The Mare

Ginger

Her face filled with blood; her eyes went hot. Sweat came out my armpits. Estella just kept talking. Pat looked at Mrs. Vargas, then at Velvet, at Estella, and at me, stopping on me. Estella turned to Velvet and said in English how much she’d love to see her compete one day. And then I guess she said that to the mother too. Who smiled with her dark face, through her hot eyes; an enraged and cringing smile. I saw: She was helpless before this woman. I saw: Velvet grow ever more animated and glowing as her mother shrank.

“Do you have a favorite horse?” asked Estella.

“Yes,” said Velvet in her glowing voice. “I like Fugly Girl.”

“Really!” said Estella. “Shall we go see her?”

And we all walked into the barn, Estella and her big horse with Velvet by her side, Pat behind Velvet. Well behind the horse, I walked with Velvet’s family. Velvet’s shrunken mother looked at me and her eyes said “Judas.” “Forgive me,” I said in a low voice. “Por favor.”

She didn’t answer or look at me. It was like she’d disappeared.

Velvet looked back and the triumph on her face was unmistakable.

I saw: Dante was afraid.