Western Star (18 page)

Everybody laughed.

“You know,” said Lisa, “I’m having such a good time, I may never want to go home.”

“Too bad,” said Frank. “Just when I was about to tell you that the airport’s going to be plowed and open early tomorrow morning.”

“Well, on second thought …”

The girls didn’t have to say it. This was fun, but home was home.

“R
ACE YOU TO
the creek!” Stevie declared three days later.

It was Sunday afternoon. They’d been back in Willow Creek since Friday night, but the girls had barely seen one another since they’d gotten home. They’d been busy making up for missed time with their families and, as Stevie reminded them, there had been all those presents to open.

The girls had agreed to have their own Christmas at TD’s that afternoon
after
a good ride.

“Can you believe how warm it is?” Lisa asked. They were all wearing sweaters and light jackets to counter the fifty-degree weather, a big change from the near-zero temperatures out West.

All three girls were glad to be back on their favorite horses. They each loved the horses they rode at the Bar None, but as far as Carole was concerned, Starlight was the best horse in the world. Stevie wouldn’t have wanted to contradict Carole, but for her money Belle was number one. Lisa thought all horses were just fine, but for now she was happiest on Prancer. Prancer seemed glad to have her back. She was trotting in a style true to her name, too: She positively pranced across the field toward the woods.

It didn’t take long to get to the creek. If it had been summertime, they would have taken off their boots and dangled their feet in the cool water. Today they had to be satisfied with perching on the big rock by the water’s edge and watching the icy water slip past.

“It was great, but I’m glad to be back,” Stevie said.

“Every trip to the Bar None is different in a wonderful way,” said Carole. “I mean, this time it was Christmas and I loved getting to know the Katzes and the Finnegans.”

Lisa gulped. She had something she had to say. It wasn’t easy, but not saying it was going to be harder.

“Carole, I haven’t apologized to you enough about butting in between you and Gary,” she said.

“You were right,” Carole told her. “I mean, he is a great singer, you can’t deny that—”

“Really great,” Lisa said.

“Right, but that’s not enough. When the chips were down, Gary was a jerk. I was a fool to have had a crush on him. I need to thank you.”

“No you don’t,” said Lisa. “Just because I saw something you didn’t, didn’t give me the right to stick my nose in. I’m never going to do that again.”

“I promise I’ll never get a crush on another jerk,” Carole said solemnly.

“But if you do, I promise I’ll tell
you
, not him,” said Lisa.

“So, you think my boyfriend’s a jerk?” Carole asked in mock anger.

Lisa laughed. So did Stevie and so did Carole.

“I think there’s a lesson here,” said Stevie. “If I’ve got this right, the lesson is that no boy is more important than our friendship.”

That was something they definitely could agree on.

“And the other lesson is that if we don’t get to TD’s, I’m going to starve to death,” Stevie said. TD’s, short for Tastee Delight, was the ice cream shop where the girls often had Saddle Club meetings. “I nearly went into sundae withdrawal while we were at the Bar None. Are you girls ready for some
real
food?”

“I’m ready for a sundae,” Lisa said. “But I hardly think those ghastly concoctions you order at TD’s qualify as
real
food. Now,
real
food is hot caramel on—”

“Lemon ice!” Stevie said.

“Let’s go,” said Carole.

The girls took an extralong time grooming their horses and giving them treats. They needed to make up for the time they’d spent at the ranch. It was late in the afternoon by the time they settled into their favorite booth at TD’s.

It didn’t take long for the girls to order. Or at least it didn’t take long for Carole and Lisa to order. Each wanted hot fudge on vanilla. Stevie, on the other hand, ordered one scoop each of pistachio and peppermint, strawberry and crème de menthe, with red and green sprinkles.

“And don’t forget the cherry, right?” their usual waitress asked.

“Right,” Stevie said solemnly. “Thank you.”

“Don’t you want any nuts on it?”

“No, this is a Christmas sundae,” Stevie said. “Just red and green.”

“I couldn’t have figured that out on my own, even if I’d wanted to,” said the waitress, retreating quickly.

Lisa and Carole laughed. Somehow Stevie maintained a straight face.

For a few minutes the girls discussed the drill their Pony Club would put on in a couple of weeks. It was hard to believe they’d been practicing just a day before their trip to the Bar None. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Then Stevie got a gleam in her eye.

“I think it’s time for our presents,” she said. “I mean, you guys may or may not have something for me, but I’ve got something for you.”

With that she fished two identical packages out of her backpack.

“Me too,” said Lisa. She took two packages out of the tote bag she was carrying.

“Me three,” said Carole. She opened up a small box she’d been holding on her lap and put a package in front of each of her friends.

Stevie looked at the six packages sitting on the table and wrinkled her brow.

“What’s the matter?” Lisa asked.

“Just look,” said Stevie. “Six packages, all exactly the same size.”

Carole and Lisa looked.

“Did you?…”

“At the mall?…”

“That wagon?…”

Stevie went first. She opened her gift from Carole. It was a small, beautiful glass horse.

“Really?” Lisa asked. She opened her gift from Stevie. It was the same thing.

“I can’t believe this!” Stevie said, opening her gift from Lisa. A third glass horse stood on the table.

“It’s beautiful!” said Stevie.

“I knew you’d like it,” said Lisa.

“Me three,” said Carole.

The girls each opened their other gifts, and then there were six glass horses standing on the table.

“I guess we know good presents when we see them at the mall,” said Lisa.

“Or maybe we just know one another too well,” Carole said.

“Maybe,” said Stevie. “And here’s the test. I know what I’m going to name my new horses. What about you two?”

“I’ve got an idea,” said Lisa.

“Holly and Ivy,” said Carole.

“That’s
my
idea,” said Lisa.

“Me three,” said Stevie.

“Merry Christmas,” announced the waitress, putting Stevie’s sundae down in front of her.

“It is,” Stevie assured her. Her friends agreed.

B
ONNIE
B
RYANT
is the author of many books for young readers, including novelizations of movie hits such as
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
and
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
, written under her married name, B. B. Hiller.

Ms. Bryant began writing The Saddle Club in 1986. Although she had done some riding before that, she intensified her studies then and found herself learning right along with her characters Stevie, Carole, and Lisa. She claims that they are all much better riders than she is.

Ms. Bryant was born and raised in New York City. She still lives there, in Greenwich Village, with her two sons.