Lisa Scottoline: Save Me

“Yes. So now I can kiss the bride, for keeps.” Leo leaned over and gave her a soft kiss, then more deeply, and Rose kissed him back fully, feeling them reconnect as a couple, renewing their vows, on the fly.

“I love you,” Rose said, when Leo released her.

“I love you, too. And I miss the kids.”

“Me, too.”

“Let’s go get our family.” Leo looped an arm around her shoulder, and Rose slid her hand around his waist.

And they walked to the car, together.

Rose and Leo pulled into the driveway at the cabin and got out of the car, and Melly came tearing across the Vaughns’ lawn toward them, her hair flying. Princess Google scampered behind, her plumed tail wagging furiously.

“Mom, Leo!” Melly called out, and Rose threw open her arms.

“Sweetie!” Rose hugged her close, breathing her in. “I missed you so much!”

“Ready for your surprise?”

“Sure.” Rose kissed her and set her down. They’d called on the way, and Melly had told her she’d had a surprise for them. “Let’s see.”

“It’s not here. We have to go somewhere else.”

“Okay, you’re the boss.” Rose smiled, petting Princess Google, who had climbed up on her leg, resting feathery paws on her knee. “Hi, Googie girl!”

“Leo!” Melly ran to Leo, who lifted her up and gave her a bear hug and a little grunt.

“Melly Belly! Where you been all my life?” Leo kissed her on the cheek, and Rose turned to see Mo coming out of the house, in his navy polo and jeans, followed by Gabriella, dressed the same, holding John.

“How’s my baby boy?” she said, hurrying toward him, and John burst into a smile, looking so natty in his white T-shirt, Mom jeans, and two whole teeth. “I missed you, buddy boy! I missed my baby!” She scooped him up, hugged him close, and kissed his head, then grinned at Gabriella. “Girl, do we owe you! How can I thank you? Dinner? A night on the town? A car?”

“Nonsense, we loved it.” Gabriella beamed. “You’re a celebrity. You’re all over the news.”

“Yes!” Mo came up from behind, grinning. “Why didn’t you tell us you were a crimefighter?”

“Ha!” Leo smiled. “She didn’t tell me, why would she tell you?”

“Let’s go, Mo!” Melly started jumping up and down, and Rose noticed she had on new brown shoes with her jeans and Harry Potter T-shirt.

“Where’d you get those shoes?”

“They’re boots! Come on, Mr. V.!” Melly ran to Mo, who checked his watch.

“You’re right. Can’t be late. Gotta go.”

“Where?” Rose smiled, mystified.

“Not far,” Gabriella answered. “You all go ahead. I’ll stay here with the dog and get lunch ready. Come here, Googie!”

Mo nodded. “Let’s hit the road. Rose, why don’t you and Leo follow us in your car?”

Melly bounded after Mo. “I’ll go with Mr. V.”

Rose blinked. She couldn’t remember Melly ever choosing not to ride with her. Mischief was afoot. She looked at Leo.

“Don’t ask me,” he said, with a happy shrug.

Rose and Leo stood together in the back pasture of a small horse farm, down the road from the cabin. The trees blazed with orange, red, and gold, and dry, grassy hills rolled on and on. Post-and-rail fences separated the pastures, and in the middle sat a white barn with a tin roof, faded red. Mo and Melly had gone inside, asking Rose and Leo to stay here and wait for the surprise.

“I’m trying not to worry.” Rose cuddled John, who hooked his little arm around her neck. “Mo’s not putting her on a horse, is he?”

“Relax.” Leo smiled easily, slipping an arm around her shoulder. “He wouldn’t do anything unsafe with her.”

Rose turned, and Melly was sitting atop a furry black horse, grinning as if she’d ridden all her life. She had on a black helmet and buckskin jodhpurs, and even though Mo stood beside her, Rose felt her heart jump into her throat. “Leo, you see this?”

“She’ll be fine.”

“Bsbsb!” John squealed, pumping his arm when he spotted Melly.

“How do you know she’ll be fine?”

“Shh. He’s coming over.”

“Mo!” Rose managed not to freak as he strode over. “Is this safe? She’s not that great in sports. She’s double-jointed. She trips a lot.”

“Don’t worry.” Mo put a hand on Rose’s shoulder, smiling. “She’s in total control.”

“Mo, she’s eight .”

“Just the same, and double-jointed is good, for riding. Look at the flex in those ankles. Her heels drop very low. It increases her stability.” Mo waved at Melly. “Walk on, Mel!”

Rose held her breath as Melly gave the horse a kick, and it walked quickly around in a circle. “Can’t it go slower?”

“Any slower, she’ll be in reverse.”

Leo smiled, looking away.

Rose asked, “So, Mo, how did this come about?”

“Well, she got tired of mucking, so we went for a hack. She’s become quite the barn rat. She has a perfect seat.” Mo cupped his hand to his mouth. “Melly, eyes up, heels down! Good girl!”

Melly steered around the circle, and when she came around their side, she waved happily.

Leo waved back. “Lookin’ good, cowgirl!”

Rose gasped. “Two hands, honey!”

Mo scoffed. “She can ride with no hands, her balance is that good. Want to see?”

“No,” Rose shot back. “I mean, no thanks.”

Mo and Leo laughed. Melly walked past them, and the horse swished his thick black tail. Mo cupped his mouth, calling out, “Mel, trot on!”

Melly kicked the horse, and it trotted around the circle, faster. She went up and down in the saddle, keeping the rhythm, even at speed.

Mo nodded. “Churchill said, ‘The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.’”

“Churchill wasn’t a mother.” Rose bit her lip. “Why is she going up and down?”

“She’s posting. Many people take a few lessons to pick it up, but she got it right away.” Mo gestured at Melly. “She’s happy as a clam. On a horse, you have to meet the world with your eyes front and your chin up. A girl who directs a thousand-pound animal learns confidence.”

Rose watched Melly, who did look happy.

“Horses have a way of going, which means the way they move and relate to the world. People have a way of going, too. Melly’s way of going is to keep her head down, to run and hide behind books and computers.”

Rose winced. “These aren’t the worst things, Mo.”

“Don’t mistake me. I think she needs all the things already in her life, but she loves horses and she’s not afraid of them, even the biggest jumpers here.”

“I know she’s good with animals. The thing she needs to work on is people. She needs a friend in school, and riding isn’t even a school sport.”

“Ah, but riding is where it starts.” Mo kept an eye on Melly. “She’s making a friend, before your eyes.”

“She’s making friends with a horse.”

“Not at all. She’s making friends with herself. ”

Rose hadn’t thought of it that way. She watched Melly.

“We all see Melly’s problem, but she’s got to find confidence in herself. Face the world as she is, on her own, with her eyes front and her chin up. The more she does it here, the more she’ll do it at school. Look. She’s moving that pony on her own. She’s succeeding. ”

Rose watched Melly riding smoothly in the bright sun, with the lovely pastures and the gorgeous autumn backdrop, and felt her heart fill with emotion. Something had changed, and she was looking at it, and maybe things could turn around for Melly, someday. Maybe someday was starting right now.