43- Go for the Gold
Beth Giran rode her newest horse, I.Q. around the ring at the Kentucky Horse Show. She had gotten him two Christmases before, and he was now five. Colleen, her oldest daughter, was seven, Seneca was four, and Abby was two. The littlest child had recovered completely from her early fight with tuberculosis, much to her parents’ relief. Now, as Beth urged her young mount over a three foot tall combination, she smiled. They had gone clear, and she could see her family applauding wildly. She rode out of the ring and dismounted.
“That was neat Mommy!” Colleen said, smiling broadly. The little girl was the spitting image of her father. She had long black hair, dark blue eyes, and was petit. Seneca came bounding up, his blonde curls bouncing. He looked just like his mother. Abby toddled along beside Dominick, her sandy blonde curls framing her face.
“Thanks kiddo. When’s your class on Mischief?” she asked as she ran her stirrups up the leathers. Colleen shrugged.
“I think it’s at three,” she said hesitantly. Beth nodded and smiled.
“You’re right! You have twenty minutes, so let’s go finish getting ready.” Colleen nodded and they walked off together.
Beth received the letter three days after she returned from Kentucky. She opened it slowly, unsure of what it would say:
Dear Mrs. Giran,
I am writing you on behalf of the United States Equestrian Team. We would like you to join us for try-outs this September. You will receive further details if you will be joining us.
Sincerely,
Christopher Jones
Head Trainer- USET
Beth put the letter down on the counter, glancing around the house. Dominick was down at the barn giving lessons, and Colleen and Seneca were visiting Rachel and Jim in Virginia. Abby was taking a nap. With a sigh she plopped down on the couch, wondering what she would do.
Dominick walked into the house right before dinner was being put on the table. Abby was toddling around the living room carrying a stuffed Peter Rabbit.
“Nice of you to join us,” Beth muttered. Dominick sighed, kicking his boots off and going into the kitchen.
“Call me crazy, but are you in a bad mood?” he kidded, kissing her on the cheek.
“Dom just go get washed up,” she said. He stared at her.
“What the heck is your problem?” he demanded. She sighed.
“I got a letter from the USET today. They want me to try out,” she explained. Dominick sighed.
“This is up to you honey. If you decide to go, I’m going with you though. I was lonely last time, and we weren’t even really dating then.” She smiled.
“I want to go. I have a great horse… even if he does need more training. Lion is only sixteen, so he could come with me for the training. By the games I.Q. would be ready,” she said.
“When do they need a response?” he asked.
“Soon. Try-outs start in September, and training begins usually by October. I’ll write back tonight.”
“OK. We’ll stay home during tryouts, and if you make it I’ll come down. The kids can stay here until the games.”
“I don’t want them to be alone for that long Dom,” she said.
“If you make the team you’ll be in Nevada from September until August of next year. What do we do with three kids? Colleen’s in school, and Seneca and Abby are little. Do you really want to take them all the way across the country?”
“It’s better than having them here without us. I’d miss them terribly Dominick, and they wouldn’t understand. I don’t want to leave them here.”
“We’ve have to change Colleen’s school for an entire year. She’d have to make new friends… that’s a big adjustment for a girl her age to handle.”
“She would want to be there to help. I want my family with me this time Dominick.” He nodded, putting his arms around her waist.
“So they’ll go. Where’s Abby? Doesn’t she want to eat too?” he asked. He suddenly felt a tug on his pants leg. He looked down, smiling when he saw the little girl. He swung her into his arms, winking at Beth. “Come on you, let’s get going. Time for dinner.”
“I’m not hungy Daddy,” she said. Beth smiled, taking her and putting her into her high chair.
“Guess what? You are now. After dinner Mommy has to go down and ride, and if you want to go you have to eat dinner.”
“OK Mommy, I’m real hungy,” she said with a grin. Beth laughed and glanced at Dominick. He shrugged, kissing their daughter on the cheek and sitting down for dinner.
Beth rode Lion around the ring, her position flawless. She was at USET tryouts, but wasn’t feeling that nervous. They went over the jumps smoothly, then did several quick dressage movements.
“Thank you Mrs. Giran,” a voice said. Beth saluted, then trotted from the ring. Dominick was waiting for her, a smile on his face.
“That looked great honey,’ he said. She laughed, shaking her head and dismounting.
“It was horrible. He was stiff over the first few jumps, and then he was playing around on the last three. I’m pretty disappointed.”
“If I had the guts to go into that ring, I’d come out happy no matter what. You did a great job and I’m proud of you. Let’s go put him away,” he said. She nodded, leaning Lion back to his stall.
Back at home Beth waited eagerly to hear from the USET. Colleen had started school, and really liked it so far. One afternoon Beth rode I.Q. around the small outdoor ring. He was moving at a smooth trot, and she was posting. They went over a set of three cavaletties, then went around the corner toward the cross-rail. His ears pricked forward when he realized he’d get to jump, and he started to bob his head.
“Don’t mess around I.Q.,” she warned, tapping him with her crop. He settled into his work and popped over the jump when they reached it. They went around several times before she changed direction. After working both ways she raised the jump and remounted, starting the whole procedure over again. They cleared the jump easily again and she smiled.
“I think you should start him on cross-country,” a voice suggested. Beth pulled up, smiling when she saw her mother standing at the fence.
“Hey Mom. I was thinking about that. Would you come out with us one day? You could ride Lion.” Jess nodded.
“I don’t know how my knee will hold up, but I could give it a shot. The doctor said that I should slow down a little. The muscles in my knee are deteriorating. If it wasn’t for all those racing injuries I’d be fine.” Beth laughed.
“If you don’t think you can, that’s alright. I know you’d have to fight Daddy on it, and I don’t want you to get hurt.” Jess shook her head.
“Leave your father and my knee to me. I’ll meet you out front tomorrow morning at seven. Be ready.”
“Are you going to get Lion tacked up?” Beth asked incredulously. Jess nodded, flashing a smile.
“Of course I am. I’m not afraid of that big old windbag,” she muttered. Beth laughed and watched as her mother walked to the barn. With a sigh she squeezed I.Q.’s sides.
“Come on big guy, let’s go. You’re not done yet,” she said. They trotted around, Beth still smiling.
The next morning Beth got I.Q. ready and led him into the stable yard. Her mother was already there, holding Lion.
“So are you two getting along alright?” Beth questioned. Jess smiled.
“Fairly well. Ready to head out? You’re late.” Beth swung into the saddle with a sigh.
“I had to get Colleen up because she wanted to ride Mischief before she went to school. I had to fix her breakfast before she rode. Then I had to get Dom out of bed, and he requires a lot of convincing. Sorry I wasn’t on time.” Jess laughed, asking Lion to trot.
“Don’t worry about it. Let’s get out to the course.” Beth followed, and soon they were at the large cross-country course. “I’ll ride up above on the trail. That way I can watch you as you go,” Jess said.
“OK. See you soon,” Beth said. She waited for her mother to get up to the path and then began the course. The first jump was hesitant, but I.Q. quickly took to jumping the large, interesting obstacles. When they reached the end Jess smiled at her.
“That looked great. He seems to really like it,” she said.
“He didn’t balk at anything. I’ve never seen a green horse go out and take to it that fast,” Beth said. She patted his muscular neck and he tossed his head with a snort.
“Let’s get these two back home. I want to have them cool… and I want to be back in time for Jenny Jones,” Jess said. Beth laughed and rolled her eyes.
“I can’t believe you watch those dumb talk shows. I never thought I’d see the day.” Jess laughed and they trotted back home.
Two days later the letter arrived. Dominick stared at her.
“Do you want me to open it?” he asked.
“Yes… I can’t do it,” she said. Dominick smiled, starting to rip the envelop open. “No, wait! I’ll do it,” she said suddenly. He laughed, handing her the letter and watching as she opened it. She read for a few minutes and then looked up at him.
“You didn’t make it?” he asked when he saw her face. She shook her head, smiling broadly.
“I made it. They want me,” she said. Dominick put his arms around her, swinging her around in a circle.
“That’s great honey. Wait until we tell the kids, they’ll be so excited,” he said. She nodded, planting a kiss on his lips. He held her tightly, kissing her deeply. She pushed him away gently.
“I don’t want to cut this short…” He cut her off.
“Then don’t,” he murmured. She laughed, kissing his cheek.
“Abby just woke up from her nap and she’s screaming bloody murder. I’ve gotta’ go take care of her. If she falls back to sleep we can continue where we left off,’ she assured him. Dominick smiled, watching as she jogged up the stairs.
The whole family flew to Nevada the following month, all the children in awe of the jet.
“Mommy, we’re going to be here for a long time right?” Colleen asked. Beth nodded slowly.
“Until August. You’ll go to a new school this year, so you’ll have lots of new friends. You can write to everyone back home, and then when we go home you can write to everyone here,” she explained. Colleen nodded, looking out the tiny window.
“Daddy have you ever been to Nevada before?”
“I’ve only been to Georgia and the Bahamas honey.” She nodded, glancing at Seneca.
“Let’s go back and play with our toys Sen. It’s boring up here,” she said. Seneca nodded, following her to the back of the plane. Abby was asleep in Beth’s arms, and Beth’s head was on Dominick’s shoulder.
“You don’t think it was a mistake to bring them do you?” she asked. He shook his head, kissing her forehead.
“No. Colleen and Seneca are both really excited to be a part of this, and Abby will have fun too. Relax honey. Both of the horses are ok so far this flight… everything is fine. Relax,” he said. She smiled.
“Thanks Dom.” He nodded, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. The light above them began to blink and they put on their seatbelts.
“Almost there,” he said. She nodded, taking a deep, steadying breath.
Christopher Jones watched as all the new riders walked through the airport. Beth Giran was holding her husband’s hand, and carrying a little girl. Her husband was holding a young boy with one arm. Beside him was a beautiful little girl. When everyone had come up to him, Christopher smiled.
“Your horses are being loaded into the trailers now. Everyone get in a van and we’ll get to the training headquarters,” he explained. Everyone nodded, going to the van. Beth and Dominick got the kids settled, then Dominick went back to the airport.
“He needs to get our luggage,” Beth explained.
“OK. We’ll hold up for him,’ he said. She smiled gratefully, climbing into the van with her kids. Dominick returned moments later, and soon the long line of vans began to move.
The camp was beautiful, the stables impeccable. Beth got I.Q. and Lion settled, then went up to the main lodge. She got her schedule and then went to the small apartment she and the kids would be living in during their stay. Dominick and the kids were playing outside in the sunshine. Beth smiled, opening one of their suitcases as she watched them out the window. She started putting clothes away in the kids’ room.
“Hey honey, are you coming outside?” Dominick called. She glanced out the window again. He was swinging Colleen around, holding her under the arms. Seneca and Abby were spinning too, both laughing.
“Not right this minute. I need to finish unpacking!” she returned. Dominick frowned for a moment, but then smiled. He set Colleen down, picking Seneca up and spinning him around.
The next day training started, and Beth was at the barn at quarter to five in the morning. She groomed and saddled I.Q., then led him out into the stable yard. Christopher Jones was riding in a paddock, urging a big warmblood over five foot oxers. Beth watched him carefully, scrutinizing the way he rode. He stopped suddenly, feeling her gaze. He turned in the saddle, frowning when he saw he had an audience.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d let me know you’re here next time,” he said. Beth shrugged.
“OK. I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal. You’re Mr. Jones’s son aren’t you?” she asked.
“Yup.”
“Where is he?” she asked. He sighed.
“He’s retired. He said after the Georgia games he was finished.”
“That’s probably my fault,” she kidded. Christopher laughed.
“Probably. He told my mother and me a lot about you. Not many of his riders had the guts to stand up to him. He admired you for that, and for a lot of other reasons too.”
“I admired him too. He was a fantastic coach.”
“Yes, he was. We’ll be doing balance exercises today, no stirrups. I’ll have you on the longe line part of the time, no reins,” he explained.
“You’re just like your dad,” she muttered, singing into the saddle.
“What can I say, I’ve got good genes,” he kidded. She smiled and asked I.Q. to walk on.
“Do you mind if I take him over a couple fences? I want to limber him up.”
“Go for it. My father told me that you were always working. We’ll start with exercises in about fifteen minutes.” She nodded, trotting into the ring.
After morning workouts Beth walked up to the lodge. Dominick was still asleep when she walked into their bedroom, blankets covering his head. She took off her boots, climbing onto the bed and sliding under the covers. She snuggled close and kissed his neck.
“It’s either my wife or my mistress,” he muttered groggily. She laughed and smacked his shoulder. “It’s my wife,” he groaned. She smiled, straddling his waist when he rolled over.
“Good morning sleepy head. It’s seven o’clock you know,” she said.
“Seven o’clock? Well, I’ve slept the day away! I suppose you’ve already ridden,” he said. She nodded, leaning down and kissing him.
“Yup. We had workouts at five. Come on, breakfast starts in fifteen minutes. We still need to get the kids up,” she said, moving to get off of him. He put his hands on her slim waist.
“We could let the kids sleep in, and skip breakfast,” he suggested with a wink. She smiled, kissing him again.
“We could do that… but I’m awfully hungry,” she murmured. He smiled mischievously.
“So am I.” She laughed, going willingly into his arms. Dominick pulled her shirt over her head.
“I need to take a shower anyway,” she said. He nodded, kissing her neck.
“Me too. Why don’t we conserve water and shower together?” he suggested, his words muffled against her skin.
“What a great idea,” she said. He picked her up and carried her into the bathroom, still kissing her gently.
Dominick drove Colleen to her new school the next morning. After they were enrolled, he walked with her to her new classroom.
“You’ll make lots of new friends today honey,” he said. She nodded.
“Why did we have to come here with Mommy? Couldn’t we have stayed home?” she asked, her voice wavering.
“Mommy wanted all of us with her. She was really nervous about being here alone, so I thought it’d be a good idea if we all came. Besides, I didn’t want to leave you guys at home alone for a whole year. We would’ve missed you.”
“Oh. What if nobody likes me?” she asked, a tear slipping down her cheek. Dominick squatted down in front of her and hugged her tightly.
“Everyone is going to like you. Come on, dry your tears. You don’t want to go in there with a wet face,” he said. She giggled and wiped tears away.
“Thanks Daddy,” she said, taking his hand and going into her classroom.
Beth was trotting I.Q. over some polls when Colleen got home from school that day.
“Mommy!” the girl called. Beth pulled up and walked to the fence.
“How was school sweetie?” she asked. Colleen smiled, climbing under through the gaps in the fence. She gave I.Q. a quick pat and smiled up at her mother.
“It was the best! I made a new friend named Chris, and a new friend named Stacey. They’re both really cool!” she explained. Beth smiled, leaning down and lifting Colleen into the saddle in front of her.
“Well it sounds like you had a great time. Come on, you can do polls with me for a little while,” she said. Colleen smiled, sitting tall in the saddle. Dominick had just arrived, carrying Abby and holding Seneca’s hand.
“Looks like school turned out ok after all,” he said. Beth smiled.
“Looks like it,” she replied, posting as they went over the polls.
Two weeks later Beth and Dominick rode out to the cross country course. He was going to time her to see if her time with I.Q. was as good as she and Lion had done in their first Olympic Games.
“Give me a start. I’ll go when you tell me too. Make sure to be honest about my time, even if it’s slow,” she said. He grinned and nodded.
“Alright. On your mark, set, go!” he said. I.Q. took off at a fast canter, and Beth settled into a concentrated two point. They took the first jump and then the next, eating up the ground. He went over the water jump, splashing through the water and back on to land. Beth grinned, then signaled him to jump when they reached the next obstacle. They moved along at a steady and fast pace, clearing all of the seventeen jumps over the three mile course. When they reached the finish Dominick smiled up at her.
“That was better than Lion ever thought of getting. You beat your original time by four seconds. Unless someone has super sonic speed this summer, you’ll take this event by storm.” She grinned, patting I.Q.’s shoulder. He was sweaty from the hard work.
“Let’s get back. I want to cool him out and give him a nice rest. We have the next week off, so we can start sightseeing,” she said.
“Oh great, sightseeing,” he muttered sarcastically. She laughed and asked I.Q. to trot.
“Let’s go,” she ordered.
In May Colleen came home from school and Dominick could tell there was something wrong. He took her down to the barn and they found Beth in I.Q.’s stall grooming him.
“Hey honey, how was school?” she asked. Colleen shook her head and glanced at her father.
“It was ok,” she muttered. Beth looked at Dominick and motioned for him to leave.
“So how was it really?” Beth asked when he was gone.
“Chris and this other boy got into a fight, and Chris hurt his wrist. Then Stacy blamed it on me!” she wailed. Beth gave her a tight hug.
“Why did Stacy blame it on you?” she asked. Colleen sighed.
“Because Chris was sticking up for me.”
“Things will turn out alright honey. I’m sure that Stacy was just worried about Chris. What did he say to you?” Colleen smiled a little.
“He said that I was worth fighting for, especially since he was going to get out of gym class.” Beth laughed.
“Well if he’s not mad at you I wouldn’t worry about it. Did anything good happen today?”
“Not really. I passed my spelling test,” she muttered, brushing tears away.
“Well that’s good! Do you want to go for a ride?” Colleen’s face brightened.
“Really? But who would I ride?”
“You can ride Lion, he’ll be a good boy for you. Go ask Daddy to help you get him ready, then meet me out in the yard”
“Thanks Mommy!” the girl exclaimed. Beth smiled, getting her saddle from outside the stall.
“Come on I.Q. we’ll make her day,” she said. The horse bobbed his head and she smiled, starting to tighten the girth.
Beth watched Colleen carefully as she and Lion went over the water jump. The girl had learned to jump when she was five, and was already fairly good. Beth had decided to take her out to the cross country course for a treat.
“Good job Colleen!” she called as the girl kept Lion collected through the water. They moved back on to land and Colleen pulled up.
“Good boy Lion,” she said, patting his damp neck.
“That was excellent honey. You’re getting better at jumping by the day.” Colleen beamed.
“Thanks Mommy. Can we try another kind of jump?” Beth thought for a moment and then smiled.
“I can teach you how to do diamonds,” she murmured.
“Are those the ones that look like crooked squares?” Colleen asked.
“Yup. Follow us,” she said. Colleen followed her mother and soon they reached the big jump.
“Is it hard ?”
“I don’t think so, but I’ve been jumping a lot longer than you have. It’s probably a little bit easier than the water jump. Let’s just try it and see,” she explained.
“Where do I jump it?” the girl asked, looking carefully at the jump.
“Between those two diamonds right there,” Beth said, pointing to the two center diamonds. Colleen nodded, taking Lion back a good distance. They started to canter and began their approach. Beth didn’t think of it until the last minute. “Colleen, push him hard he doesn’t like…” her last words died as Lion skidded to a halt. Colleen gave a little scream as she parted with her saddle, then hit the jump. Beth jumped from her saddle and hurried to Colleen’s side. Colleen was lying on her side in front of the large jump, eyes closed. “Colleen? Honey answer me,” Beth said. She checked for a pulse and sighed with relief when she found one. Colleen’s chest was rising and falling slowly, and her helmet was sitting on her head crookedly. Beth took a deep breath and glanced at Lion. “Stay here Lion, be a good boy,” she whispered, leading him closer to Colleen. The horse stood by her, putting his nose on her little chest. Beth swung into I.Q.’s saddle and urged him into a gallop.
Mr. Jones was riding a bay gelding in the outdoor ring when Beth raced into the stable yard. Dominick was walking with Seneca and Abby toward the barn. Everyone stopped and stared at her.
“Beth, what’s the…” Beth cut Dominick off.
“Colleen fell off by the diamonds. She’s unconscious. I need someone to call the ambulance, and someone to come back with me,” she said quickly. Mr. Jones had ridden out of the ring.
“Let me get my first aid equipment and I’ll come with you,” he said, dismounting. He handed her the reins and jogged into the barn. Dominick had already rushed into the barn, carrying both Abby and Seneca. Mr. Jones returned moments later, carrying a large bag. He remounted and they took off. As they were riding Beth’s mind kept replaying Colleen’s fall. They reached the jump fairly quickly and both dismounted.
“Is she going to be ok?” Beth asked, kneeling on one side of the girl. He shrugged, taking out a roll of gauze.
“I don’t know. What the hell was she doing out here anyway?” he demanded. Beth took a deep breath.
“She had a bad day at school. I thought going over some jumps would make her feel better.
“You brought a six year old novice out to a professional cross country course?” he muttered.
“She’s seven, and she isn’t a novice. She’s been jumping for two years. I didn’t tell her that Lion needed a little more urging over diamonds. I can’t believe I forgot that,” she muttered, biting back tears. Mr. Jones sighed.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. Let’s not move her until the paramedics get here. I don’t want to risk injuring her further by jostling her around,” he said. She nodded, staring down at her unconscious daughter. She closed her eyes briefly, praying she would be ok.
Dominick had his arm around Beth, and her head was resting on his shoulder. It was past midnight and she was sound asleep. The doctors had had to operate on Colleen’s left elbow and collarbone. They still hadn’t reported anything.
“Mr. Giran?” a voice asked quietly. Dominick turned his head and sighed wearily when he saw the doctor.
“Yes?” The man sat down opposite him.
“You may want to wake your wife,” he instructed. Dominick took a deep breath and shook her shoulder gently.
“Hon, the doctor is here,” he whispered. She stirred, looking up at him sleepily.
“Is she alright?” she murmured.
“I’m not sure yet.” The doctor cleared his throat, glancing at both of them before beginning.
“Your daughter dislocated her left shoulder, fractured her left collarbone, and ruptured the ligaments and tendons in her left elbow. We operated on her collarbone and shoulder, and they look like they’ll heal up nicely. It’s her elbow we’re worried about,” he explained.
“Didn’t you operate on that too?” Dominick asked.
“Yes, but the ligaments and tendons are badly damaged. She might never regain full use of her arm,” he said. Beth felt a tear slip down her cheek.
“When can we see her?” she asked.
“You can look in on her now. Keep the visit short though, she needs her rest,” he said. They walked down the hall and went into Colleen’s room. The little girl was sleeping. There was a small smile on her face and she was breathing steadily.
“I thought we were going to lose her,” Beth murmured, brushing strands of dark hair from Colleen’s forehead.
“No way, she’s too much like her old dad here. What do you think about what the doctor said?”
“I hope he’s wrong. If she can’t ride, she’ll be devastated.”
“We’ll hope for the best. Colleen’s a strong kid.” Suddenly the little girl’s eyes fluttered open.
“Mommy?” she murmured. Beth smiled and took Colleen’s right hand.
“I’m here honey,” she said.
“Is Lion ok? He’s not hurt is he?” she asked. Beth shook her head and brushed a tear from her face.
“No he’s fine honey. He can’t wait until you get back to ride him.”
“Mom’s right. I was talking to Lion before we came over and he said that he already missed you,” Dominick said. Colleen started to giggle but stopped abruptly.
“Don’t make me laugh Daddy, it hurts,” she said seriously.
“Sorry sweetheart. Why don’t you try to get some rest? It’s been a rough day.”
“You’re telling me,” she muttered, her eyes drooping. Beth smiled and watched as she fell asleep.
“Should we stay or go?” Beth asked.
“I’ll stay. You have to work early tomorrow morning,” he said.
“No I don’t. Mr. Jones gave me the day off because they’re working on jumping with no stirrups again. He didn’t think I needed any more practice with it.”
“Do you want to stay?” he asked. She nodded.
“I want to be here in case she wakes up in the night. I’ll see if I can get a cot set up. Give Abby and Seneca a kiss for me and tell them I love them,” she said. He leaned down and gave her a kiss.
“I love you honey. See you in the morning.” She nodded, but held on to him.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. He tilted her chin upward.
“What for?” he demanded.
“I shouldn’t have taken her out there and let her jump. I’m sorry I took her out there and that she got hurt.”
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about Beth. Things like this happen. Colleen is a good rider… she just had an accident,” he murmured, kissing her forehead.
“Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said. He nodded and she watched as he walked down the hallway.
Colleen was allowed to come home almost a month and a half later, after two more surgeries to stabilize her elbow and shoulder. It was almost July. Dominick carried her up to her room and set her down on her bed, pulling a pillow beside her to rest her heavily casted arm on.
“How’s that kiddo?” he asked. She smiled.
“Great. Did my teacher send home my math test? I took it in the hospital the other day, and I think I passed it. Wouldn’t that be neat?” Dominick nodded, retrieving her books.
“She sent home this test, but a ninety-seven couldn’t belong to my daughter Colleen could it?” he kidded. Her eyes got wide and she smiled.
“Really? A ninety-seven? Oh my goodness! Where’s Mommy? I want her to see,” she said excitedly.
“I think she’s down working with the team. They did cross country today and have to watch the playback.”
“Oh. Where’re Abby and Seneca?” she asked.
“Abby’s napping, and Seneca is outside playing.” Colleen sighed.
“Can I go sit on the porch? I’m going to get really bored up here,” she muttered, glancing out the window. Dominick grinned, motioning for her visitors to come in.
“No you’re not!” a voice exclaimed. Colleen turned, squealing with delight when she saw her friends Chris and Stacy. Her mother appeared with Abby and Seneca too. Seneca raced toward his sister, jumping onto the bed. Dominick reached for him, but Colleen was already hugging him tightly with one arm.
“Hey Sen, how’s it going?” she asked, rumpling his curly hair. He giggled.
“I missed you Leen,” he said seriously.
“I missed you too Sen. You can sit up here, but be careful of my booboo,” she said, pointing to her cast. He nodded. Beth put Abby down on the end of the bed and the little girl crawled up to give Colleen a kiss.
“I think she missed you too,” Beth said. Colleen grinned and looked at her friends.
“How’s school? What’s going on there? What have you guys been doing?” she rambled. Chris and Stacy smiled at one another, and then began talking. Dominick and Beth glanced at one another and then left quietly, knowing Colleen and her friends had a lot of catching up to do.
At the doctor’s office colleen and her parents sat quietly. The doctor had taken some X-rays of her left elbow and shoulder. They were waiting for the results.
“Mommy, when will we be done?” she asked. Beth shrugged.
“I’m not sure honey,” she replied. Colleen sighed.
“I don’t want to wear this cast anymore, it’s heavy,” she complained. Beth ran her hand over Colleen’s long hair.
“I know it’s hard sweetheart, but the cast is helping your elbow get better,” Beth explained. Colleen nodded, looking up with a hopeful smile when the doctor walked in.
“Well Miss Giran, your elbow is looking much better,” the man said. Colleen smiled wider.
“Can we take the cast off? I can’t wait to ride again, it’s been so boring without…” The man cut her off.
“Wait just a second Colleen, you didn’t let me finish,” he said. Her smiled faded.
“So the cast can’t come off? That stinks. I’ll never be able to ride a…” He cut her off.
“Wait! Let me finish,” he said. She looked at him expectantly. “Your cast can come off today, but you still can’t ride for awhile. You need to do some physical therapy, and even after that I don’t know if you’ll be able to ride.”
“What do you mean?” she demanded. The doctor sighed, glancing at Beth and Dominick.
“We don’t know if your arm will ever be strong enough to do some of the things you used to do. Your elbow was hurt very badly Colleen.”
“So I might not be able to ride again?” she asked. He nodded, watching as her eyes filled with tears.
“I’m not saying anything for sure Colleen… you might end up at the Olympics just like your Mom someday. I’m just telling you how things look now,” he said. She nodded slowly.
“Can we get this cast off now?” she muttered. The doctor nodded and buzzed for a nurse to come in. They watched as Colleen left with the nurse, still biting her bottom lip to keep from crying.
“I’m sorry I had to tell her that, but it’s the truth. Riding is very likely going to be an impossibility,” the doctor said.
“It’s alright. Come on Dom, let’s go sit with her while she gets rid of the cast,” she said. The doctor watched as they left, knowing that the odds of Colleen Giran ever riding again were very poor.
Colleen helped her mother groom I.Q. It was the first day of the Olympics, and everyone was buzzing with excitement.
“He’s looking good honey, wouldn’t you say?” Beth asked.
“Yup. Do you want me to towel his legs?” she asked.
“Yeah. Then see if you can wrap them for me. If you have trouble let me know.” Colleen nodded, glancing at her arm. She had a brace on it now. She ran a towel over I.Q.’s legs and then grabbed four white leg wraps from the grooming kit. She began rolling carefully, making sure to wrap evenly. When she finished the first leg, she moved on to the second, then third, and finally the fourth.
“All done,” she said, smiling happily. Beth glanced down at the perfectly wrapped legs.
“You did a great job Colleen. Do you think you could do a big job for me the next three days?”
“What?”
“Would you be my groom? You do such a good job with him.”
“How would I reach his back and head? I’m too short to get all the way up there.”
“I’ll get you a step ladder. Would you like to do it?” Colleen grinned and nodded. “That means you’ll have to be right by the fence whenever I ride,” Beth said seriously.
“That would be so cool!” Colleen exclaimed. Beth nodded and began to saddle I.Q.
“I thought it was a pretty good idea. I’ll get you an ID card this morning so you’ll be able to stand at the fence.” Colleen smiled, glad she could do something beside sit in the stands.
Beth swung into the saddle and rode into the dressage ring. She could see Colleen standing at the gate holding a light sheet. With a smile, Beth focused on the task at hand. She trotted to center, halted, and saluted the judges. The test was difficult, but Beth and I.Q. moved through it with very few problems. When she finished she rode out of the ring, smiling at the applause. Colleen was waiting, and took the reins as her mother put a sheet over his back.
“Take him right up to the barn and walk him in the yard to cool him. I’ll be up really soon,” Beth said. Colleen nodded.
“OK. I’ll take really good care of him,” she assured her, leading him away. Beth smiled and walked over to her team.
“How was my score?” she asked.
“Great… highest score so far,” Mr. Jones said.
“If all of us can do so well, we’ll be way ahead,” Beth said excitedly. They all nodded and gave her quick hugs.
“You better get up to the barn and help Colleen with I.Q. You wouldn’t want the horse or your daughter to get hurt,” Mr. Jones said.
“Colleen knows what she’s doing. She’s been helping me since she was three. I’ll see you later; I’m going to go find my husband. If anyone else needs help, ask Colleen. She’ll be glad to help,” she said, glaring at Mr. Jones before she walked away.
That night Beth carried Colleen up to bed. She laid her down and pulled the covers around her, leaning down and kissing her forehead.
“Night night honey,” she whispered before walking out and pulling the door halfway shut behind her. She went into her room and found Dominick sitting on the bed.
“Hey beautiful,” he said. She sat on his knee.
“I’m so tired,” she said. He pushed her head onto his shoulder, then stroked her curly hair.
“I know. You had a busy day… you got the U.S. a very good starting position,” he murmured, kissing her temple.
“I guess so. Tomorrow’s going to be rough. It’s cross country day, and that’s a lot harder on me and I.Q.”
“No backing out now. Colleen’s having too much fun being your groom,” he kidded. She didn’t answer; she was sound asleep. Dominick picked her up and then set her down gently in bed. He pulled the blankets up and kissed her cheek. “Good night Beth.”
Colleen wasn’t in bed when Beth went to wake her the next morning, so she called for Dominick.
“I don’t know where she would’ve gone Dom. I didn’t think she’d get up before four thirty,” Beth said, her voice slightly worried. He put his arm around her shoulders.
“She’s around someplace, don’t worry. Maybe she went to get something to eat in the kitchen, or maybe she just went down to the barn to help out. She’s been doing that a lot lately.”
“She usually waits for me. I’ll go down and check the barn, you check around up here,” she said. He nodded, starting for the stairs. Beth pulled on her paddock boots, then jogged down to the barn.
Colleen was standing on a small ladder in I.Q.’s stall. She was running a curry in circles, and the horse was dozing. The girl glanced up when Beth arrived, smiling at her.
“Hi Mommy! I got up extra early so I could have him ready,” she said, banging the brush against her leg to get the dust out.
“Honey you should’ve told me or Daddy that you were leaving. We were worried,” Beth said, swallowing hard.
“I’m sorry. I knew you were pretty tired, so I thought you should sleep. How does he look?”
“Great, but where did you get the ladder?” Colleen smiled and patted I.Q. on the neck.
“Mr. Jones found it for me when I came down earlier. He said that every groom needs a ladder, especially if they’re as short as me. I thought he was being pretty nice, don’t you?”
“Absolutely. I’m going to go tell Daddy that I found you. Could you get my saddle and bridle for me while I’m gone? Just put them by the stall.”
“OK.” Beth turned and jogged toward the lodge, her heart still pounding.
Colleen held I.Q. as her mother swung into the saddle. She smiled up at her, squinting through the sun.
“Do a good job Mommy, you too I.Q. I heard a bunch of people talking from the team with the green jackets; they said that number five was a doozy. What does doozy mean Mommy?” Beth smiled.
“It means that it’s a hard jump. Thanks for telling me that honey. Stay right by the fence over there, and be ready to cool him out. He’ll be hot today.” Colleen nodded, watching as her mother rode off. I.Q. pranced excitedly, and when the bell went off so did he. They moved at a fast but collected canter. The first jump was a large log pile, and he went over it with ease. The next was a simple hogs back, and they went over it perfectly. After two more jumps Beth looked ahead. She could see a simple drop, but knew there was something more to it; it was the fifth jump. She slowed I.Q. slightly and smiled when she saw what the problem was. The jump dropped more sharply than anyone had anticipated, and at the bottom there was a large jump. She prepared I.Q. and they went down the embankment. At the bottom she already had him ready to jump. They went over the combination, and she could hear people on the sidelines cheering. She grinned, moving on, Beth already knowing they would do well.
After two days of exceptional riding, Beth was getting worried. Everything had been going perfectly, especially I.Q. She was waiting for him to object to something, but he kept surprising her.
“Are you two ready to win for us?” Christopher Jones asked, looking up at her. His hand was on her knee. She smiled and shrugged.
“I don’t know how I.Q. will react to all the crowds so close to the course. I can’t promise you anything, but I’ll do my best.”
“You’re a great addition to this team Beth. You’re riding seventh, with only three more riders following you. Figure out what we need to win and go for it.” Beth smiled.
“Don’t worry Mr. Jones. Let me watch the competition so I can work on my strategy,” she murmured. He nodded, walking off to lecture someone else. Beth watched the people before her carefully. She and two others from the United States were riding, along with members from all the other teams. Her teammates went, and she watched what they struggled with.
“The triple combo and the switchback are nuts. How do they expect anyone to pull them off?” one man asked.
“What makes them so complicated?” she asked.
“They’re real tight, and I don’t think it’s possible to go around the long way and still make up the time with the combination and the last four jumps.” She nodded.
“Thanks. What’s the fastest time?”
“Forty-two point three,” he said. She took a deep breath.
“Wish me luck,” she called over her shoulder as she asked I.Q. to walk on.
“You’re going to need it,” he returned. A hush fell over the audience when she trotted into the ring. She went to the far corner and asked for a canter. They moved forward, Beth’s seat confident and strong. The first jump was a large fan jump and they went over it clear. The water jump was huge, but I.Q. moved over it with inches to spare. On the third jump the horse was supposed to go over a bridge and then jump a huge vertical plank jump. I.Q. hesitated at the bridge but plunged boldly forward. They moved on to the wall, soaring over it. Beth then had to make a fast decision: go the long way or take the tight turn to the switchback.
“We’re going around big guy,” she whispered. The audience gasped, watching as she urged him into a near gallop. They tore along the course, making up the time they lost. Beth sat deeply in the saddle, pulling back to collect I.Q. by the combination. “Come I.Q.,” she whispered, taking back more with her reins and going into her half-seat. He suddenly dropped down a notch and took the jump with no signal at all from her. She collected him between jumps, letting him take only one stride between the jumps. They cleared the combination, receiving loud applause. She sped him up again, racing toward the chicken coop. I.Q. barely flinched at the oddly decorated jump. They cleared that, and the next three jumps. When they landed after the last jump she closed her eyes as they raced forward to the finish. The audience erupted in applause and she glanced up at the clock. She had gotten the time they needed. She held up her hand in victory and then patted I.Q. soundly on the neck. “Good boy!” she exclaimed, trotting out of the ring. Everyone was clapping, even those from the other teams. Christopher Jones was waiting, and hugged her when she dismounted. The entire team surrounded them, cheering and yelling their excitement. I.Q. tossed his head and Beth smiled.
“How the hell did you do that?” everyone seemed to be saying. She shrugged, glancing at I.Q.
“I don’t know. I… I really have no idea. I need to get him up to the barn, we pushed ourselves hard out there,” she said. Everyone parted the way, watching as she handed her reins to Colleen.
“Mommy that was a great round! Did you win?”" she asked.
“I think I did Colleen. Let’s get him cooled out, he looks pretty tired,” she said.
“So do you Miss Fute,” a familiar voice said. Beth whirled, her eyes widening when she saw the original Mr. Jones.
“Mr. Jones!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around the old man’s neck. He smiled, hugging her tightly.
“Well Miss Fute you’ve improved greatly in the years since our Olympics together. What’s it been fifteen years? And you managed to improve without my assistance,” he said. Beth pulled away and grinned.
“Something like that. I thought age would wear you down. I guess you’re still as egotistical as always,” she said.
“And you’re still as obstinate. Let’s get this wonder horse back up to the barn. Was it just my imagination or did he take the first jump in that combination without any urging?” he asked. Beth laughed, following her daughter and horse to the barn.
Dominick brought Abby and Seneca to the barn when he was able to get through the crowds. Mr. Jones was still there.
“So, who’s this horsewoman?” he asked, motioning to Colleen. Beth smiled, watching as she groomed with her good arm.
“This is my daughter Colleen. Honey, this is Mr. Jones,” she said. Colleen glanced up.
“Is he the one that’s in the picture with you and Lion?” the girl asked.
“Yup.” Colleen smiled, running a stiff brush over I.Q.
“Nice to meet you Mr. Jones. My Mom always tells us what a good coach you were. She said you taught her lots of stuff,” Colleen said. Mr. Jones raised an eyebrow at Beth.
“Really? Miss Fute, I could’ve sworn you thought I didn’t know how to teach,” he murmured.
“I don’t know where she gets these things. Kids say the darndest things,” she kidded.
“Hey, Mr. Jones!” Dominick exclaimed, carrying both Seneca and Abby. Mr. Jones turned, smiling at Dominick.
“Hello there Dominick. So she tied you down finally?” he asked. Dominick grinned and kissed Beth’s cheek.
“Something like that,” he agreed.
“Are we almost done Colleen?” Beth asked. Colleen nodded, putting a sheet on I.Q.’s back.
“We’re done. Let’s go get something to eat. I’m starving,” she said.
“Do you want to come up with us? You’re probably hungry too,” Beth said to Mr. Jones.
“Sure. My son asked me to stop up whether you won or not. Let’s go. Miss Giran, may I escort you?” he asked Colleen. She blushed, glancing at her parents for permission. They both nodded.
“Yup,” she said. He took her hand and they walked ahead of Beth and Dominick. He glanced at her arm.
“So Miss Giran, what happened to your arm?” he asked. Her face fell.
“I got hurt riding,” she explained. He nodded slowly, looking away for a moment.
“Is it getting any better?” he questioned.
“The doctor said that I might not be able to ride again. He said that my elbow is hurt pretty bad. My shoulder feels lots better though,” she explained.
“Well, I have faith that your arm will get better. I know your mom’s doctor said she might not be able to ride again, but she’s been to the Olympics twice,” he said.
“This is different. Mommy got rid of what hurt her, and I still have my arm.”
“You’re a lot like your mother Miss Giran. Don’t worry about your arm, you’ll ride again someday,” he assured her.
“Thanks Mr. Jones,” she said quietly. He nodded, and they walked on silently.
Colleen, Stacy, and Chris all sat by the water jump on the cross country course. They had already exchanged addresses, and were now sitting quietly.
“I’m going to miss you guys,” Colleen said, dunking her feet in the water. Both her friends nodded.
“We’re going to miss you too Colleen. We can write to each other,” Stacy said, glancing at her watch. “I’ve gotta’ go, my Mom’ll be here soon.”
“Can you find your way back?” Colleen asked. Stacy nodded, already standing.
“Yup. Bye Colleen, have fun in New York,” she cried, starting to run. Colleen glanced at Chris.
“Is she ok?” she questioned. Chris shrugged, looking toward Stacy’s disappearing figure.
“Yeah, she’s just upset. She’ll miss you. We all will,” he muttered, watching the water.
“I’m going to miss you guys so much. I don’t want to go back to New York,” she said, biting back tears. Chris tried to smile.
“We’ll see each other again,” he promised.
“I know. Could you tell me something without trying to make me happy when you do?” she asked.
“Sure.”
“Do you think I’ll ever be able to ride again? I mean, my Mom and Dad keep telling me that I will, but they’re just trying to make me feel better. What do you think?” Chris sighed, thinking for a minute.
“I think you’re going to be the best rider ever. You’ll go to the Olympics twenty times when you’re older.” She smiled.
“You’re the only one I really believe. We should probably head back. It’s almost two, and the vans are leaving at 2:45.” They put their shoes back on and walked back toward the farm. As they walked Chris reached over and took her hand as they walked in silence.
On the plane Beth showed Colleen the gold medal. Colleen smiled, and then went toward the back of the plane.
“Mommy where’s my backpack?” she called. Beth glanced over her shoulder and pointed under one of the seats. “Thanks Mom.” She opened the bag and found an envelop on top of her toys. “Mommy could you come here?” Beth glanced at Dominick and then went back to where Colleen was.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. Colleen handed her the envelop, looking curious.
“That says my name on it,” she said. Beth recognized Mr. Jones’s handwriting almost immediately. The front of the envelop said ‘To Miss Giran.’
“You’re right. Let’s open it.” They opened it and read together.
“Go for the Gold Miss Giran,” Colleen murmured, looking at her mother. “Does that mean he thinks I can go to the Olympics too?”
“That means he thinks you could do anything you want to do,” Beth replied, brushing a tear from the corner of her eyes. Colleen nodded, putting the note back in her bag. The smile on her face made Beth want to go back and hug Mr. Jones one last time.
