North Shore by Jennifer Camiccia

Author:Jennifer Camiccia [Camiccia, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2021-11-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Home Again

Mom and Dad were quiet as they helped load Sunshine into the trailer. Maria was nowhere to be seen. Lisa was the one who handed Mom the paperwork. “Here is the waiver Mr. Griffin, the owner, signed. You can tell him we’ll cancel the insurance.”

“The owner?” Heidi asked, her face a mask of confusion. “I thought Sunshine was yours.”

I tried to explain. “I meant to tell you—”

Kristina sniffed and rolled her eyes. “Figures.”

“We need to hit the road, hon,” Mom said, putting her arm around my shoulders and leading me to the car.

I waved. My new friends stood in a straggly line and watched me go. My heart hurt as we drove down the long driveway and turned onto the road leading home.

“We’re here if you want to talk about it,” Dad said, meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror.

Mom turned and held out her hand. “Maria said you refused to listen to her. That’s just not like you, Starley.”

I could always talk to my parents. My voice never froze with them. But this time was different. This time I wasn’t sure if they would take my side.

I looked out the window and kept quiet. Mom turned back around with a sigh. “We can wait until we get home to talk about this.”

My mind raced. I had been so sure that Maria could teach me to be the best. If I still enter the rodeo, am I good enough to win?

The trees and ocean we drove by were the same. Our driveway and house looked the same, too. But the drive home felt longer than I remembered. Tutu greeted me with open arms. She didn’t ask what had happened. “I’ll go with you to take Sunshine back to the old coot.”

We led Sunshine back through the pasture. Tutu didn’t say anything even when Mr. Griffin greeted us at the barn.

“I thought you had her until next week,” he boomed, his mustache twitching as he spoke. “Get tired of her, did you?”

“No! I could never get tired of her,” I said.

“Then what’s the story, girly?” He smiled and waited with his arms folded across his chest.

I waited for my words to freeze like they always did. But when I opened my mouth, it all poured out. I could tell Tutu was as surprised as I was.

Mr. Griffin tugged at his mustache while he listened. When I was done, he didn’t say anything at first. He looked past me and toward the barn. “Come back tomorrow, young lady. I have an idea.”

“What time?” Tutu asked, as if she’d expected this.

“Early morning,” he answered, with a wave of his hand.

“We will be here.” Tutu grabbed my hand, and we headed away from the barn and down the driveway.

“Do you think he’s going to tell me I can’t sponsor Sunshine anymore?” I swallowed hard and blinked the tears away.

“I do not,” she said with a quick shake of her head. “He would never find anyone who cares as much as you do, and he knows it.

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