Page 10 of The Girls of Pearl Harbor
They fell into formation, the four of them riding abreast but not close enough to touch, and Eva relaxed into the gentle movement of the horse beneath her.
‘This was a great suggestion,’ Eva said, breaking the silence.
‘You can thank Grace for this,’ April replied. ‘She’s been wanting to ride for years, ever since she found photos of our mom all dressed up and riding in some fancy show as a child.’
‘Your mother is a horse rider?’ Eva asked.
The sadness that clouded April’s face made her wish she’d kept her mouth shut.
‘She was,’ April said softly. ‘We lost her when I was fifteen and Grace was thirteen.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Eva said. ‘Did your father remarry?’
‘He didn’t need to,’ Poppy said, answering for April. ‘My mom always says that men remarry so quickly because they can’t cope without a woman looking after them, but not Mr. Bellamy. April became the woman of the house, and he never needed anyone else, did he, April?’
Eva studied April, noticing how much older she appeared than her sister even though there was obviously only a year or so between them. Her face was more serious, her mouth in a straight line, eyes cautious as she scanned the beach. Grace, on the other hand, was more childlike about everything, and she could see right away that April was very much the older sibling to a sister who was used to being the baby of the family. As she watched April take some pins from her updo and help Grace secure her hair from her face, it was almost like watching a mother with her daughter.
‘Our poor dad did his best, but he more kind of muddled along and hoped we wouldn’t get into trouble,’ Grace said. ‘April was the model child, and she was pretty good at pulling me into line when I acted up.’
April sighed. ‘More like I had to grow up and behave like a forty-year-old overnight while you still acted thirteen.’
Eva could imagine the dynamic—it was still obvious now that April shouldered the older-sister burden, just like her older brothers had taken their role of looking out for her so seriously.
Her horse snorted, and she slipped a hand down to stroke her neck, marveling at how hard the muscle was beneath the hair.
‘How about you, Eva? Do you have both your parents?’ April asked.
‘Yes. My mom has recently gone back to teaching, just substituting at the local school when they need someone, and my dad is a retired army sergeant.’ She didn’t tell them that the reason her poor mother was working had to do with her father drinking away almost all his pension money each week. ‘I have two brothers, and I was the baby of the family.’
She missed her brothers; they were trouble, but they were also kind to her, and she loved their Sunday-night dinners, when they always got together. Her father often wasn’t there, not if he’d gone out earlier to stare at the bottom of a whiskey bottle somewhere on his own, but that always made it even better. Then it would be just her with her mom and brothers around the table, which was exactly how she liked it.
‘Want to try a canter?’ Poppy asked. ‘Walking is boring. I say we blow out some cobwebs.’
Eva was about to say no, but before she knew it, Poppy had kicked her horse in the side, and they all took off after her. She grabbed a fistful of mane as her body jerked, the wind whipping at her cheeks and picking up her hair as they raced along the waterline. If Grace was the Labrador puppy, then Poppy was the Jack Russell terrier, up to no good and getting everyone in trouble!
‘This is the life!’ Poppy screamed. ‘Faster!’
Her horse was stretching out beneath her now, and Eva marveled at the push and pull of her muscles, the way her long legs seemed to eat up the ground beneath them. She clung tight to the reins, her fingers fisting in the horse’s mane, too, to give her a better grip as her knees and thighs clenched tight against the animal’s side.
Soon they were slowing, and Eva tried to steady her breathing, taking little gasps of air as her heart beat so loud and fast it almost pounded from her chest.
‘Fun?’ Poppy asked, her cheeks pink as she slipped from the horse’s back.
‘More like a death wish,’ April muttered.
Eva didn’t say a thing, but when Grace grinned at her, she happily smiled back. She’d been terrified, but Poppy was right; it had blown out all the cobwebs, which was exactly what she’d needed. Charlie might be grounded, but it wasn’t going to stop her from having a fun day out with friends.
They eventually gave the horses back and walked barefoot down the beach, shoes dangling from their fingers, back the same way they’d come earlier, and Eva smiled as she listened to the three girls chat. It was obvious how close they all were, and it was nice to be part of their little group.
‘Why don’t we find a nice spot on the beach and sit for a bit?’ April suggested. ‘We can paddle in the water and sunbathe until we’re hungry for lunch.’
Eva nodded. ‘Count me in. I have hours until I have to go back.’
‘We could always sneak down to see the boys,’ Poppy said, sidling up to Eva and giving her a wicked grin.
‘No way,’ she said. ‘If we were caught, my Charlie might end up with another week without leave!’
Poppy sighed. ‘Well, if you change your mind, I’m in. Teddy would love a little surprise visit.’
