31- Choose
Beth Fute sat by her window, staring at the snow coming down. It was Christmas Eve, but she didn’t feel like celebrating. A knock on her door brought her back into reality.
“Come in,” she said. The door opened and her mother came in. They were going to the annual party at Cotey and Sam’s house that night.
“Are you planning on getting ready Beth?” she asked. Beth shrugged, then shook her head.
“I’d rather not go Mom. Tell Daddy I don’t feel well or something. I shouldn’t have to go if I don’t want to.” Jess sighed, glancing at the beautiful hunter green dress hanging on the closet door.
“Bethy, what happened with you and Dominick. Ever since you went over to practice your routine you’ve been in this awful mood.” Beth shrugged again, looking out the window.
“I’m just down I guess. Please tell Daddy that I don’t feel well? I really don’t want to go. With Rachel and Dominick in one place… it’ll just be awful.”
“Get dressed Elizabeth. Your father and I won’t let you be alone on Christmas Eve.” Beth sighed, but stood anyway.
“Fine, but I’d rather be alone. Will you fix my hair once my dress is on?”
“Sure honey. I’ll be in my room when you need me.” Beth nodded and watched as her mother left. She put on the dress carefully and then slid her shoes on. She walked down the hall to her parents’ room and opened the door. Jess was sitting at her desk, looking in the mirror. She saw Beth’s reflection and smiled.
“You look great. I think we should leave your hair down, it’s so beautiful.” Beth blushed, staring at her reflection. Her hair reached back and it was all curls.
“It isn’t that great Mom,” she muttered. Jess stood and went to her daughter’s side.
“Leave it down honey, it looks wonderful,” Jess whispered, giving her a tight hug. Beth smiled softly, pulling away and leaving the room.
Sam answered the door and smiled when he saw Jason. They shook hands, then went into the living room. Jess and Beth went into the kitchen where Cotey was.
“So, how about all this snow!” Jess said, grinning. Cotey laughed.
“I can’t believe it. Sometimes it really stinks when there’s this much. The horses are getting sick of being cooped up,” she replied. Beth nodded, glancing toward the door as Rachel came in. A handsome young man was holding her hand.
“Mom, where did David go?” Beth asked. Jess smiled sympathetically.
“He took the kids to the city to see their grandmother. He would have been here if he could’ve been,” Jess assured her. Beth nodded.
“I guess so.” She turned and brushed past Rachel and her date, going into the living room. Her father, Sam, and Dominick were there talking about some business related to the farms. She sat down next to her father.
“You look beautiful tonight Bethy,” he said. Beth blushed.
“Daddy, stop it,” she muttered.
“Well you do. I don’t know why Tony went off skiing with that other girl,” he murmured. Beth stood and glared at him.
“Would you just be quiet?” she said angrily, turning and walking from the room. He heard the front door slam.
“Well, I put my foot in my mouth that time didn’t I?” he muttered, standing to follow her. Dominick stood and caught his arm.
“I’ll go talk to her Jason,” he said. Jason nodded and they watched Dominick jog out. Sam shook his head.
“I don’t understand why they don’t just start seeing each other. It’s what they both seem to want,” he observed.
“I shouldn’t have mentioned Tony. Let’s go see if the ladies need some help in the kitchen.”
Beth was sitting in the loft, face in her hands. Dominick climbed up slowly and went to her side.
“Are you alright?” he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged him away.
“I’m perfect. My boyfriend went skiing with another girl, and she’s ten times prettier than I am. Could you please just leave me alone?” He sat down beside her.
“Nobody’s prettier than you are,” he said sincerely.
“Don’t start,” she warned. He sighed, standing and starting to leave.
“Fine. See you when you come up to the house,” he muttered. She finally looked at him, and he saw the tears falling down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry, it’s just so hard to do this,” she muttered. He sighed and went back to her side. She let him put his arms around her, putting hers around his waist.
“It’s alright. He’s the one who’s losing here, not you.”
“It’d be so easy to believe that… but I just can’t,” she said, beginning to cry. Dominick pulled her closer, holding her tight.
Everyone was in the living room when Dominick and Beth returned. Jason tried to stand to go to her, but Jess caught his arm. Beth sat down on the arm of a chair and Dominick sat in it. He glanced up at her and shrugged, giving a lopsided smile.
“Well how about some eggnog?” Cotey suggested.
“Sounds great Ma,” Dominick said. Cotey smiled at him and went into the kitchen.
“Does everyone want some?” she called. There were a chorus of yes’s and she laughed, picking up the tray. She let everyone take their own, then put the tray down on the coffee table.
“So, did everyone write Santa and ask for all the toys they wanted?” Sam kidded. They all laughed.
“Of course we did!” Rachel said, putting her arm around her boyfriend.
“Well I’m very proud of you sweetheart. What about you Dom, did you ask Santa for everything you want?” he asked. Dominick nodded slowly, but his smile faded.
“Yeah, but Santa can’t bring me what I want. Nobody can.” He glanced at Beth, but she was looking out the window.
Beth awoke the next morning and jogged downstairs. The presents were laid under the tree, and all the lights were on. She went back upstairs to her parents room and then pounced in the middle of their sleeping figures.
“Santa came!” she exclaimed. They both woke up.
“Elizabeth would you stop jumping on the bed!” Jason said. She grinned.
“It’s present time, let’s go!” she said, hurrying from the room. Jason looked at Jess and rolled his eyes.
“Your daughter is a pain in the butt,” he said. She laughed.
“My daughter huh? I can’t imagine where she gets that from,” she said, standing up and putting her robe on. He looked at her in surprise.
“I think you’re alluding to something not so nice,” he said.
“Let’s go, I want to see Beth’s face when she opens some of those presents,” Jess said.
“Oh my God! I’m going to kill you guys!” Beth exclaimed from downstairs.
Dominick rode over to Beth’s later that afternoon, smiling when he saw her riding bareback in one of the pastures. She was on Lion, a big smile on her face. They were cantering through the deep snow, and Lion was tossing his head.
“Hey Beth, get your butt in here!” he called. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him. A bird flew under Lion’s nose and he jumped to the side. Beth tumbled off, laughing.
“I’m ok!” she called. He smiled, watching as she stood and brushed the snow from her clothes and led Lion in.
“I brought your presents over. Let’s get the horses put away.”
“I got you something too. Wait until you see it!” she exclaimed, opening the gate and leading Lion toward the barn. They got both horses settled, then went to the loft, sitting down on hay bales and producing their gifts. They looked at each other and began to laugh.
“I can’t believe this,” he muttered. She shook her head, handing him the gift. They were identical beside the wrapping paper, and Beth’s had a smaller box on top.
“Well if this is what I think it is, thanks,” she said, opening the larger one first. He nodded and opened his. They had gotten each other a book of music from Phantom of the Opera. She grinned and opened th smaller gift, gasping when she saw the small gold treble cleft necklace. She looked up at him and shook her head. “Dom you’ve gotta’ stop this,” she whispered.
“Stop what? I saw it and I thought you’d like it. What’s wrong with that?”
“You know what I mean Dominick. I can’t take it.” He sighed.
“Yes you can. I don’t expect anything in return.”
“Yes you do! You always expect something more from me, and I can’t give you what you want.”
“You can, but you won’t give it a chance!” he exclaimed. She nodded and stood up.
“You’re right, I won’t. I’ll see you later,” she muttered. Right as she reached the door it opened and Tony walked in. She backed up, unsure of what to do. Tony smiled tightly when he saw Dominick.
“I’ve been looking for you all over the place,” Tony said, moving to hug her. She stepped out of his reach.
“Yeah, well you took off with Sarah Parks. Sorry if I wasn’t camping out on your front stoop when you got home,” she said angrily. He sighed and glanced at Dominick.
“Would you give me a chance to explain?” he said. Dominick stepped forward.
“She doesn’t need an explanation,” he said. Beth put her arm in front of Dominick and stood between them.
“Both of you knock it off. I’m so sick of this stupid fighting all the time. Dom, go home, I’ll handle this,” she ordered. He hesitated briefly before leaving. When he was gone she looked at Tony.
“He can be such a jerk Beth,” Tony said.
“I can’t believe you! Dominick is a jerk? Look at you. The least you could’ve done was tell me you didn’t want to date me anymore.”
“I still want to date you!” he exclaimed. She shook her head, starting from the room.
“You can’t have your cake and eat it too Tony. It was either Sarah or me, and you chose Sarah.” He shook his head, following her.
“No I didn’t. Come on Beth, don’t just walk away from this!” he said. She turned on him, biting back tears.
“I’m not the one who walked away. Goodbye Tony,” she said, turning and jogging away.
Jason knocked on Beth’s bedroom door that evening. He didn’t receive an answer, so he opened the door. Beth was sitting by the window, headphones on. He sighed, going to her side and tapping her shoulder gently. She looked up at him and took the headphones off.
“Hey Daddy, what do you want?” she asked.
“Tony’s downstairs again,” he said.
“Tell him to leave. I don’t want to talk to him. I don’t have anything to say.”
“Alright. Dinner in ten minutes,” he said, starting for the door.
“I’m not hungry, ok?” He nodded, starting to close the door.
“Bethy, don’t let a guy tear you up this much. We aren’t worth it, I promise.” She smiled a little.
“You’re right, you’re not,” she said, putting the headphones back on and turning back toward the window.
A week later Beth was straddling a hay bale, cleaning her new tack. It was a black dressage saddle and matching bridle. She had just finished with her new jumping tack, and was sweating slightly.
“Beth I can’t catch Lion!” David called. She grinned.
“I’m coming!” She went out to the paddock and let out a sharp whistle. Lion pricked his ears forward and then cantered toward her. She smiled and clipped a lead to his halter. “Come on champ, let’s get going,” she said. He nickered and nuzzled her pockets. She laughed and said, “There are no treats right now big guy.” She led him to his stall and he began munching his hay. With a smile she went back to her saddle.
“If you keep cleaning that you won’t have a saddle anymore,” a voice said. Beth glanced up and found Jake Whiticker, Rachel’s ex-boyfriend standing in the doorway.
“You’ve come to the wrong place. Rachel and I aren’t talking, so I can’t go talk to her for you.” He laughed.
“I wasn’t going to ask you to. I wanted to know if you could teach me how to ride.”
“You’re kidding right?” she muttered, scrubbing the flaps of the saddle. He shook his head slowly, raking his fingers through his blonde hair.
“No, I’m serious. I was going to ask Dom, but with Rachel around all the time…” he trailed off. Beth nodded.
“I see what you mean. When do you want to start?”
“Right now if you have the time.” She nodded and put her saddle and bridle back in their places.
“Sure. Let’s see… who can I put you on?” she muttered, walking down the aisle. She smiled suddenly, going to a stall.
“Who’s this?” Jake asked. She smiled, patting the mare.
“This is Greensleeves,” she explained. He nodded and watched her groom and saddle the mare. She led them to the arena and then showed him how to mount. He sat slouched in the saddle, his heals up, and she sighed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. She grinned.
“Only everything.” He gave her a confused look and she continued, “Let me explain. First, you have to sit up straight.” She put one hand on his diaphragm and the other on his back, forcing him to sit tall. “OK, and you have to keep your heels down.” She grabbed his left heel and shoved it down before going to the other side and doing the same thing to his right heel.
“I’m confused already,” he muttered. She laughed and clipped a longe line to Greensleeves’ longing tack.
“Just relax and sit like I told you to,” she said. He nodded and they moved around at a walk for quite some time.
“Do you want to try a trot?” she asked.
“That isn’t as fast as a racehorse is it?” he asked. She smiled and shook her head.
“Nowhere near. Just keep your hands steady and sit up straight.”
“Just sit here, right?” he asked. She nodded and clucked her tongue.
“Trot girl!” she called. The mare obeyed instantly and Jake smiled. They went around several times at a sitting trot, then Beth had them come in to the center.
“Was that OK?” he asked.
“It was good for your first time. Why don’t we call it a night? I have to clean some stalls for my father, then practice some of my piano music.”
“Is Dom going to play flute with you tonight?” She shook her head.
“Nope. Do you want to set up another day to ride? I’ll have to make sure it’s ok with my father that you ride, but I’m sure he’ll say it is.”
“OK. How about tomorrow?” he asked. She smiled up at him.
“Sounds good. Let me show you how to dismount,” she began, the smile still playing on her lips.
Spring came quickly, and Beth jogged down to the barn. Her father was leading one of the thoroughbreds toward the pasture. Her mother was riding Bliss in the jumping paddock.
“Is Jake taking a lesson today?” her father called. She nodded.
“Yeah. He’s starting to get a lot better with two-point. He’ll probably be able to stay up all the way around the small paddock sooner or later. Probably later,” she muttered. Someone grabbed her from behind, wrapping an arm around her neck. She screamed.
“Are you picking on me Beth Fute?” the person asked. She smiled, glancing up. Jake was smiling at her, his eyes twinkling.
“Who’s asking?” she demanded, holding on to his arm so she wouldn’t fall in the mud.
“Who do you think?” he asked. She laughed, waiting for him to let go of her.
“Brad Pitt?” she suggested. He let go, putting his hands on his hips.
“So now I’m being compared to Brad Pitt? I’m insulted.” She laughed again.
“Why? He’s extremely good looking.” She took off running toward the fence, climbing it and racing through the tall grace. He caught up, grabbing her around the waist. They both fell to the wet ground, breathing heavily and laughing. She stared up at him, trying to catch her breath.
“Aren’t I good looking?” he asked between pants. She shrugged.
“I don’t know about you, but Brad Pitt definitely is.”
“I don’t know Beth. Here I am taking riding lessons from you, and paying you. I don’t know if it’s worth it to put up with all this abuse.” She laughed, reaching up to push him off.
“Then leave, you’re not tied to this deal,” she said, pretending to be insulted.
“Sure I’m tied to it,” he said. She took a deep breath.
“What do you mean?” He glanced away, then looked back at her.
“I like you a lot, and if I don’t come for lessons I won’t see you that much,” he admitted.
“So the lessons aren’t important?” she asked.
“I like riding. Is that all you have to say?” She shook her head slowly.
“Nope. I still think Brad Pitt is better looking.” He sighed, trying to hide his smile.
“You don’t even know if Brad Pitt is a good kisser.” She laughed.
“I don’t know if you are either,” she retorted without thinking.
“But you’re about to find out,” he said. He moved closer and kissed her gently. After a moment he pulled away and smiled.
“We should get to your lesson. My father’s going to put Greensleeves out if we don’t hurry up.” Jake nodded, standing and helping her up. She stared down at her muddy, wet jeans.
“Sorry about that. Let’s go… I’ll try to do really great today.” She smiled, putting and arm around his waist.
“OK, I guess that’ll make up for it,” she said with a smile.
Dominick stared at Jake in disbelief, then began to walk out the door. Jake caught his arm.
“Come on Dominick, I liked her before you ever did. I’m just shy and I didn’t do anything about it. Now that I know her I decided I might as well ask.”
“That’s not the point. I really like her and now my best friend is going out with her!” Dominick yelled, going out the front door. Jake followed him to the barn.
“You’re being a jerk. If you really care about her you’d be happy she’s with someone who’s going to treat her right,” Jake said.
“I’m suppose to be happy?” Dominick asked incredulously, turning to look at him.
“Yes! If not for her, then for me. I’ve liked her since we were fourteen, but I couldn’t make myself do anything about it. I’m not going to step back now just because you think you have some chance with her when you don’t.” Dominick hit him squarely in the jaw and he stumbled, but came back and hit him in the stomach. Sam must have heard the commotion from the office because he jogged out. He pulled Dominick away, staring at each of them.
“What the hell is going on here?” he demanded.
“Nothing,” Dominick muttered. Sam gave him a shake.
“One of you better start talking,” he warned.
“We just got a little carried away with our argument, that’s all. Jake was just getting ready to leave,” he said, looking at Jake.
“Yeah. I’ve got a date with Beth in about ten minutes. This put me a little behind schedule.” Dominick lunged for him, but Sam had a good hold on him. Jake walked out of the barn and toward his car. Dominick sighed and bowed his head in shame.
Beth opened the door, gasping when she saw Jake’s bloody lip.
“What happened to you?” she demanded, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the house. He sighed, sitting down at the kitchen table.
“Dom and I got into a fight,” he muttered. She went to the sink and got a washcloth and the peroxide.
“You two haven’t fought since grade school. What made this happen?” she asked. He flinched as she put the washcloth covered in peroxide on his cut.
“I told him that I was going out with you, and he freaked out. He told me to dump you, and I refused. He threw a punch at me and I hit him.”
“I knew this was going to happen,” she muttered, throwing the washcloth down on the table. She started for the door and Jake stood, knocking his chair over. He caught her arm and pulled her back.
“What do you think you’re going to do? Are you going to go over there and try to beat him up” She looked up at him defiantly.
“The thought had crossed my mind,” she said angrily. He shook his head, putting his arms around her gently.
“It’s no big deal, I handled it,” he assured her. She nodded, putting her arms around his waist.
“I know. I wish I’d gotten to hit him,” she muttered. He laughed, taking her chin and tilting it upward.
“Sorry. His dad broke things up before I could drag him over here,” he kidded.
“Too bad huh?” she asked with a small smile. He nodded, leaning down and kissing her. “Why don’t we stay here and watch movies tonight? I don’t want to go out with Rambo,” she kidded.
“Rambo? I think you have a comparison problem Beth.”
“Come on Rambo, let’s go,” she said, tugging his arm and leading him up to her bedroom.
Jason heard Beth’s television, and knew she was probably asleep. He went in, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw Jake asleep next to her in bed.
“Jessi!” He called. She appeared quickly, looking into the room and shrugging.
“It’s not like they’re naked Jason. Just let them sleep. We’ll call Jake’s parents and tell them he’s sleeping on our couch tonight.”
“He’s sleeping in the same bed as my seventeen year old daughter!”
“They aren’t naked Jas,” she repeated, returning to their room.
“I don’t see how that makes a difference,” he muttered, going into the room and turning off the TV. He heard Jess laugh and he smiled too.
In June Beth received her acceptance to Cornell University.
“Honey I’m so proud of you!” Jess exclaimed.
“Wait until I tell Jake. He’s been hoping as much as I have since I applied.”
“Jake is a great kid Bethy, he’ll go a long way if he keeps it up.”
“Keeps what up?” Beth asked.
“Going out with you. Go down to the barn and tell your father.” Beth nodded, jogging out the front door. Her father was walking toward the house so she went to him and threw her arms around him.
“I made Cornell,” she said. He smiled and spun her around.
“Good for you sweetheart! We should go out and celebrate tonight!”
“Can I ask Jake to come with us? We’ve been waiting for this letter for a long time.
“Go on up and call him. I’ll be up in a minute, I just have to go brag to everyone that my daughter got into Cornell,” he said. Beth grinned, turning and going back toward the house.
That night Jake arrived at six o’clock. He gave her a tight hug, then a long kiss.
“I’m so happy for you,” he said, smiling down at her. She smiled back, giving him another hug.
“Thank you. All this time you’ve been telling me that I’d make it, and you were right. I’m so glad I was accepted.”
“You want to be a vet right?” he asked, following her into the house. She nodded, glancing into the kitchen.
“Yup. Mom, Daddy are we leaving yet?” she called. Her mother appeared, a smile on her pretty face.
“Yes. Let’s go Jas, our daughter is getting impatient.” Jason appeared moments later and they all walked out of the house.
Beth rode Lion around a paddock at an extended canter, her face concentrated. It had been two days since she had received her acceptance letter, but things had calmed down.
“Beth, keep your seat deeper!” Jess called from the fence. Beth nodded, pusher her heels down further and sinking deeper into the saddle. “Good.” Beth smiled and rode on. She kept the canter smooth until her mother motioned for her to start.
“What did I do wrong?” Beth asked, expecting a whole list of things to improve upon.
“Your seat wasn’t deep enough the first time around, but you fixed it. Everything else was fine. Work on your piaffe,” Jess instructed. Beth nodded and moved back around the ring at a trot, cutting across the center and giving the aids for passage and then piaffe. Lion did it, making it look easier than it actually was. Jess nodded. “Perfect! Now have him do a collected trot all the way around.” Beth did, sitting deep in the addle. She stopped in the center and then let him walk to cool down
“Do you think I’ll be ready for the show tomorrow?” she asked her mother.
“I’m positive. Finish up with him so we can go get your show clothes from the cleaners.” Beth smiled, dismounted, and led Lion to the barn.
Beth was the first to notice Michael Jones, the head trainer for the United States Equestrian Team, in the crowd. She grabbed her father’s arm and pointed.
“What’s wrong honey?” he asked. She sighed and looked at her mother.
“What are you pointing at Bethy?” she asked.
“Michael Jones is standing by the fence! He’s the guy from the Olympic team.”
“The USET?” Jess asked. Beth nodded, feeling her stomach tighten with nerves.
“What if I do horribly? Then he’ll never think of asking me to try out for the team.”
“Even if he does, you wouldn’t be able to go. You start college in the fall,” Jason said.
“I’m’ just saying…” Beth left the sentence hanging in midair, a sigh escaping her lips. “Never mind. I’m going to go get Lion ready.” She walked away, still thinking about the Olympics.
Lion looked around at all the jumps, his ears forward. Beth grinned and patted his neck.
“OK champ, let’s show these guys how it’s done,” she whispered, asking for a canter. They cleared the first few jumps with ease. After the fifth jump there was a switchback to a brush fence. Lion took it tight, giving them a little extra time for the three-jump combination at the end. She shortened his stride between the first and second jump in the combination, then cleared the final one. Applause broke out when they landed and she grinned, leaning forward to pay Lion’s neck excitedly as they trotted form the ring.
“Beautiful round sweetheart,” Jason said. She nodded, watching as the next rider knocked down two rails.
“Thanks Daddy, but I was off stride on the switchback. I can’t believe I did something so stupid,” she muttered. Jess patted her knee.
“It’s alright honey, they weren’t looking at that. Lion looked great.” She smiled.
“I’m so proud of him. He’s settled down a lot since we first got him.”
“You better stay mounted, they’re calling riders in for ribbons,” her father said. Beth nodded, going back into the ring.
In July Beth watched Jake ride King around the arena. It was pouring out, so she had moved his lesson into the hot arena.
“Heels down further! It’ll make it easier to stay up!” she called. His heels went down and his two-point seemed to steady. “Ask him for a canter!” King broke into a canter and Jake stayed up in his two-point. After several times around she called, “OK, you can stop!”
“Was that alright?” he asked, coming into the center. She smiled and put her hand on his knee.
“Looked great. Why don’t you dismount and let me ride for a minute? After all that two-point work he’ll be ready for some jumping.” Jake nodded, watching as she set a couple jumps to four feet. She mounted quickly, and soon was cantering around. They took the jumps several times before she pulled up.
“You’re amazing,” Jake said, true admiration in his voice. There was a bitter laugh from the rail.
“Yeah, amazing. Your father asked me to give this to you,” Dominick muttered, leading Objection into the ring. He handed her a letter and she stared at it in awe.
“Jake, it’s from the USET!” she exclaimed. He smiled, holding King while she opened it.
“What’s it say?” he demanded. She dismounted quickly, throwing her arms around him and kissing him hard.
“Michael Jones wants me to ride for him!” she exclaimed excitedly. Jake picked her up in a tight hug, both forgetting that Dominick was standing there.
“I’m going to take off. Bye Beth,” he muttered. She nodded, watching as he walked out of the barn.
Jason shook his head, glancing at his wife for assistance.
“You can’t go!” he exclaimed. Beth stood angrily, glancing at her mother for help.
“You’re asking me to turn down the Olympics? They think that I could help them win and you want me to turn them down. Mom, tell him he’s being ridiculous,” she said desperately.
“Jason maybe she’s right. She could start at Cornell next semester,” Jess said.
“Then she’ll be behind her class,” he said.
“No I won’t. I spoke with the people at Cornell and they said that I could do distance learning until I get back. Please Daddy?”
“This is your decision Elizabeth, but if I were you I’d choose school,” he said, standing and walking from the room. Beth sighed.
“Mom, you think I should go don’t you?”
“I think it would be a wonderful experience. I also think your father has a point. I might just be biased about this… I always wanted to ride in the games.”
“Can I go talk with Cotey about this? Maybe she’ll have some good advice.”
“I’m not sure she’ll have the insight you’re looking for honey. She had some pretty bad experiences when she went to the Olympics.”
“I know that. Can I please go over and talk to her?”
“Sure. Be careful on your way.”
“Thanks Ma,” she said, walking from the house. Jess sighed and went upstairs to talk to her husband.
Cotey smiled when she answered the door and motioned for Beth to come in.
“Hey kiddo, long time no see. What’s on your mind, or do you want to talk to one of the twins?” she asked.
“I came to talk to you. I got a letter from the USET, and they want me to ride for them this year,” she exclaimed, boosting herself onto the kitchen counter.
“I’m the wrong person to talk to about this Beth,” Cotey said, glancing out the window.
“I know that you had a bad time when you went, but my father thinks I should go to school first. I just wanted your opinion.”
“Honey, let me tell you something. I agree with your dad, but not because the Olympics aren’t as important. I had a bad experience. You need to do what you think is right.” Beth nodded.
“Thanks Cotey,” she said, sliding off the counter and walking from the house. Once outside Beth sighed, shaking her head slowly. “How do they expect me to make a choice like this?” she muttered.
