Ponies.

Miriam got the call from her father. Her mother was sick. She had to come home and say her good-byes

"I have to go," Miriam said manically running around her room, chucking clothes in a suitcase.

"What about the girl?" Bob asked.

"What girl? Helga?"

"Yeah, that one," Bob said.

"She's staying here," she told him, going back to her packing.

"What do you mean?" Bob yelled.

"I mean, she's staying here, Bob. I'm not dragging her all that way to attend a funeral," Miriam said. "Besides, funerals are no place for children. Be sensible," she told him, shaking her head.

Five year old Helga sat quietly outside their bedroom door in the hallway, listening.

Neither of her parents wanted her. Her eyes stung and she got up and snuck into her room before she started to cry.

…Bob stomped down to the lounge.

"I mean really, Bob, what do you want me to do? Not go?" Miriam asked him.

"I never said that," he said, turning on the T.V. "I'm just saying, why cant you take the girl with you?"

"Because it's a long trip, B," she sighed, rubbing her forehead. There was a beeping coming from outside.

"Look, my taxi is here. I got to go," she said, picking up her suitcase and leaving.

Bob ended up watching T.V late into the night. He didn't usually do this as he needed to be at his store early in the morning. Finally he turned it off and went upstairs to bed. He hadn't heard a peep out of his daughter, and figured he had better check on her. He peeked in and saw her fast asleep holding a old soft pony toy. Ponies. Olga had gone through a pony phase. He shook his head. They grew up and became aliens. They really did. He closed the door to her room and went to bed.

It was the next morning when he saw Helga was about to walk out the door to school that he called out.

"I rung the school. Your sick today," he said, throwing her a coat.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"It's a surprise. Might as well make the best of the situation," he muttered the last part under his breath.

He drove her out further and further into the country before finally pulling into a pony club. Finally he parked the car and got out.

Helga sat in the car quietly, then followed him.

Had he bought her a pony? She asked herself excitedly.

"You like horses, don't ya?" he asked,

"I love horses! I want one!" Helga yelled jumping up and down with excitement.

"Nowhere to keep them in the city, girl," Bob told her.

"Bob Pataki?" a woman asked. She was a very pretty lady, Helga thought. She was all done up in riding gear.

"Lisa," he said, nodding, the enveloping her in a hug. It was sinful, and Bob knew it.

"Who are you?" Helga asked the lady suspiciously. She had once seen Rhonda's dad hug a lady who was not Rhonda's mom, and kissed her then Rhonda's parents had fought. Rhonda had been so sad.

"Lisa is . . ." he looked at Lisa. How did he explain that if he hadn't met Helga's mother this woman would be his wife? That he sometimes wondered still, how different his life would have been had he married Lisa instead?

"An old friend from school," she said holding out her hand. "And you must be Helga."

Helga took her hand hand and shook it.

"Your dad tells me you like horse riding?" she said.

"I love horse riding!" Helga squealed.

"Well, your in for a treat, then," she said laughing. "Come on. Let's get you geared up."

Another younger woman came over and took Helga away to get ready.

Lisa turned to Bob and smiled.

"She's nicer than the other one," she said. "So, how is Miriam these days?"

"She's away for a week. Her mothers dying," Bob said, looking in the direction Helga had gone.

"What a shame," she said, without one iota of meaning in it. "Maybe she wont come back".

Now Bob remembered why he didn't talk to Lisa.

She hated Miriam . . .