Chapter 1

The horse trainer my dad hired said I broke her brand-new saddle.

She claimed my mom made me do it.

To punish Mom, Dad tied her to a horse and played a game he called "The Sled."

I couldn't stop the galloping stallion. I could only stand there and cry.

Mom became the sled. She eventually fell asleep in the stable, and no matter how much I called her, she wouldn't wake up.

I was so scared. I kept calling my dad's phone like crazy.

"Daddy, Mommy's asleep. I can't wake her up."

"Gabbie will never go near the stables again. Please, just wake her up!"

On the other end of the line, I heard Dad swear impatiently.

"She's just sleeping, she's not dead! If you can't wake her, then let her stay asleep!"

A few days later, Dad came back with the trainer.

"Tell your mother to come out and apologize, and I'll forgive her."

I looked up at him. "Mommy turned into a sled. She's all dried up now."

1

Our neighbor, Mrs. Higgins, was grooming her horse in her stable when she suddenly covered her nose and frowned.

At that moment, I was clutching some leftover horse pellets, stuffing them into my mouth.

She looked around and finally saw me. "Gabbie, what is your family feeding that horse? Why does the manure smell so awful?"

I reached out my hand and showed her the pellets. "This tastes good. It doesn't smell bad."

Mrs. Higgins immediately climbed over the fence and slapped the feed out of my hand.

"You can't eat this stuff, honey! Where are your parents? Why are you out here all by yourself?"

I brushed the dust off my clothes.

"Daddy went riding with the trainer. Mommy turned into a sled and fell asleep."

Mrs. Higgins found the sled tucked away in the corner of the stable.

When she saw what was inside, she nearly fainted from the shock.

"Margot? How could she be in here?"

"This is monstrous! Who would shove Margot into a sled like this?"

Mom's skin felt cold and hard. I called her name, but she still wouldn't wake up.

"How many days has she been dead? She's completely bled out. Poor Gabbie... she actually thinks her mom is just sleeping."

I didn't understand. Wasn't Mom just sleeping?

Mrs. Higgins made a call, and soon a group of officers in black uniforms arrived.

They took Mom away.

That was when I finally understood what Mrs. Higgins meant by "dead." It meant sleeping forever, never to wake up again.

I chased after the police car for a long time until I tripped and fell.

The gravel scraped my arm, and the pain was sharp and stinging.

Mrs. Higgins caught up and pulled me into her arms.

I screamed and cried. "I don't have a mommy anymore! Gabbie doesn't have a mommy!"

On the giant screen downtown, news was playing about the successful opening of the Lexington Horse Derby.

Dad was cutting the ribbon at the opening ceremony. The trainer was smiling, her arm linked tightly with his.

People on the street were whispering.

"What a tragedy. She was only thirty. That poor five-year-old lost her mother. And where is the father? He hasn't even shown up yet."

"Yeah, but look at that other woman. So young and successful. Her billionaire husband even takes her to his ribbon-cutting events. Talk about different fates!"

Mrs. Higgins took me home and brought me some real food.

"Stop eating that horse feed. Eat this for now. If you're ever hungry, just come find me."

"We can't count on your father, but I can at least make sure you have a meal."

I took a bite of the bread, staring at our empty house. I couldn't swallow through the tears.

I finally realized I didn't have a mom anymore. It hurt so much.

I used my little smartwatch to call Dad.

The cartoon ringtone played for a long time, but he didn't answer.

Mom had set that ringtone for me. Hearing it felt like she was right there, whispering in my ear.

I wanted to hear it again, so I kept calling.

After the fifth time, the call finally went through.

An angry voice exploded from the speaker. "Margot Sterling! If you still can't control your daughter, then both of you can get the hell out of this house!"

Margot was my mom's name. She told me she was named that because she was the pearl of her mother's eye.

She named me Gabbie because I was her and Dad's precious treasure.

Dad still didn't know Mom was dead.

"Daddy, they say Mommy is dead. The men in black uniforms took her away..."

Dad sounded even more furious. "Margot, what kind of sick scheme is this now? Do you have any idea how much this will ruin our daughter?"

"I didn't even tie those knots tight! Besides, the horse was tied to the hitching post! You're really using these low-life tricks just to lure me home?"

"You're actually teaching our daughter to lie and say you're dead? Do you really want to die that badly?"

"How many times do I have to tell you? I've always loved you! Only you! I'm only with her so she can give me a son. Once the boy is born, I'll be back. Don't you get it?"

"Just wait. I'll still spend our anniversary with you this year. Can't you wait just a little longer?"

Dad finished his rant and hung up.

I didn't get a chance to tell him that after he left, the trainer had retied the knots and unhitched the rope.

Mom was really gone.