Three: Horse danger

Everyone was having a great time at Amber's latest party. She had gone all out as usual, making sure everything was fabulous. Nell was especially pleased that Amber was even including things for Elena and Gabby to do. She had just gotten them cleaned up from decorating their first parasols when she felt a tug at her hand.

"Mama! Horsies!" Gabby squealed, pointing at the area where some flying horses were standing, and other people were riding them. "Let's go!"

Nell smiled; she knew that ever since Sofia had joined her school's flying derby team, and told her and Elena bedtime stories about horses, both with and without wings, Gabby had shown an interest in flying horses. "Okay, Gabby, but remember: we can look at and pet them, but don't get on it unless someone goes with you."

"We ride horsies?" Elena asked, coming up to them.

"Sorry, sweetie, but like I just said to Gabby, we can look and pet, but don't ride unless someone goes with you," Nell smiled. She knew Elena also loved animals.

Nell, Elena, and Gabby watched a few people on the horses. It was exciting watching the horses take off and soar through the sky for a little while, then they landed on the ground again.

A few minutes later, they were listening as James sang a song with Amber. Nell smiled as she recognized it. Bobby Lee had often sung that with her, and her smile widened as he put his arm around her and sang along.

However, as much as she liked hearing James sing, Gabby was still thinking about the flying horses. She tugged at Nell's hand.

"Mama, I'm going for a walk," Gabby said when Nell looked down.

"Okay, sweetie, but don't go too far," Nell nodded.

"Have fun, and be careful," Bobby Lee added.

Gabby went right over to where the flying horses were. However, she heard someone come up to her.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked. She'd followed her sister when James and Amber's song ended.

"Horsies!" Gabby smiled as she led her over to the flying horses again. She approached one, who was about the size of Sofia's horse Minimus, and petted him.

"Hi, horsie," Elena smiled as she petted him.

"Can I ride you?" Gabby asked.

"Mama said no!" Elena's smile faded, and she looked toward Nell and Bobby Lee, who were a short distance away, but still watching them.

"Can I sit on you?" Gabby asked, petting the horse.

"Mama said no!" Elena repeated.

Gabby suddenly looked over at something in the distance. "Elena! Kitty!" she said, pointing at a small animal.

"Kitty?" There it was. Gabby had said the magic word which would distract Elena from anything. Elena smiled and ran toward the good-sized squirrel Gabby was pointing at. "Kitty!"

While Nell and Bobby Lee came over to them, they gathered Elena up, and promised to let her play with one of the real kitties in the stable, Gabby slipped onto the horse's back.

She thought she'd just sit on it for a minute and then get off again. She smiled as she settled herself in the saddle; she felt like such a big girl, being on a horse by herself.

Suddenly, she heard a loud noise. The horse spooked and broke free from its rope harness and took off, with Gabby clinging to him for dear life.

Nell and Bobby Lee had just sent Elena back to her parasol and drawings, when they heard terrified screaming. They looked up in alarm.

"Helen! Is that-" Bobby Lee gasped, seeing the small figure on the horse's back.

"GABBY!" Nell's scream reached James' ears as he was preparing for an encore song. He looked up, seeing the horse take off with Gabby on his back.

"Amber, I think I'll let you commandeer the karaoke machine now!" James shouted. He ran to the flying horse ride area, where his own flying horse was waiting for an older rider, and jumped on him. "HYAH!" he yelled as he took off.

"Horsie get down! Mama!" Gabby wailed, holding on for dear life.

"Gabby!" James shouted, flying up to her.

"Help me!" Gabby cried.

"That's what I'm going to do," James lowered his voice. It wouldn't do any good to shout; Gabby was scared enough already, and he recalled that the man who had provided the horses said that this horse was particularly skittish around loud noises. Even though he was as scared as Gabby was, James knew he had to be calm. He took a deep breath. "Gabby, can you be a big brave girl and reach out to me?"

"I want Mama!" Gabby cried.

"And I'll get you to Mama," James promised. "I just need you to reach out to me."

"Okay," Gabby whimpered.

As he watched Gabby calm down, James sent up a prayer of thanks that he had paid attention to Sofia's description of the flying slingshot, and thought that what he was going to do, grabbing Gabby's hands in midair, was going to be similar. "Gabby, can you reach across your horse to me? I promise, I'm right here. I'm going to catch you."

Gabby slowly extended her hand toward James, who grabbed it. He counted to three, then pulled her onto his horse and they flew back to the ground together. With Gabby still in his arms, he helped secure the horses when they landed.

They came back to the group, who was wildly cheering. However, Gabby started crying when she was set on the ground again.

"It's okay, Gabby, you're safe," James murmured. However, he sounded a little choked up himself. He started trembling as everything that happened caught up with him.

"Gabby!" Nell shouted when she approached them. She pulled her into a tight hug and covered her face with kisses. When she broke apart, she continued, "Gabby Anna O'Malley, I ought to put you in timeout and have you grounded until you're my age! But I think you've been punished enough!"

"I'm sorry, Mama," Gabby sniffled.

"Actually, Gabby, you'll just be grounded only for the day tomorrow," Bobby Lee spoke up.

"Okay," Gabby whispered as Nell nodded in agreement, then she went over to James, who had buried his face in Roland's side. "Thank you James."

"James, you're crying too. Why are you sad?" Elena asked, hearing soft sniffles.

"He's not sad, sweetheart; I think he's just frightened by what happened, but he'll be fine," Roland assured her before turning his attention back to James, who was shaking and in tears himself.

"Dad…" James started, but he couldn't continue.

"It's all right, James, you did just fine. Thanks to you, Gabby's safe," Roland murmured as he hugged him tightly, "Just let it all out. Everything's going to be alright."

James barely heard him, but he lifted his tearstained face when he saw his dog Jagger come up to them.

"Jag…" he murmured, letting the Irish Red and White Setter lick his hands.

Gabby looked tense when the dog came up to her next, but Jagger nudged her with his nose.

"It's okay, Gabby; Jagger just wants to see if you're alright," Bobby Lee said as he scratched the dog behind his ears. "Good boy, Jagger."

Gabby smiled. "Good boy, Jaggy!" she echoed, letting him lick her hands.

"Good boy!" Elena joined in, giggling as Jagger licked her next.

"Okay, I think we all need something to calm us down," Amber suggested. She gave James a hug, then led him back to the stage. "Come on, James, aren't you always saying that music makes everything better?"

James managed to calm down, and he smiled a little. "Yes it does. Let's go!"