Chocolate Horse by Bonnie Bryant

Author:Bonnie Bryant [Bryant, Bonnie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-82514-8
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2013-02-06T05:00:00+00:00

“HI, MRS. REG,” said Stevie as she peered into the office at Pine Hollow.

“Stevie, how great to see you! How’s Alex doing?”

“He’s doing a little better,” she said. “The doctor said he could probably come home on Sunday.”

“What wonderful news. You must be feeling relieved.”

“Yeah, yeah, I am,” Stevie told her. “I couldn’t go to the hospital this afternoon, so Mom said I should come over here and be with my friends, but I don’t see them. Where is everybody?”

“They just left. They talked someone into driving them over to the mall so they could pick up some more red crepe paper, though I doubt there’s much left in the world, considering how much they’ve already used!”

The dance. It was Saturday, two days from now, the day before Alex was to come home. All the time that Alex had been in the hospital, her friends had been working on the decorations and the food for the dance. They’d probably had to work extra hard without her. That was too bad. Stevie was very good at decorations and food. She liked to work on parties, but this was one she was completely missing. She felt a twinge of sadness, but she knew that Alex’s health was more important.

“Go see what they’ve done, dear,” said Mrs. Reg. “And it’ll be even better by Saturday. You’ll love it when you see it then.”

“I won’t be there,” Stevie said. “I have to be with Alex. He’s supposed to come home the next day, you know.”

“Hmmm,” was all Mrs. Reg said.

“I’ll go check out the decorations and let you know what I think,” said Stevie.

It was just a short walk to the old barn, but it took Stevie quite a while. In the first place, a young-riders class was just letting out, and everybody asked Stevie how Alex was.

By the time she finished explaining it to Jackie and Amie, May had come along and wanted the same information. Then she saw Max.

“How’s Alex?” he asked. She told him.

Two other students in the class asked the same thing. Two other students got the same answer. It was nice that everyone was so concerned, but at the same time Stevie was sick of filling everyone in.

On the way to Topside’s stall, Stevie ran into Veronica diAngelo. Much to her own surprise, Stevie was actually relieved to see the snobby girl. Veronica was so self-centered, it wouldn’t occur to her to ask about anybody else, especially not the brother of one of the Saddle Club members.

“Stevie!” Veronica said. “How’s Alex?”

Stevie sighed with resignation and told her.

Topside seemed glad to see her.

“You’re not going to ask me about Alex, are you, boy?” she whispered into his silky ear. He didn’t answer, but he didn’t ask about Alex, either. She gave him the hug he deserved.

Then she walked over to the old stable where her friends had been working so hard. When she opened the door, she gasped. It was spectacular, and they’d done it completely without her!

They’d stacked all the bales of hay so that they were like a set of bleachers around the dance floor.

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