Free Holiday Horse by Bonnie Bryant Page A

achance to call again even if I’m tempted. We’ll see you when we get home later.”
    “Okay,” Stevie said. “Have a good time.”
    “Thanks,” Deborah said. “You too. Oh, and tell Carole her father says hi. He’s a couple of tables over from us.”
    Stevie hung up and passed the message on to Carole. “Deborah said she won’t call anymore,” she added.
    Lisa had slung a towel over her shoulder and was burping Maxi, whose eyes were wide open once again. “Good,” she said. “At this rate, we’ll fall asleep before Maxi does.”
    Stevie glanced down at the phone, which she was still holding. “As long as she’s awake anyway, maybe we should get started on those prank phone calls,” she suggested. Phil probably wouldn’t call for at least ten more minutes. Besides, the phone had call waiting. If it went off, Stevie could just hang up on Chad.
    Carole sighed resignedly. “If you’re going to do it, you might as well go ahead.”
    Stevie grinned. She was already dialing her home number.
    After three rings, someone picked it up on the other end. “H’llo?” said an unfamiliar voice.
    Stevie disguised her voice, making it as low and grown-up-like as possible. “Good evening,” she said. “I’m trying to reach Mr. Chad Lake, please.”
    “Just a second.” The phone clattered onto a hard surface.
    A moment later, Chad’s voice came over the line. “This is Chad Lake,” he said uncertainly.
    “Hello, Mr. Lake,” Stevie said, still keeping her voice disguised. “This is Pat Patterson from radio station WQMZ in Washington. And this is a random call from our prize patrol.”
    Carole, who was listening, started to giggle. She clapped a hand over her mouth before Chad could hear her. Lisa just rolled her eyes and lowered Maxi to the floor next to her stuffed horse.
    “Really?” Chad said, sounding suspicious but interested. “Is this really a radio DJ? Or is this a trick?… Stevie? Is that you?”
    “This is no trick, young man,” Stevie assured him in her disguised voice. “All you have to do to win a brand-new car is perform our challenge dare.”
    “What do I have to do?” Chad asked. By now he definitely sounded a lot more interested than suspicious. Stevie happened to know that he had already started bugging their parents about buying him his own car, even though he wouldn’t even get his learner’s permit for another two years.
    “It’s really very simple,” Stevie told him. “Are you familiar with the song ‘I’m a Little Teapot’?”
    “Sure,” Chad said.
    By this time, Lisa was having a hard time controllingher giggles, too. Stevie was careful to keep her fake voice steady. “All you have to do is sing that song to me as loudly as you can, right now. But you mustn’t tell anyone in the house with you why you’re doing it.”
    Chad hesitated. Stevie held her breath, waiting for an answer. Would his desire for that new car win out over his desire not to embarrass himself in front of all his friends? She certainly hoped so.
    “You want that shiny new car, don’t you, Mr. Lake?” she prompted.
    “Well …,” Chad began after a second, “I only know one verse, but …”
    At that moment, Maxi seemed to realize for the first time that her favorite toy was within her reach. She let out a loud crow of triumph and grabbed the stuffed horse from the floor. As she clutched it to her chest, she let out a few satisfied gurgles and one definite baby laugh.
    “Hey,” Chad said, suddenly sounding suspicious again—and more than a little annoyed. “Was that a baby in the background? I should have known it was you all along, Stevie!” He slammed down the phone.
    Stevie groaned. “Maxi!” she chided, grabbing the baby and swinging her up into the air like Superbaby. “You ruined it! He was about to start singing. He would never have lived that one down.”
    “Too bad, Stevie,” Lisa said with a laugh. “Now Chad will be on the lookout. You’ll have a hard time fooling