Keiko's Pony Rescue Read online

  That night, her friends went to sleep early, exhausted by their long, exciting first day on the farm. But Keiko stayed up to work on her sketch of the barn. As she finished the last few pencil strokes, she realized she hadn’t checked her email since she had arrived on the farm. She pulled out her phone and saw what she’d been waiting for—an email from the museum!

  Her heart beating nervously, Keiko clicked on the email. She held her breath as she read:

  Dear Keiko Hayashi,

  Thank you for your entry in this year’s Amateur Artist contest. Your submission impressed all the judges! Although …

  Keiko’s heart sank as she read on:

  you were not among the winners, you are a talented artist, and we encourage you to try again next year.

  Keiko couldn’t fight her disappointment. She glanced at her sleeping friends. They had expected her to win!

  Keiko flopped down onto the bed, her face hot with tears. What would her friends say when they found out her artwork wasn’t going to be in the museum exhibition after all?

  The next morning, the girls woke up early—all except Keiko. While the others got dressed, Keiko burrowed into her bed like a hamster and tried to block out the sunlight. How was she going to tell everyone that she hadn’t won the contest?

  It wasn’t until Aunt Yumi finally came and sat on the edge of her bed that Keiko peeked out from under the covers.

  “Your friends are already downstairs,” Aunt Yumi said, peering down at her niece with concern. She reached out to touch Keiko’s forehead with the back of her hand. “Are you feeling okay?”

  Keiko didn’t want to worry her aunt, so she untangled herself from the blankets and sat up. “I’m all right,” she answered, rubbing her eyes. “I stayed up too late sketching and I guess I needed a little more sleep.”

  Aunt Yumi returned Keiko’s smile. “That’s good, because I have an important job for you four today. Get dressed and meet us by the chicken coop. And bring your sketchbook!”

  Keiko’s aunt hurried out of the room while Keiko changed out of her pajamas. Reluctantly, she grabbed her sketchbook and headed downstairs, trying to think of how she could tell her friends the bad news.

  By the time Keiko reached the chicken coop, Jasmine, Sofia, and Madison were already there, each holding a basket.

  “About time, Sleeping Beauty!” cried Sofia. “We were starting to think you’d never wake up. Did you stay up late drawing?”

  Sofia gestured toward the sketchbook under Keiko’s arm.

  “Uh, yes,” Keiko replied. Then she quickly changed the subject. She wasn’t ready to talk about the contest with her friends yet. “Where’s Aunt Yumi? She said she had an important job for us.”

  Madison shrugged. “Your aunt went inside the chicken coop and told us to wait out here for you.”

  Jasmine swung her basket and grinned. “Maybe we’re going to fill the baskets with vegetables to take to Marigold. We finally get to meet her today!”

  “Oooh!” Madison squealed hopefully. “I can’t wait!”

  Suddenly, Aunt Yumi poked her head out of the chicken coop.

  “Yes, we’ll go see the pony today, but first your chores,” she said. “Come on in!”

  The girls headed inside, where they were greeted by a chorus of clucking and ruffling feathers. Keiko saw a row of nests, each one with a plump, squawking brown chicken perched on top.

  “Ladies, meet the ladies,” Aunt Yumi said. “This morning you’ll gather their eggs.”

  She handed a basket to Keiko, who felt her spirits lift a little bit. She’d always wanted to gather eggs!

  “Will they just let us take the eggs?” Keiko asked.

  In answer, her aunt carefully reached under the nearest hen and pulled out a perfect oval egg. She placed it in Keiko’s basket. “See?” she said. “These hens are used to having their eggs taken. As long as you’re gentle, they won’t mind. Just don’t take any eggs from the nest at the end of the row.”

  The girls glanced at the hen sitting on the last nest.

  “Why not?” Jasmine asked.

  “Because they’re going to hatch soon!” Aunt Yumi announced.

  “Yay!” Madison squealed, clapping her hands. “Baby chicks!”

  Once Aunt Yumi was sure the girls knew what they were doing, she left them to their task.

  “Keiko, look how pretty these eggs are!” said Jasmine sincerely as she placed more eggs in her basket.

  Keiko peered down at six delicate eggs nestled there. To her surprise, they weren’t all the same color like the eggs her parents bought at the store. Some were white, others were tan or brown or even blueish. They looked perfect against the basket lining.

  “You’re already thinking about how you would draw them, aren’t you?” Jasmine asked with a grin.

  Keiko glanced up at Jasmine in surprise. How had her friend known?

  “Well, go ahead and start sketching,” Sofia said encouragingly. “We’ll keep gathering while you create a little masterpiece.”

  Keiko almost reached for her sketchbook out of habit. But then she remembered the email and stopped, her face clouding over. If she did start drawing, it was only a matter of time before her friends asked about the contest. She shook her head and went back to reaching for eggs and placing them in her basket.

  “Thanks, guys,” Keiko said, “but I was actually thinking about meeting Marigold. The sooner we finish here, the sooner we can go see her!”

  It was a tiny white lie, and Jasmine gave Keiko a strange look, as if she knew something wasn’t quite right. But Madison and Sofia quickly went back to gathering eggs, chatting excitedly about meeting the pony.

  Keiko put her head down and focused on her work, pushing thoughts of the art contest out of her mind. Maybe if she put her heart into her chores and the animals, the heavy feeling in her heart would go away.

  Later, after the girls had turned in their full baskets, they waited on the porch while Aunt Yumi stored the eggs. She came out of the house, wiping her forehead with her bandanna.

  “Phew!” she said with a smile. “You girls did a great job in the chicken coop. You didn’t break any of the eggs, and you finished so quickly! Thank you.”

  “What can we say?” Sofia replied with a shrug. “We’re naturals.”

  Aunt Yumi laughed. “No argument here. Now let’s see if you’re as great with ponies as you are with hens. I brought some snacks from the garden.” She held up a sack filled with carrots that had been cut into small pieces. “Let’s go visit Marigold!”

  After a long walk down the road and past the pond, they arrived at Grace’s farm and headed straight for the stables. In the first stall they found a beautiful pony with a shiny chestnut coat and big, dark eyes. She greeted them with a soft nicker and a swish of her tail.

  “She’s so pretty!” cried Keiko.

  “Can we pet her?” asked Jasmine.

  Aunt Yumi stepped forward and pointed to a note tacked to the front of Marigold’s stall. “Hold on a second,” she said. “Let’s read Grace’s instructions first.”

  Madison, who was working hard to improve her reading, volunteered to read the list out loud. “One: Marigold likes to be brushed every day and go for walks around the p-paddock. Light exercise is good for her and the baby. Two: Healthy snacks are okay, but don’t overdo it. Three: Make sure she has enough hay to eat and plenty of water. Four: Most im-important, give her lots of love and attention.”

  “That sounds easy,” said Sofia. “Maybe I should stop begging my parents for a dog and ask for a pony instead!”

  Keiko giggled. “I’m pretty sure you don’t have room for a pony at your house, Sofia,” she said.

  Jasmine turned concerned eyes to Aunt Yumi. “But what happens if the baby comes before Grace and her husband get back?”

  Aunt Yumi took a closer look at the note in Madison’s hands. “She left the number for her veterinarian just in case. In the meantime, why don’t you all make friends with Marigold. That way, i
f she does give birth while her owners are away, she’ll be comfortable with you and won’t be overprotective of the foal.”

  “Let’s start right away,” Keiko said. She pulled a carrot from the bag and slowly approached Marigold, holding out her hand. Marigold sniffed at Keiko with her long muzzle and then gently took the carrot from her palm and started chomping.

  “Wow, Keiko!” said Jasmine. “Good job.”

  “You girls really are naturals,” Aunt Yumi added.

  Keiko beamed as Marigold finished her carrot, then affectionately nuzzled her velvety nose against Keiko’s cheek. “I think I have a new friend!” Keiko declared.

  When they got back to Cherry Blossom Farm a few hours later, Madison turned to Keiko. “Even after everything we did today, you still have time to draw, Keiko,” Madison said.

  Keiko’s stomach twisted. Meeting Marigold had made her forget all about the contest. Drawing was the last thing she wanted to do.

  “That’s a great idea,” Aunt Yumi said. “I can show you girls the pond. The light will be terrific there at this time of day. And the rest of you can take a dip while Keiko sketches if she wants.”

  “Oh, she wants to,” Jasmine said, smiling knowingly. “Keiko told us she’s going to draw every day she’s here.”

  “That’s wonderful,” Aunt Yumi said, squeezing Keiko’s shoulder.

  “Uh, um …” Keiko muttered, looking down at her shoes. She knew she should just tell her aunt and her friends about the contest, but she couldn’t seem to get the words out. “It’s, uh, it’s a little too hot and sticky for drawing, isn’t it? I’d rather swim.”

  “Yeah, let’s go swimming!” Sofia shouted enthusiastically.

  After the girls had changed into their bathing suits, Aunt Yumi walked them to the pond. They swam and splashed until dinnertime. No one mentioned drawing again, and Keiko had fun, but she couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in her stomach. She knew she had to tell her friends the truth about the contest sooner or later.

  For the next few days, the girls began each morning by milking the cows, feeding the chickens, pulling weeds from the vegetable garden, or helping Aunt Yumi make butter. Then they gathered some apples and carrots and headed over to Grace’s farm to see Marigold.

  Aunt Yumi and Uncle Henry showed the girls how to groom, feed, and walk the beautiful mare. Aunt Yumi explained that the heavy brush used on Marigold’s coat was called a currycomb. Then she showed the girls another brush that they could use to untangle and clean the pony’s mane and tail.

  Keiko had started reading about ponies, too. Her aunt had a collection of books about farm animals. Instead of sketching before bed, Keiko had spent the last few evenings learning more about ponies and horses.

  In just a few days, Marigold had become more affectionate around the girls. When the pony saw Keiko coming, she would whinny hello and press up against her pen until Keiko fed her a treat and petted her long neck.

  But today, when they entered the barn with Aunt Yumi, the pony acted differently. She didn’t greet Keiko at all, and she seemed restless.

  “Hey, girl,” Keiko said as she showed the pony a small apple. “I brought you a snack.”

  Usually, Marigold would sniff at Keiko’s hand and then gobble up the treat. But today, she paced the stall, her tail flicking wildly. Every few minutes she snorted and stamped.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Jasmine. “She’s usually so happy to see us.”

  Aunt Yumi frowned. “I’m not sure. Maybe she’s thirsty. Her coat looks sweaty—”

  Suddenly, Keiko remembered something. “You guys!” she said excitedly. “I just read about this last night! Pregnant ponies and horses act restless like this before they give birth. I think Marigold is ready to have her baby!”

  Jasmine gasped. “Right now? What do we do?”

  “You’re the daughter of a veterinarian,” Sofia said, shrugging. “You tell us!”

  “That’s different,” Jasmine said, looking worried. “My mom works with cats and dogs. Unless Marigold is about to have puppies, I don’t have a clue!”

  Madison pointed to the note Grace had written, which was still tacked to the wall. “Grace left the name and number of her veterinarian. Let’s call him.”

  “Already on it,” said Aunt Yumi, who had her cell phone pressed to her ear.

  Once the call had been made, there was nothing for Aunt Yumi and the girls to do but wait. Finally, Dr. Brooks arrived. He had brown hair and kind brown eyes, and was wearing rubber boots and a flannel shirt. He had a stethoscope slung around his neck. He went right into the stall while Keiko and the others waited outside.

  “I hope she’s okay,” said Jasmine.

  “Me, too,” Keiko replied.

  Dr. Brooks used the stethoscope to check Marigold’s heartbeat.

  “Sounds good,” he told them. Then he pulled on a pair of gloves.

  “Now I’m going to give her an exam to see how far along her labor is,” he explained.

  “Wow!” cried Jasmine. “You were right, Keiko!”

  Keiko nodded, a serious look on her face. She waited impatiently for the doctor to finish checking Marigold.

  “Is she going to be okay?” she asked Dr. Brooks as he peeled off the gloves.

  He nodded. “Once a mare is in labor, she usually prefers to be left alone to do what comes naturally,” he explained. “I’ll stay to monitor the process, but it could take hours.”

  “I have to know whether Marigold and her baby are okay,” Keiko said. She turned to her aunt. “Can I stay until the baby is born? Please? I want to help.”

  Aunt Yumi’s eyes softened. “I understand. I want to help, too. But I’m not sure there’s much any of us can do.”

  “We can at least be close so Marigold knows we’re here for her,” Keiko replied.

  “Yeah,” said Sofia, nodding.

  “I want to stay,” Jasmine added.

  “Me, too!” Madison said.

  Aunt Yumi exchanged a glance with Dr. Brooks, who nodded. “All right,” she said, “you can stay. But if you’re staying, so am I. And if we’re camping out, then we’re going to do this right!”

  That evening, Keiko, her friends, and her aunt settled into the empty stall across from Marigold’s with everything they needed for a proper barnyard sleepover: sleeping bags, blankets, snacks, and a battery-operated lantern. Dr. Brooks sat nearby, reading a book while he waited.

  “Are you sure there’s nothing else we can do for Marigold?” Keiko asked as she watched the pony nervously.

  Aunt Yumi shook her head. “You heard Dr. Brooks. Marigold needs space right now.”

  Keiko glanced at Marigold’s stall and sighed. “I know you’re right. I just feel so helpless.”

  “I know,” Jasmine agreed. Then she grinned and reached into her backpack. A moment later, she pulled out a charcoal-gray pencil and Keiko’s sketchbook. “But maybe there is something you can do. I saw this on your bed and thought I would bring it. I hope you don’t mind. Since Grace can’t be here for the birth, I thought maybe you could draw her a picture. Then she’ll feel like she was here!”

  Keiko hesitated before she reached for the sketchbook. Just looking at it reminded her about losing the contest, and her stomach twisted. Her friends would be so disappointed in her when they heard she hadn’t won.

  “I—I don’t know, Jasmine,” Keiko said slowly as she tried to think of an excuse. “It’s a little too dark in here, even with the lantern.”

  Jasmine looked at her friend closely.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked. “You haven’t been sketching much, and we promised to help you find time for it.”

  “Yeah!” Madison added, smiling brightly. “We’re your personal cheerleaders, remember?”

  “I just don’t feel like sketching tonight, okay?” Keiko said softly. “Maybe I’ll draw something tomorrow.” She didn’t want her friends to feel bad. After all, Keiko had asked them to help her make time to draw. But that was before, when she
was sure she had won the contest.

  Aunt Yumi, overhearing the conversation, held up the camera she’d brought with her. “Don’t worry, I’ve got Grace covered. I’ll take pictures so she won’t miss a thing. Now we should probably get some sleep.”

  The girls settled their sleeping bags into the hay and climbed in. Keiko kept her eyes on Marigold.

  “I’m staying up until the baby comes,” she announced.

  “Me, too,” her friends agreed eagerly.

  Aunt Yumi chuckled quietly. “Girls, this might take a very long time. The foal may not even come until tomorrow.”

  “Then we’ll stay up all night!” Jasmine declared.

  But one by one, Keiko’s friends drifted off, and so did Aunt Yumi. After everyone else was asleep, Keiko had a change of heart. She reached for her sketchbook and pencil.

  Letting her memory guide her, Keiko drew a picture of Marigold with her glossy coat and long flowing mane. Just putting her pencil to paper again made her feel a little bit better. Maybe tomorrow after the foal was born, she thought to herself, she would get up the courage to tell her friends about the contest.

  “Keiko? Wake up, sweetie,” a voice called gently.

  Keiko shot up. The first morning light streamed in through the barn door. Her friends were snuggled into their sleeping bags, sleeping soundly. Aunt Yumi smiled down at her.

  “Is Marigold okay?” Keiko asked, her heart racing. When had she fallen asleep? She hadn’t meant to.

  Aunt Yumi’s smile grew wider. “Marigold is fine. There’s someone I think you’ll want to meet. It’s a girl!”

  The foal! Hurriedly, Keiko shook the others awake. “You guys, get up! The foal is here!”

  Jasmine was the first to scramble out of her sleeping bag, followed by Sofia and Madison. Together they raced to Marigold’s stall and squealed with delight. Marigold was on her feet with her head down. And right by her side, lying on the ground with her legs folded beneath her, was a newborn foal.