But I just held my breath I can hold it for over a minute Around stinky manure you get a lot of practice A clean stall helps the horses stay healthy said Aunt Jane We try to muck each stall twice a day We’ll teach you Pony Girls soon enough Pony Girls are first-year campers We’re eight years old Gabriela said I know how already Then she reached for Aunt Jane’s hand But shouldn’t you take off your ring My mom never wears her rings when she’s cleaning 6
Gabriela is my cousin But we barely know each other She lives in California thousands of miles from where I live in Costa Rica I thought we’d be best friends this summer But now I wasn’t so sure I wasn’t even sure we’d end up being best cousins Aunt Jane twirled the ring around her finger It’s my lucky ring I never take it off It was my grandmother’s She pressed it against her heart Gabriela handed the book to Aunt Jane Look at chapter five 7
I was pretty sure Gabriela liked books better than me Aunt Jane scanned the pages How to Muck Stalls So you do know how Great Is there anything Gabriela can’t do Aunt Jane glanced at her watch I’m done in here She wiped a drop of sweat off her nose and plopped down on a hay bale And I’m plum tuckered out I need a vacation I let out my breath One minute twenty-three seconds A vacation I said I know where you should go 8
Aunt Jane scratched her head Hmmm let me guess She tapped her foot Could it be Costa Rica How did you know I asked Gabriela rolled her eyes Because that’s all you talk about Is not I said Is too she said I gave her my cranky eyes The rain forest is the most beautiful place on earth Aunt Jane I’ve seen toucans jaguars and anteaters There’s a Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica too It rains over 100 9
