Free Maddie’s Dream by Catherine Hapka Page A

a barn did sound hard, but maybe she could ask her parents if any of the rooms in their house needed repainting. That didn’t sound too bad.
    [MADDIE] Thanks, great idea! Well, not the barn part, lol. Any other brainstorms?
    [HALEY] Maybe u could start a dog-walking business, or pet sitting? What do u need the money for, anyway?
    Maddie’s fingers hovered over the keys. What should she say? She didn’t want to lie to one of her best friends. Maybe she could come up with something that was sort of true—just for now. . . .
    [MADDIE] Remember how the Snack & Swim ride is coming up this Sunday? I’m hoping to buy something special for it. That’s why I’m in a hurry.
    [HALEY] Cool! You mean like new boots, or a new swimsuit or what?
    â€œMads? You in here?” Maddie’s father poked his head into the room, still dressed in his scrubs.
    Maddie sat up. “Oh! You’re home.” She felt a flash of guilt as she remembered she was supposed to be watching her younger brothers. Still, her dad was smiling, which meant Ry and Ty probably hadn’t managed to kill each other or burn the kitchen down.
    She quickly typed one last post:
    [MADDIE] My dad just got home—gtg. Tx for the ideas!
    She closed the computer. Her father stepped into the room.
    â€œDid you hear the message from Coach Wu?” he asked.
    â€œWhat message?”
    â€œIt’s on the machine.”
    Maddie shrugged. “I didn’t check when I got home from the barn.”
    â€œOh. Well, she says the powers that be got their act together faster than expected, and the Cascade League tryouts are this Saturday afternoon.” Her father grinned. “So you’d better start warming up your kicking foot!”
    â€œSaturday afternoon?” Maddie had nearly forgotten about the travel team. “But I can’t do it then—I have my riding lesson.”
    Her father’s smile faded. “You can miss one lesson,” he said. “Maybe you can ride on Sunday this week instead.”
    Maddie shook her head. “Sunday’s the Snack and Swim.” At her father’s perplexed look, she added, “It’s thisbig trail ride. I told you about it, and—never mind. Anyway, I don’t want to miss my Saturday lesson, especially this week.”
    â€œWhy? What’s so important about this week?”
    Maddie hesitated. The Pony Post girls weren’t the only ones who were still in the dark about the Richardson Situation. Maddie hadn’t told her parents about it either. “I just don’t want to miss it,” she said.
    Her father didn’t look impressed. “Listen, Maddie, I know you think riding is all you want to do these days. But don’t be shortsighted. This soccer thing could be a big opportunity for you.”
    Maddie could tell he was getting annoyed. She was a little annoyed herself. Why couldn’t her parents understand that riding was important to her?
    But she bit her tongue, not wanting to start an argument right now. It would only distract her from what was really important.
    â€œOkay, maybe you’re right,” she said. “I’ll call Coach Wu back in a little while. But listen, have you noticed that the dining room is looking a little dingy lately?”
    â€œThe dining room?” He looked surprised by the sudden change of topic. “Not particularly. Why?”
    â€œWell, it’s just that I’d be willing to repaint it if you paid me,” Maddie said. “Or any other rooms you want. What about the boys’ room? Of course, I might have to charge hazard pay for even setting foot in there. . . .”
    â€œOh, I see.” Her father sounded faintly amused. “Trying to earn a little spending cash, are you? Let me guess—seeing Tillie wave her new phone around is driving you crazy and now you want one of your very own?”
    Maddie smiled weakly. “You know how it is. A girl