Free She Died Too Young by Lurlene McDaniel

early Saturday afternoon before Chelsea could wangle time alone with Lacey. The private-duty nurse had insisted that Jillian nap, and Katie had taken off on one of her long runs. Lacey was heading down to the game room when Chelsea called her over to the sofa in front of the fireplace. “Sit down a minute and talk to me. I’ve been wanting to ask you some things.”
    Lacey joined her on the couch, curled her long legs beneath her, and snuggled into the cushions. “I didn’t mean to ignore you. When’s that fancy jet of Jillian’s heading out?”
    “Tomorrow after lunch. How about you?”
    “A staffer is taking me to the airport early in the morning. My plane leaves at nine.”
    “Then all we have is the rest of today and tonight,” Chelsea said with a sigh. “Boy, I hate leaving this place.”
    “Me too, in a way. But lots is going on back home.”
    “It didn’t sound like things are great for you, but you sure sound busy.”
    “There’s no such thing as too busy for me.”
    Chelsea took a deep breath. “How’s your diabetes doing? You know—your blood sugar control?” She knew enough from the summer to understand that the tighter control Lacey kept on her blood sugar levels, the better she would feel and function day to day.
    “You’re not my doctor,” Lacey grumbled. “Honestly, you and Katie both act as if I don’t have good sense. I’m taking care of myself.”
    There was something in Lacey’s defensive tone that made Chelsea doubt her. “Oh, really? You look to me like you’ve lost weight.”
    “Who wants to be fat?”
    “You’re not fat.”
    Lacey made a face. “Mirrors don’t lie. Most of the girls in my crowd are thin as pencils. They look so cool and wear the neatest clothes. Sizes five or seven. I’m still a size eleven and feel like a cow next to them. Besides, Mom’s so busy with work and fighting with Dad, she hardly ever cooks anymore.”
    “Can’t you cook?”
    “Oh, please!” Lacey rolled her eyes dramatically. “I hate the kitchen.”
    “But it seems to me like you should know how to cook the right foods—”
    “Stop,” Lacey interrupted. “You sound like a dietitian. I don’t need this from you.”
    “All right, forget the health lecture. How’s Todd Larson?”
    Lacey shrugged and glanced toward the logs crackling in the hearth. “He’s the coolest guy in the high school, and he can have his pick of any girl he wants. He’s rich and drives a bright red Miata, and he’s paid some attention to me. But every girl’s after him.”
    “Does he know about your diabetes?”
    “Get real. Why would I tell a guy about
that?”
    “In case you had an insulin reaction on a date.” Chelsea thought her answer was perfectly logical, but Lacey reacted to it instantly.
    “Why would I make an issue of a turnoff like a disease. Guys aren’t interested in girls with problems.”
    “Jeff was.”
    “Don’t you start in on me,” Lacey snapped. “Katie’s already told me what a mistake I made in letting Jeff get away. As far as I’m concerned, Jeff is ancient history, and I have no plans to excavate the past.” She stood up, which was Lacey’s way of saying the conversation was over. “Let’s not ruin things here. Come downstairs with me and we’ll play a game of VR.”
    Chelsea was tempted, but she had another idea and knew that if she was going to manage it, she’d need to rest. “Actually, I’d like you and Katie to do something with me later. Maybe before supper tonight.”
    “What?”
    Chelsea rubbed her temples, fighting off fatigue. “More than anything, I want to take Jillian up to the mountain Amanda took us to. The one where we put her memorial sign. Will you get the horses ready and go with us?”

T
welve

    T HE FOURSOME HAD to leave Jenny House by three-thirty in order to get up the mountain and back down again before dark. Jillian’s private-duty nurse was against the trip, but Jillian argued persuasively to get her way. Jillian won. “If