*The standard disclaimers apply, don’t own them, only write about them for fun, ect. Thanks to Anne and her husband Ed for supplying me with information about riding. I also did research. Anything that I got wrong is entirely my own fault—it’s been ten or eleven years since I’ve ridden. Thanks to Ermintrude as well for ideas and suggestions. I hope you enjoy this story-let me know what you think. *

Vacation-Part Three

Thursday, August 29, 2002

8:45 AM

Jenna knew she that should probably say something, but even if she could’ve thought of the right words her mouth was way too dry to form them.

“I-” she finally said. “It’s nice to meet you, Geoffrey.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Geoffrey said. “Call me Geoff-all my mates do.”

“I’m Jenna,” Jenna said. She felt her cheeks grow hot. “I’m sorry—you knew that already.”

Geoff smiled. “Don’t worry about it.” He said. “Listen, some of us are going to the Trocadero tomorrow afternoon—”

“The Trocadero?” Jenna repeated. Geoff shrugged, his cheeks going slightly pink. Jenna wondered if he felt just as shy as she did. Somehow she doubted that.

“Yeah,” Geoff said. “We’ll probably go arcading, maybe go bowling—that sort of thing. There’s usually about six or seven of us depending, and anyway it’ll be a good laugh. Do you fancy it?”

Did she fancy it? British guys sure didn’t sound anything at all like the guys back home. Jenna was about to speak when Dad spoke up, his hand still resting on Jenna’s shoulder.

“Thanks for the offer, Geoffrey,” he said. “But we’ve already made other plans for tomorrow.”

“No, we haven’t,” Mom said. She turned to Jenna. “Sweetheart, if you’d like to go to The Trocadero tomorrow that’ll be just fine. It’s up to you.”

“Okay,” Jenna said, looking at Geoff. “I’d love to go,” she said. “I mean—I’m going horseback riding this morning but tomorrow would be great.” She really needed to stop talking now, she thought—before she made a complete idiot of herself.

Geoff smiled. “Brill,” he said. “Catch you later, then.”

“Later,” Jenna said.

SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK

“She can’t go,” Lee said. “In the first place she’s too young to date—”

“It’s not a date,” Amanda said. “She’ll be going with a group—”

“—and in the second place we know nothing about this boy,” Lee said. “He could be anybody—a criminal, a gangster—”

“A spy?” Amanda said.

“I’m serious,” Lee said. “I don’t want Jenna to get in any more trouble. At least let me run a background check on this kid.”

“We are not going to run a background check on a teenage boy,” Amanda said. “The whole idea is ridiculous.”

“A-man-da,” Lee said. Emily put a hand on his shoulder.

“Lee I wouldn’t have introduced them if I didn’t think he was a good sort,” Emily said. “Geoffrey’s fourteen, he comes from a nice family, lives nearby and helps out at the stables from time to time.”

“He’s older?” Lee said. He looked at Emily. “You didn’t tell me he was older.”

“Jenna will be fourteen this next January,” Amanda said. “It’s not that much of an age difference.”

“I just don’t know,” Lee said.

“Lee, did you see how happy Jenna was?” Amanda said. “I haven’t seen her smile like that in a while.”

“I know,” Lee said. “It’s just that—”

“She’s just going out with a group,” Amanda said. “It’s a friends thing, nothing more. Lee please don’t overreact and ruin this.”

Lee sighed. “You’re right,” he said finally. “I know you’re right—I guess I just worry.”

“Well of course you do,” Emily said. “You’re her father. And after what Jenna’s been through it’s natural to want to protect her. But you can’t keep her in a bubble. Making new friends will help her to recover.”

“I know,” Lee repeated. “But boys? I just don’t think that I’m—I mean she’s—ready for boys yet.”

“I’m not sure you’ll ever be ready,” Amanda said.

“Ready for what?” Jenna’s voice came from behind. Lee turned around to see her standing in the kitchen doorway, holding a helmet in her hand.

“Oh we’re just talking, Jenna,” Emily said. “It’s nothing, really.”

“Oh. Okay,” Jenna said. But Lee could tell by his daughter’s tone that she was far from convinced.

“My dear, is everything all right?” Emily said. “I thought you were getting ready to go riding.”

“I was,” Jenna said. “But I’m not sure what to wear—I found this helmet in my room but it’s too big for me.”

“Don’t you worry,” Emily said, putting her arm around Jenna. “I’m sure I have some things that you can wear. Your mother and I will help you look and we’ll get this all sorted out.”

“Okay,” Jenna said.

Amanda touched Lee on the shoulder. “Are you all right?” she asked him.

“I’m fine,” Lee said. “I’ll just wait right here.”

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Amanda said. “Really. It’s just friends.”

“I know that,” Lee said. He listened as the footsteps and voices faded into the distance.

Amanda was probably right, Lee thought. It probably was just friends—and he was worrying over nothing. But even if it was, it wouldn’t hurt to check this Geoffrey Beresford out, would it? Picking up the cordless, Lee dialed a number.

SMK SMK SMK SMK

“I don’t know about this,” Jenna said as they walked towards the stables. Aunt Emily had said that she could wear jeans and a t-shirt, but had insisted on a helmet and riding boots—Jenna just hoped she didn’t look completely silly. The horse was already bridled and saddled, standing in the yard. A stable boy was standing beside the horse, holding the reins in one hand.

“It’ll be fine, Jenna,” Dad said. “Trust me.”

“I trust you,” Jenna said. “I do, it’s just that he looks awfully big.”

“There’s nothing to be afraid of, miss,” the stable boy said. “Jasper here is a gentle soul-he wouldn’t hurt nobody. Want me to introduce you?”

“Introduce?” Jenna repeated, looking up at Jasper. The stable boy motioned her closer but her feet didn’t want to move. She could feel her heart thumping loudly in her chest.

“It’s okay, Simon,” Dad said. “I’ll take it from here.”

“All right, Mr. Stetson,” Simon said. “Just let me know if you need anything.”

“Jenna?” Dad’s face was in front of her. “It’s okay, munchkin-just breathe slowly in and out.” As Jenna breathed she could feel her pulse beginning to slow.

“I’m sorry,” she told Dad. “I don’t know what I’m so nervous about.”

“You’re fine,” Dad led her over to the horse. “Jasper, this is Jenna.”

Jenna looked up into the horse’s dark eyes. “Hi Jasper,” she said.

“Good. Now put out your hand,” Dad told her. Jenna did, feeling Jasper’s warm breath against her palm as the horse sniffed her.

“It’s not so bad, is it?” Dad said.

“No, it’s nice.” Reaching her hand up, Jenna began to stroke Jasper’s soft muzzle.

“Here,” Reaching into his pocket, Dad pulled out some sugar cubes. “Let him have a couple of these.

“He won’t bite me by mistake, will he?” Jenna said.

“No, you’re fine,” Dad said. “Just put them in your palm— keep your palm flat.” Jenna did. She watched, slightly apprehensive, as the horse took the treats from her hand, sucking them into his mouth. She kept stroking the bridle with her other hand, taking a tiny step back as Jasper blew on her face and rubbed against her hair.

“It’s okay,” Dad said. “That’s just his way of saying hello.”

“He is a nice horse,” Jenna said.

“Yes he is,” Dad said. “Want to try riding him a little?”

“We’re not going to gallop or anything are we?” Jenna said.

“No,” Dad said. “Today we’re just going to walk around the yard a little bit. Remember, you always want to mount a horse from the left side-the side we’re on now-just let me adjust the girth a little. I’ll hold the reins and keep his head steady-we don’t want him to start walking before you get on.”

“Good idea,” Jenna said.

“Okay,” Dad said. “Now grab that bump at the top of the saddle with your left hand—this stirrup with your right hand and put your left foot in the stirrup.”

“Like this?” Jenna said.

“Yeah that’s good,” Dad said, adjusting her foot slightly. “Now grab the cantle-that’s the rear part of the saddle— with your right hand and push up with your left foot and swing yourself up and over. Don’t worry, I’ll be right here. I won’t let you fall.”

It sounded complicated, but Jenna did what he told her. For a minute the ground swirled dizzily below her, she could feel Dad trying to hold her steady and for one minute Jenna was sure she’d fall but she stayed on. Dad adjusted the stirrups.

“We’re just going to walk for a little bit,” he said. “What I need you to do is keep your legs and shoulders back, your heels down, toes pointing straight forward and your head up. But don’t tense up—just relax.”

“I’m trying,” Jenna said.

“I know,” Dad said. “Now to get the horse going you need to squeeze with both legs—that’s very good.” The horse started a gentle walk.

“This is fun,” Jenna said.

“I hoped it would be,” Dad said. “I always meant to teach you to ride before, Jenna—I guess there was just never enough time.”

“Well Mom’s allergic,” Jenna said. “And I guess there’s been spy stuff too, right?”

“Yes,” Dad said. “There’s always spy stuff.” They rode around in silence for a few minutes.

At first Jenna felt like it was hard to keep her balance, but if she pushed down on the stirrups with her feet she found that she didn’t slide around quite so much. Wait until Lisa heard about this, Jenna thought—wondering if Lisa was even still speaking to her. She’d been kind of avoiding Lisa lately, Jenna thought to herself. Mostly because there was so much on her mind and so little that she was allowed to tell anyone. And then there were the nightmares and other things that most normal kids didn’t have—part of Jenna worried that Lisa might not understand, or even worse, she might look at Jenna as some sort of freak. Dr. Pfaff told her that friends would help her to get better, but actually talking with them these days or making new friends was a lot easier said than done.

“Jenna?” Dad said, his voice breaking her out of her reverie. “I think maybe you and I should have a little talk.”

“A little talk about what?” Jenna said.

“About boys,” Dad said. “I know that you kissed a boy before—”

“Only once,” Jenna said.

“Once,” Dad said. “ That’s good. But you’re still very young, Jenna, and you don’t know what boys are actually like.”

“Dad if this is about that guy Geoff,” Jenna said. “We’re not going somewhere alone. It’s with a group—not a date or something.”

“Yeah, I know that,” Dad said. “But you see I know what boys are like because I used to be a boy myself and they get certain-um-feelings sometimes.”

“Feelings?” Jenna said. “What kind of feelings?”

“Ah—” Dad ran one hand through his hair. “Maybe feelings isn’t the right word,” Dad said. “Boys get urges and sometimes they—well they might try to pressure or manipulate girls to go along with them.”

“Don’t girls get urges too?” Jenna said.

“Well—” Dad ran his hand through his hair again. Jenna could see that the back of his neck was turning a bright red. “Sometimes, I guess—though I really don’t know much about that. Look what I want to say is just be careful. You don’t want to get hurt because –well—”

“It’s okay, dad,” Jenna said. “Really. Mom had the talk with me a few months ago.”

“She did?” Dad said, looking back at Jenna with obvious relief written all over his expression.

“Yes,” Jenna said. “So you don’t have to worry, okay? Nothing is going to happen.”

“Good,” Dad said.

“I mean Geoff is cute,” Jenna said. “But we’ve only just met and there’s not enough time for anything like that—I mean I’ve known Paul Davidson back home for over a year but I’ve only known Geoff for a day and even though he’s really handsome and has gorgeous eyes and a cute accent I don’t think—”

“Jenna?”

“Yes?”

“What do you say we go back to the house and get some lunch?”

TBC