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Authors: Bonnie Bryant
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mare on Saturday, Lisa had barely given a thought to her ecology project. Her father had brought home the developed pictures the evening before, but Lisa had hardly glanced at them before flipping to the ones she had taken of the mare. She knew she was going to have to get back to work on the project soon, but right now she could only concentrate on helping the mare get better.
Finally the bell rang and Lisa headed to the cafeteria. Carole was one grade below Lisa and had lunch at a different time, and Lisa didn’t feel like talking to anybody else. No one else would understand about the mare. She found a seat by herself in the corner and did her best to eat her lunch, although she didn’t really feel hungry.
As she chewed slowly, Lisa’s mind was working quickly. In her head, she went over every injury and problem the mare had and tried to work out the best ways to deal witheach one. The trouble was, the more she thought about it, the more certain she was that she and her friends were already doing everything they could. And still the mare wasn’t getting better.
Once again, Lisa thought of Sal. She knew that the staff at CARL had done everything possible for him, yet Sal had died. His injuries had proved to be too much for any sort of medical treatment to cure.
At least Sal had seemed to take some comfort in spending his final days somewhere he felt safe and wanted. Lisa wasn’t sure the mare felt the same way. She still hardly seemed to notice her surroundings, and, despite the moment in the paddock the day before, Lisa wasn’t one hundred percent certain the mare even recognized her or her friends, or cared when they appeared or disappeared. In fact, she didn’t seem to care much about anything at all. Was there any cure for that?
“I F ANYTHING WILL take your mind off the mare for a while, it’s Alex,” Stevie said as she, Lisa, and Carole entered the Lakes’ house that evening. “This is sure to be a very interesting dinner. Disgusting, but interesting.”
The three girls had just come from Pine Hollow. The gray mare was still no better, though today Lisa had thought she’d caught the horse watching her when she brought her a few flakes of fresh hay. The possible good sign had made Lisaeven more reluctant than usual to leave the stable for dinner. But Stevie had finally managed to convince her that a dinner with Alex and Paige was an event not to be missed.
As the girls shut the front door behind them, they heard sounds of activity coming from the kitchen. When they entered the room a chaotic scene greeted them. Mr. Lake was standing with the oven door partially open, adding some spices to the contents, which smelled delicious. Mrs. Lake was at the counter mixing up a big bowl of salad. Stevie’s younger brother, Michael, was running back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room, setting the table. After every trip back from the dining room, he paused to kick the leg of the kitchen chair where Alex was sitting. Paige was perched on Alex’s knee. The couple was holding hands and gazing into one another’s eyes. Alex’s face as he looked at Paige held the adoring expression that had become familiar to everyone who knew him. Her expression as she gazed back was almost identical. Neither one of them seemed to notice Michael’s kicks.
“Let me guess,” Carole whispered as the girls surveyed the scene from the doorway. “That must be the famous Paige. Or should I say infamous?”
Just then Mrs. Lake turned around and saw them. “Oh, Stevie, there you are. Hello, girls. Could you three do me a favor and make some garlic bread? There’s a loaf of French bread in the bin.”
“Sure, Mrs. Lake,” Lisa said. She couldn’t resist sneakinganother glance at Alex and Paige as she walked over to the bread bin. Alex had reached up and was twirling a piece of Paige’s hair around one finger.
Stevie walked over to the chair where Alex and Paige were sitting and smacked Alex on the shoulder. He
Finally the bell rang and Lisa headed to the cafeteria. Carole was one grade below Lisa and had lunch at a different time, and Lisa didn’t feel like talking to anybody else. No one else would understand about the mare. She found a seat by herself in the corner and did her best to eat her lunch, although she didn’t really feel hungry.
As she chewed slowly, Lisa’s mind was working quickly. In her head, she went over every injury and problem the mare had and tried to work out the best ways to deal witheach one. The trouble was, the more she thought about it, the more certain she was that she and her friends were already doing everything they could. And still the mare wasn’t getting better.
Once again, Lisa thought of Sal. She knew that the staff at CARL had done everything possible for him, yet Sal had died. His injuries had proved to be too much for any sort of medical treatment to cure.
At least Sal had seemed to take some comfort in spending his final days somewhere he felt safe and wanted. Lisa wasn’t sure the mare felt the same way. She still hardly seemed to notice her surroundings, and, despite the moment in the paddock the day before, Lisa wasn’t one hundred percent certain the mare even recognized her or her friends, or cared when they appeared or disappeared. In fact, she didn’t seem to care much about anything at all. Was there any cure for that?
“I F ANYTHING WILL take your mind off the mare for a while, it’s Alex,” Stevie said as she, Lisa, and Carole entered the Lakes’ house that evening. “This is sure to be a very interesting dinner. Disgusting, but interesting.”
The three girls had just come from Pine Hollow. The gray mare was still no better, though today Lisa had thought she’d caught the horse watching her when she brought her a few flakes of fresh hay. The possible good sign had made Lisaeven more reluctant than usual to leave the stable for dinner. But Stevie had finally managed to convince her that a dinner with Alex and Paige was an event not to be missed.
As the girls shut the front door behind them, they heard sounds of activity coming from the kitchen. When they entered the room a chaotic scene greeted them. Mr. Lake was standing with the oven door partially open, adding some spices to the contents, which smelled delicious. Mrs. Lake was at the counter mixing up a big bowl of salad. Stevie’s younger brother, Michael, was running back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room, setting the table. After every trip back from the dining room, he paused to kick the leg of the kitchen chair where Alex was sitting. Paige was perched on Alex’s knee. The couple was holding hands and gazing into one another’s eyes. Alex’s face as he looked at Paige held the adoring expression that had become familiar to everyone who knew him. Her expression as she gazed back was almost identical. Neither one of them seemed to notice Michael’s kicks.
“Let me guess,” Carole whispered as the girls surveyed the scene from the doorway. “That must be the famous Paige. Or should I say infamous?”
Just then Mrs. Lake turned around and saw them. “Oh, Stevie, there you are. Hello, girls. Could you three do me a favor and make some garlic bread? There’s a loaf of French bread in the bin.”
“Sure, Mrs. Lake,” Lisa said. She couldn’t resist sneakinganother glance at Alex and Paige as she walked over to the bread bin. Alex had reached up and was twirling a piece of Paige’s hair around one finger.
Stevie walked over to the chair where Alex and Paige were sitting and smacked Alex on the shoulder. He
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