Page 130 of Spindrift

Theyloaded Olive without incident. She boarded willingly and with her usualtranquil curiosity, coaxed along by a few treats. Shannon hopped into the passengerseat when they’d finished shutting Olive in.

“Comingalong for the ride?” Morgan asked.

“I’vegotten attached to her.”

Morganwas willing to bet that was only half of what was driving her mother. The otherhalf, she suspected, would become clear soon enough.

“Ohno,” said Angie when they were almost home.

“What?”Morgan asked, afraid something had fallen off the trailer.

Angie,however, was staring at her phone. “It’s Lil.”

“Isshe okay?” Or had she found out about Ivy?

“Brianjust dumped her.”

“No.”Stevie and Morgan broke into simultaneous outrage. While this wasn’t exactly asurprise, Morgan had been harboring a secret hope that Lillian would breakthings off before Brian could hurt her further. She hadn’t believed Briancapable of decisive action.

“PoorLil,” said Angie.

“Althoughnow you won’t be alone,” Stevie said to Morgan. “You two can be grumpytogether.”

“Whyare you grumpy?” asked Shannon.

Stevieat least had the courtesy to look sheepish as she realized what she’d done.

“I’mnot grumpy, Ma.”

Shannonturned around in her seat and directed the same question at Stevie.

Steviequailed. “Um . . .”

“Morganbroke it off with Emilia,” said Angie.

Morganthrew her hands in the air.

“Handson the wheel,” Shannon said, but she didn’t press.

Fuckinggreat.Morgan feltlike she had a very good idea about how the ride back to her mother’s house wasgoing to go.

“TellLil I got her a pony,” said Stevie.

“Yes,I’m sure that’s exactly what she wants,” said Angie, but she began typinganyway. “I wonder if Brian was sleeping with someone else.”

“Ihope not,” said Morgan. Lillian didn’t deserve that, and while she’d neverfound Brian particularly interesting, he was sweet, and she didn’t think he’ddo that to Lillian. Then again, what did she know? And how was she going totell her about Ivy now?

She’ddeal with that another day. Today she would focus on getting Olive to her newhome and comforting Lillian, not to mention dealing with her mother.

Olivepranced around her new pasture, stringhalt and all, with her ears pricked andher neck arched. She even threw a playful buck as she broke into a canter.Morgan was pleased to discover that her canter, at least, was unaffected by herdamaged gait.

“Shelooks so happy,” said Angie.

“Yeah.”Morgan wasn’t looking at Olive, however; she watched her best friend’s facealight with joy.

“I’llbe back soon,” she told them as she hopped back into the truck to return thetrailer and her mother to their rightful places—miles away.

Shannonwasted no time broaching the last subject on earth Morgan wanted to discusswith her.

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