Chapter Four

Melissa ran back to the house to tell Nancy and Jane the great news. Opening the door, she saw them sitting on the couch watching World Class Eventing on the television. Jane got up to answer another phone call out of the dozens they got a day. Nancy sat cross-legged on the couch, leaning foward as every horse jumped the hurdles, as is she were the one on the horse. Melisse plopped down beside her.

"Guess what? The filly has a name...Miracle! Dr. Vernon says she well enough ti walk outside in a few days. Isn't that incredible?" she blurted out, excitedly.

"It's not going to last," Nancy murmured, grabbing the remote to increase the volume.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that she may look good now, but sooner or later, her health will catch up with her. She's not totally protected against bugs and viruses since she only had emergency bottled milk instead of Sugar's colostrum. She's still weak, Mel, and just don't count your chickens before they hatch, or in your case, don't plan her ahead so far."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Melissa felt her happiness disappearing.

"It means, don't think she's going to be alright when she's actually not going to be. Sometimes situations like this take a hard turn for the worse." Melissa's eyes started watering.

"No, it won't! She's going to make it! Leave me alone!" She felt tears roll down her face and stormed out, upset. She turned into the kitchen and saw Jane hanging up the phone. She saw her youngest daughter and asked worriedly, "Melissa, what's wrong?"

"It's Nancy! She's positive Miracle won't live! She says that she looks good now, but she's going to turn sick and die! It's not true! Tell me it's not true!" Melissa sobbed on her mother's shoulder.

"No, Melissa, I can't. There's always a chance of sickness, but even the vet has a positive opinion that she'll pull through. About Nancy, she's having a bad day. Nelly got the flu and couldn't come over and ride with her so she's taking it out on everyone else. But if you beleive your filly will live, then you just beleive that and don't worry about what other people say about her, expecially Nancy. But I must warn you, if she does survive, she's got a high chance of being small and and might eventually end up being sold, just remember that. So no, I cannot guarantee her survival, but I can guarantee you that we'll do whatever it takes to help her," Jane explained, soothingly, as she coddled her youngest daughter. Melissa wiped at her tears and nodded. She scurried back out to the barn, reassured by her mother's words.

Three days passed before Melissa was given the okay to lead Miracle out of the barn for the first time. Melissa had forgotten the conversation with Nancy and spent her days with Miracle, who had turned one week old and she had enjoyed the fresh air. It cleared her lungs of the barn darkness and allowed her to act free. Sometimes, Miracle got too hyper for her own health and lost her balance and sometimes before she could regain it, she toppled over. Melissa would help her up and continued walking. She stopped at the pond and wished she could bathe in it like she often did in the summer heat, but the water temperature was too cold yet. The winter chill was still upon them. All the snow except for a patch next to the pond, had melted.

"Miracle! Slow down!" Melissa laughed as the filly leapt into the air on their afternoon walk. She had gotten into the routine of walking her around the barn and pond twice right away in the morning and again before night chores.

Miracle immediately stopped and whickered at the sound of Melissa's voice. Suddenly, Miracle tried to shoot ahead and break into a canter, but it was too much for her and tripped. Her long, willowly and somewhat clumsy legs became tangled and she fell head over heels into the patch of snow. Melissa shrieked as the filly landed in the soft snow. Miracle sniffed at the snow, a new discovery of her young life. She took a mouthful of the cold powder, but immediately spit it out and whinnied shrilly.

"Miracle, your so cute, I love you. Don't you ever leave me!" Melissa told her. Miracle now looked tired and looked toward her warm stall in longing.

The sun nestled over the snow-kissed valley. Melissa turned and gazed over the horizon. Miracle lowered her muzzle to inspect the snow again. Melissa couldn't imagine how Miracle must be feeling, alone and scared. Melissa spent alot of time with her and nursed her from the bottle, but having a real mother would be better for her, wouldn't it? Just a few days ago, Dixie, a tiny gray mare, had lost her foal due to an abortion. Dixie searched nonstop for her lost foal, but couldn't find it. Could Miracle be the foal she was looking for? Or would Dixie try to hurt Miracle when she found out it wasn't her baby? It was worth a try.

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After Melissa brought Miracle back to the barn and fed her another bottle, she kissed her good-night and locked the gate, staying long enough to peek through the door and saw her drop to her knees and curl into the straw. The sun was almost all the way gone and it was growing colder. The nights were silent and the sound of all the sleeping horses made little noise. Melissa pushed through the kitchen door and spotted Jane standing over Nancy, helping her with some homework she had assigned her. Melissa removed her coat and boots and asked her young mother where her father was. Jane pointed to the living room and continued explaining to Nancy about multiplying fractions. Melissa wandered into the adjoining room and saw her father in his favourite green chair, reading a livestock buying magazine for broodmares.

"Dad, I have to ask you something?" Melissa smiled.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Kyle set down the magazine and looked at his daughter.

"Since Dixie lost her baby, what would be better for her than having another one to take care of? Would she take care of Miracle?" she asked. Kyle scrathed the back of his head and folded his paper.

"We could try it, but it would be a huge risk!" Kyle looked her staight in the eye.

"What do you mean?"

"Dixie could easily lash out and injure or even kill the filly. After all the work you've put into her, why would you want to take a chance like that?" Kyle asked, his voice stressed.

"But Dad, they'd be happier with each other, wouldn't they?" Melissa begged.

"I'll think about it," he looked down at his paper, then rubbed his eyes.

"But Dad..." Melissa cried.

"I said I'll think about it, Melissa!" Kyle scolded, angrily, getting up and leaving the room and Melissa in tears.

Jane came in and hastily asked, "Melissa, what's the matter?"

"Dad...Dad yelled at me!" she bawled.

"Melissa, your Dad's just having a hard time, having lost so much stock this winter, even though it wasn't a hard one, it's been hard on all of us. He's just stressed right now," Jane cooed.

"I hope we don't loose anymore horses, I don't like Dad like this."