passed since then.
She noticed that Carole and Veronica were standing together nearby. Lisa couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she could see that Carole was doing most of the talking. She had a sad and thoughtful look on her face, and Lisa suspected she was talking about Pepper. But after a moment Lisa saw that Veronica had interrupted and leaned forward as if she were asking Carole something important. Lisa couldn’t imagine what it was, however, especially when she saw Carole frown with annoyance.
This time Lisa and Stevie could both hear exactlywhat their friend was saying. “You know, Veronica, you’ve been so human lately that I’d almost forgotten how selfish you can be. But you just reminded me!” Carole snapped loudly. Then she turned on her heel and marched away from an astonished Veronica toward Lisa and Stevie.
“What was that all about?” Stevie asked as Carole joined them on the bench.
But before Carole could answer, Veronica strolled over and stopped before them, her hands on her hips. “Well, you guys, this has been very interesting, but I have to go. I have something to do at home.”
“Don’t let us keep you,” Carole said, still looking angry.
Veronica headed for the door. But she paused just before reaching it and turned to look at Lisa. “I’m really sorry about Pepper,” she said quietly, then dashed out.
Stevie raised her eyebrows. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but that was nice of her to say.” She turned to Carole. “Now will you tell us what she just said to you that obviously
wasn’t
so nice?”
“I will,” Carole said, “as soon as we get to TD’s. I think this day definitely calls for a Saddle Club meeting.”
Lisa stared at her. “Carole, I’m pretty upset about Pepper and everything, and I hardly got any sleep at all last night, but even I know it’s barely nine o’clock in the morning. Don’t tell me you’re in the mood for ice creamnow!” Tastee Delight, more commonly known as TD’s, was an ice-cream parlor at the local shopping center. It was one of The Saddle Club’s favorite places to hold their meetings.
“Even if she is, she’s out of luck,” Stevie announced. “TD’s doesn’t open until eleven. I know that for a fact, because one time I
was
in the mood for an ice-cream breakfast.”
“Oops,” Carole said, blushing. “I guess I wasn’t thinking. Well, maybe we can go somewhere for breakfast, then. All I know is that I’m starving.” Carole was so responsible and knowledgeable when it came to horses that her friends sometimes forgot that she could be a bit flaky in situations where no horses were involved. But Carole invariably found an opportunity to remind them.
Lisa started to laugh, but she could see that Carole was truly embarrassed by her error. She realized that the morning had been difficult for all of them. So instead of laughing, she suggested a solution. “Why don’t we take the bus over to that pancake house on the other side of town?” she said.
“Good idea,” Carole said, brightening immediately.
“It is a good idea, but I can’t go,” Stevie said reluctantly. “I have a job to do here, remember?”
Red had entered the area just in time to hear what Stevie said. “Did I hear you correctly, Stevie? You’re going to pass up breakfast with your friends to stay here and muck out stalls with me? I’m touched!” he teased,putting one hand over his heart. Then he got serious. “Go on, Stevie. It’s been a rough morning, and you probably need a break.”
“But I promised Max, and besides, you’re running late already …” Stevie began.
But Red didn’t let her finish. “Don’t be ridiculous. Go!” he insisted. Then he hurried out of the room before she could protest further.
Carole, for one, didn’t need to hear it twice. “You heard him, Stevie. You’ve been doing a great job here while Max was away, but you
do
deserve a break. After all, Red owes you one from yesterday, when you
She noticed that Carole and Veronica were standing together nearby. Lisa couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she could see that Carole was doing most of the talking. She had a sad and thoughtful look on her face, and Lisa suspected she was talking about Pepper. But after a moment Lisa saw that Veronica had interrupted and leaned forward as if she were asking Carole something important. Lisa couldn’t imagine what it was, however, especially when she saw Carole frown with annoyance.
This time Lisa and Stevie could both hear exactlywhat their friend was saying. “You know, Veronica, you’ve been so human lately that I’d almost forgotten how selfish you can be. But you just reminded me!” Carole snapped loudly. Then she turned on her heel and marched away from an astonished Veronica toward Lisa and Stevie.
“What was that all about?” Stevie asked as Carole joined them on the bench.
But before Carole could answer, Veronica strolled over and stopped before them, her hands on her hips. “Well, you guys, this has been very interesting, but I have to go. I have something to do at home.”
“Don’t let us keep you,” Carole said, still looking angry.
Veronica headed for the door. But she paused just before reaching it and turned to look at Lisa. “I’m really sorry about Pepper,” she said quietly, then dashed out.
Stevie raised her eyebrows. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but that was nice of her to say.” She turned to Carole. “Now will you tell us what she just said to you that obviously
wasn’t
so nice?”
“I will,” Carole said, “as soon as we get to TD’s. I think this day definitely calls for a Saddle Club meeting.”
Lisa stared at her. “Carole, I’m pretty upset about Pepper and everything, and I hardly got any sleep at all last night, but even I know it’s barely nine o’clock in the morning. Don’t tell me you’re in the mood for ice creamnow!” Tastee Delight, more commonly known as TD’s, was an ice-cream parlor at the local shopping center. It was one of The Saddle Club’s favorite places to hold their meetings.
“Even if she is, she’s out of luck,” Stevie announced. “TD’s doesn’t open until eleven. I know that for a fact, because one time I
was
in the mood for an ice-cream breakfast.”
“Oops,” Carole said, blushing. “I guess I wasn’t thinking. Well, maybe we can go somewhere for breakfast, then. All I know is that I’m starving.” Carole was so responsible and knowledgeable when it came to horses that her friends sometimes forgot that she could be a bit flaky in situations where no horses were involved. But Carole invariably found an opportunity to remind them.
Lisa started to laugh, but she could see that Carole was truly embarrassed by her error. She realized that the morning had been difficult for all of them. So instead of laughing, she suggested a solution. “Why don’t we take the bus over to that pancake house on the other side of town?” she said.
“Good idea,” Carole said, brightening immediately.
“It is a good idea, but I can’t go,” Stevie said reluctantly. “I have a job to do here, remember?”
Red had entered the area just in time to hear what Stevie said. “Did I hear you correctly, Stevie? You’re going to pass up breakfast with your friends to stay here and muck out stalls with me? I’m touched!” he teased,putting one hand over his heart. Then he got serious. “Go on, Stevie. It’s been a rough morning, and you probably need a break.”
“But I promised Max, and besides, you’re running late already …” Stevie began.
But Red didn’t let her finish. “Don’t be ridiculous. Go!” he insisted. Then he hurried out of the room before she could protest further.
Carole, for one, didn’t need to hear it twice. “You heard him, Stevie. You’ve been doing a great job here while Max was away, but you
do
deserve a break. After all, Red owes you one from yesterday, when you
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