Stevie and give Lisa a welcoming smile at the same time.
“I thought I heard your voice, Lisa. And what, may I ask, are you two doing up to so early?” said Mrs. Lake.
“Working out, of course,” Stevie answered. At her mother’s surprised look she added, “It so happens that Alex and I have a little contest in two weeks.”
“Aha! So that’s why you’re preoccupied with athletic activity,” Mrs. Lake said knowingly. “Good old sibling rivalry.”
“Oh, no, Mom,” Stevie said sternly. “I’m getting into shape because, uh, everyone ought to exercise regularly. Good for the heart—you know—lungs, respiratory tract, calf muscles. Et cetera.”
Mrs. Lake smiled. “Try my abs and arms video,” she offered.
A vivid image came to Stevie’s mind of her mother panting on the family room floor, cursing at a leotard-clad woman on TV. “I don’t know, Mom. It’s nice of you to offer, but—”
“That sounds great, Mrs. Lake!” Lisa broke in. “Is it hard?”
“It’s a killer,” Mrs. Lake promised. She wished the girls a good day and turned to go. “Oh, and Stevie,” she added, “after that video?”
“Yeah, Mom?”
“The TV goes off!”
Stevie had never known exactly where her abdominals were. After the video, she still didn’t know: Her entire torso was in agony. So was her neck. Even one of her ankles felt odd. And her arms felt like dead weights. “I think I’m gonna puke,” she said hoarsely.
“Nonsense!” said Lisa, all business. “Here. I have a pad of paper.”
“What else is new?” Stevie muttered.
Lisa was known for her organizational skills. She whipped out a ballpoint pen. “Tell me what your fitness goals are and I’ll make a list.”
“I have only one goal,” Stevie whispered. “To live till tomorrow.”
In spite of herself Lisa laughed. While Stevie lay bellyaching on the couch, Lisa mapped out a schedule of everythingthey had to do over the next ten days to beat Alex. On one level Lisa was worried: Stevie’s inherent laziness wasn’t going to help matters. But in the end they’d be just fine. Stevie’s insane competitive streak would win out.
“All right, jock, time for breakfast.”
Instantly Stevie revived. “Let’s make bacon!” she yelled.
The girls fried some bacon and tried to make omelettes, which quickly turned into scrambled eggs. They were talking and laughing. But the moment they sat down to eat, both of them got very quiet. Lisa noticed that they were avoiding each other’s eyes. She had the feeling they were both thinking the same thing—the same thing as each other, and the same thing as last night on the phone.
“I guess we really ought to map out a schedule for Belle and Prancer, too, huh, Stevie?”
Stevie nodded. Lisa was right. Here it was, their third day of not riding. Carole probably thought they were lazy beyond belief. But still, Stevie reminded herself, the day was young. “Look, we can go to Pine Hollow right after
Priced to Sell
.”
Lisa perked up at once. “Excellent idea. We’ll take a little break and then head out. After that workout, we deserve a break!” They cleaned up and headed into the family room.
Chad, however, had already claimed the TV. He was watching music videos.
“But
Priced to Sell
is on!” Stevie wailed.
“Tough. I hate game shows,” Chad said. “And I’ll be gone in an hour. Dan’s coming over and we’re going to the mall to get computer stuff.”
“Dan’s driving you to the mall?” Stevie said plaintively.
“Yup.”
Stevie and Lisa looked at one another. An excursion to the mall would be fun!
“Can we come?”
Chad took his eyes off the screen to survey them briefly. “Okay. As long as you don’t say
one
word about working out! Alex is already driving me crazy with his power shakes and his body mass index. I just don’t care, got it?”
“Got it,” Stevie said solemnly. She turned to Lisa, all thoughts of riding forgotten. “Come on, let’s go call Carole and
“I thought I heard your voice, Lisa. And what, may I ask, are you two doing up to so early?” said Mrs. Lake.
“Working out, of course,” Stevie answered. At her mother’s surprised look she added, “It so happens that Alex and I have a little contest in two weeks.”
“Aha! So that’s why you’re preoccupied with athletic activity,” Mrs. Lake said knowingly. “Good old sibling rivalry.”
“Oh, no, Mom,” Stevie said sternly. “I’m getting into shape because, uh, everyone ought to exercise regularly. Good for the heart—you know—lungs, respiratory tract, calf muscles. Et cetera.”
Mrs. Lake smiled. “Try my abs and arms video,” she offered.
A vivid image came to Stevie’s mind of her mother panting on the family room floor, cursing at a leotard-clad woman on TV. “I don’t know, Mom. It’s nice of you to offer, but—”
“That sounds great, Mrs. Lake!” Lisa broke in. “Is it hard?”
“It’s a killer,” Mrs. Lake promised. She wished the girls a good day and turned to go. “Oh, and Stevie,” she added, “after that video?”
“Yeah, Mom?”
“The TV goes off!”
Stevie had never known exactly where her abdominals were. After the video, she still didn’t know: Her entire torso was in agony. So was her neck. Even one of her ankles felt odd. And her arms felt like dead weights. “I think I’m gonna puke,” she said hoarsely.
“Nonsense!” said Lisa, all business. “Here. I have a pad of paper.”
“What else is new?” Stevie muttered.
Lisa was known for her organizational skills. She whipped out a ballpoint pen. “Tell me what your fitness goals are and I’ll make a list.”
“I have only one goal,” Stevie whispered. “To live till tomorrow.”
In spite of herself Lisa laughed. While Stevie lay bellyaching on the couch, Lisa mapped out a schedule of everythingthey had to do over the next ten days to beat Alex. On one level Lisa was worried: Stevie’s inherent laziness wasn’t going to help matters. But in the end they’d be just fine. Stevie’s insane competitive streak would win out.
“All right, jock, time for breakfast.”
Instantly Stevie revived. “Let’s make bacon!” she yelled.
The girls fried some bacon and tried to make omelettes, which quickly turned into scrambled eggs. They were talking and laughing. But the moment they sat down to eat, both of them got very quiet. Lisa noticed that they were avoiding each other’s eyes. She had the feeling they were both thinking the same thing—the same thing as each other, and the same thing as last night on the phone.
“I guess we really ought to map out a schedule for Belle and Prancer, too, huh, Stevie?”
Stevie nodded. Lisa was right. Here it was, their third day of not riding. Carole probably thought they were lazy beyond belief. But still, Stevie reminded herself, the day was young. “Look, we can go to Pine Hollow right after
Priced to Sell
.”
Lisa perked up at once. “Excellent idea. We’ll take a little break and then head out. After that workout, we deserve a break!” They cleaned up and headed into the family room.
Chad, however, had already claimed the TV. He was watching music videos.
“But
Priced to Sell
is on!” Stevie wailed.
“Tough. I hate game shows,” Chad said. “And I’ll be gone in an hour. Dan’s coming over and we’re going to the mall to get computer stuff.”
“Dan’s driving you to the mall?” Stevie said plaintively.
“Yup.”
Stevie and Lisa looked at one another. An excursion to the mall would be fun!
“Can we come?”
Chad took his eyes off the screen to survey them briefly. “Okay. As long as you don’t say
one
word about working out! Alex is already driving me crazy with his power shakes and his body mass index. I just don’t care, got it?”
“Got it,” Stevie said solemnly. She turned to Lisa, all thoughts of riding forgotten. “Come on, let’s go call Carole and
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