Sylvie's Cowboy: Cinderella In Reverse

CHAPTER 8: THE GAME

The afternoon progressed and the lead changed hands several times. The match was tied going into the last chukker.

The ball was dropped. Dan and Walt battled for possession. Dan took it. They raced for the goal.

Walt leaned forward, said something to his horse, and the animal surged forward with new life. Dan seemed set for his match-winning shot when Walt came out of nowhere to snatch the ball with an unbelievable backshot.

Dan was stunned. Walt whirled 180 degrees and raced to the opposite end of the field, where the ball had been cornered by his teammates. They set up the shot. The timing was perfect. Without breaking stride, Walt's horse met the ball at center field, where Walt's mallet sent it zipping past the goaltender's ears into the net. The winning point!

The crowd screamed and applauded. Spectators surged onto the field.

Walt's eyes met Dan's across a sea of celebrating players and spectators. No love was lost between them. Dan made his way to the edge of the crowded field, where he dismounted and slunk away toward the horse trailers, treating his exhausted horse like a criminal.

Leslye and Silvie, who had surged onto the grass with the rest of the spectators, showed themselves to be loyal fans. They left the celebrating masses on the field and joined Dan on his walk to the trailers.

Leslye tried to be encouraging. "Quite a thrilling match, Danny! You played wonderfully!"

"Not wonderfully enough," he grumbled.

Silvie patted the footsore cayuse on its soft nose. "You need more ponies like this one, Danny. He works so hard for you. He just played his heart out in that last chukker."

"Thinking of having him shot," muttered Dan.

An hour later the stands were empty, the horses in their trailers, and the stragglers making their way to the parking lot. Silvie had waited as long as she could so that none of her wealthy former peers would see her sneaking to her dilapidated Volkswagen. When she reached her bug, she climbed in quickly, intent on getting out of the parking lot with no witnesses.

In her hurry, she revved the clankety engine, ground the rattling gears, and zoomed backward - BANG! - into the yellow door of a red pickup truck.

"Careful," called Walt through his open window. "That's your half you're puttin' dents in."

Silvie glared at him as he exited his truck and walked around the two vehicles. He studied her Volkswagen. Until today, three of its fenders had boasted layers of body putty. Now the fourth fender needed body putty, too.

"Guess you do this kinda thing a lot?" Walt quipped.

"You could see me backing out, you jerk! Why did you get behind me? And what do you mean showing up here without telling me? Are you following me or something?!"

"Following you!" he said over her words.

"Because if you are," she continued, "if you are, buddy, you've got another think coming."

Walt began talking at the same time, since it appeared she was not stopping, even to breathe. "I'm not the least bit interested in where you go or what you do!"

"I'm a grown woman and I can go where I please!" she said, while he was saying, "I'm a grown man and I can darn well go anywhere I want!"

They both shouted, "It's a free country!" Then they glowered at each other.

Walt bounced his car keys in the palm of his hand before making a fist around them. "I'll see you at the house," he said.

"I'm meeting someone for dinner first."