about.
“Hippotherapy…” the therapist said.
There was that word again.
“…is used in a variety of ways that affect the physical and psychological well-being of autistic kids. It has a calming effect. And it promotes various social and emotional benefits beyond just the physical ones.”
“But is it dangerous?” Mrs. Summers asked.
“It can be a little intimidating to see your child six feet off the ground on top of a thousand pound animal, but therapeutic riding stables have a qualified staff and a large group of volunteers that run along the side of the horse. They’re there not only for safety, but to provide encouragement and emotional support.”
“Do you have any reading material on hippotherapy?” Mrs. Summers asked.
“Certainly,” the therapist said, and Katani heard papers shuffling in the next room. “And I can recommend a nearby stable. I spoke with the owner, who specializes in working with autistic kids, this morning. She happens to have an opening. Usually there’s a long waiting list. She’s able to take Kelley this weekend. I suggest you give it a try.”
“I don’t know,” Mrs. Summers hesitated. “I’d have to talk it over with my husband and my mother.”
Katani glanced at her watch once again. She hoped her mother and the therapist wrapped things up quickly, the festival and the BSG were waiting for her. Hippotherapy, or whatever it was, was not what she wanted to be thinking about this morning!
CHAPTER
4
The Great Escape
K atani and her sister were two blocks away from the festival, but they could already hear the music of the carnival rides and gleeful screams from the riders. Katani could feel Kelley tensing up.
“It’s okay, Kelley,” Katani reassured her. “We’re going to have fun. Right?”
“A ton of fun for us. Not them,” Kelley said in her TV announcer voice.
Katani was amazed at how Kelley could mimic the voices she heard on TV.
“Look, Katani! There’s Isabel and Charlotte! This will be fun,” Kelley shouted.
Katani looked to where Kelley was pointing. Isabel and Charlotte were standing near the carousel.
“Isabel! Charlotte!” Kelley shouted as they got close. She gave them each a big hug. Kelley wasn’t always comfortable with physical contact, but when she wanted to give someone a hug, they were getting a hug—whether they liked it or not!
“Hi! Where are Avery and Maeve?” Katani asked, looking around to see if the other BSG were nearby.
“Avery and Maeve went over to the batting cages. They both went gaga over some Red Sox player who’s supposed to be there,” Charlotte said.
“But for different reasons,” Isabel added with a smile.
“Come on, we were just going over there. I want to check up on Marty.” Charlotte began walking toward the cages.
“Marty? Marty’s here? I love that little doggie! Where is he? Marty? MARTY!” Kelley shouted.
“Chill,” Katani reminded Kelley. Katani was trying her best to be patient, knowing that if she got upset, Kelley would get upset as well and that would be a disaster. “We’re headed that way now.”
Katani didn’t understand how someone so sensitive to loud noises could be so—well—LOUD!
Just over the rise on the edge of the park they could see the top of the batting cages and they hurried off in that direction. Each pitching machine whirred loudly as it spat a ball at the poised batter. If the batter connected, the ball reversed its flight with a satisfying PING! If the batter missed, the ball rattled against the cage’s chain link fence backwall when it hit.
There was a small crowd gathered around the back of the batting cage and onlookers shouted out encouragement.
“You got a piece of that one!”
“Hang in there!”
“Keep your eye on the ball.”
“Step into it! Step into it!”
The BSG arrived at the batting cage as the pitching machine cranked and spit out another ball. To Charlotte, itseemed that Avery swung her bat the moment the ball came out of
“Hippotherapy…” the therapist said.
There was that word again.
“…is used in a variety of ways that affect the physical and psychological well-being of autistic kids. It has a calming effect. And it promotes various social and emotional benefits beyond just the physical ones.”
“But is it dangerous?” Mrs. Summers asked.
“It can be a little intimidating to see your child six feet off the ground on top of a thousand pound animal, but therapeutic riding stables have a qualified staff and a large group of volunteers that run along the side of the horse. They’re there not only for safety, but to provide encouragement and emotional support.”
“Do you have any reading material on hippotherapy?” Mrs. Summers asked.
“Certainly,” the therapist said, and Katani heard papers shuffling in the next room. “And I can recommend a nearby stable. I spoke with the owner, who specializes in working with autistic kids, this morning. She happens to have an opening. Usually there’s a long waiting list. She’s able to take Kelley this weekend. I suggest you give it a try.”
“I don’t know,” Mrs. Summers hesitated. “I’d have to talk it over with my husband and my mother.”
Katani glanced at her watch once again. She hoped her mother and the therapist wrapped things up quickly, the festival and the BSG were waiting for her. Hippotherapy, or whatever it was, was not what she wanted to be thinking about this morning!
CHAPTER
4
The Great Escape
K atani and her sister were two blocks away from the festival, but they could already hear the music of the carnival rides and gleeful screams from the riders. Katani could feel Kelley tensing up.
“It’s okay, Kelley,” Katani reassured her. “We’re going to have fun. Right?”
“A ton of fun for us. Not them,” Kelley said in her TV announcer voice.
Katani was amazed at how Kelley could mimic the voices she heard on TV.
“Look, Katani! There’s Isabel and Charlotte! This will be fun,” Kelley shouted.
Katani looked to where Kelley was pointing. Isabel and Charlotte were standing near the carousel.
“Isabel! Charlotte!” Kelley shouted as they got close. She gave them each a big hug. Kelley wasn’t always comfortable with physical contact, but when she wanted to give someone a hug, they were getting a hug—whether they liked it or not!
“Hi! Where are Avery and Maeve?” Katani asked, looking around to see if the other BSG were nearby.
“Avery and Maeve went over to the batting cages. They both went gaga over some Red Sox player who’s supposed to be there,” Charlotte said.
“But for different reasons,” Isabel added with a smile.
“Come on, we were just going over there. I want to check up on Marty.” Charlotte began walking toward the cages.
“Marty? Marty’s here? I love that little doggie! Where is he? Marty? MARTY!” Kelley shouted.
“Chill,” Katani reminded Kelley. Katani was trying her best to be patient, knowing that if she got upset, Kelley would get upset as well and that would be a disaster. “We’re headed that way now.”
Katani didn’t understand how someone so sensitive to loud noises could be so—well—LOUD!
Just over the rise on the edge of the park they could see the top of the batting cages and they hurried off in that direction. Each pitching machine whirred loudly as it spat a ball at the poised batter. If the batter connected, the ball reversed its flight with a satisfying PING! If the batter missed, the ball rattled against the cage’s chain link fence backwall when it hit.
There was a small crowd gathered around the back of the batting cage and onlookers shouted out encouragement.
“You got a piece of that one!”
“Hang in there!”
“Keep your eye on the ball.”
“Step into it! Step into it!”
The BSG arrived at the batting cage as the pitching machine cranked and spit out another ball. To Charlotte, itseemed that Avery swung her bat the moment the ball came out of
Similar Books
Dead Right
Brenda Novak
Dear Irene
Jan Burke
The Reveal
Julie Leto
A Night to Surrender
Tessa Dare
Wish 01 - A Secret Wish
Barbara Freethy
Tales of Arilland
Alethea Kontis
Vermilion Sands
J. G. Ballard
Flashback
Michael Palmer