White Water by Linda I. Shands Read Free Book Online Page B

until Ryan answered, “Maybe he’s gotta go.”
    Anne flashed her a sympathetic look, then hurried from the room.
    Kara hobbled to the phone and assured Tia everything was fine, then washed and went in to dinner. But by the time she had finished a small portion of vegetable soup and pushed away from the table, she realized she could hardly move without pain.
    Anne helped her upstairs, ran hot water into the tub, and added an earthy smelling liquid.
    â€œJuniper.” She answered Kara’s unspoken question. “You will soak twenty minutes now, then again before bed. The pain will be gone.”
    Kara groaned, crawled into the tub, and sank up to her neck into the hot mixture. The effect was so soothing she moaned again, this time with relief. “Oh, Anne, what would I do without you?”
    Anne smiled, laid a fresh towel on the sink, and left the room.
    When Kara woke up the next morning, she realized Anne had done it again. Her bruises were already fading to yellow, and most of the pain was gone. She managed to catch up with Tia before second period and was rewarded by her friend’s excited squeal when she asked her about going with them to Eagle Lodge.
    â€œWe don’t start with Mrs. Bryant until after Easter,” Tia assured her. “I’ll ask Pops, but I know they’ll let me come. My grades are so much better, they let me do practically anything I want.”
    By Thursday of the next week everything was arranged. Dad had decided that Kara could ride into the valley with Colin and Greg, but he hadn’t sounded too happy about it. “I’d rather have you with me,” he’d said without giving a reason why, “but we’re going to need some extra mounts, and I don’t want the guys to pony more than one apiece.
    â€œRyan has permission to leave school a day early,” he continued without looking at her, “so he and Anne will come with me in the Cessna. Tia will fly in with Mark on Saturday when he brings the extra supplies.”
    Kara thought about that conversation as she followed Ryan from the bus stop down the narrow dirt road, then up the gravel drive. What was up with Dad? Every time he talked to her lately, his voice sounded sharp, and he wouldn’t really look her in the eye.
    â€œIt’s not like I’ve done anything wrong,” she told Tia.
    Tia shrugged. “I wouldn’t worry about it. When Pops weirds out on us, it usually means he’s had a bad day at work.”
    Kara nodded to be polite, but she didn’t really think it had anything to do with the ranch. Maybe he was just missing Mom and didn’t know how to handle it. Men weren’t nearly as good at dealing with emotions as women were. She’d started paying attention when she’d learned that in Health class and found it was true. Maybe Tia was right. Maybe Dad’s behavior didn’t really have anything to do with her at all.
    Ryan had stopped to smell a clump of wild snapdragons. “Don’t pick them, Ry. The wild ones don’t keep very well. Besides, we leave in the morning and won’t be around to enjoy them.” She urged him on ahead of her.
    After dinner Ryan helped Anne clear the table, and Kara escaped to her room to fold laundry and pack. The weather was so unsettled this time of the year, she knew she would need to dress in layers. She’d have to go through Ryan’s things too.
    By the time she finished, Ryan was in bed and Dad had gone to his room. Colin had taken off for the bunkhouse without even looking at her.
    The more she thought about it, the angrier she felt. Sure, she had messed up, riding recklessly and without a helmet. She’d apologized for that and promised not to do it again, but it wasn’t her fault that the bear chose to park her cub at the edge of the meadow. That was no reason to treat her like—like fish bait!
    A squeak of hinges and the rattle of silverware told her Anne was