Changing Ways

Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT

I stop shortly...did I really hear Dad right? Did her really just say that Kita was in the feed room? If so, my luck has been taking a turn for the worst lately. "First the saddle, now this!" I mutter angrily and violently shove my feet into my boots.

"Robin!" He yells again.

How could this have happened? The gate to the yearling paddock was shut securely closed. I even double checked it! "Im coming!" I yell back as I step into view.

"Go get her halter," Dad orders, and tries to push her out of the feed room. She has a comical expression set upon her face, and I can't help but smile just a tiny bit in amusement. "Hurry! Don't dawdle."

"I'm not!" I retort under my breath and grab the halter from the yearling barn. ""There!" I say as I triumphantly as I slip it over Kita's head.

"You, Robin Leanne Taylor, have quite a bit of explaining to do!" Dad thunders. Shoot. Full name= Not Good.

"Look-It wasn't my fault. The gate was closed securely. I swear. I have no idea how she got-"

"No excuses!" Dad's face turns red. "When you put a horse in danger, one worth fifteen thousand dollars, I want nothing but the truth. She had eaten half of a bag of complete in less than ten minutes! I don't know how, but she did. At that rate, she could have eaten it all...Robin....she could have died."

Tears spring to my eyes, and I desperately try to blink them away. "I'm sorry-I closed it."

"Bull."

"I did! I swear! I know the dangers Dad. If you seriously believe that I would be so careless as to just leave a gate open, then you clearly don't know me," I choke out. Turning on my heel, I give the lead rope a sharp yank. Kita spooks and rears. She soon gets ahold of herself and trots after me. When I put her back in her field, I burst out crying. "It wasn't me. I would never do that, Kita. Never! I'm not stupid! I know how to close a gate."

I hear Dad walk up behind me. "Robin-" he starts gently, his voice now soft and kind.

"What?" I snap.

"I'm sorry I got mad. I believe you-look at the latch on the gate." He apologizes. Confused, I turn around and get a good look at the gate...the latch isn't there.

"What?" I frown. My gaze shifts downwards and I notice a small silver something glinting in the sun. The lock. My eyes lock onto the gate and see a large patch of untainted wood. "Why isn't the lock on the gate?"

"One of the yearlings must of ripped it off." He smirks.

"Told you I would never do that on purpose!" I say smartly. Can you say something smartly?

"Yeah, yeah. You were right and I was wrong." Dad admits. I'm proud that he's able to admit his faults and fess up to his wrongs.

"Like usual." I tease.

"You wish!"

"Ok, enough of this," I smile. "Stay here and keep the yearlings in while I go get their halters. Until we fix the latch, the yearlings should stay inside."

"I agree. Hurry up!" He calls over his shoulder as I run up the path to the stable. Twitching my fingers, I stumble over to the halters and snatch them up then run back down.

"Here, you take half." I toss him half of the halters, keeping the rest for myself.

"Thank you." Dad stretches out one heavily muscled arm and catches it.