“We love Rei,” I added. The thought of Rei helping to make Amir’s stay in my room permanent made me contrite. After only one night together, I could not imagine ever again being able to fall asleep without Amir nearby. “Sometimes she visits Little Earth and reads stories to us. She was a teacher in Japan.”
“Many years ago,” Rei said. When she was pleased, her black eyes gleamed like wet rocks in the sun. I’d forgotten that seeing this was nearly as fun as seeing her rub her hands together with worry.She’s going to start a fire doing that someday,I had murmured to my father once, making him duck his head and smile.
“Thank you for the bed,” said Amir quietly.
Rei nodded. “You’re welcome. Do you like lemon bread? I just put a loaf in the house. Make sure you kids have a piece before Bear gets a whiff of it.”
I hoped Bear hadn’t seen Rei’s car pull up. “Follow me, Amir,” I shouted. “We can ride to the house.” I tapped my heels against Guthrie’s belly, waking the pony from his doze.
“To the house?” Rei cried. “The boy’s never ridden before! Jacob, talk some sense into her.”
“It’s not far, Rei. They’ll be fine. Just walk, Merrow. Don’t make Amir eat your dust.”
I gave a frustrated groan but walked Guthrie toward the paddock gate. Old Mister and Amir followed behind us.
We had not made it far when Rei said in a clear voice, “Saying ‘no’ to that child every once in a while would do her some good, Jacob.”
If my father replied, I didn’t hear it.
IWISHEDIcould press Guthrie into a gallop, but lemon bread or no lemon bread, I was Amir’s guardian now. Without my encouragement, Guthrie was in no hurry;hishome and hay lay behind him. Old Mister plodded along with his chin practically resting on Guthrie’s haunches. Guthrie swished his tail in a show of annoyance, but I knew that in truth nothing made the pony happier than feeling the weight of his friend’s adoration.
“Is Rei your mother?” Amir asked. “The one who painted the barn?”
I looked back at him, surprised. “No. My mother died when I was little.”
“Oh.” His expression shifted, and I guessed he was thinking of his own mother.
“I can tell Old Mister likes you,” I said. “Maybe my dad will give him to you. He hardly ever rides with me. My dad still likes riding, but his ass doesn’t anymore.”
I was learning that when Amir laughed, a burst of delight as sweet as any of Rei’s pies spread through me.
We left the horses grazing on a patch of weeds along the dirt driveway. True to Rei’s word, a loaf of bread drizzled with icing awaited us on the kitchen counter. Within moments we were eating hunks of it from our hands.
“Mmm,” I said. “Thank goodness for Rei.”
There were heavy footfalls outside and then Bear’s voice, muttering, “If those horses run away because no one bothered to tie them up, I’m not going to be the one...”
I grabbed Amir’s arm, but it was too late—Bear was already inside. His muttering ended abruptly, and his eyes narrowed as they fell on my hand encircling Amir’s arm. He walked toward us. I pressed my eyes shut and waited for the blow, but it was Amir who crumpled beside me with a grunt, falling first against the kitchen table and then to the floor.
“Bear! No!” I cried, but he didn’t bother to respond. He scooped up what remained of the loaf of bread and ambled out of the cottage.
Amir stood, cradling his elbow.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
He managed to shrug and wince at the same time. “Is he always like that?”
“Only when my dad isn’t around. He hates me.”
Amir didn’t seem surprised by my statement. I peeked at his elbow and sucked in my breath when I saw the cut.
“Hang on. I’ll get you a Band-Aid.”
My father kept a first aid kit in his bureau. When I shut the drawer, I heard muffled voices. Rei and my father must have stood just outside the house. I pressed my ear to the wall and listened.
“Was she sick for a long time?” Rei asked.
“That’s what her father said when he got hold of me. I haven’t spoken to Allison in ages. Not since Marigold died.”
