Saturday came around pretty quick and all the family was home and rustling around. Georgie and Katie when on a ride with Amy while Jack, Lisa, and Lou made preparations for the BBQ. Tim and Shane were there along with Peter and they were pitching the outdoor tent and setting up the table and chairs. Ty had to go to Fairfield to tend to a horse that had injured his leg and was expected back very soon.
Georgie, "Katie, so how are you doing in school and with your jumping?"
Katie responds, "If you were here more you would know!"
Georgie, "What is your problem! Don't you know the commitment I have had to make to get to the Olympics!"
Katie, "Oh, the Olympics, the Olympics, Georgie is so great because she is competing in the Olympics. That is all I hear all day long!" As she gallops ahead.
Amy holding back with Georgie asks, "What is that all about? Katie seems to be on the edge of her seat all day long."
Georgie, "She is jealous or something!"
Amy, "You know Georgie, your mom and I had some real tense moments especially when she left for college and moved to New York. When she got back after mom died, I was so mad at her and really didn't know why. Later on I realized that I was mad because I felt abandoned by her. Once we got past those issues, we were able to move our relationship along."
Georgie, "I can see that with Katie and I, but I also think there is more to this than that. Lou called me last week concerned about Katie's temperament. She wanted me to talk with her while I was home to see if I could find out what is going on."
Amy, "What does Lou suspect? Drugs. Drinking. Boys?
Georgie, "Maybe all three!"
Katie, sternly turns about on her horse, "What's going on back there. Let's get back to Heartland. I am getting bored. What are you guys talking about, Me?"
Georgie, glancing at Amy, "No, we were just catching up!"
The three gallop back down the trail to the house.
At the house Tim and Peter are putting the final touches on the tent as Ty is pulling up in the new SUV. Amy is coming out of the barn and goes to Ty's window. "He mister, you need to leave that here for me. You have that nice truck over there that you can use when you need to go to work!"
Ty, not missing a beat, "Amy, I have to make sure that everything is working in proper order before I let you drive it!"
Amy, "Sure, Sure. Well, let's not make that a habit."
Ty steps out of the truck and gives Amy a huge hug and a kiss. Amy, "So how was the patient?"
Ty, "He tore a ligament in his leg and we had to stabilize it."
Amy, "How did he do that?"
Ty, "I am not sure. Maybe when he was practicing he landed wrong on his leg. No one is for sure. He just started limping."
Amy, "Well I know he is in good hands." And they headed towards the house.
At the BBQ, all the family was there including Kas and Caleb. Each got a chance to hold the twins while the family sat around the fire pit. Lou, "Where is Katie, I haven't seen her for a while. Shane can you go look for her and tell her to come join us"
Shane, "Sure."
Lyndi, "Shane I will come help."
Shane heads off towards the barn. As he is rounding the corner he smells pot coming from one of the stalls. He opens the door and there is Katie. About that time Lyndi comes up and sees Katie holding what she thought was a cigarette. Shane, "Katie, what the hell are you doing?"
Katie, "What does it look like?"
Lyndi, "Katie,, You aren't supposed to be smoking."
Shane, "That's pot Lyndi! Lou is going to kill you if she finds out!"
Katie, "I don't care if she does. She can't tell me what to do."
Shane, "I think you are terribly mistaken. Lyndi, go back to the fire. You can't say anything about this. Ok?"
Lyndi , not real sure how to answer that nods her head.
Shane, "You are screwing up your life. All that you have going for you and you decide to screw it up with drugs. How stupid!"
As they head back to the firepit, Georgie comes up to Shane. "Did you find Katie?"
Shane, "Yeah, she was getting high in the barn. I didn't know she was doing anything with drugs."
Georgie, "That must be why she is acting out so much. I need to have a talk with her.." So Georgie heads to the barn to have a talk with Katie.
Lyndi and Shane go back to the firepit where Lyndi sits next to her dad and mom. "Mom, dad I need to tell you something but Shane asked me not to."
Ty, "Lyndi remember no secrets you can tell your mom and I anything. So what's up?"
Lyndi, "Well,, We went to go find Katie and we did.. She was smoking pot in the barn. Or at least that is what Shane called it."
Ty, "She was, huh."
Amy, "That must be why she is so temperamental with everyone. I wonder how she got into that?"
Ty, "I am amazed that she would be into that with all that she has going on!"
Georgie goes into the barn and finds Katie sitting out by the back door looking out into the pasture. Katie obviously high from smoking pot sees Georgie and say, "What are you doing here? Are you doing more snooping for mom? If so, you can just leave! I Don't need this right now!"
Georgie, "No, I am not snooping. I just am concerned about you."
Katie, "Sure, you swoop in after being away for so long and try to fix things.. well nothing here needs fixing so you can leave now!"
Georgie, "Why are you so angry? What have I ever done to you?"
Katie, "You weren't here! When I needed someone, my big sister, you were not here! You were not even available to talk with me."
Georgie, "I am so sorry Katie. But what went so wrong that you couldn't talk with Amy or Mom?"
Katie, "Nothing!! It is to late anyway."
Georgie, "It is never too late.. Tell me What is going on?"
Katie begins to sob uncontrollably. Putting her face in her hands, she says, "I am so tired of everyone expecting me to be you! They have put so much pressure on me to become this champion rider because you were a champion rider! Everyone is comparing me to you and I am so tired of it. I hate jumping because of the expectation you have set for me! Also, I have this boyfriend at school who is into everything. He expects me to do "things" and If I don't, he is going to break up with me."
Georgie, " Wow, I didn't know. Does Amy or Lou know? "
Katie, "No, I haven't told anyone this. "
Georgie, "Is he the one who has gotten you into pot smoking. And what other "things" does he want you to do?"
Katie, " I guess so. He wants me to do things. Sex things with him. I don’t want to, but if I don't he is going to break up with me, and I love him so much!"
Georgie, "Katie, I understand the love thing. But I have to tell you that if he loves you, then if you tell him that you are uncomfortable doing those things he should respect that and not persist. What I don't understand is the pot thing? Are you hooked? I have never done that so I don't know anything about the alure of getting high."
Katie, "He and I started smoking last year and I find that when I get anxious, or panicky, pot will calm me down. I even smoke before I go into an event and I seem to be more relaxed."
Georgie is somewhat at a loss because she has really never experienced pot, or drinking for that matter and did not quite understand how to answer Katie.
Georgie, "Katie, I don’t' know what to say about the pot thing except that if you continue to jump I understand that drug testing is going to start next year, so you might get disqualified if they find pot in your system before an event. However, on the sex thing. Have you and he had sex?"
Katie, "No, not yet. We have fooled around some, but haven't had actual sex yet. But he is getting quite upset when I ask him to quit. He even got a bit rough with me several nights ago when I said no. He wouldn't stop and I had to get up and come home."
Georgie, "That is not healthy Katie. No matter how much you "love" this guy, he is not handling this right. Matter of fact, when he would not stop after you said no is sort of like date rape. What if you were not able to get up and he forced you into having sex with him?"
Katie, "I know, I know. I just don't want to lose him! What should I do?"
Georgie, "This might be hard advice Katie, but you need some distance. But you must tell him why. Tell him he went too far and that you are worried that he might force you to do something you are not ready for. Make sure he knows how you feel about him but if things don't change, you will not continue the relationship. You must be strong!
Katie, "I don’t know if I can do that! What if he breaks up with me?"
Georgie, "We have been raised by some very strong women. You need to embrace that and learn how to take control of this situation. You can do it. I know you can."
Katie leans into Georgie and give her a big hug. "I wish you were around here more, I really could use your shoulder to cry on."
Georgie, "I wish I could too. However, you know Amy and Mom are good listeners too. All you have to do is talk to them."
Katie, "I know, I just don't know how to open up to them like I just did to you."
Georgie, "Give it a try. I had them growing up and, like you, experience a lot of tough decisions. Both of them, and Lisa too, were always there to help give me good advice, or pick up the pieces of things that I managed to tear down! And you know, dad is a great listener too! Many occasions when mom was not around, dad was able to help me figure out my life's direction."
Both the girls headed back to the firepit to join the rest of the family celebration. Katie when to sit by Lyndi and Shane and Georgie went and sat by Amy. "So, what is going on?"
Georgie, "It is a long story, but not for now, ok?"
Amy, "Ok, but you have to tell me, soon!"
Georgie, "Tomorrow let's go have coffee with Lou and I will fill you guys in"
Amy, "Tomorrow it is."