Free Leading the Way by Marsha Hubler Page B

about lying to her and being so sneaky. You can have any of it that you want.”
    “Um, I’m not into junk food too much.” Studying the pile, Skye spotted her favorite candy bar. “Although I do see something that definitely has my name on it.”
    “Help yourself!” Katie skirted the room’s furnishings to reach her closet. There she felt for the handle, opened the door, and knelt down. “I almost forgot that I have a whole bunch of candy hidden in a shoe box.” Reaching behind a row of shoes, she grabbed her prize stash and held it up. “See?”
    “You are so ridiculous.” Skye laughed. “Like you weren’t gettin’ enough to eat at the table!”
    “I bet Joey and the other boys will love this.” Katie hobbled on her knees to the bed and emptied the shoebox onto the pile. “I think that’s all of it.”
    Skye stood and headed toward the door. “I’m gonna get Mom and an armful of plastic bags. She can figure out where to store this stuff.”
    “And who gets what—and when,” Katie added.
    “I’ll be back in a minute!” Skye could hardly wait to seek out her mom and watch her reaction.
    Katie sat on the only empty corner of the bed. “Then I want you to help me with one more project, okay?”
    “What’s that?” Skye stopped short at the doorway and looked back.
    “Didn’t you tell me when I first came that Mrs. Chambers has a treadmill somewhere?”
    “Yep. She has it in the basement with some other exercise equipment.”
    “Don’t you think I need to get in shape?” Katie giggled and pinched her sides. “If I lose some of these pounds, then my parents will know that I’m serious. Can you show me how to use that treadmill?”
    “No problem,” Skye said. “We can work out together. It wouldn’t hurt me to do a little sweatin’ either.”
    “Skye, hasn’t anyone ever told you that horses sweat, boys perspire, but girls glisten?”
    Skye laughed. “Then let’s glisten and kiss those carbs good-bye!”

Chapter eleven
    H appy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! God bless you, dear Katie! Happy birthday to you!”
    Laughter and popping balloons echoed through the Chambers’ basement the last Thursday evening in August. Silly games and gifts in fancy paper took center stage while delicious smells of barbecue and freshly baked chocolate cake filled the air. Mr. Chambers was right. With the help of the youth group, Keystone Stables did birthdays up in a big way!
    For weeks, Skye had helped Mr. and Mrs. Chambers and Morgan plan a “half surprise” for Katie. Katie knew about the party; she just didn’t know about all the people who had been invited.
    Despite the many church friends attending, Katie focused on one thing and one thing alone: her parents and whether both would be there. Had her scheme worked?
    Arriving on Wednesday night, Mrs. Thomas had planned to stay for the party and the horse show, Katie’s surprise debut!
    Mr. Thomas, on the other hand, offered his daughter no satisfaction. “I’ll try to make it,” was all he would say whenever she called.
    Thursday came. Katie put her father’s arrival as the number one special event of the day, even ahead of her party. Whenever the phone rang or a car pulled in the driveway, Katie had only one response. “Is it Dad?”
    But Thursday went by as quickly as it came. At nine o’clock the party ended, the guests all left, and Mr. Thomas still had not arrived.
    In the basement, while Mrs. Chambers and Mrs. Thomas cleaned up the galley kitchen, the girls sat amid a sea of torn wrapping paper beside the Ping-Pong table. Katie slumped in her chair with her arms folded while Skye and Morgan inspected the beautiful and thoughtful gifts Katie had received. But Katie’s mind was not on gifts.
    Skye cuddled a large, brown teddy bear. “This is just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. He’ll look super on your bed. His cool cowboy outfit matches the colors of your room. Didn’t Chad give this to you?”
    “Yes,” Katie