surprise, hurt, betrayal, anger, sadness, then the urge to get out of there. But her foot cracked a branch. David and Laura turned at once with the sound.
    “S-s-sorry!” Mandy stammered. “I was looking for you, Laura.”
    David stood up and pulled Laura up with him. “That’s okay,” he said casually. “I’ve got to get back to work. Thanks for the company, Laura.” Then he strode off toward the stables.
    Mandy and Laura stood facing each other. “I thought you were alone,” said Mandy weakly.
    “Well, I wasn’t,” Laura snapped, walking briskly past her.
    “Wait up!” Mandy called and fell into step beside her. “I’m sorry, Laura. I thought that you didn’t even know David was alive. I mean you’ve always treated him like he didn’t even exist.”
    “Look, Mandy, just because you’re jealous—”
    “Jealous!” Mandy exploded. “Me? Why,
you’re
the one who’s moped around here all summer long, treating me like I’ve committed some crime because I got my own horse. And
you’re
the one who made me feel dumb just talking to