The Long Ride Home Read Online Free

blurted out, almost stunned by Morgan’s question. Light-hearted Morgan seemed deeply troubled—by something. Skye’s thoughts quickly transported her to the first day she had met Morgan at Keystone Stables. Ever since then they had been best friends, as close as sisters. But now Skye felt a strange distance between them, and she needed to find out why. She leaned back in her chair and looked into Morgan’s eyes. “Morgan, what’s the matter with you? I’ve noticed you’ve been acting kinda funny.”
    “I just want to know why you want to find your parents. That’s all,” Morgan said.
    “I’ve always wanted to find them,” Skye said. “You know that. Does it bother you?”
    “Nah, not really. You just seem like you’re in your own little world lately.”
    “Well, I’ll try to come back to earth,” Skye giggled. “I’ll put it in writing, if you want.” Skye giggled as she found the Department of Corrections website and plugged in her father’s name. After several attempts, she came up dry. Skye had run into her first wall, and it was solid stone.
    “Hey,” Morgan suggested, “try Family and Friend Search. Some of the kids in our youth group said that website promises to ‘find anyone across the entire USA.’ I’ve been thinking of plugging my dad’s name in, but I haven’t done it yet.”
    Skye went to the website but also got nowhere. Fourteen men with the name “Jacy Nicholson” were listed, their addresses scattered all over the country, and she had no idea where to begin.
    “Sally, easy on the reins now,” Skye said on Monday morning in the training corral at the Rebucks’ Rocking Horse Ranch. The air was so steamy hot, she could have sworn she heard it hissing around her as she tackled her first assignment instructing a beginning rider.
    Standing in the center, Skye worked Champ on a longeing line. Obediently, he circled the ring in a slow trot, carrying an eight-year-old girl with Down syndrome who was doing her best to listen to Skye’s instructions.
    “Keep your heels close to his belly,” Skye said, “and your toes pointed out. That’s good, Sally, very good.”
    Ordinarily, Skye would be one hundred percent into a job like this one. Working with kids and horses was right up her alley, and she was determined to do the best jobshe possibly could. But her thoughts drifted constantly to Millie and what the woman had said about Skye’s father and mother. So although Skye did her job, and did it well, she just couldn’t keep her mind from drifting back over the last day-and-a-half’s events.
    So much has happened since Friday at that diner! How am I ever going to find the right Jacy Nicholson? Maybe he’s not even using that name anymore. Maybe he’s in another country. Maybe he’s dead! And where’s my mother? What’s her name now? Skye’s mind darted from Sally to Millie and churned like tumbleweed in a dust storm as she tried to decide what to do next to find her parents. Finally, she forced herself back to her work with Sally and Champ in the riding ring.
    “Okay, Sally!” Skye said to her young student. “Pull gently on the reins and make Champ stop. The riding part of your lesson is over for today.” Skye approached Sally still sitting on Champ and looped the longeing line in her hands. Removing the line from Champ’s halter, Skye patted Champ’s sweaty neck. “Good boy, Champ,” she said, and then looked at Sally.
    Sally’s hardhat and long blonde curls framed plump rosy cheeks and brown puppy-dog eyes with curly lashes. “How’d I do, Skye? Did I keep my feet turned right? I wasn’t pulling too hard on his reins, was I? I just love Champy,” she went on, “and I want a horse just like him when I get big. Where can I get one just like him?”
    Skye giggled to herself. “At a loss for words” will certainly never be this cutie’s motto. “Sally, you did just fine for your first lesson. We have all week to talk about how you can get your own horse