A Home For MacKenzie

Chapter 10

By the following Saturday they still hadn’t heard anything about the adoption.  The lawyer was doing his best to get the paperwork through faster, but things like this took time.  One good thing though was that the Timmons’ were already approved to be foster parents, so they wouldn’t have to go through as much paperwork.  And Mackenzie’s parents were deceased, so there was nothing holding her back from being adopted.

            Mackenzie stood out in the yard with Bailey tied to a fence rail.  She had been grooming the filly for the past half hour, wanting the blue roan to be perfect for her first show.  That and it kept her occupied, so that she didn’t feel as nervous about everything.  Although she still had butterflies in her stomach.

            The teen and horse quickly looked over when they heard a vehicle.  Caleb’s white Toyota soon came into view pulling a horse trailer behind it.  He stopped by the pasture and slid out.  Fern waved from the truck.  Mackenzie quickly returned the wave as Caleb walked toward her.

            “All set?” he asked.

            “I think so.  I just have to get her tack.”

            “Why don’t I get Bailey loaded while you get her saddle?” he suggested.

            “I’ll be right back then,” Mackenzie said, turning to hurry down to the barn.

            Mackenzie slipped into the tack room and grabbed up the saddle and bridle that Cassidy had been letting her use.  She loved the feel of the old barrel saddle.  Cassidy said it was her first racing saddle and that made Mackenzie feel special.  She smiled to herself and hurried out of the barn.  Maybe one day she could talk Cassidy into showing her how to barrel race.

            By the time she got back up to the truck Caleb already had Bailey loaded.  Mackenzie peeked in on her horse and grinned.  Bailey and Ranger were nuzzling each other.  It appeared that the horses weren’t going to have trouble getting along.  She left them and moved around to the side of the trailer where the door was open.

            Caleb poked his head out of the trailer.  “Got everything?” he asked as he took the saddle from her.

            “I hope so.”

            “Hey, no worries.  I’m sure if you forget anything we have it in this trailer,” he assured her as he lifted the saddle up and secured it to the rack above his big roping saddle.

            Mackenzie glanced around the bumper pull trailer.  The trailer wasn’t brand new, but it was well taken care of.  The white paint was spotless and it looked like the inside had just been cleaned as well.  The bridles hung neatly on the wall and two plastic bins set on the floor, holding other little odds and ends that might be needed.

            Caleb rechecked everything before stepping out of the trailer.  Mackenzie quickly stepped to the side to let him out.  He flashed her a smile that made her heart melt, but she wasn’t about to let him know that.  Not with Dana’s warning still fresh in her mind.  But oh how she could get lost in his hazel eyes.  He walked by her and squeezed her shoulder, causing her heart to skip a beat.

            She watched numbly as he walked to the driver’s side, probably having no idea what he did to her.  Mackenzie shook her head and hurried about Caleb.  She slid into the middle once again and gave her friend a smile.  Fern returned the smile, but she looked a bit pale that morning.

            “Fern?” she asked softly.

            The younger teen shook her head.  “I’m fine,” she promised.  “Just had a bit of a bad night last night.”