Friendship Unwrapped

Pauline left the empty, old barn with a heavy heart. She had lost her best friend, and her passion. Well, she felt like that passion was actually stolen from her. She walked back to the two-story farmhouse where she lived. It had been completely remodeled before Pauline’s family moved in, sharply contrasting the old dairy barn. Pauline’s bedroom was on the second floor. She trudged up the wooden stairs. As she opened her bedroom door, she looked at the taunting wrapped box lying on her bed where she had left it before her trip to the barn. It was her Birthday gift from Marigold. Her parents had grabbed it for her to open at home when she and Emma were swept off to the hospital, before knowing that Marigold was the cause of their frightful experience. She didn’t really want to open it now, but she was curious. She picked it up: just large enough to fit in her hand, and not heavy.

Marigold remained at home, homeschooling now and attending therapy sessions bi-weekly trying to get her confused mind back in order. Pauline and Emma grew closer, defying Marigold’s muddled intention in the first place.

She set the suspicious brown paper wrapped package back down on the bed, deciding to call her friend Emma first. Pauline wanted to know how she was feeling after yesterday’s near-death episode.

“Pauly! So good to hear from you today! How are you?!” Emma exclaimed as usual in her very spirited, happy voice. Pauline was glad to hear it. “I’m okay Emma. How are you?”

They chatted for a few minutes, discussing their short stays in the hospital.

After they hung up, Pauline picked up the box again, staring at it and feeling the weight of it. She decided she needed to open it. Carefully, she pulled the taped edges apart, revealing what appeared to be a jewelry box. Pauline removed the lid and pulled out the necklace. It held one of those friendship charms that is a heart broken in two and etched with “Best Friends,” where each friend is to wear their half of the matching charm. Sure Marigold was wearing her own half, Pauline tossed the necklace across the room with revulsion. “Come on Pony – it’s only a necklace. Get a grip!” she said to herself, picking up the necklace from the floor. She placed it back in the box, replaced the cover and put in a drawer of her desk. Then she heard her Mom call her downstairs.

Pauline traipsed down the stairs, entering the living room to see both her parents standing there, her Dad holding another suspicious looking package wrapped in brown paper. This one was much larger, though.

“This is your Birthday present from us. We didn’t have a chance to give it to you on your Birthday, but here it is now.”

Pauline took the box and politely removed the paper. She opened the lid, and pulled out what was inside. Grinning, she held up the purple halter and leadrope. She also found a picture. “For real?” she gasped in amazement.

Her Dad replied, grinning at her stunned and delighted response: “Yep, for real. He is being delivered on Wednesday, so let’s get that barn and a stall ready for your new horse! And we’ll need to go shopping for a few things to prepare.”

“Okay! Yes! What’s his name? How old is he? What breed is he? Is he trained? When? Where? Thank you! Thank you! I have to call Mar…” she caught herself. “Em. I have to call Em!”

Pauline called Emma, overflowing with excitement. “Em, guess what! I got a horse! I got a horse!”

“Really? I’m so happy for you!” Emma exclaimed, and she genuinely was. Pauline found out Emma had been taking riding lessons herself, at the posh stable just outside of town, for over two years! “Em, maybe you’d like to come for a sleepover this weekend and meet my new horse?”

“I would love that!”

Pauline’s horse arrived on Wednesday evening as planned. She loved him instantly! He was the most beautiful and smartest horse in the world! His name was Simon, a shiny black gelding of a wonderful nature and non-descript background, but probably part arabian? She loved the idea that he might be. She could see it in his flagged tail, wide eyes and intelligence.

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Emma rode the bus home with Pauline on Friday. This was the first time Emma had been to Pauline’s house: Pauline had always visited Emma’s house prior.

The first thing they did, after dropping their bags in the house and grabbing carrots, was run down to the barn area to see Simon. He was in his paddock grazing, but trotted up to the gate as soon as he heard Pauline. He snorted and shook his long, black mane. They offered carrots over the gate.

“He’s beautiful!” exclaimed Emma.

“Yes, he is, isn’t he?!” Pauline replied. “Tomorrow we can ride him!” Pauline led him to his stall for the night, giving Simon his hay. Emma never entered the barn. She walked over to enjoy the flower garden instead.

The girls went back to the house, chattering about school and friends. Emma was polite, though seemed unimpressed with dinner. Pauline popped in a horse movie, but Emma seemed bored, so they abandoned it about halfway through and went to Pauline’s room.

“You don’t have your own TV?” Emma asked. “Where do I sleep? Where is your extra bed?” Emma asked these questions quite matter-of-factly.

So Pauline gave Emma her bed and slept on the floor in her sleeping bag. She didn’t mind.

“Pauly, what do you think of Mason?”

“I don’t know. He’s cute. He’s okay, I guess.” She was thinking of Simon, and how to impress Emma with their ride tomorrow. She had only ridden him once so far.

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They woke up the next morning, downed a quick breakfast of toast and juice, and headed outside to see Simon. He nickered from his stall at their entrance, ready for his breakfast. Pauline placed a flake of hay in his manger before taking him out to ride. The girls let him eat while they poked around the barn and chatted.

When Simon had finished his hay, Pauline led him from the stall. She groomed his glistening black coat, put on his bridle, and took him outside. She hopped up bareback, easily finding her seat on the mild-mannered steed. They trotted and loped circles around the yard, Simon flagging his long tail in pride, Pauline smiling widely as they pulled up by Emma. She offered to let Emma take a turn riding Simon.

“I’d love to! Let’s get his saddle.”

“Well, we don’t have a saddle just yet. Next week, hopefully, but I just ride bareback for now.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll have to wait ‘till you get the saddle.”

Pauline shrugged. “All right. I’m going to ride a bit more then.” She trotted off on Simon again for a few more loops around the yard before dismounting and turning Simon out to his paddock for the day with a pat and an apple. The girls went back to the house to spend a few more hours together doing girl-stuff. They did hair and make-up and talked about boys and gossiped about girls before Emma’s Mom came by to pick her up. Then Pauline was alone with her thoughts again. She wandered back down to where Simon was grazing in the paddock, just to be near him. The closeness of her horse made her feel better. Less lonely, somehow.

Emma was a good friend, but never like Marigold. She missed that friendship. She missed that shared passion. She missed that childhood magic.

See Part 1 here.

See Part 2 here.

See Part 4 here.

Thanks for reading!