Pony Pals, Book 1 - I WANT A PONY

Chapter 6 Who's Going to Pay?

Pam stayed in the stable with Snow White while Lulu, Dr. Crandal, Mr. Baxter, and Grandmother Sanders gathered outside. Eeven though Lulu was dirty, Grandmother put a protective arm around her shoulder. Mr. Baxter and Grandmother glared at one another. "Do I know you?" he asked. "I know you," she answered. "I'm your wife's new hairdresser. I did your daughter Rema's hair too. How dare you take that tone with my grandchild? Now what is

going on here? You'd better be straight with me." Lulu was amazed that Grandmother was taking her side without even asking her what happened. When Mr. Baxter began his accusation that Lulu had trespassed on his property and that it was her fault that the pony was injured, Dr. Crandal interrupted. "Mrs. Sanders," Dr. Crandal said, "your granddaughter did the right thing. She found a pony in trouble and she stayed with the animal until someone came along to help." The doctor turned to Mr. Baxter, "You should be thanking Lulu, Mr. Baxter, not accusing her." "Thank her for what?" Mr. Baxter said. "That my pony has to be put down?" Lulu spoke up. "But Snow White doesn't have to be put down. I'll pay for the medical bills. I have a bank account." "Lucinda," Grandmother said, "that's your allowance for the year." "Everyone calm down," Dr. Crandal said.

"Snow White is Mr. Baxter's pony. The medical Bill's will be sent to him." Having her grandmother's arm around her shoulder gave Lulu courage. "What about your daughter?" she asked. "She must love her pony." "Rema is in boarding school. I wanted to sell the pony before she left," Mr. Baxter snapped. "She probably wants her pony to be here when she comes home for vacation," Lulu said. As if to plead her own case, Snow White whinned from the stable. Mr. Baxter fell silent for a second. Then he turned all his attention to Lulu. "I'll tell you what," he said. "I'll pay the medical bills. But if she has to be put down, you'll pay me back for my expenses." "It's a deal," Lulu said. She extended her hand to shake on it. Mr. Baxter didn't move. "I said it's a deal," Lulu repeated. Mr. Baxter finally shook her hand. "So it's settled," Dr. Crandal said. "Let's

get Snow White over to my animal clinic. We've wasted enough time. Mr. Baxter looked at his watch. "I'm late for an appointment to show a property. Call me tonight, Dr. Crandal, and let me know what's up." He turned and stomped out of the stable. "Come along now, Lucinda," Grandmom said. Lulu looked up into her grandmother's stern face and asked, "Please, can I lead Snow White into the trailer? She might be scared." Grandmother sighed. "I'll wait in the car. But be quick. We have bingo tonight." Lulu knew better than to ask her grandmother if she could go with Snow White to the animal clinic. One Snow White was safely inside the trailer, Lulu put her cheek against her neck. "Bye, Snow White," she whispered. "Good luck." "I'll can you as soon as my dad tells me

how Snow White is doing, okay?" Pam said. "Okay," Lulu said. "Thanks." As Grandmother and Lulu drove down Lilac Lane behind the trailer, tears come rolling down Lulu's cheeks. "Snow White might die," she said. "Maybe her leg can't be fixed." "You'll just have to wait and see, Lucinda," Grandmother said. "You've done everything you could." Lulu remembered something that she should tell her grandmother right away. "Thank you, Grandma," she said, "for defending me with Mr. Baxter. I know you don't like horses." "I may not like horses, my dear," Grandmother said, "but I think a great deal of you. It was clear that you had put yourself out to help a living creature. What you did for that horse was just the sort of thing your father would have done. Your mother, too, for that matter. I'm proud of you." Now Grandmother had tears in her eyes, too.

But by the time Luluband Grandmother got back to the house on Main Street, Grandmother was back to being her old fussy self." Now take off those filthy shoes and clothes, Lucinda, before you step on the carpet. Bring them right down to the laundry room, sneakers and all. And for goodness sake, take a shower and wash that hair. And put on a dress." Half an hour later Lulu was starting down the back stairs, clean and in her good dress. The phone rang. Lulu ran down the stairs into the kitchen. But Grandmother had already answered the phone and was saying, "Well thank you so much, Mrs. Crandal. It's very thoughtful of you. But Lucinda is going to bingo tonight. Perhaps she could come for a sleepover another time." Lulu fell to her knees at Grandmother's feet and clasped her hands in a begging position. Grandmother looked in horror and signaled her to get up. While Grandmother

chatted on with Mrs. Crandal about what a huge success the bingo games had been as a church fund-raiser, Lulu scribbled a note. It's hard to make friends in a new place. Please, please can I go? Pam's a very nice girl. She put the note in front of Grandmother. Grandmother read it, then studied Lulu with a level serious gaze and told Mrs. Crandal that Lulu could go to the sleepover. After Grandmother hung up, Lulu showered her with kisses and thank-yous. "Well, good gracious, child," Grandmother said. As Lulu was changing back into jeans and packing her overnight bag, she wasn't only thinking about her new friend, Pam. She was thinking about her new pony friend, Snow White. Half an hour later the Crandals picked up Lulu. Mrs. Crandal was driving. Pam and the twins  sat in the backseats. Lulu got in next to Pam. Before she could ask, Pam said, "My father's still working on Snow White. We don't know any more about her condition." Lulu held back from asking if she'd be able to visit Snow White in the animal clinic. The Crandals' house was spacious and comfortable. Lulu especially liked the large kitchen with a big couch in the corner and a round oak table in the middle of the room. Mrs. Crandal went right to the stove to finish cooking dinner. Lulu and Pam set the table. A few minutes later Lulu faced a plate healed high with steaming spaghetti. Just as she was about to lift a big forkful to her mouth, Dr. Crandal came in. Lulu's heart started to pound. Her hunger disappeared. She put her fork down. "Well," Dr. Crandal said. "Glad to see you here, Lulu. It'll save me a phone call."

"Hows Snow White?" Lulu managed to ask. I was able to stitch her up," he said. "If the barbed wire had dug in another quarter of an inch I wouldn't have been able to repair the leg. Your keeping her still the way you did save her." Everyone at the table clapped. When they'd quieted down, Lulu asked Dr. Crandal, "Will she be able to carry a rider and jump again?" "We won't know that for a couple of weeks," Dr. Crandal answered. "It depends on how well she recovers. She'll need a lot of care." "We'll take care of her," Pam said. She looked at Lulu, "Won't we?" "Yes," Lulu said. "Yes, we will." She stood up. "Could I go see her right now?" "Sit down and eat your dinner and let the pony rest. She's all drugged-up right now anyway," Dr. Crandal said. Lulu sat back down. Pam leaned over and whispered in her ear. "When I invited you

to a sleepover, I didn't say where we were going to sleep." "Where?" Lulu whispered back. Pam whispered to Lulu, "In the barn. With Snow White." Lulu had no trouble having two big helpings of spaghetti and a bunch of the best chocolate cookies she'd ever eaten.