Free The Great Pony Hassle by Nancy Springer Page B

supper the newlyweds went away on their honeymoon, leaving Grandmother Dill in charge of the girls.
    Early the next morning Paisley was busy making some noise. “I’ve got to go into town.”
    Three girls looked at her, bleary-eyed, from over bowls of oatmeal. Grandmother Dill had insisted on getting everyone up and making them oatmeal for breakfast, even though the June day was going to be hot enough to fry a Frisbee. None of the girls were really eating the stuff.
    â€œI’ve got to go into town!” Paisley insisted to Grandmother Dill. “Can I be excused? I’ll ride in on my bike.” The van was sitting in the garage, but Grandmother Dill did not drive.
    Staci had said only half a dozen words to Paisley since she had met her, and they were, “You just blobbed oatmeal on yourself.” But this idea of biking into town made her butt in before her grandmother could answer. “There’s nothing open yet!”
    â€œFeed mill’s open. I got to see what I need for the pony.”
    â€œWhat do you know about ponies?”
    Paisley looked Staci in the eye for the first time. “More than you do, I bet.”
    â€œThat is enough,” said Grandmother Dill, getting up to rinse cereal bowls, holding herself very straight. She had been a teacher in a private school, and she sounded stern, as always, when she spoke. “Paisley, you cannot bicycle into town by yourself.”
    â€œAw!”
    Nobody ever said “Aw!” to Grandmother Dill. Staci waited with glee for lightning to strike, but for some reason it did not. Grandmother Dill merely said, “However, Anastasia will go with you.”
    Staci winced. Her grandmother always used her full name, and she hated it. She hated it almost as much as she hated having to go into town with Paisley.
    â€œI’ll go too,” said Toni quickly, knowing at once how Staci felt.
    â€œNo, Antoinette,” said Grandmother Dill. “You will stay here and keep Stirling company.”
    And that was that. No one ever argued with Mrs. Dill, not even her daughter, Cathy Dill Fontecchio—no, McPherson. Especially not Cathy. Staci and Toni knew from way back that their mother was no match for Grandmother. Whenever Grandmother visited, they had to protect their mother by never starting trouble.
    So five minutes later Staci was on her bike, trailing after Paisley.
    The house where the girls lived stood at the edge of town. One way lay a long bike ride to the stores at the center of town and an even longer ride to the feed mill on the far side of town. The other way lay country. Paisley jumped on her ten-speed bike and headed for the country.
    Fine, Staci thought, pedaling after her. I’m not going to say a word. If Paisley wanted to grab the lead without knowing where she was going, then let her. Staci hoped she got permanently lost.
    It was hard to keep up with the tall, stocky girl on her big bike, but Staci did it grimly. Not enjoying herself a bit. She felt kind of lost without Toni—the Fontecchio twins were seldom apart from each other. Already the sun was hot, and Staci knew that by the time she and Paisley rode home, the day would be scorching. Altogether, Staci felt grumpy enough to punch Paisley’s lights out if it weren’t that the other girl was so much bigger than she was.
    At a fork in the road Paisley called over her shoulder, “Which way, Anastasia ?”
    About time she asked. “Whatever way you want, PARsley ,” Staci shot back.
    â€œMy name’s Paisley.”
    â€œNuh-uh. Par sley. That’s what you looked like in that frilly dress yesterday, a big green bunch of parsley.”
    Paisley chose the left fork, rode on a few minutes longer, then turned her bike sharply onto a dirt road.
    This was ridiculous. “Hey!” Staci yelled at her. “For your information, you’re going the wrong way!”
    â€œYou told me, whichever way I want!” Paisley sang