Through the Mirror and Into Snow Read Online Free Page B

them now. ‘You can’t crown my checker with a pawn unless you have the one blue twenty dollar bill from the stack and lightning has hit for the fourth time.’” She laughed just thinking about what crazy rule she would hear today over their card game. I have to admit I’m a little jealous; she seems to understand it more than I do.
    Valerie’s mom was often talking out loud to one pet or another. It sometimes drove Val’s dad crazy. He would ask, “What?” then she’d explained she wasn’t talking to him. Of course there were also the times he was in trouble for not paying attention when she was speaking to him. Val’s dad was usually on the losing end of the household conversations. Welcome to my world. My missus lives a few yards over, but I still get in plenty of trouble from over there.
    While relaxing with a cup of coffee and sitting in her recliner, she listened to the rainfall and decided to wait a little while before heading out to the barn to take care of the animals. Within an hour, the rain had slowed to a drizzle. She decided she’d better get out to the barn to take care of the chores while she could. The weatherman said there would be rain all day. The cats were happy to see her and the horses were especially loving. They were usually out of the barn when it was raining. Maybe they knew she had apples for them. Val’s dad usually did the outside chores but her mom still went out for doses of daily loving. It had been almost a week since he had left; she was certain the horses were catching on to her and the extra treats. She decided to leave Leroy out of his pen for the entire day. Her decision in doing so had two reasons. She felt bad he was in so long yesterday, but mostly she wasn’t going to risk forgetting until after dark and running into her ugly little friend again.
    “Try not to be a pig today, little man,” she said as she petted the pony. Despite the looks everyone gave her when she did it, the horses got kisses on their noses before she returned to the house. She had started the tradition by giving Ringo treats from her mouth. He would gently take the carrot or horse cookie then she’d sneak a kiss on the nose while he enjoyed it. The other two never learned the patience for this particular trick, but they tolerated the kisses just the same. You wouldn’t catch me kissing that fake donkey by the garden even if he were real. Bleh!
    It was after nine o’clock before she heard any noise coming from the girls upstairs. She let them unwind for a while then called them down for breakfast.
    “Did you guys sleep good last night or were you up late talking again?”
    They turned to each other and chuckled. “We slept fine.”
    “It was raining earlier and it looks like more to come. Sorry, but we won’t be going on the four wheelers today.”
    “That’s okay,” Val said. “We’ll find stuff to do inside.”
    “I’m sure of that.” Val’s mom smiled and walked away, knowing full well they could entertain themselves when they were together.
    After breakfast, the girls went back upstairs and looked out Val’s window toward the barn. They strained to see it through the heavy rain that had started up again, even though they knew there wasn’t a chance to catch sight of the possum from there.
    The day flew by for the two of them as they went from one activity to the next. Playing cards, drawing, making things with clay, and watching a couple of movies helped fill their day with laughter. Lunch and dinner were bothersome interruptions to the fun. Before they knew it, Val’s mother told them to get ready for bed. Normally that would bring some complaining but both of them were excited that night was finally here. Even with all the games, the only thing either of them could really concentrate on was sneaking back out to go on their possum hunt again. Although dragons were Valerie’s obsession and not Sam’s, they took turns reading out loud to each other from the bed. Val’s mom